From the newsroom of the Burbank Leader, Burbank, California,
Wednesday,
July 23, 2003...

City sends message loud and clear on interpreting

Officials believe hiring in-house sign-language interpreters will save
money and could improve service.

By Ben Godar, The Leader

BURBANK - A move by the city to hire its own sign-language interpreters
instead of contracting for such services is intended to save money, but
officials also hope it will improve services for the hearing-impaired.

The City Council recently authorized establishing a sign-language
interpreter position because of the increasing need for such services in
Park, Recreation and Community Services classes.

Presently, the city hires interpreters as needed from Lifesigns, a
program of the Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness. While the work
done by those interpreters has been exemplary, Park, Recreation and
Community Services Director Mike Flad said the hourly rate of $100 was
too costly.

"In some cases, we may charge only $50 for a cooking class and then it
costs $100 to serve some of those folks," he said.

Interpreters hired by the city will be paid $20 per hour, and Flad said
outside help may still be contracted if scheduling and circumstances
warrant. While the interpreters will work primarily with recreation
programs, Flad said they could be assigned to other city functions, such
as translating at a City Council meeting.

Although saving money was the major reason for the change, Flad hopes
interpreters more familiar with the city will be a better resource for
hearing- impaired individuals.

"It definitely has the potential to improve service," he said. "There's
real value in having someone who knows where all the parks are and what
all our services are."

The Burbank Unified School District employs its own interpreters for
cost effectiveness. Sandra Gaynon, the district's director of special
education and psychological services, said their familiarity with the
schools also makes them a better option than contracted translators. She
also said working with the same interpreter is beneficial to students,
particularly if there is a lot of technical information or complex
terms.

"If something is very technical, a change in interpreters might be
detrimental," Gaynon said. "The best situation is not to change."

Copyright 2003 Burbank Leader


____________________________________
Steve Hamerdinger
Director, Office of Deaf Services
ALDMHMR
100 North Union, Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 353-4301 (TTY)
(334) 242-3643 (Voice)



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