Speaking of Justice: NJP Launches Language Rights Campaign
A skilled nursing facility in Federal Way refused to offer a sign-language interpreter to a deaf patient recovering from back surgery. This left her unable to discuss her treatment plan or physical therapy. The Northwest Justice Project (NJP) pursued this violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and, in a legal settlement the facility agreed to pay the patient $20,500 in damages. It also committed to training, policies, and procedures to ensure ADA compliance.
Language should never be a barrier to healthcare, justice or education but it often is, especially for those with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) or who use sign language. Yet, they have legal rights to interpretation and translation services, in particular for accessing the justice system and government services.
The Northwest Justice Project has a long history of advocating for language access in healthcare, education, public benefits, housing—in essentially every facet of public life. Working with several partners in 2008, we helped to create the first model Language Access Plan (‘LAP”) for Washington state courts.
Now, we are excited to launch a national Language Rights Campaign to raise awareness of legal rights, improve access to services, reduce discrimination and barriers, and support self-empowerment.
Use the Language Rights Toolkit
The Campaign provides a comprehensive social media toolkit informing people of their rights. It includes 13 ready-to-use social media posts, available in 12 languages, and includes customizable templates for organizations.
The campaign’s success relies on widespread participation. Here's how you can get involved:
- Download the free toolkit.
- Share it with your networks and partners
- Post the ready-made content on your social media platforms
- Customize the content to reach your specific audience and reflect your organization’s mission
- Encourage others to spread these vital know-your-rights messages
The Toolkit is available in the following languages:
Amharic / አማርኛ, Arabic / العربية, Chinese (Simplified) / 简体中文, Chinese (Traditional) / 中文, Haitian Creole / Kreyòl ayisyen, Korean / 한국어, Portuguese / Português, Russian / Pусский, Spanish / Español , Tagalog / Pilipino, Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
A growing need
In our increasingly diverse country, more than 25 million people (8% of the U.S. population), and 525,988 Washingtonians (6.8% of the population) have limited proficiency in English. Some 11 million Americans (3.6% of the population) are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing, including 250,000 people in Washington. Many of these individuals communicate in sign language. Having an interpreter in a spoken or signed language is critical to our LEP or deaf community members.
When people don’t know and aren’t informed of the rights, they may be unable to get their medical prescriptions filled, participate in their children's education, assert their legal rights in court, or obtain the food and cash assistance they are eligible for.
By joining this campaign, you can help break down language barriers and ensure equal access to crucial services. Together, we can create a more inclusive society where everyone's voice is heard and understood, regardless of the language they speak or their hearing abilities.
Find the toolkit online at https://www.nwjustice.org/language-rights.
NJP developed the Language Rights Campaign in collaboration with Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA), Lone Star Legal Aid, Pro Bono Net, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Legal Aid of Arkansas, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Disability Rights California, California Rural Legal Assistance, and several other significant contributors.
This initiative was funded by the Legal Services Corporation and supported by the National Legal Aid and Defender Association’s Latina/x/o Issues Section and aligns with broader efforts to improve access for diverse populations.
For more information, email languagerights@nwjustice.org.