N.M. 3rd Jud. Dist. Court Interpreter Standards of Practice and Payment Policies 4

American Sign Language

Severe hearing loss presents a complex combination of possible language and

communication barriers that traditional ASL/English interpreters are not trained to

assess, and it is not within their role to assess. If a deaf or hard of hearing person is

having trouble understanding a court interpreter and there is indication or

suspicion that the person needs other kinds of supports, a language assessment

may be requested by the Court. Conducted by a trained professional who is bi-

cultural and bi-lingual and has training in rehabilitation as well as disability/access

issues, the assessment shall involve, at a minimum, a face-to-face interview with

the person and a determination of what barriers to communication are present

and recommendations about supports that could be utilized, within ADA

Guidelines, to make access possible. An individual conducting such an

assessment should be able to provide documentation of his/her training and

experience in working with deaf or hard of hearing individuals who are not fluent

in American Sign Language which may be due to cognitive disabilities, emotional

or mental health issues, and/or because they primarily use another signed

language. Following the assessment, a recommendation shall be provided to the

Court regarding how best to provide due process for such an individual.