Checklist for Developing a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan

LEP ChecklistDEVELOP YOUR LEP PLANOnce the analysis of the four factors has beencompleted and a determination has been made onwhat language assistance services are appropriate,an LEP implementation plan should be developedto address the needs of the LEP populations youserve.If you serve very few LEP persons in your servicearea or have very limited resources, you may notneed a written plan. If so, you might find it useful toarticulate in some other reasonable manner a planfor providing meaningful access to LEP personsthat are encountered.I. Identify LEP Individuals Who NeedLanguage Assistance Consider using "LanguageCommunication Cards" or " I speakcards" which invite the LEP person toidentify his or her language needs tostaff. These cards can be downloaded athttp://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/13166.htm. If available, use language information inrecords of past interactions withmembers of the public. If not, considerthe inclusion of language information inrecords for future use. Consider posting notices in commonlyencountered languages notifying LEPpersons of language assistanceavailable. This will encourage them toself identify.The first two factors of the four-factoranalysis require an assessment of thenumber or proportion of LEP individualseligible to be served or encountered andthe frequency of the encounters. Thisrequires you to identify LEP persons withwhom you have contact.Also consider those circumstances inwhich, although the participant and/orbeneficiary can communicate effectivelyin English, assistance may be neededwhen interacting with other pertinentindividuals—such as when a youth underage eighteen needs a parent's signatureto participate in a summer employmentprogram.II. Identify Language Assistance MeasuresThe following information should be included: Types of language services available;An effective LEP policy includesinformation about the ways in whichlanguage assistance will be provided.7-2-03 Page 11