Language Access Guidance & Plan 2022
MECASA
This document offers best practices and resources to MECASA and member centers to ensure people with Limited English and Deaf/hard-of-hearing community members receive meaningful access to all the programs, information, and resources we provide.
TRANSLATED VITAL DOCUMENTS 
ACQES Survivor Survey - Non-English
Head over to the General/Outcomes, Data, & Evaluation section for survivor surveys in Arabic, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Somali - available as a Survey Monkey link or PDFs. 
Release Forms 
Release form - Arabic
Release form - English
Release form - French
Release form - Portuguese
Release form - Somali
Release form - Spanish
Language for websites/outreach materials
​This document contains the following sentences in French, Spanish, Somali, Arabic, and Portuguese:

Confidential free help is available from Maine's Sexual Assault Support Centers any day, any time.
Say your phone number and language for a free interpreter and wait for a call back.

Let Katie know if you need it in other languages. ​
Workplace Sexual Harassment 1-pager
Arabic
English
French
Khmer
Portuguese
Somali
​Spanish
Outreach materials 
All centers should have received printed versions these posters, palm cards, and 2-sided  outreach flyer early summer 2021. All materials are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Portuguese, and French and as PFD form. Reach out to Katie K for more materials or with questions. 

training
Language Access & Interpretation 
2022 Recorded webinar

Join Fatuma Hussein of Immigrant Resource Center of Maine and Charlie Gauvin, Catholic Charities Refugee & Immigrant Services for a training on the necessary & important role of language access for survivors of sexual violence.

Here are all the supplemental materials from this training.

Learning Objectives
  • Participants will learn foundational principles of Language Access under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
  • Participants will understand how to access interpretation services over the phone, through video, and in-person
  • Participants will understand the role of the interpreter and strategies for successfully working with interpreters from their roles as advocates
  • Participants will be able to identify the importance of Language Access in sexual violence work and identify examples of what culturally affirming sexual violence services looks like​
Working with Interpreters & Translators 
Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Language (spoken or sign) is a crucial component of any agency's effort seeking to improve the life, safety and well-being of Limited English Proficient (LEP), as well as Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/d/HoH) victims of domestic violence/sexual assault (DV/SA) and their families. Individuals are more likely to seek help when those services are offered in their primary language.
Using Plain Language to Talk about Sexual Assault, Abuse, and Harassment
Podcast - National Sexual Violence Resource Center

​Training Specialist Louie Marven, Communications Specialist Megan Thomas, and Communications Director Laura Palumbo share all about NSVRC’s new online learning tool that explores how to use plain language to communicate more effectively about sexual assault, abuse, and harassment. Go behind the scenes to learn how and why the course was developed as well as key lessons learned from NSVRC’s messaging work.

maine resources
In Person Interpreters 
Association of Maine Interpreters & Translators
For a directory of member interpreters

Catholic Charities of Maine Language Partners
207-523-2700 | risinterpret@ccmaine.org

House of Languages 
207-423-9962 | questions@houseoflanguages.com

Maine State Interpreter
207- 221-0740 | mainestateinterpreters@hotmail.com 
​
Language Access Consultants & Trainers
Immigrant Resource Center of Maine

Meryl Troop
meryltroop@gmail.com

Stefanie Trice Gill, MBA 
Lead Language Access Consultant 
Stefanie@IntWork.com 
https://calendly.com/intwork 
(207) 200-1930
​American Sign Language Interpreters 
​
Pine Tree Society
Mara Noland, Program Director
885-0536  

Certified Interpreting
798-7995 

Mary Jane Grant Interpreting
651-3146 

Kewl ASL
Danielle Perfetto
207-240-1390 | kewlasl@gmail.com  

Professional Interpreting Inc (Portland based): 774-3068 

Sign Language Interpreting Plus
Mary McKay |615-1448

Sorenson Community Interpreting: 1-800-659-4783
National resources

Language Access & Sexual Violence Advocacy

Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence - Language Access, Interpretation, & Translation TA & Tools​ ​
Casa de Esperanza - Tools & training culturally-specific services for survivors

PowerPoint - Ensuring Meaningful Access for Survivors with Limited English Proficiency - Casa de Esperanza & API GBV

Resource Sharing Project
Vera Institute of Justice

Limited English Proficiency.gov

​In 2002 a federal working group created LEP.gov designed to share resources to improve language access in compliance with federal law. Here are some 2022 updates:
 
20 different “I speak” cards, including Indigenous Languages
A series of translation guides, like Top 10 Best Practices for Multilingual Websites
State & local government laws & policies for law enforcement, corrections, & district attorneys
Program Development tools including worksheets for assessment & planning.
Certified languages Phone interpretation 
In 2011 MECASA entered into a Services Agreement with phone interpretation service Certified Languages. All centers except IRCM are subcontractors on this Services Agreement. 

This means you have a separate customer codes and direct billing to your center. 

Certified Languages has been chosen based on languages, availability, and feedback from other coalitions, but if is not a required vendor. 
Certified Language Materials
Language ID Display - 8.5x14

Center-specific Materials
AMHC Staff Instruction Card
​​MECASA Staff Instruction Card
​RRS Staff Instruction Card
​SACSC Staff Instruction Card
SAPARS Staff Instruction Card
SARSSM Staff Instruction Card
​SASSMM Staff Instruction Card
​