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2024 is shaping up to be a big year in politics — with the Republican Party’s primary elections already under way, there are a lot of elections to watch out for. Voting in these elections is an important aspect of civic life here in the United States, but many residents with limited English proficiency (LEP) may struggle to fully participate in these elections, despite actively contributing to our society. While the Voting Rights Act ensures that election materials will be translated into high-demand languages across various districts, it’s important to take a look at how language access can shape our electoral process. “Whenever any State or political subdivision [covered by the section] provides registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the English language,” reads Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, which was amended in 1975 to improve language access in the electoral process. We’re at the beginning of a big election year with a lot on the line — here at Avantpage, we partner with election organizations across the US and in some of the most diverse states like California, Texas, Florida, and New York to promote language access in the electoral process and gain unique insights into the demand for language access in elections. And there are some creative ways that election offices can engage residents with LEP — take the Yolo County Elections Office’s “Train the Trainer” program as an example. The program trained leaders of religious and community-based organizations that work closely with the county’s non-English speakers to help community members register to vote. As we look toward the upcoming primary elections and the big event in November, here are some important language access considerations that electoral officials should be aware of. Translating ballots and voter information guides into the relevant languages is a collaborative process — states and other political subdivisions need to work closely with trained language professionals to ensure high quality translations. Election offices should work closely with a trusted language service provider to review all of the materials that need translating and determine a course of action for making those materials accessible in the languages you need. By working with a language service provider that specializes in electoral materials, you can mitigate the risk of mistranslating something and improve the quality of these materials overall. You also don’t have to start from scratch either — the Election Assistance Commission has compiled a list of language access resources for elections, including best practices for different locales across the nation. Many relevant, evergreen materials such as the National Mail Voter Registration Form have already been translated into multiple languages, so you can leverage resources that are already available. There’s a lot that needs to be translated for every election. Once you’ve identified the already-translated materials available to you, it’s time to figure out what you do need to translate. At Avantpage, we’ve done thousands of translation projects for our election clients. Over the years we have found some materials that are most commonly translated across the board. Here are some common materials that will likely need to be translated: Interpretation is also an important consideration to make as well — you’ll want to have on-site interpreters and also work with an agency that offers phone or video interpretation as a back-up. You can also hire bilingual poll workers to strengthen community trust in the election and place them at polling stations that are likely to have a higher proportion of LEP speakers of a specific language. When working with a language service provider, it’s also important to consider the volume of translated materials you need. Take a look at historical data , anticipated deadlines, and future election dates to see which months have had especially high demand in your area so that you can prepare ahead of time. You’ll also want to figure out which materials are time-sensitive and which aren’t. Request translations well ahead of time wherever possible, and try to batch together documents and languages so you can avoid having to pay minimum fees.
According to Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, states and other political subdivision (i.e., cities, counties, etc.) must provide translated voting materials in regions where “more than 10,000 or over 5 percent of the total voting age citizens in a single political subdivision (usually a county, but a township or municipality in some states) who are members of a single language minority group, have depressed literacy rates, and do not speak English very well.” In 2021, a total of 331 jurisdictions met those criteria and had to provide language assistance to voters with LEP. That number appears to be on the rise too — in 2016, only 263 jurisdictions had to do so. These numbers are updated every five years using data from the American Community Survey, so while things may not change much for the 2024 elections, it’s likely that there will be even more demand in the 2028 elections, given the rising population of individuals with LEP in this country. Now is as good a time as any to begin looking into languages other than English that are spoken into your community to prepare for future changes. And even if your jurisdiction isn’t required under the Voting Rights Act to provide these materials, it doesn’t mean you can’t — by improving language access in your local elections, you can boost voter turnout and civic engagement within communities that have historically been less likely to participate in elections. As we head into what’s bound to be a busy year for election offices across the country, it’s important to keep in mind that improving language access can increase voter turnout by making the electoral process more accessible to individuals from all backgrounds. Here are some things to consider when thinking about language access in this year’s elections: At Avantpage, we’re proud to work closely with election offices across the nation. If you need translation or interpretation for any upcoming elections, contact us today at (530) 750-2040 or [email protected].

As we enter the new year, there are a handful of important regulatory changes to keep in mind about Medicare and Medicaid. With these changes, the demand for language services like translation and localization is sure to rise in the field of healthcare. On a national level, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is updating the requirements for the kinds of documents and information that agencies have to translate or communicate to patients in non-English languages. In the state of California, another change is taking place to focus on enhancing care management. As of this month, all low-income residents of California between the ages of 26 and 49 will be eligible for the California Medical Assistance Program, also known as Medi-Cal, regardless of their immigration status. Previously, undocumented immigrants in this age group — despite making up a significant portion of the state’s population of undocumented immigrants — were ineligible for Medi-Cal, even though undocumented children, young adults, and adults over the age of 50 were able to receive it. This means roughly 1.5 million people could now be eligible for Medi-Cal — it also means that healthcare providers in California need to be more prepared than ever to offer high-quality language access services. The majority of unauthorized immigrants in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP), meaning that providers must be ready to serve them in their language. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the recent changes to government health insurance programs — with a particular emphasis on the changes to Medi-Cal here in California. We’ll also explain how healthcare providers can ensure their services are accessible to individuals with LEP.
As of January 1, a handful policy changes have taken place for government health insurance plans, two of which will have an impact on the demand for language services in the healthcare sector. On a nationwide level, the CMS introduced a policy change that more explicitly requires Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs to provide more accessible standardized communications in non-English languages. More specifically, plan providers must keep translations of required materials in any language spoken by 5% or more of the population of a plan’s service area. These materials must also be available in an accessible format such as braille, large print, or audio upon request. This change will require MA providers to seek out language and accessibility services in order to accommodate the new translation requirement, meant to enhance care for patients with LEP. Healthcare providers in California are also likely to see increased demand for translation, localization, and interpretation, as a huge swath of the state’s undocumented immigrant population has just become eligible for the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. While low-income unauthorized immigrants below the age of 26 and above the age of 50 have been eligible to receive insurance through Medi-Cal for a while now, those from 26 to 49 have not. This means that a huge population of unauthorized immigrants will now be eligible to receive free or low-cost health insurance, making healthcare far more affordable for them. However, it’s important to keep in mind that many of these immigrants have LEP, meaning that hospitals, clinics, and health plan communications need to be ready to offer interpreting and translation to these new patients.  It also means that Medi-Cal providers need to be proactive about communicating plan eligibility to people with LEP, as many of these individuals may not be aware that they’re suddenly eligible to receive health insurance through Medi-Cal. Although more people will be eligible for these services, it’s important to note that trust and outreach will be a major barrier in actually providing healthcare to newly eligible immigrants. Providers must use a diverse range of platforms — from print marketing campaigns to social media posts in multiple languages — to ensure that prospective patients are getting the information they need about Medi-Cal.
