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1391.00 Interpreter Procedures (Sign Language)

(January 1, 2006)

See corresponding policy: 1391.00 Personal Assistance Services Policy

Procedure for Consumer
Note: Vocational Rehabilitation procedures provide internal guidance for VESID staff only and create no procedural or substantive rights for any individual or group.

 

Table of Contents

Purpose/Definitions

Interpreter Services are provided to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf/blind or have severe speech impediments who, because of their disabilities, experience limited verbal communication skills and have the ability to use interpreter services. In the case of deaf/blind consumers, particular attention should be paid to the “Memorandum of Agreement to Provide Services to Individuals Who Are Deaf/Blind,” between VESID and CBVH, dated November 1999.

Such services shall be provided to assure adequate communication between the individual and VESID staff, as well as to assure maximum benefit from vocational rehabilitation services. They shall be provided only under the following conditions:

  1. the individual is an applicant (Status 02 or 07 ) or is in Trial Work Experience/Extended Evaluation(Status 06), or the active caseload (Status 10-24), or Post–Employment services (Status 32).
  2. the provision of such service is justified in case record documentation, e.g., non-IPE Development case note for statuses through Status 10; IPE Original/Change Development case notes for statuses beyond status 10.
  3. the full use of comparable services and benefits has been planned prior to the provision of any services using VESID funds.

Interpreter - means an individual who possesses skill in the language of signs and finger spelling, can convey a hearing person’s message to a deaf person, and can convey a deaf person’s message to a hearing person.

The following definitions apply to competency levels of interpreters providing services to VESID consumers:

Certified Interpreter - an interpreter that has met specific standards established through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf /The National Association of the Deaf (RID/NAD) certification process.

Pre-Certified Interpreter - an interpreter that has successfully completed the Minimum Competency Screening Process (MCSP) examination.

Referral Procedures:

  1. VESID staff will determine the need for interpreter services in conjunction with available information and/or discussion with the consumer. Consistent with District Office Procedures, VESID staff will contact the contracted Interpreter Referral Service for that District Office to notify them of the specific consumer needs. While this initial contact may be by phone, e-mail or fax, formal referral documentation should follow as soon as possible. Minimally, this will include the Authorization/Voucher for the specific services, but may also be accompanied by a CAMS generated Referral form. Consistent with all services authorized by VESID, the vendor is not to initiate services before receipt of the authorization, nor prior to the service start date of that authorization.
  2. Authorization/Vouchers will be prepared with specific start and end dates for the anticipated services as well as the specific hours authorized. It will be the responsibility of the Interpreter Referral Service to delineate certified/non-certified hours billed, with accordant rates, on the submitted invoice document and other supporting documentation, such as time sheets.
  3. There may be a rare situation where there is inadequate time to get the hard copy authorization to the provider in time for required services to begin i.e. a consumer gets called for a job interview in two days. An “Emergency Interpreter Service Request Form”, signed by the SVRC or other management team member may be used (See PRO 03-05 dated 1/27/2005 for specific instructions on the use of this form.)

Service Expectations:

