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City of Santa Ana <br />Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan <br />July 2012 <br />V. PLANNING - DEVELOPING A LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LAP) <br />A. Identification of LEP Persons <br />City staff will use the following methods to identify LEP persons: <br />• Examine records to see if requests for language assistance have been received in the <br />past, either at meetings or from referrals to determine whether language assistance <br />might be needed for future events or literature. <br />• Provide language identification forms which invite LEP persons to identify their <br />language needs to our staff members. Records will be maintained for a 3-year <br />period. <br />8. Language Assistance Measures <br />Staff can accomplish several language assistance measures to assist LEP persons, including <br />the following: <br />• Translate an inventory of existing materials in a variety of languages based on <br />demographics, including Spanish and Vietnamese. <br />• Regularly review and update these materials. <br />• Assure LEP persons have access to staff that are trained and competent in the skill of <br />interpreting/translation. <br />• Contract with an outside interpreter service for trained and competent interpreters, <br />as needed. <br />• Arrange for the services of voluntary community interpreters who are trained and <br />competent in the skill of interpreting. <br />• Arrange for the use of a telephone language interpreter service. <br />• Establish a linkage between minority community-based organizations for assistance <br />in cultural understanding and interpretation services. <br />• Post and maintain signs in waiting rooms, reception areas and other initial points of <br />entry in languages other than English. In order to be effective, these signs should <br />inform applicants and beneficiaries of their right to free language assistance services <br />and invite them to identify themselves as persons needing such services. <br />• Translate application forms and instructional, informational, and other written <br />materials into appropriate non-English languages by competent translators. <br />• For LEP persons where written documents do not exist in their language, assistance <br />should be provided from an interpreter/translator to explain the contents of <br />documents. <br />• Efforts for assistance to low-frequency, unusual or unexpected languages may <br />include, but are not limited to, using a telephone language line, and locating and <br />14 <br />25B-54