Subject to the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Charter, OCEIA shall work with all Departments providing emergency response services under Section 91.9 to aid in their compliance with its provisions and may provide technical assistance to support the Departments’ Language Access Services, and investigate, monitor, and facilitate Departmental compliance with this Chapter 91. OCEIA may:
(a) Provide technical assistance for Language Access Services for all Departments, including but not limited to, create a vocabulary list with standardized terms applicable to all Departments, yearly trainings for department staff, consultations as needed, and language access tools and resources;;1
(b) Coordinate Language Access Services across Departments, including but not limited to maintaining a directory of qualified language service providers for Departments to utilize and carry out their responsibilities under this Chapter 91, maintaining Language Access Services, translations, and interpretations contracts for all Departments, maintaining an inventory of language services equipment, and providing assistance to Departments, the Board of Supervisors, and the Mayor’s Office in identifying bilingual staff;
(c) Provide Departments with model Annual Compliance Reports and language access policies;
(d) If OCEIA determines a new language meets the annual threshold amount in section 91.2 (“Substantial Number of LEP Persons”), OCEIA shall notify all affected Departments of its determination. OCEIA shall also post that determination on its website for 120 days prior to certifying the new language. During that time period, OCEIA may conduct a study to confirm its determination. If OCEIA conducts such a study, the 120 days shall commence the day the study is published. The certification of a new language as a language spoken by a Substantial Number of LEP Persons shall take effect after the conclusion of the process described in this subsection (d);
(e) Maintain a complaint form on OCEIA’s website in all certified languages spoken by a Substantial Number of LEP Persons;
(f) Create a know-your-rights brochure for Language Access Services, that at a minimum explains the complaint process, provides information on how to file a complaint, and outlines possible resolutions to the complaint. The know-your-rights brochure shall be translated and made available in at least the top 20 languages in San Francisco that are most spoken and have the highest rate of language access needs;
(g) Create and maintain a website for the posting of OCEIA’s investigative summary reports;
(h) Perform audits, as needed, for compliance with the provisions of this Chapter; and
CODIFICATION NOTE
1. So in Ord. 116-24.