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Program Description

  Equity and Language Access

Limited English Proficiency (LEP) is a barrier between customers, colleagues, and the community and equitable access to services designed to promote their health, safety, and self-sufficiency. The focus of the Equity and Language Access Program is to use principles of equitable access to guide how staff plans, implements, and evaluates activities that provide access to language. This program is charged with delivering an LEP Policy and Implementation Plan, department-wide, to fulfill an essential systemic strategy to create equitable access to services by mitigating language barriers and to comply with a Federal mandate for language access.

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Program Contacts

Contact Mark Hodge of the HHS - Administration and Support at 240-777-1568 or Deborah Lambert of the Office of Management and Budget at 240-777-2794 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

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Program Performance Measures

Program Performance MeasuresActual FY23Actual FY24Estimated FY25Target FY26Target FY27
Total number of interpretations provided over the phone by thephone interpretation vendor to DHHS staff in order to serve clients with limited English proficiency 128,239 30,835 31,900 33,495 35,170
Number of referrals made for Multilingual Health Navigation Line/Interpretation Services 233,36230,51529,04029,10529,220
Percent of clients able to access services upon referral 387%93%90%90%90%
Percent of clients satisfied with services for Multilingual Health Navigation Line/interpretation services 499%100%89%89%89%
Percent of participants of Equity Workshop who will be able to apply behaviors learned 598%98%98%98%98%
1  The program saw increased demand in clients seeking services at DHHS service centers, including Silver Spring, Middlebrook, Fenton, Germantown, and Piccard Drive. When demand for services grows, there is an expected corresponding rise in requests for interpretation services. Projections reflect an estimated 5% increase per year.
2  In FY24 there were 8,770 unique clients served by the Multilingual Health Navigation Line, and 1,776 unique clients served through interpretation services. The decrease from FY23 to FY24 stems mostly from the decrease in clients served by the health navigation line: medical needs and in turn demand for interpretation services decreased post-pandemic.
3  Two contractors provide services in this program, CASA and Cross Cultural Infotech. Among CASA clients, the most pressing issues were food insecurity and housing. With limited housing funds, it was not always possible to meet clients' housing needs. Among Cross Cultural Infotech clients, 96% of clients were successful in accessing at least one county service that they needed.
4  Metric reflects satisfaction with services provided by CASA (contract with Latino Health Initiative) and Cross Cultural Infotech (contract with Asian American Health Initiative). In FY24, there were 1,265 survey respondents across both programs. FY25-FY27 projection/targets account for 80% minimum standard set in contract with vendors.
5  Based on 190 responses. In FY24, 327 county employees, the majority from DHHS, participated in various activities and workshops offered both in-person and virtual.
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Program Budget Changes

FY26 Recommended ChangesExpendituresFTEs
FY25 Approved60043917.00
Multi-program adjustments, including negotiated compensation changes, employee benefit changes, changes due to staff turnover, reorganizations, and other budget changes affecting multiple programs.1110780.00
FY26 Recommended61154697.00