Continuing Funding Needs

In the survey, jurisdictions reported a number of areas that need funding.  The survey asked them to detail their top funding needs.

Q33 What remain your top needs
for which funding would be helpful? 

Many states and territories answered that there are multiple areas throughout their programs that need support.  Other states identified specific areas.  There still remains a strong need for funding to recruit interpreter candidates and to assist candidates to prepare for certification tests.  Jurisdictions also report a strong need for translations of documents, forms, and online information.  Other key areas of need include training and technology.

Listed below, grouped by category, are the top funding needs that jurisdictions reported in the survey:

Various Needs

• With the rollout of our newly-approved statewide language access plan, funding for translation of statewide court forms, IT, phone, and web-based tools to receive and process requests for interpreters by LEPs, and training of bilingual staff and interpreters are all needed.
• Funding would be helpful to implement and sponsor the following: 1) the expansion of statewide remote interpreting efforts; 2) a web-based online database system; and 3) state-sponsored skills building workshops for interpreters.
• Funding for translation of court forms and vital documents; enhancements to language access services, including planning for implementation of video remote interpreting capability; development of a court interpreter database that can be integrated into court case management system; court interpreter recruitment and development; and delivery of language access training for Judiciary staff and judges.
• Candidate training and exam preparation. Judicial training tools. Data collection. Staff interpreters. VRI. 

Interpreter Recruiting and Candidate Training

• Recruitment of certified interpreters.
• Funding to assist bilingual candidates taking on-line language training sessions in preparation for oral exams. Continued development of a Yup'ik dictionary of legal terms used in the courtroom.
• Funding to recruit qualified interpreters in our rural areas and interpreters of languages other than Spanish are our top needs.
• Interpreter training and development
• certification test-oral exams
• Training for test prep; training for current interpreters
• Certification of interpreters and continued education
• Credentialing of interpreters Interpreting skills exam for Amharic
• Test preparation skills building courses for LOTS interpreter candidates.
• Development of tests for languages of lesser diffusion
• Funding to provide more training opportunities for interpreters and technical equipment for interpreters to use in courtrooms. 

Training for staff, judges, and attorneys

• Development of informational/training videos for staff, attorneys, and the public.
• Expanded trainings and video tutorials for judges, LEP court users, interpreters. We are particularly interested in offering judicial trainings related to usage of sign language interpreters and training for sign language interpreter to increase their comfort level with court interpreting. 

Translation of forms and documents

• translation of court documents, orders and web-information; expansion of remote interpreting technologies; bringing in experts for specific training modules; methods for test-preparation .
• Translation of standard court forms into Spanish and other selected languages. Skill building workshops for interpreters Remote video interpretation technology in courtrooms Development of language access training materials for judges, court staff, attorneys, community organizations, and LEP communities.
• Translation of our website. Translation of forms in multiple languages. Updating the Language Services Plan.
• Translation of forms and specialized training Recruitment of rare (or lesser diffusion) languages.
• Translation of pamphlets and forms into common languages and periodic updating of current translated forms.
• LOTS translations.

Technology

• Building and implementing an interpreter scheduling component that interfaces with our home-grown court information system that enhances the ability of courts and probation offices to request an interpreter, the ability of the Program to schedule interpreters, and automates the billing, payment, and statistical reporting of interpreter services. 2. Translation of court forms and pro se litigant materials into Spanish and Somali.
• Enhanced technology for scheduling.
• Remote interpreting equipment.
• Equipment to enhance and expand use of remote interpreting. Funding for trainers to conduct Court interpreter and judicial training.
• Implementation and/or expansion of video remote interpreting capabilities in district courts. 2. Skills classes and certification exam preparation classes for languages other than Spanish.
• Remote interpreting capability. Case management system capability.
• Video remote interpreting for LOTS and rarer languages Glossary development and training in LOTS languages of lesser diffusion Document translation of state forms in more languages other than Spanish
• Remote technology.
• Creating a successful pilot program for the delivery of VRI services in our state for all languages.

Other

• Short term: additional funding to support the provision of interpreter services, since program is underfunded. Long term: Obtain interpreter staff position(s).
• Multi-language I-forms for English filings Statewide standardized remote interpreting technology Online suite of interpreter scheduling and billing technology
• To assist in developing an orientation and certification program.
• Assess bilingual/multilingual staff, expand continuing education programs for interpreters and translators, and reestablish interpreter training programs.
• Creating an interpreter bank for civil legal aid.
• Additional staffing to support expansion of language access services and pipeline development to increase the pool of court interpreters.
• Funding of language access happens at the local level. Our courts would benefit greatly from a national network of foreign language interpreters that could attend any hearing via remote access. Funding this type of enterprise that was free to the courts would be a great advantage to our geographically disparate state.
• Helping to expand the registry of interpreters and hiring a program manager to manage our FLIP program.
• Cost of court interpreter services especially for languages other than Spanish.

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