With the number of people eligible for Medi-Cal increasing significantly, California-based providers need to be ready for an increased demand for healthcare services. Expect to see more patients accessing your services in non-English languages, and adapt accordingly — that might mean translating more materials, working with a language service provider to contract more interpreters, even hiring more multilingual staff, or a combination of ways. Here’s how some Avantpage clients are working to adjust to the new policy changes and ensure that they’re able to meet the needs of linguistically diverse communities, enhancing care overall.
As the landscape of healthcare access undergoes significant changes in California, healthcare providers must prepare for an increased demand for language services. Conducting an inventory of available language resources, including translation materials, multilingual staff, and interpretation services, will help providers identify potential gaps. By understanding the linguistic diversity of their patient population, healthcare organizations can strategically allocate resources to address the specific needs that arise from the expanded eligibility criteria.
The first quarter of the year is a critical period for healthcare providers to closely monitor usage trends and adapt their language services accordingly. By analyzing data related to language preferences, service utilization, and patient demographics during this initial phase of policy changes, providers can gain valuable insights into the evolving needs of their patient population. For institutions with historical data on language service utilization, comparing Q1 trends with previous periods can offer a baseline for understanding the impact of policy changes. If you don’t have much data to compare Q1 with, think of this period as a sort of benchmark you can use to align your resources with emerging patterns. It’s also a good idea to get patient feedback on your language services to see where you might need to improve.
Understanding various options for cost reduction can help organizations optimize their language service delivery without compromising quality. Traditional translation memory systems can be leveraged to streamline the translation process and enhance cost savings. By reusing previously translated content, providers can reduce the time and resources required for repetitive translations. Open communication with your language service provider is crucial during this phase. Providers should engage with their account managers to explore innovative solutions, whether it involves adopting new technologies, optimizing savings, or finding alternative cost-efficient approaches. With policy changes taking place this year, there’s a lot for healthcare providers to do — but making these changes means you’ll be better suited to serve communities that have historically been underserved by the medical establishment. If you’re a California-based healthcare provider, here are some recommendations as we begin the new year: At Avantpage, we’ve helped innumerable healthcare providers serve patients with LEP. If you’re looking for help navigating increased demand for language services, Avantpage is here for you: We offer translation, interpreting, and localization services. Contact us today at (530) 750-2040 or [email protected] to learn more.

Every year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) release a series of star ratings that patients can use to evaluate the quality of the services that a Medicare Advantage health plan offers.  As a health insurance provider, it’s important to make sure your CMS star rating is in tip top condition. CMS star ratings help patients identify high-quality Medicare health plans, with a five-star rating indicating excellence. If your rating falls below this threshold, not only will patients be less likely to select your plans, but you could face penalties and fines from the CMS.  The CMS calculates its star ratings on a scale of 1 to 5 based on the following factors:  If your CMS star ratings slip or you’re simply looking for new ways to improve your services, it might be a good idea to look into improving your language access plan. Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) make up a significant proportion of Medicare recipients, and as such, it’s important to make sure you’re serving them effectively if you want to boost your star rating. By offering a diverse range of language access services for LEP patients, you can improve their overall experience with your organization, thereby increasing your CMS star ratings.  Although language access is not factored directly into your CMS star rankings, improving language access can help you perform better on the other measures that the CMS uses to calculate your star rankings. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at how your agency can improve its language access services and, in turn, boost your CMS star rating.  Nearly 10% of the United States’ population has LEP, meaning that they are unable to effectively understand or communicate in English. Research suggests that immigrants — particularly those with LEP — are more likely than their U.S.-born counterparts to be enrolled in Medicare services.   And given that the number of older individuals with LEP is projected to grow significantly over the course of the next 40 years (by 2060, experts predict the number of older LEP immigrants will grow to 22 million, up by 15 million from 2018), it’s important to make sure that you’re able to serve this population just as well as you’re able to serve English speakers.   Patients — regardless of the language that they speak — need to be able to understand their health status and communicate effectively with their healthcare providers and insurance agencies. By offering language access services that improve your organization’s transparency, outreach, and communication with consumers, you can contribute to improved health outcomes for the country’s growing population of individuals with LEP.  Effective CMS Marketing for Multilingual Healthcare Materials A Guide to Finding a Medicare Translation Agency Fast Print & Mail Translations for Health Plans While the CMS won’t take your language access measures into account when developing star ratings, high-quality language access is likely to improve your performance on the measures that they do factor into their star ratings.  In recent years, CMS star ratings have been on a downward trend — more and more providers are performing worse than they have in past years. And that could be because many of them aren’t well-prepared to meet the needs of their patients with LEP.   Let’s take a look at the different factors that go into your CMS star ratings, and how improving language access can help you improve your score on each.  The CMS looks at the mortality rates of patients enrolled in a specific plan when determining their star rankings — the lower your mortality rate, the higher your star rating will be. LEP appears to be a factor that can increase mortality rates — according to a report published in 2016, LEP “was associated with a 31% increased odds of mortality” among patients with sepsis, even after accounting for illness severity, comorbidities and other factors.  While it depends on the type of healthcare issue patients face, making sure they are well-informed about their plan and comfortable seeking out the treatment they need, you can lower the overall mortality rate of your plan. In the case of LEP patients, translating important medical information and offering interpretation services as needed will empower patients to make informed choices about their healthcare.   This measure looks at the rate of serious complications patients can potentially face when seeking treatment, such as surgery site infections or catheter-induced urinary tract infections. Language access may not directly impact this measure, but you should be able to effectively communicate the level of risk patients might face. Additionally, making sure interpreters are available and present either in person or remotely can ensure patients are knowledgeable about the health procedures they’re undergoing, allowing them to make decisions accordingly.  If patients frequently have to return to the hospital after surgeries or health emergencies like heart attacks and stroke, your CMS star rating will go down. Patients with LEP have been shown to have particularly high readmission rates when compared to patients who speak English.   If you’re looking to reduce readmission rates, it’s a good idea to look into whether or not your readmission rates are higher for your LEP patients. If it is, working with a language service provider to improve your language access could be a good first step to improving this measure. In 2017, researchers found that access to interpreters had a significant impact on lowering the readmission rates for patients with LEP, from 17.8% to 13.4%.  CMS star ratings also take the patient reviews into account — if patients aren’t satisfied with the care they’re receiving, it could take your rating down a notch. While it’s true that language access can be a matter of life or death in certain situations, it’s also an important way to make patients feel more comfortable, regardless of the severity of their health situation. LEP patients who have access to high-quality language access services may be more likely to report a positive patient experience, which could give your rating a well-needed boost on this measure.  The longer it takes to give patients effective care, the lower your star rating is likely to be here. And wait times tend to be much longer for patients with LEP than for English-speaking patients: A 2022 study found that folks with LEP spend an average of 31.9 minutes in the waiting room, while English speakers wait just 21.8.  On this measure, interpreters can play a particularly important role — if patients with LEP regularly have to wait for a long time to receive interpreting services, it could delay their access to effective care, ultimately hurting your star rating. Work with a language service provider to make sure interpreting services are available on standby so that you can get them access to an interpreter as soon as possible.  Your CMS star ratings are an important way for patients to understand the quality of care they’re receiving. In order to avoid penalties and fines, it’s important to aim for a five-star rating; considering the unique needs of LEP patients, language access is likely to play an important role in reaching that perfect score.  If you’re looking to improve your language access services and boost your CMS star ratings, Avantpage is here to help. We know how important language access is for LEP patients and are proud to provide specialized translation, interpreting, and localization services for healthcare providers. Contact us today at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040. 

