DHHS Launches Project to Uplift American Sign Language/English Interpreting Services for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Residents: Announcing Transforming Interpreting[...]

November 8, 2024

Maine Launches TIME Project to Enhance ASL Interpreting Services Across the State

View the new TIME website which includes an announcement about the TIME Project needs assessment.

Overview

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has launched the Transforming Interpreting Maine (TIME) Project, an initiative aimed at improving ASL interpreting services across the state, with the goal of enhancing outcomes for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing residents in Maine.

This project comes in response to long-standing challenges in the availability and coordination of interpreters, especially in critical situations like emergencies. The TIME Project, spearheaded by DHHS, is an effort to address these gaps and make the State of Maine a leader in interpreting services for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities.

The need for improved interpreting services was brought to the forefront following the tragic events in Lewiston on October 25, 2023. In response, DHHS worked closely with Deaf leaders in Maine, and using federal funding through the SAMHSA Emergency Response Grant (SERG) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP), has initiated a statewide effort to assess and enhance interpreting services.

A Collaborative Effort

A steering committee comprised of delegates from various state agencies and organizations, is guiding the TIME project. This committee includes representatives from Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Department of Education (DOE), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (DPFR), Maine Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing & Late Deafened, Maine Association of the Deaf (MeAD), and Maine Sign Language Interpreter Committee (MeSLIC).

Established in 1877 and incorporated in 1906, the Maine Association of the Deaf (MeAD) is one of the oldest organizations in the nation dedicated to serving the Deaf community. As a non-profit organization, MeAD focuses on promoting the social, educational, civic, and economic well-being of Deaf individuals throughout Maine. Through collaboration with other organizations, MeAD also works to advocate for the Deaf community on both state and national levels. Visit their website to learn more.

The Maine Statewide Language Interpreter Committee (MeSLIC) is a dedicated group that works to enhance the quality and coordination of interpreting services across Maine. MeSLIC focuses on supporting American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters by addressing key issues such as certification, professional development, and the overall effectiveness of interpreting services in various settings, including healthcare, education, and emergency situations. The committee plays a crucial role in improving access to interpreters for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities throughout the state. For more information and updates, visit their Facebook page.

Key Partnerships Build a Foundation for the TIME Project

The launch of the TIME project is a collaborative effort between DHHS and Innivee Strategies, a Deaf-led organizational and leadership development company. Innivee Strategies is leading a four-phase needs assessment to evaluate the current landscape of ASL interpreting in Maine. This needs assessment is the first step toward developing long-term solutions addressing interpreter shortages, certification challenges, and service coordination, especially during emergencies and within healthcare settings.

Contract with Innivee Strategies

As a foundational step for the TIME project, Innivee Strategies is conducting a needs assessment of Maine's interpreting system. This assessment, which includes surveys and focus groups with various constituents impacted by interpreting services, aims to provide Maine with an evidence-based foundation for building lasting, long-term solutions. By identifying the current strengths, challenges, gaps, and opportunities within the ASL interpreting ecosystem, the needs assessment will inform Maine's decisions on expanding the number of active interpreters, enhancing educational and professional development opportunities, improving licensing systems, and optimizing coordination of interpreters in critical settings such as emergency services, healthcare, and community services.

The Four Phases of the TIME Needs Assessment

The needs assessment, which runs from July 2024 to March 2025, consists of four phases. The first will focus on initial research and outreach, while the second will seek to collect community input through surveys, focus groups, and interviews with individuals who use the provide interpreting services. The third phase will analyze the gathered date to create a detailed report, as well as recommendations. The fourth and final phase will focus on collaboration between DHHS, the steering committee, and Innivee Strategies to implement the findings and establish long term strategies for improving interpreting services in Maine.

Visit Innivee Strategies' website to learn more about their work, including the interpreting needs assessments conducted in other states.

A Community-Centered Approach

The success of the TIME project depends on input gathered from community members, organizations, and service providers in Maine. Please view the project webpage or email [email protected] to learn more about becoming involved and share your experience and perspectives with the state.

The final report of the TIME needs assessment, which will be shared with the public in Spring of 2025, will include recommendations on addressing the challenges and gaps identified in the survey and focus group discussions.

Local Organizations Make an Impact on Statewide Efforts

Maine Association of the Deaf

Established in 1877 and incorporated in 1906, the Maine Association of the Deaf (MeAD) is one of the oldest organizations in the nation dedicated to serving the Deaf community. As a non-profit organization, MeAD focuses on promoting the social, educational, civic, and economic well-being of Deaf individuals throughout Maine. Through collaboration with other organizations, MeAD also works to advocate for the Deaf community on both state and national levels. Visit their website to learn more.

Maine Sign Language Interpreter Committee (MeSLIC)

The Maine Statewide Language Interpreter Committee (MeSLIC) is a dedicated group that works to enhance the quality and coordination of interpreting services across Maine. MeSLIC focuses on supporting American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters by addressing key issues such as certification, professional development, and the overall effectiveness of interpreting services in various settings, including healthcare, education, and emergency situations. The committee plays a crucial role in improving access to interpreters for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities throughout the state. For more information and updates, visit their Facebook page.

Stay Updated: Introducing the TIME Project Webpage

For more information on the TIME Project and to stay updated on its progress, please visit the official project webpage: www.maine.gov/dhhs/TIME.

You can also follow the Maine Association of the Deaf (MeAD) on their Facebook page, and the Maine Sign Language Interpreter Committee (MeSLIC) on their Facebook page for regular updates.