State of Minnesota Guardian Ad Litem Board

STATE OF MINNESOTA GUARDIAN AD LITEM BOARD

FY18 – FY19 LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP) PLAN

1. LEGAL BASIS AND PURPOSE

This document serves as the plan for the Minnesota Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Board to provide services to limited English proficient (LEP) individuals in compliance with Federal law.[1] The purpose of this plan is to provide a framework for the provision of timely and reasonable language assistance to those who come in contact with the Guardian ad Litem Program.

Services for persons with limited English proficiency are covered by Title IV of the Civil Rights Act; persons who are deaf or hard of hearing are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Accommodations will be provided for deaf and hard of hearing customers including but not limited to sign language and/or deaf interpreters. Spoken language interpreters will be provided to LEP individuals who are “disabled in communication” when circumstances permit.

1. GUARDIAN AD LITEM BOARD BACKGROUND

In 2010, the Minnesota Legislature created the state Guardian ad Litem Board (Minnesota Statutes 480.35) which moved the Guardian ad Litem program out of the state court system and under a Board. According to the enabling legislation, the purpose of the Board is to administer a statewide, independent Guardian ad Litem program to advocate for the best interest of children, minor parents and incompetent adults in juvenile and family courts.

The Guardian ad Litem Board appoints aProgram Administrator.The Program Administrator, who reports to the board, supervises the Program Managers. Currently each district program is configured to service the needs of that particular district.

• Program Mission

The mission of the State Guardian ad Litem Board is to provide well trained, effective Guardians ad Litem to advocate for safe and permanent homes for the children we represent in Juvenile and Family courts.

• Program Values

The State Guardian ad Litem Board seeks justice for children by:

• Ensuring no child falls through the cracks of our child welfare or family court system because of a lack of an effective Guardian ad Litem to look after their interests.
• Ensuring the most vulnerable children (pursuant to federal and state mandates) are the top priorities of the entire Judicial Branch.
• Providing competent, cost-effective, and professional services by Guardian’s ad Litem, Coordinators, Managers and Program Administration.
• Working as a unified and cohesive team to realize common goals and share statewide resources, ideas, and strategies.
• Providing fair and equitable treatment of Guardians ad Litem.
• Being accountable, ethical, and professional as individuals and as a system.
• Being sensitive to and competent in areas of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, and the long-term impact of violence and abuse on child development.
• Beneficiaries

The primary beneficiaries of the Board’s services are the children represented, the public, judges, and the legislature served.

1. LANUAGE ASSISTANCE RESOURCES

The Guardian ad Litem Board is responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure that LEP individuals have meaningful access to services.

The following resources are available:

• MJC Language Access Plan
• Language Access Plan Poster
• Reference Guide for Interacting with Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals using the language line and TTY.
• Language Line
• Language Identification Card
• Deaf and hard of hearing accommodations
• Interpreter Services
• Limited English Proficiency Federal Interagency Website

Language Identification Card

The Language Identification card is a list of over 170 languages available through the Language Line (see below). Employees and volunteers may use this document to help identify the language that an LEP individual speaks.

Language Line

Employees and volunteers may use the Office of Enterprise Technology (OET) Language Line to obtain a phone interpreter to assist LEP individuals.

Interpreter Accommodations

When the Guardian ad Litem Board learns that an individual who is limited English proficient or deaf or hard of hearing is in need of language assistance, reasonable accommodations are made when possible, to include obtaining interpreter services.

1. TRAINING

The Guardian ad Litem Board is committed to providing LEP training opportunities for all employees and volunteers. LEP training is provided for new employees as part of New Employee Orientation. The existence of the LEP and resources available will be communicated annually to all employees and volunteers. Employees and volunteers may access LEP training through the Guardian ad Litem Program SharePoint site or through Limited English Proficiency Federal Interagency Website.

The Guardian ad Litem Board may partner with the Minnesota Judicial Branch as to LEP resources available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch such as:

• Language Identification Card
• Language Line
• Deaf and hard of hearing accommodations
• Interpreters
• Language Access Basic Training
• Limited English Proficiency Federal Interagency Website

1. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF LEP PLAN

1. LEP Plan Approval & Notification

The Minnesota Guardian ad Litem Board LEP plan is approved by the State Guardian ad Litem Board Program Administrator. The Minnesota Guardian ad Litem Board LEP will be posted on the Guardian ad Litem Board website. Copies of the Minnesota Guardian ad Litem Board LEP are available upon request.

1. Evaluation of the LEP Plan

This plan will be reviewed periodically and changes made will be based on the review. The evaluation will include identification of any problem areas and development of required corrective action strategies. Elements of the evaluation may include:

• Assessing the demography - number or proportion of LEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be encountered;
• Assessing the frequency of contact - frequency with which LEP individuals come in contact with the program and/or activities;
• Assessing the importance - nature and importance of the program, activity, or service to people's lives;
• Assessing the resources - resources available and costs such as additional services or translated materials;
• Assessing whether GAL employees and volunteers adequately understand LEP policies and procedures and how to carry them out.

Any revisions made to this plan will be communicated via email to all employees, posted to the Guardian ad Litem Program SharePoint site as well as posting to the Guardian ad Litem Board website.

Contact Persons

Kristen TrebilLinda Potter

Guardian ad Litem Program AdministratorGuardian ad Litem HR Manager

25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

St. Paul, MN 55155St. Paul, MN 55155

The effective date of this LEP is October 1, 2017

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[1] Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; 45 C.F.R. § 80 et seq; and 28 C.F.R. § 42 et seq.