Whether you’re calling customer service to help you set up your new computer or simply want to get in touch with a local government agency, phone systems and call centers can be tricky enough even for native English speakers to navigate. Faulty voice recognition software and confusing instructions cause frustration for many of us, but they’re even more likely to cause problems for callers with limited English proficiency (LEP). For individuals with LEP, making a simple phone call to a government agency, medical institution, or any other organization can become a daunting task if the phone system isn’t set up with their needs in mind. Many organizations provide over-the-phone interpreting services — as they should — but inadvertently set up their phone systems with critical breakdown points for LEP users. When it comes to language access over the phone, interpreting isn’t enough: Your phone system also has to be as user-friendly as possible. With open enrollment season upon us healthcare organizations and insurance agencies are bound to receive heightened demand on their phone systems and call centers. That means it’s crucial to reflect upon ways they can improve the experience they provide for callers with LEP. Here, we’ll explore some especially common barriers that LEP patients encounter when contacting call centers for various organizations.
Your phone system can make or break an individual’s experience seeking out help from your agency. Here are some common troubles that people with LEP encounter when trying to contact healthcare providers and insurance agencies over the phone — and ways that you can help improve their experience and provide them the service they expect. Complex phone trees can be a major obstacle for anyone — and particularly so for patients with LEP. While simplifying your phone tree is ideal, it’s not always feasible for every organization. Still, there are ways to reduce breakdowns even if you can’t create a simpler phone tree. If callers have to listen to and select from several menu items, it’s a good idea to have separate phone numbers for different languages, making it more efficient for individuals to reach the right department without frustration. It’s critical for organizations to have clear methods for identifying the patient’s preferred language before calling an interpreter. After all, you certainly don’t want to misidentify a caller’s language and wind up with an interpreter that doesn’t speak their language. Self-identification is one common method that phone systems utilize — i.e., have menu items that read “For English, press one” and “Para español, marque dos,” et cetera., that connect speakers to employees or interpreters who will help them out in their preferred language. Additionally, artificial intelligence tools that can automatically recognize a speaker’s language using voice recognition are slowly but surely growing to be more competent, and could one day be useful to implement in your phone systems. If a caller does get connected to somebody that doesn’t speak their language, employees should be prepared to contact an interpreter and inform them that an interpreter will be on the line shortly. This information must be conveyed clearly and quickly — individuals with LEP may not stay on the line for long if they cannot effectively communicate with the other person on the line, so letting them know that help is on the way is key. A pre-recorded message saying “Please hold for an interpreter” in the caller’s primary language should be an effective way to keep the caller on the line while you wait for an interpreter to come on the line. Additionally, some agencies opt to create phonetic guides that employees can use to read the message to callers in a handful of different languages; this way, employees can convey the message on their own, without having to actually speak the language in question. One of the most common barriers for LEP patients is the lack of proper employee training — if employees are not properly trained, communication may be inefficient and callers will quickly grow frustrated or confused and hang up. Make sure to offer comprehensive training to your employees during the onboarding process, covering topics such as how to call interpreters and how to use your organization’s phone system to connect with them effectively. It’s important to keep the caller on the line at all times. Some set-ups require an employee to disconnect the call and then call the patient back — this is far from ideal, as it can confuse the caller and, depending on how long it takes to call them back, they may not pick up the second call. Additionally, LEP patients may not even be able to give your employees their phone number, considering the language barrier that required an interpreter in the first place. Make sure that your employees can seamlessly connect with the interpreter without hanging up and calling them again — this may simply be a matter of re-training your employees or implementing a more advanced phone system. If your organization uses bilingual messaging in voicemails, it’s important to include a notice in the target language at the beginning of the message. All too often, LEP patients have to listen to a long, drawn-out message in English — unsure of whether or not it will be followed by a translation in their language — before hearing the message in their language. While bilingual messaging is certainly important, be sure to present it in a logical manner. Before starting your English message, consider including a simple opening line in the target language that reads along the lines of “This is a bilingual message,” so callers know to expect a translation following the English message. This step eliminates confusion and ensures that the LEP patient knows to listen to the entire message before hanging up or leaving a message. This open enrollment season, take some time to consider ways in which your phone system and call center processes can be improved to create a smoother experience for callers with LEP. Here are some ways to eliminate common barriers LEP callers may face: At Avantpage, we’re proud to provide over-the-phone interpreting services to help your organization connect with clients who have LEP. Contact us today at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040 for more information.