  1. Contracted vendors have agreed to provide all interpreter services to all VESID referred consumers in their catchment area. Refusal to provide services could be grounds for termination of the contract upon 30 days notice.
  2. Specified contract rates incorporate all administrative costs, including travel expenses for the Interpreter Referral Service. VESID is not responsible for any arrangements between the contracted Interpreter Referral Service and any of their subcontractors.
  3. The Interpreter Referral Service will confirm the name of the interpreter and the location/time of the assignment with the requesting VESID district office staff, at least two business days in advance of the assignment.
  4. VESID prefers that, at a minimum, 75% of the service hours required, be provided by a certified interpreter and, at a maximum, 25% of the service hours required, be provided by a pre-certified interpreter. However, VESID will accept no less than 60% of the service hours required, be provided by a certified interpreter and, at a maximum, no more than 40% of the service hours be provided by a pre-certified interpreter. Failure to meet this standard could result in the termination of the contract with the Interpreter Referral Service. These standards will be monitored in the Central Office Fiscal and Administrative Services Team via the vouchers, timesheets and other payment documentation submitted by the Interpreter Referral Service.
  5. There is a two- hour minimum charge for any interpreter assignment under two hours in duration. If VESID cancels the referral less than two (2) business days before the implementation of service, the Interpreter Referral Service may bill the two- hour minimum against that Authorization/Voucher. In discussion with the consumer prior to implementation of services, VESID staff should encourage the consumer to notify VESID immediately, should the services become unnecessary, to avoid such billing.
  6. All billing beyond the 2- hour minimum is to be in full hour increments e.g. if an assignment lasts 2.25 hours, the Interpreter Referral Service may bill for 3.0 hours.
  7. Interpreters whose assignment encompasses a lunch break are paid for that time, as they are often required to be available for the consumer during it. Accordingly, the Interpreter Referral Service may bill VESID for that period as well.
  8. If a District Office has a consumer requiring interpreter services in the catchment area of another District Office, the referring office should contact the Interpreter Referral Service in the area where the consumer will be needing/receiving services. An example would be: Buffalo D.O. has a consumer who will be attending SUNY at Albany. Buffalo D.O. staff should make arrangements to serve this consumer with the Interpreter Referral Service providing services for the Albany District Office.

Authorization/Payment Procedures

  1. VESID staff would utilize a Non-IPE service worksheet or an IPE Original/Change service worksheet, depending on the status of the consumer. CONTRACT would be selected from the AUTH TYPE dropdown menu, with the desired vendor selected from the Service Provider drop down list or via Vendor/Service search. All authorizations for Interpreter Services will necessitate two service lines. The case service description, selected from the drop down list for the first line, is interpreter services in support of the primary case service that is being provided. For example, if authorizing interpreter services to support a consumer's participation in a 2- year community college program, select “Interpreter Service for College (Associate Level). The primary case service code is “410”(College-Associate Level) and the support code for interpreter service is “I”. The case service code to be used in this example would be “410I.” For the second line of the authorization, the case service description, selected from the drop down list, is Interpreter Services, Certified Differential for…e.g. College (Associate Level). Note the support code for this differential is “L,” so, for the second line of service, the case service code for the same example is “410L” Staff preparing the document would also insure the service provider's contract number is selected from the Contract Number drop down list.
  2. VESID staff must enter the same number of service hours (Quantity) in both service lines on the authorization, though the rates per unit will differ. The first line will reflect the Pre-Certified rate per unit for the selected vendor. The second line will reflect the additional per unit dollar amount for Certified Interpreters. For example, Vendor X has a contract that defines a $50 per hour Pre-Certified rate and a $55 per hour Certified rate. VESID requires 10 hours of service but cannot predict the certification level of interpreter the vendor will provide. Line One would show 10 hours at $50 per hour(unit), while line two would show $5 per hour( unit). It will be up to the Interpreter Referral Service to bill using the rate appropriate to the competency level of the interpreter that actually provides the service, either Certified or Pre-Certified. This will be further validated by the submission of an invoice and appropriate service timesheets attached to the actual voucher. These documents will identify the specific interpreter and act as documentation of provision of service prior to processing payment. Timesheets submitted by the Interpreter Referral Service must support the invoice hours being billed and must be signed by the interpreter.
  3. When the VESID district office receives verification that the interpreter service was provided, via a timesheet and original invoice, the business office staff vouchers the service on the Mainframe (Bridge) system using the VOUCH command. If all of the hours billed are at the Pre-Certified rate (Line 1), finance staff would cancel the Certified Differential units (Line 2).
  4. After the service is vouchered, the original invoice and original signed voucher must be submitted to VESID’s Budget and Finance Unit.
  5. Payments to each vendor will be made once a month for all services provided, billed and vouchered during the month for those on contract.
  6. Consistent with current directives, VESID supervisory staff will review service authorizations for reasonableness prior to issuance to vendor. It will also be crucial for VESID staff to cancel unneeded hour balances or entire authorizations, if appropriate. This will insure the capacity for adequate contract management for both VESID and the approved vendors.

Questions regarding these procedures should be directed to:

Coordinator of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
VESID Central Office
(518) 474-5652 (V)
(518) 486-3773 (TTY)
(518) 473-5769 (FAX)

Reference:

Policy:

Other: