For Professionals working with the Deaf Community

DO I NEED TO PROVIDE THE INTERPRETER?

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), any business or non-profit as well as State and Local government must provide effective communication for their deaf and hard of hearing patrons.

It is not incumbent upon the deaf patron to bring his own interpreter.  

See the ADA brief below.  (Emphasis is my own.)

Law Enforcement and Interpreting Services:

Here is a link to the Office of Public Affairs article on the  DOJ settlement with Columbia Police Department  https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaches-settlement-columbia-south-carolina-police-department-ensure

HOW DO I FIND AN INTERPRETER? 

You found ME! so this was a good start!  

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) maintains a list of Certified interpreters across the country.  You can SEARCH the REGISTRY for certified interpreters in South Carolina.  In the event my link doesn't work: simply go to RID.org and hover on the Search Tools tab at the top right of the home page to drop down the options.  Click Search the Registry.  Read below for information on certification.

The South Carolina Association for the Deaf (SCAD) also keeps a list  of interpreters in South Carolina. Again, just in case my link breaks, you can find them at www.sc-deaf.org  Click the INTERPRETER LIST at the top of the page.  This page has the added benefit of showing you which areas of South Carolina each listed interpreter covers (i.e. LowCountry, Midlands, Upstate, etc...).    

The South Carolina Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (SCRID) is the local chapter of our national organization.  Their website also hosts a list of local interpreters.  

WHY DO I NEED A CERTIFIED INTERPRETER?

For the same reason you select a doctor who is board certified and an attorney who has passed the bar;  certification is an an indicator of a minimum level of competency and is your reasonable choice to ensure communication is effective.  

The State of South Carolina is requiring certification, as of January 1, 2024, for those working in various agencies in the State as well as hospitals.  This requirement also includes institutions of higher education. 

Just because someone signs does not mean that they know how to interpret.  Interpreting requires more than fluency in a language.  It is a complex process requiring specialized skills, knowledge and cultural competency.

WHY CAN'T I JUST USE THEIR FAMILY MEMBER (THEY'RE RIGHT HERE AND IT'S EASIER BECAUSE THEY KNOW MY CLIENT/PATIENT/STUDENT)?

It's not always easy to see the myriad social dynamics at play so here are some anecdotal examples/questions to make them more salient:

Will a teenage daughter be fully forthright with her doctor about her personal activities if she has to use her mother as an interpreter?

Should a man rely on his cousin's rudimentary signing skills to discuss the terms of his mortgage with the lender when the cousin has never purchased a home herself and has no real grasp of the terms or what they mean?

If a police officer receives a call for a wellness check, can the officer truly tell- just by looking- that the deaf spouse is not in danger and he can rely on the (hearing) partner's interpretation of what is being said?

Is it ever okay to make an eight year old child interpret their sibling's diagnosis or developmental information to the parent?  What message does this send? Do we really think that a child has the same intellect as the person conveying the message or do we think that the deaf parent doesn't have the right to adult-level communication about their child?  

READY TO REQUEST: INFORMATION TO PROVIDE THE INTERPRTER(S) WHEN MAKING A REQUEST

Requester: Your name, address, phone and email - you are the requesting party

Date of Service: The date, time and duration of the appointment, 

            E.g. Monday, October 5th, 10:15-11:15

Keep in mind interpreters often schedule back to back assignments.  Please request enough time for your appointment to avoid a situation in which the interpreter will have to leave prior to you finishing your business.

Location: The physical address of the appointment

POC: Direct phone number and email of a point of contact on site the day of the appointment 

 No phone trees, please

Participants: The names and roles of all deaf and hearing participants or attendees

E.g. John Smith (hearing father of the client); James (deaf client); Atty. White (hearing counsel for James)

Nature of the appointment: Please provide as much specific information as possible 

  E.g. child support hearing, IEP meeting, cardiology follow up to discuss ECG results

Other: Pertinent information

 E.g. parking location, safety protocols