It should come as no surprise that strong health literacy is associated with more positive health outcomes.  Health literacy — that is, an individual’s ability to understand and utilize information on health and medical care — is an important part of being able to advocate for yourself in a healthcare setting, whether that’s at the emergency room or a routine check-up. In one 2022 study, researchers found that hospital patients with poor health literacy were more likely to revisit the hospital 90 days after discharge than patients with adequate health literacy. But developing a strong sense of health literacy can be difficult — especially since a good deal of medical literature and information is presented in complex, inaccessible language. Even more challenging is developing a strong sense of health literacy when you have visual impairments that make it difficult to read this information in the first place. On its own, then, accessible language isn’t enough — healthcare providers also need to ensure blind and low-vision patients have access to health information in alternative formats like braille, audio recordings, and large print. In providing a breadth of information in various accessible formats, healthcare providers can promote improved health outcomes for all of their patients. The beginning of October marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of making healthcare information and services accessible to all individuals, regardless of their abilities. In this blog post, we’ll explore the crucial role of health literacy in achieving positive health outcomes and explore ways to improve health literacy using accessible language and alternative formats. The vast majority of people in the US have limited health literacy — according to Pfizer, just 12% of people in the nation are proficient when it comes to their health literacy. Health literacy isn’t necessarily about being able to understand medical jargon or decipher dense medical texts — after all, regular patients can’t be expected to understand health and medicine at the same level as trained doctors, nurses, or pharmacists. Health literacy, then, is more about being able to parse through the information a doctor or healthcare provider gives you in a way that allows you to make informed decisions about your well-being. Individuals who are health literate are better prepared to navigate the healthcare system and can play a more active role in their medical care. People with limited health literacy often struggle to fully understand their health conditions. They may also struggle with figuring out how to properly apply their medications and maintain good health overall. Consequently, they may experience poorer overall health, higher healthcare costs, and an increased likelihood of rehospitalization and mortality. On the other hand, individuals with better health literacy are more likely to experience improved health outcomes. They can better comprehend basic health information, communicate effectively with healthcare providers, and make informed decisions about their care. As such, it’s in everyone’s best interest to close the gaps in health literacy. With a more health literate population, hospitals can reduce readmission rates, in turn lowering the amount of stress placed on our healthcare system and improving health outcomes for society as a whole. One of the first steps to closing gaps in health literacy is to ensure that patient-facing documents and other materials are provided in accessible language. That means language that’s welcoming and easy to understand. While there’s a time and place for medical jargon, it’s important that complex topics are presented in a way that’s actually meaningful to the patient. If you’re looking to provide patients with information that can boost their health literacy, you may want to look at some of your pre-existing materials — flyers, brochures, webpages, etc. may benefit from a complete rehaul to clean things up. It’s important for every step of the patient journey to be as accessible and understandable as possible — from scheduling appointments online to informational pamphlets about a specific health condition. Read our guide on plain language to learn more about how you can present information to patients in an easily understandable fashion that sheds light on their health condition. Here are just a few of the benefits of using accessible language with your patients: However, we shouldn’t stop at accessible language. Some groups face unique barriers when it comes to health literacy. For example, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have noted that individuals with visual impairments may struggle more in honing their health literacy skills due to the fact that they’re less able to access certain visual cues that can aid them in deciphering relevant medical texts. As such, it’s important to refine this approach by making sure that relevant materials are accessible in alternative formats for people with visual impairments. Here are a few examples of alternative formats that can be used to ensure that people of diverse abilities are able to access your content: Once you’ve written your materials in accessible language, it’s time to work with an alternative format service provider to make sure that your content is accessible for every patient. By providing patients with accessible information in various alternative formats, you can help elevate your patients’ health literacy and improve outcomes for all. As we recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month this year, we encourage healthcare providers to take the following steps to promote health literacy: At Avantpage, we’re committed to supporting healthcare organizations in their journey toward improved accessibility. We offer a comprehensive range of alternative format services, including audio, braille, and large print, to ensure that healthcare information is accessible to all — if you’re looking to boost health literacy among your patients, contact us today at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

In times of emergency, effective communication becomes paramount. Being able to understand and be understood can be a matter of life or death in emergencies. Rush translations — i.e., translations that are produced within a tight deadline, usually within 24 hours of the original request and some regulations requiring translation turnaround in as low as 4 hours — play a critical role in breaking language barriers when communication is especially urgent. These services can ensure that vital information reaches those who need it most. It’s especially common for public health organizations, emergency departments, and public information offices to request rush translations to facilitate urgent communication. For example, local health departments might request rush translations of a document warning members of the community about a disease outbreak, while a hospital emergency room might need to rush translate a patient’s old medical documents from a foreign language to give them adequate care. The urgency of rush translations means that there’s even less room for error when it comes to their production. While some agencies might be tempted to use quick and widely accessible tools like Google Translate to prepare an emergency translation, this is not a responsible approach, as it can create an unreliable translation. Instead, it’s important for agencies involved in providing emergency services to work closely with a trusted language service provider (LSP) that’s able to provide quick translation services on the fly. Emergency organizations can form partnerships with LSPs to contract rush translation services before an emergency strikes, allowing for the delivery of quick translations when they’re needed. In this blog post, we’ll explain why rush translations play such an important role in providing adequate emergency services. Read on to learn about the ins and outs of translation services for emergencies — or jump down to the Summary section for a quick recap.
It can be challenging enough to create and distribute effective communications in one language when you’re handling an emergency. But it’s vital to emergency management that agencies provide equally accessible communications materials to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). LSPs can help you tremendously with this, but there are also things that you can do on your end to streamline the process and ensure that your organization’s most urgent and time-sensitive communications are translated effectively. Here are four important factors to consider when preparing multilingual communications in response to an emergency: One common challenge associated with rush translations is the potential risk of reduced quality due to the need for speedy delivery. Emergency communications have to occur rapidly, as they typically deal with time-sensitive content. But just because rush translations are produced according to a faster timeline than your usual translation, doesn’t mean that you can cut any corners. Here are some ways that your organization can ensure high-quality rush translations: They wouldn’t be called “rush” translations if there weren’t a need for speed. Emergency communications and documents are typically quite time-sensitive, so it’s important to request rush translations as soon as possible.  Whether you’re facing federally imposed time constraints or simply have urgent communication needs, try employing the following strategies to help expedite the translation process: The need for fast turnaround and additional requirements can often lead to higher costs for rush translations. And it makes sense — when a rush translation request comes in, LSPs and their translators may have to put other projects on the back burner, or expand the number of linguists on a project, to ensure the timely delivery of your translation. Plus, emergency services may also require additional considerations and add-ons, such as a trauma-informed care qualifications or HIPAA compliance. However, strategic planning can help optimize the use of language services while minimizing expenses: Maintaining confidentiality is crucial for many organizations, and the level of required confidentiality may vary. Each organization and document will have different requirements — an emergency management agency producing public-facing communications will of course have fewer confidentiality restrictions (if any) than a hospital requesting a rush translation of a patient’s medical documents. To ensure that your LSP understands and meets your confidentiality needs, consider doing the following:
In emergencies, effective communication is vital, and rush translations help bridge language barriers, ensuring critical information is conveyed promptly. Here are some important factors that agencies must consider when commissioning rush translation services from LSPs. Managing emergencies is stressful — but the right LSP can ease the burden of producing multilingual communications. AvantPage is proud to provide rush translations to all kinds of emergency management organizations and agencies. Reach out to us today at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040 to learn more about how we can help you manage your multilingual emergency communications effectively.

