Frequently Asked Questions

Has anyone been fined for license violations in those states that have licensing?  Is there evidence that the quality of interpreters has improved with licensing? 

Current states with licenses include AL, AR, AZ, IA, IL, KY, ME, NE, MO, NC, NH, NM, RI, and WI.  

There is no known mechanism for centralized reporting of infractions or under these state laws.  Evaluating quality is not feasible at this time.  It may be possible to define "quality" as a measurable variable (i.e. a reduction in the amount of time an interpreter takes to get certified), but no analysis of these types currently exists.   

Where is the transparency? 

We understand that some members may feel surprised by the recent announcements regarding the licensing process.  MDAD/PCRID held multiple town halls, offered surveys, hosted meetings, and had countless interactions with members across the state in order to garner the widest possible net for feedback.  Our efforts have included conversations with educational interpreters, interpreters in the rural areas of Maryland, interpreters working in specialized settings, and interpreters unaffiliated with PCRID.  We have also reached out to the leadership of different stakeholders  and ODHH/MACDHH.   Click here to see the list of stakeholders.

Other suggestions for improving our communication strategies or transparency are welcome.    

Why not license uncertified interpreters only? It would hold their feet to the fire to improve enough to get certified. 

Licensing only uncertified interpreters would not offer a comprehensive monitoring of interpreter performance. As mentioned, certification should not be a stopping point for regulation of the interpreter's performance. If certified interpreters are not included, the Board would lose oversight of any interpreter who achieves certification, which we agree is not necessarily an indicator of quality.  

It seems that, as a body of certified interpreters, we have not held RID responsible enough for dealing with certified interpreters not following the code of ethics/CPC, don't you think for $180.00 of yearly dues and getting nothing else for that money except allowing up-to-date CEU's and dues paid yearly interpreters that they need to step up handle this? 

RID has no authority to regulate interpreters in individual states. RID provides a host of services to the membership, including publications, conferences, white papers, advocacy, and CEU processing. As certification is moved over to CASLI, it is expected that the national organization will take on expanded roles in other areas. However, they will not be able to serve in a capacity akin to the bar organizations that oversee attorney performance.  

Will there be a Maryland test created specifically for Legal and Medical interpreting? 

In the absence of a national certification for legal, medical, mental health, or Deaf interpreters, a provision has been included to allow the Board to create criteria for portfolios that may be used to acquire additional licensing classes. No testing will be developed due to expense and oversight logistics.