Empire Justice Center and NYSCADV present:
Making Domestic Violence Services Available to Survivors with Limited English Proficiency

Domestic violence programs have been tireless advocates for justice for those impacted by intimate partner violence. This deep commitment has enabled us to find ways to decrease many of the legal, social, and economic barriers facing diverse victims.  One critical barrier many still have to navigate is language access for victims who do not read or speak English well because of national origin or communication-related disabilities. New York is a diverse home to people who speak more than 150 different languages and dialects, as well as many who are Deaf or communicate in various ways.  As domestic violence programs are crucial and invaluable providers of support, information and safety to these many communities, this webinar will help us better understand:

-What is “language access” and why providing language access is particularly critical in domestic violence victim services?
-Utilizing interpretation and translation services
-Obligations domestic violence service providers have to provide language access, as well as consequences for failing to meet a client’s language access needs
-A view from the field:  one domestic violence program’s experience meeting their clients’  language access needs  
-Advocating for your client’s language access needs with collateral service providers (i.e. police, courts, lawyers, DSS/CPS, etc.)

Presenters: Jara Trainna, Esq. & Marie Limbach, New York State Office of Children and Family Services; Christine Clarke, Esq., Legal Services NYC; Kellyann Lostyal-Larrier, Orange County Safe Homes Project.

For special accommodations, registration questions, or any other questions regarding this event, contact Empire Justice Center's Sr. Training Manager, Michelle Peterson at: (585) 295-5729 or mpeterson@empirejustice.org.