Table of Contents - What Is Trauma-Informed Care? - Why Trauma-Informed Language Services Matter for Healthcare, Legal, and Social Service Providers - General Considerations for Interpreting Settings - Trauma-Informed Care: Special Considerations - 1. Gender Preferences - 2. Age Preferences - 3. Language Preferences - 4. Community Dynamic - 5. Interpreter's Preference - How Avantpage Delivers Trauma-Informed Interpreting - Why Trauma-Informed Care Is Critical to Spoken Communication - Frequently Asked Questions About Trauma-Informed Services - Partner With a Language Service Provider Trained in Trauma-Informed Care Navigate a person-centered care system through trauma-informed language services.
At the surface level, language services like translation and interpreting might seem like fairly straightforward processes: You take content (or speech) in one language, and reproduce the meaning and message in another. But in practice, it’s all a lot more complicated than that. Translators and interpreters have to take all sorts of other considerations into account, from the specific context of the source to the audience who will be receiving the message in the target language. After all, the content you might read in an advertisement is worlds away from the language a medical interpreter has to relay back and forth between a patient and their doctor. And certain settings, such as healthcare, emergency services, and legal services, may require providers of language services to take into account the trauma that a person might have experienced before needing those services. As a result, translation and interpretation become inextricably linked with providing trauma-informed care, and it’s important that language service providers working in these sectors be able to pair non-English-speaking individuals who’ve suffered trauma with interpreters who are well-equipped to provide trauma-informed language services. For language service providers working in these domains, translation and interpreting are far from just matching and pairing languages — it’s also about making sure individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) get the care they need and are able to advocate for themselves in light of traumatic experiences. Interpreters in particular are likely to work with clients and patients who need trauma-informed services. When working with individuals who have dealt with traumatic experiences — whether it’s violence or serious injury — interpreters need to be knowledgeable about how to effectively provide trauma-informed care. Here, we’ll discuss what trauma-informed care looks like and what interpreters and language service providers in general can do to ensure that they’re providing effective and sensitive trauma-informed language services. Trauma-informed care is a way to provide effective care and services to individuals who may have experienced some form of trauma. It’s a matter of being sensitive to an individual’s traumas and making sure that they’re able to receive adequate care in response to these traumatic events. Revisiting and discussing traumatic events can actively harm somebody’s mental well-being — as a result, it’s important to be sensitive when providing care to people who have faced such trauma. In recent years, providers of both legal and medical services have championed ways to provide trauma-informed services, from reframing the way they talk about traumatic events to avoiding triggering topics altogether. Providing trauma-informed care can be even trickier when there’s a language and/or cultural barrier. As a result, using interpreters who are specialized in providing trauma-informed care can help build bridges for limited English proficient individuals to receive adequate care. In addition, nationally recognized frameworks such as SAMHSA’s Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Care (Safety, Trustworthiness, Peer Support, Collaboration, Empowerment, and Cultural/Historical/Gender Sensitivity) play an important role in shaping how language access providers support LEP individuals. Incorporating these principles helps ensure that communication is not only accurate but also emotionally safe and culturally aligned. For organizations serving vulnerable populations, trauma-informed language access is more than a best practice — it’s a compliance requirement and patient safety issue. Providers must consider: When communication is unclear or emotionally triggering, organizations may see increased safety risks, misdiagnosis, patient dissatisfaction, or legal complications. Effective trauma-informed interpreting helps reduce these risks while supporting a more compassionate, person-centered care approach. Before delving into trauma-informed language services specifically, it’s worthwhile to go over some general considerations that apply to most interpreting settings. These include: The key consideration to keep in mind when providing trauma-informed services is the emotional and physical well-being of the client or patient.   Trauma-informed language services acknowledge the potential vulnerability, distress, or triggers that individuals may experience in sensitive or traumatic situations. By implementing trauma-informed practices and considerations, language service providers can create a safe and supportive environment for effective communication and healing. Here are some additional considerations language service providers should take into account when working with patients who have experienced some form of trauma.  Traumatic experiences can lead individuals to feel more comfortable or safe when communicating with an interpreter of a specific gender. Respecting this preference can create an environment that’s conducive to open communication and trust. Similarly, some individuals may find it easier to connect and share their experiences with interpreters within a specific age range. Victims of violence may prefer to avoid interpreters of the same age as their attacker, but broadly speaking, an age preference can also be influenced by cultural factors, life experiences, or personal comfort. Speakers of English as a second language (ESL) may prefer to work with an interpreter even if they don’t have LEP. Generally speaking, it’s easier to convey subtle nuances and express yourself in your native language — it’s hard enough to gather your thoughts after a traumatic experience, so it’s important to respect ESL speakers’ desire to work with an interpreter if they request one. Additionally, speaking through an interpreter from the same linguistic background can help build trust. Some clients may prefer to avoid working with interpreters who they know personally — others may feel safer with somebody they do know. This is particularly important to consider in small communities where an interpreter is more likely to know many members of their linguistic community, but in any setting, it’s important to consider the degree of anonymity a client or patient would like when receiving language access services. Certain words and phrases (particularly body parts and expletives) can be triggering to both the client and the interpreter. It’s important for language service providers to know what a certain interpreter may or may not be comfortable with interpreting. Assigning an interpreter who’s uncomfortable with certain phrases and topics could have a negative impact on the overall integrity of their interpretation, so it’s important to make sure your interpreter’s boundaries. It’s also important to note that these considerations go beyond trauma-informed services as well — even if a client hasn’t experienced severe trauma that you know of. While especially so in particular settings, being sensitive to a client or patient’s needs and triggers is critical to providing effective language services. To support organizations that serve vulnerable or high-risk populations, Avantpage has built specialized processes, training, and quality controls designed specifically for trauma-informed communication. These include: These safeguards help healthcare providers, legal entities, and social service organizations deliver care that is compassionate, culturally aligned, and clinically accurate, even in the most sensitive contexts. A trauma-informed approach to language access services is absolutely crucial, especially when it comes to interpreting for patients and clients in need of mental health, medical, or legal services. By considering an individual’s needs, experiences, and preferences, language service providers can deliver more effective and supportive services. Here are just a few things you should keep in mind when providing interpreting services in a sensitive or trauma-informed setting: A specialized form of interpreting that incorporates emotional safety, cultural sensitivity, and best practices designed to avoid retraumatization. Absolutely! Video remote interpreting (VRI) is often preferred for trauma-informed settings because it allows for visual cues while preserving privacy if anonymity is needed. Look for providers that include trauma-informed training, follow CLAS Standards, comply with Title VI, and demonstrate experience in clinical and legal settings — all areas where Avantpage excels. It minimizes the chance of miscommunication, supports emotional well-being, and helps providers maintain compliance with federal language access requirements. If your organization supports vulnerable communities, trauma survivors, or individuals navigating complex legal or medical systems, choosing the right language access partner is essential. Avantpage provides trauma-informed interpreting, professional translation, and culturally aligned communication services designed to protect safety, dignity, and trust. Ready to strengthen your approach to trauma-informed care? Contact us online or call (530) 750-2040 to speak with our team about building a tailored interpreting solution.

