LANGUAGE ACCESS AT DTA_ Policies and Advocacy

LANGUAGE ACCESS AT DTA: Policies and Advocacy
Naomi MeyerSenior Attorney, Welfare Law UnitGreater Boston Legal [email protected]
Past Advocacy
Current DTA regulations & policies resulted from:Lawsuit under federal Food Stamp regulationsHHS OCR Resolution Agreement
Johnson v. AtkinsStipulation of Dismissal, 1990
No administrative disqualification if not given SNAP penalty warning in language in which adult household member fluentManual for Hearing Officers with instructions for implementing right to interpreter
DTA Regulations: Client Rights
InterpreterservicesTranslated SNAP penalty warningsNotice of right to interpreter in SNAP hearingsInterpreters at SNAP hearings
DTA Regulations: Hearing Officer Duties
Informappellants who are not fluent inEnglish ofright tofull &accurateinterpretationconductbilingual hearings in accordance withmanualensureall statementsfully interpretedwithout alteration
DTA Online Guide andOperations Memo 2013-11
Instructions for all staff who deal with clientsMust offer DTA interpreter even if client brings her ownNo magic wordsMust orally interpret application and recertification materials
DTA Language Access Plan
Complaint Procedure – Write to:Sarah Stuart, Associate Commissioner for Program & Policy Implementation,[email protected]