What is Language Access?
Language access is the practice of ensuring that individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) or who are Deaf or hard of hearing can communicate effectively to participate in programs and receive services.
What does it mean to interpret? An interpreter is someone who converts an oral or signed message from one language to another. It is spoken or signed.
What does it mean to translate? A translator is someone who converts a written text to another language, in writing. It is written.
Public Health Division Language Access Plan
The Public Health Division has a Language Access Plan, providing helpful information and guidance on language access for PHD programs. This plan is available as a downloadable PDF.
For questions or concerns, please contact Hannah Ostheimer.
Interpreter Training Opportunities
Training Opportunities
- Office of Civil Rights and Language Access Series
- Session I: Language Assistance Services (Recording, Slides)
- Session II: Civil Rights and Language Access Planning (Recording, Slides)
- Session III: Beyond LEP: Effectively Communicating with Individuals with Disabilities (Recording, Slides; Handouts – OCR’s Sample LEP Policy and Procedure; OCR’s Sample Auxiliary Aids and Services Policy
- Presenter Bio
- List of Acronyms
Interpretation Services Coverage
Medical interpreters can be paid for their services. For public health services delivered by the State of Wyoming, the Public Health Division has a contract with a language access service provider.
Wyoming Medicaid Coverage
As of May 2024, Wyoming Medicaid enrolled interpreters can once again bill Wyoming Medicaid directly for interpreter services. Interpreter providers who were enrolled with Wyoming Medicaid on July 1, 2023, will be reactivated. Interpreters who were not active with Wyoming Medicaid on July 1, 2023, will need to enroll to bill for their services. These providers can complete the enrollment application via the HHS Provider Enrollment portal. An interpreter must adhere to national standards developed by the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) and show certification of training in medical terminology or healthcare. If a Wyoming Medicaid provider has their own interpreter that meets the criteria, they may still bill for the interpreter service.
Interpreter providers should follow the billing procedures provided below:
- Interpreters may bill for the same member on the same day more than once if provided in conjunction with Medicaid healthcare services delivered by different providers.
- The diagnosis code for interpretation services is Z71.0.
- The procedure code for interpretation services is T1013, and interpreters must bill with the appropriate number of units provided. Example: One (1) unit = 15 minutes of service
- When not providing services in person, interpreters must use the GT modifier.
Contact Healthcare Financing for more assistance:
Healthcare Financing Division
122 W. 25th St., 4th Floor West
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Phone: (307) 777-7531
Fax: (307) 777-6964
Worker’s Compensation
- Use Claim Form WSCD-6N to bill for interpretation services and submit to the Division of Worker’s Compensation by the 30th of each month for the prior month’s services.
- Services are billable in 15-minute increments at the Medicaid rate.
Language Access Toolkit
This toolkit of resources is intended to support translators and interpreters.
- Language Access Planning – Federal Government Resources for Language Access Planning
- Think Cultural Health – Working Effectively with an Interpreter
- Getting it Right – Guides to Buying Translation and Interpretation Services by the American Translators Association (ATA)
- Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services
- Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
- Wyoming Relay/Deaf Services Program at the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services
- Health Literacy Resources
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care
The National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (CLAS Standards) is a comprehensive set of 15 action steps that provide a blueprint for individuals and health and healthcare organizations to provide Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS). Culturally and linguistically appropriate services are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, and needs of all patients. The standards are a comprehensive series of guidelines that inform, guide, and facilitate these practices. Additional resources related to CLAS are listed below.
- Introduction video
- Learn more about implementing CLAS Standards
- Educational resources for health and healthcare professionals
Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook
- Emergency Multilingual Handbook – cover (PDF, 107K)
- Emergency Mutlicultural Phrasebook – introduction and contents (PDF, 181K)
- Emergency Multicultural Phrasebook – Albanian (PDF.29K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Amharic (PDF, 1382K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Arabic (PDF, 41K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Bengali (PDF, 885K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Bosnian-Bosanski (PDF, 30K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Chinese (PDF, 1222K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Czech (PDF, 33K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – English (PDF, 93K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Farsi (PDF, 42K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – French (PDF, 30K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – German (PDF, 30K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Greek (PDF, 35K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Gujarati (PDF, 794K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Hindi (PDF, 744K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Hungarian (PDF, 33K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Italian (PDF, 28K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Japanese (PDF, 365K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Korean (PDF, 860K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Kurdish (PDF, 42K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Lingala (PDF, 28K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Macedonian (PDF, 37K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Pashto (PDF, 803K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Polish (PDF, 29K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Portugese (PDF, 29K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Punjabi (PDF, 1176K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Romanian (PDF, 33K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Russian (PDF, 38K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Slovak (PDF, 32K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Somali (PDF, 29K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Spanish (PDF, 30K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Swahili (PDF, 29K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Tamil (PDF, 596K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Turkish (PDF, 33K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Ukranian (PDF, 37K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Urdu (PDF, 929K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Vietnamese (PDF, 37K)
- Emergency Multilingual Phrasebook – Welsh (PDF, 30K)
Wyoming State Network for Language Access
The Wyoming State Network for Language Access (WYSNLA) is a community of legal and healthcare professionals, law enforcement, interpreters, translators, service providers, advocates, and community members dedicated to ensuring Wyoming’s local and state agencies understand and comply with the language access provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This group is not part of, or affiliated with, the Wyoming Department of Health.
- Find an interpreter or translator. WDH programs or units using a WYSNLA interpreter must have a BAA in place before services are rendered.
- If you are seeking a court interpreter or would like to become registered as one in Wyoming, please visit the State Supreme Court website.