You probably don’t need us to remind you that in 2020, the United States declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be a public health emergency (PHE) — but now it’s looking like we’re finally in the clear, after three years of masking, social distancing, and working from home.  That’s not to say the pandemic’s over or that we no longer need to worry about COVID-19 — just that the state of emergency is over. Last month, the United States officially ended the PHE that was put in place more than three years ago. Among other aspects of daily life, the PHE had a profound impact on healthcare and how we access it — as such, the PHE ending is also likely to have an equally profound impact on telehealth. “[The Department of Health and Human Services] and the leadership across the Department remain focused on protecting the health and well-being of all Americans, particularly those at highest at risk, including seniors and immunocompromised people, making sure we don’t leave the uninsured behind, and monitoring the latest subvariants so we’re prepared and ready to manage the risks of the virus moving forward,” secretary of health and human services Xavier Becerra said in a statement on May 11, when the PHE officially ended. In response to the PHE, doctors and other healthcare providers adopted several telehealth measures and practices to allow patients and healthcare workers to stay safe in the face of COVID-19. The US Department of Health and Human Services first declared a PHE in response to COVID-19 in late January 2020. But it wasn’t until about a month and a half later that things began to hit the fan. In mid-March of that year the number of people diagnosed with COVID started rising fast — in response, businesses began to close their doors, students attended class on their laptops, and the video communications platform known as Zoom became a household name. During the PHE, virtual doctor’s appointments and other forms of telehealth became more prominent — this was possible because the PHE relaxed certain HIPAA requirements and allowed patients to file insurance claims for more telehealth services. And in the language services domain, remote interpreting became an even more important method of delivering services than before. The shift to telehealth meant healthcare providers had to rely on remote interpreting technology more than ever before.  It certainly stands to reason that this change should have had a positive impact on patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Instead, it seems that telehealth was often less accessible to patients with LEP than those without. From problems with digital literacy to inaccessible user journeys, many patients with LEP struggled to receive the care they needed during the PHE. As we transition into this post-PHE era, here’s what healthcare providers — telehealth or otherwise — should know about accessing language services and providing equitable care to patients with LEP.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, language barriers have posed challenges to effective healthcare delivery for individuals with LEP. Even before the pandemic, healthcare providers have had to take measures to break language barriers for patients with LEP.  But the pandemic and the shift to telehealth under the PHE made things even tougher. Insufficient digital literacy, lack of access to digital requirements like broadband internet among certain populations with LEP, and occasionally erroneous or misleading translations of important public health information made it harder for patients with LEP to access telehealth. And as a result, research suggests that populations with LEP were more likely to suffer adverse consequences from COVID-19 than other groups. These disparities shed some much-needed light on the importance of language access in healthcare. Ultimately, the PHE created a motive for healthcare providers to develop programs and innovative solutions to address language access barriers and ensure equitable healthcare for all. 
With the end of the PHE last month, many healthcare providers will be less likely to rely upon certain telehealth practices. And some things that were allowed under the PHE — for example, a relaxation of HIPAA that let providers who were covered by Medicare to use WhatsApp and FaceTime — will no longer be allowed. Likewise, the end of the PHE also means that doctors are no longer able to prescribe controlled substances to patients via telehealth alone. Patients will be required to come in for an in-person visit with the doctor before any such prescriptions can be written or filled. While video doctors’ appointments will certainly stick around, they’ll likely become less common than they were during the pandemic — especially since fewer telehealth visits will be covered by insurance, requiring many patients to default to onsite visits to the doctor. This means patients with LEP could potentially have to travel longer distances to meet with a doctor who speaks their language. Healthcare providers will still be able to use remote interpreting technology to get connected with an interpreter, in the event that a patient needs an interpreter. Demand for in-person interpreting may increase, however, as doctors begin to shift away from telehealth appointments and technologies.  Additionally, healthcare providers may need to reevaluate their language access practices to ensure that they meet the needs of patients who are coming into the office or hospital. In-person appointments introduce additional layers — for example, interacting with the receptionist at the front desk — that could cause friction if language access isn’t adequately considered.
About a month into this new chapter, it’s critical that healthcare providers consider ways in which the end of the PHE might impact the accessibility of telehealth services. Here are some things for healthcare providers to keep in mind during this critical junction: As we transition into this new phase of the pandemic, Avantpage is proud to provide consulting, translation, and interpreting services to healthcare providers all across the country. If you need to work on revising your language access plan for the post-PHE era, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040 for more information about our services.

Telehealth and its 4 subsets might not have been on your radar until the COVID-19 pandemic brought it into the spotlight back in the spring of 2020. But even as the pandemic’s eased up, telehealth doesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon.  It’s become a particularly important tool in providing healthcare to individuals who would otherwise face significant barriers to healthcare services, such as people who live in highly rural locations or those with limited English proficiency (LEP). Simply put, telehealth is a way for healthcare providers to digitally work with patients and interact with the public — though it’s often viewed as synonymous with live video appointments, this is just one aspect of telehealth. There are four subsets of telehealth, ranging from more intimate one-on-one video sessions with a patient and a doctor, to more wide-reaching public health campaigns. The four subsets of telehealth are as follows: For individuals with LEP, telehealth can break language barriers in several different ways. Live video appointments can connect patients with doctors who speak their language but are located far away, while mobile health campaigns can be translated into different languages to ensure LEP individuals are informed about public health issues and other important medical information. Despite all of this, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant disparities in the health outcomes of patients with LEP. Throughout the early days of the pandemic, populations with significant proportions of individuals with LEP often faced the toughest outcomes when compared to their English-speaking counterparts. From insufficiently accessible (and in turn, discouraging) user journeys on telehealth portals to problems with digital literacy, the rise of telehealth made healthcare less accessible for individuals with LEP.  As telehealth became more prominent, so too did awareness of the disparities between patients with LEP and those without. Here, we’ll examine the four subsets of telehealth and how they can impact the care that patients with LEP receive. From remote patient monitoring to store and forward, we’ll discuss ways in which providers can be thoughtful and purposeful in the way they interact with and treat their patients who do not speak English proficiently.
