The following definitions are important to this chapter:

"Authorized interpreter" means a person who has met the training and language examination requirements for screened languages.

"Certified/authorized bilingual employee" means a department employee who has passed a department bilingual employee examination in either a certified or a screened language.

"Certified interpreter" means a person who has met the training requirements and has passed one or both of the following examinations:

(1) The department's social services interpreter certification examination in a certified language; or

(2) The department's medical interpreter certification examination in a certified language.

"Certified languages for interpreters" means any of the languages listed under certified languages on the official LTC website and in the official LTC examination manual.

"Certified languages for translators" means any of the languages listed under certified languages on the official LTC website and in the official LTC examination manual.

"Certified translator" means a person who has met the training requirements and has passed the department's translator certification examination in a certified language.

"Department" means the department of social and health services (DSHS).

"Employee" means a department bilingual employee whose position requires the use of bilingual skills as part of the job functions.

"Examination manual" means the language testing and certification section's professional language certification examination manual. To obtain a copy of this manual, visit the LTC website.

"Interpretation" means the process of transferring a message orally from one language into another.

"Language access provider" means, pursuant to RCW 41.56.030(10) and solely for the purpose of public employees' collective bargaining, any independent contractor who provides spoken language interpreter services for department of social and health services appointments or medicaid enrollee appointments.

"Language specialist" means a high school or above language instructor who possesses a BA or higher academic degree majoring in language/linguistics studies of any language.

"Language testing and certification (LTC)" means the section within the department that is responsible for managing the bilingual skills testing and certification of employees, LAPL, and contracted interpreters and translators.

"Licensed agency personnel (LAPL)" means an employee of a county government agency/program that contracts with the department to provide services to department clients.

"Limited-English proficient (LEP) client" means a person applying for or receiving department services, either directly or indirectly, who, because of a non-English speaking cultural background, cannot readily speak or understand the English language.

"Medical interpreter" means an interpreter who renders language interpretation services in a health care setting.

"Position cluster" means a group of DSHS jobs/positions that share the same or similar nature of job functions or responsibilities.

"Recognized interpreter" for spoken languages means a person who is certified by:

(1) The Washington state administrative office of the courts (AOC) as a court interpreter; or

(2) The Administrative Office of the United States Courts as a federal court interpreter; or

(3) A national interpreter certification body as a health care interpreter and is recognized by the department; or

(4) A nonprofit organization that uses a credible certification program to certify professional interpreters and is recognized by the department; or

(5) Another state or U.S. territory or another country whose certification program is comparable to DSHS certification and based upon similar requirements.

"Recognized translator" for spoken languages means a person who is certified by:

(1) The American Translators Association (ATA); or

(2) A nonprofit organization that uses a credible certification program to certify professional translators and is recognized by the department; or

(3) Another state or U.S. territory or another country whose certification program is comparable to DSHS certification and based upon similar requirements.

"Screened language" means any spoken language or any dialect within a spoken language that is not one of the certified languages.

"Social service interpreter" means an interpreter who renders language interpretation services in settings where human services programs are provided.

"Source language" means the language from which an interpretation and/or translation is rendered.

"Target language" means the language into which an interpretation and/or translation is rendered.

"Translation" means the process of transferring a written message from one language into another.

PDFWAC 388-03-030

What definitions are important to understanding these rules?