There are a handful of different types of technology that healthcare providers can use when offering telehealth — each one is unique, serving different outcomes and leading to different outcomes.
This is the form of telehealth that you’re probably most familiar with — live video telehealth utilizes video conferencing tools like Zoom to connect patients with their healthcare providers. This allows patients to receive care from the comfort of their homes, and healthcare providers can assess a patient’s health status in real-time. With live video, a doctor’s geographical proximity becomes less important — this allows patients with LEP to more easily connect with doctors and interpreters who speak their language without having to travel long distances. However, video visits may also require interpreting services to ensure effective communication between the patient and the provider. Telehealth providers should always be prepared to offer virtual remote interpreting services for video visits in case a patient is and provide instructions and training materials in the patient’s preferred language.
Mobile telehealth includes any sort of public health messaging or medical education delivered to patients via mobile devices like smartphones or tablets. This might include a series of mass text messages sent out to alert a community about a disease outbreak in their area or more general campaigns that simply aim to promote healthy behavior. Although these types of campaigns may not be as palpable as a one-on-one appointment with a doctor, they do play an important role in engaging individuals with LEP. By working with language service providers to translate these messages into a linguistically and culturally appropriate format, telehealth providers can ensure that these messages are as accessible and meaningful as possible. When mobile health campaigns aren’t linguistically appropriate, prospective patients might feel alienated or discouraged from pursuing healthcare services — or worse, left in the dark about important public health information like local disease outbreaks.
Remote patient monitoring involves the use of electronic devices to monitor a patient’s health status from the comfort of their own home. These devices monitor things like a patient’s blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and other vital signs — this data can then be sent to healthcare providers to monitor and assess a patient’s health status. Healthcare providers typically use these devices after discharging a patient, in an effort to lower the likelihood of hospital readmission. For patients with LEP, language access is critical in ensuring that they understand how to use remote patient monitoring devices properly and that healthcare providers can understand and interpret the data correctly. Providers should offer instructions and training materials in the patient’s preferred language, and offer interpreter services when necessary. Store and forward is a form of asynchronous telehealth that allows doctors to assess a patient’s status without ever having to schedule a real-time appointment (over video or otherwise). With store and forward, patients and healthcare providers can send photos, videos, and other health records to other specialists for analysis — for example, a patient might send photos of a skin lesion to their primary care physician, who then passes the photo off to a dermatologist for further analysis. To ensure that LEP individuals benefit from store and forward, healthcare providers can work with language service providers to translate and interpret information about store and forward practices, so that they understand the benefit of this type of telehealth.  Telehealth can be an undoubtedly powerful tool for improving health equity among patients with LEP. Within the realm of telehealth, there are four subsets that must be applied in different situations. For each type of telehealth service, providers must keep in mind unique considerations for patients with LEP. To recap, here are the four subsets of telehealth and how they work: At Avantpage, we’re proud to help telehealth providers improve their approach to language access and unlock telehealth’s potential to break language barriers for patients with LEP. If you’re looking to make your telehealth services more accessible to individuals with LEP, contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

Elections office websites offer voters a wealth of information when it comes to understanding how to vote. The voting process for an English speaker is a different experience than for someone who’s a limited English proficient (LEP) speaker. The language difference can create barriers and cause people to give up without voting, leading to underrepresentation by LEP communities. In addition, while the Voting Rights Act requires language assistance to LEP individuals, “many voters may be unaware that they have a right to be assisted in casting a ballot and to bilingual election materials in many jurisdictions.” If you’re going to invest in translating elections office materials, you’ll want to maximize the outreach of these materials. Part of the outreach is to make LEP communities aware of what you provide, starting with the elections website. In addition, the language access options must be super clear, so when an LEP individual goes to your website, that person can quickly see the content in their preferred language. This will contribute to a better investment for your funds and improve the voting journey for LEP individuals. A website is oftentimes the first place someone will go to get information. You need to translate and localize your website to reach LEP audiences. Here are some things to consider for your translation project. Ideally, you’d translate your entire elections office website. However, if you have a limited budget or time constraints, that may not be feasible. If you aren’t ready to translate your entire website, work with your LSP to determine the most vital pages and create a plan for the other pages. Languages morph and evolve over time, leading to locale-specific variations of a language. For example, Hmong communities in California and Minnesota may generally use the core language, but variations will exist between the two variations. Learn more about language variations. Machine translation is suitable for some types of content, such as content that isn’t critical or internal content, or for getting a general idea about something for a quick turnaround. However, you need a professional language service provider to provide the highest quality translations for something as critical as elections information. Election content can be tricky enough for an English speaker to understand, let alone someone who’s not proficient in English. You need to have a complete translation process that involves humans to translate election content. Some of the other reasons why it’s not a good idea to use Google Translate for elections office materials include: You can add some simple things to your elections office website to make language options clear and obvious for a visitor. You want your visitors to know that there are language options, so you should have something that shows the options, whether it’s a dropdown selection or an entry button. Include a language option at the top of your webpage. It could look something like this: It should be at the top of the page, because if a visitor doesn’t see it right away, that person may not know to scroll to look for it. For example, including all the languages in a footer is not a good option as people don’t tend to search for information like that in a footer, so it makes it hard to find. In your language option, add a universal symbol (like a globe) to show that other languages are available. Also, include a dropdown someone can select the language that fits that person’s needs. You don’t want to use English words like “translate” to show that other languages are available. For the translated site language options, use the translated language name and not the English version. For example, use “Română” instead of “Romanian.” The English version of this language is “Romanian,” but those who speak Romanian use “Română.” Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires that counties make election materials available to LEP individuals, so you want to make your target audiences know that you have information in different languages and that they have the right to these materials. Here are some ways to do that. Elections offices can improve voter turnout and the voting journey by providing website translations and outreach to the LEP community. We have extensive experience in election translations and would love to help you with any aspect of the process. Learn more about our experience, and feel free to contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

Providing voting materials in non-English languages helps to encourage participation in the voting process and capture the voices of those in underrepresented and limited English proficient (LEP) communities. It also helps to sustain our society’s democratic process. Providing language access for LEP individuals also supports government in other ways. We’ll share how and provide five ways to increase voter turnout for LEP communities. Here are four ways multilingual materials support voter access. When LEP individuals have voting materials in their native language, it encourages them to participate in the process. It makes the entire voting process much easier and more engaging. Voter access by means of providing language access “encourages members of historically underrepresented communities to participate in elections, and ensures that all individuals can vote comfortably and knowledgeably.” The Voting Rights Act has increased voter turnout over time: In addition, language assistance is symbolic and helps to encourage participation in our democratic system for LEP individuals and English-speakers alike. There is a “sense that they feel more comfortable and welcomed in polling places in which there is increased descriptive presence from language-minority communities, and visible provision of multilingual services.” Language access motivates language minorities to run for office in more significant numbers. Community leaders have “explicitly acknowledged that the changes that enforcement activity brought about in the conduct of their local elections encouraged them to run for office.” With more significant numbers comes an increase in representation. Reports have shown that language access to voting correlates to improvement in faith to the law. By “deepening relationships between public officials, the communities they represent, and the voters who elect them, effective language assistance efforts increase faith and trust in government.” More voters will help support our democracy and society. Here are five ways to provide more language support to increase voter turnout. The more you know about your LEP communities, the better you can serve them. Learn more about locating language information in different demographic areas. This guide provides instructions on how to locate demographic data using data.census.gov. In addition to the federal requirements under the Language Minority Provisions of the Voting Rights Act, government agencies can take the following actions to support voter access: Look at local cultural organizations to find one you can partner with to get the word out about voting. Translate voting material communications, and share these with local organizations. Consider in-language pieces for local news, magazines or newsletters. Leverage interagency resources such as a Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC), Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC) or other resources that cover languages. You can participate in these committees as they are open to the public, and they’re a good way to see what other officials are doing. For example, the California LAAC and the translation advisory council in Oregon have monthly webinars for any participants. Understand how your audience wants to be communicated with for different types of communication, such as print, digital or radio, as well as different platforms for diverse audiences. If you aren’t sure, look at your digital analytics or consult with local leaders to understand where these audiences go for information. Democracy benefits by having active participation in the voting process. Providing language support can encourage underrepresented and LEP communities to vote. State, country or city government agencies can support their LEP communities in several ways through language access. As a translation company supporting the language needs of immigrants and LEP communities, we’ve been translating election materials for over 25 years. We can provide you with language resources and experienced translators to translate the content. Contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040 to learn more.

In government agencies, procurement (also known as purchasing) can choose between different types of bidding for proposals (RFPs) from vendors for their services. A low-cost bid looks only at the cost of a service and no other factors. With a best-value RFP, the government employee requests information about important components for that service and then scores the RFP based on their value to select the winning bid.  While a low-cost RFP gets the job done for the lowest prices, it can come with risks. It’s important to ask the right questions and know what to look out for. It’s also important to understand how to weigh evaluations and the risks when choosing low-cost over best value. It can be tricky when procurement officials manage the RFP process across many services since each one is unique and has different requirements. We made this quick guide that you can share with local procurement for language services to help them navigate the RFP process for language services.  Table of Contents The Risks of Low-Cost Language Services The Advantages of Best-Value Bids  How to Create RFPs for LSPs Components of Scoring Frequently Asked Questions About Best Value Procurement & RFPs Choose the Best Value Procurement for Language Services  There are risks to understand with low-cost language services. Bidders for low-cost bids are going to need to cut costs to provide competitive prices. Usually, those cuts will be seen in quality, time or management. As a result, low-cost RFPs become “a race to the bottom,” which puts pressure on the language service industry to provide quality services at a sometimes unreasonable price. Language service providers do this in a variety of ways:  Low-cost bids can also be risky for a variety of reasons.  A best-value bid has a lot of benefits since it takes more factors into account besides just budget. It also weighs scores according to the agency’s needs. As a result, the agency chooses a partner based on who they believe has the most relevant experience and can provide the best value, while the vendors compete on what differentiates their services and their team, rather than on how low they can price their services.  Some ideas of what to include in an RFP for language services include:  When customizing the scoring for the agency’s needs, the benefit is that you get the best match to meet your language access goals. Consider which components should be weighed more heavily than others. Make inclusions and exceptions based on your agency’s needs. Common scoring areas include:  A low-cost bid focuses solely on price, often leading to compromises in quality, security, or expertise. A best-value bid evaluates multiple factors beyond cost, such as experience, project management, quality assurance, and capacity, ensuring the agency selects a partner that meets its specific language service needs. Look at vendor historical performance, not just cost. Ask for examples of past projects with similar complexity.
Evaluate whether the LSP has redundancy measures (backup linguists, additional project managers) to handle unexpected workload spikes. Consider potential compliance risks, such as HIPAA, accessibility requirements, or cultural sensitivity issues - Use translation memory or project management software to assess vendor efficiency and previous experience. (Learn more about AvantMemory.)
- Consider whether vendors provide secure portals for document management and HIPAA-compliant workflows.
- Language technology can help you compare vendor capabilities quantitatively, not just price. - Project management methodology: Does the vendor have a repeatable process for handling multiple languages or urgent requests?
- Turnaround times vs. quality assurance: How do they balance speed with accuracy?
- Client references and feedback: Ask specifically about challenges and how the vendor handled them. Yes, beware of any bids that: 
- Are extremely low cost compared to market averages (more than ~5% difference).
- Have vague project plans or a lack of QA and security measures.
- Provide limited references or are missing case studies for similar work. Machine translation services can reduce costs for internal or non-critical documents, but it is often unsuitable for public-facing content, legal, or HIPAA-compliant materials. Best-value procurement allows agencies to consider when human linguists are necessary to maintain quality, accuracy, and compliance. Avantpage offers expertise in:
- Providing high-quality interpretation, translation, and localization services.
- Advising on best-value RFP creation, scoring, and vendor evaluation.
- Ensuring compliance with security, accessibility, and industry standards. Our team helps agencies balance cost, quality, and risk, ensuring multilingual audiences receive accurate and culturally appropriate communications. Contact us for guidance on your next RFP. Low-cost bids might look great on paper due to saving money, but they can have opportunity costs that negatively impact the communities you serve and your organization. Some of those opportunity costs can mean you:  Consider a best-value bid for a holistic approach to language services. A best-value bid ensures that the perceived value matches what your organization and its multilingual audience members need.  For more information about the RFP process for language services, contact us for a free quote or to talk about our language service offerings. Or, give us a call at (530) 750-2040.