Building Bridges: Increasing Language Access for the Asian Pacific American Community of NYC (2006)

In New York City, the Asian Pacific American community is being denied vital services due to the inability of providers to communicate effectively in a language that is comfortable for these children and families. Language access to the education, child welfare, and mental health systems remains grossly unavailable to Asian Pacific Americans, who by percentage are the city’s fastest growing community according to the 2000 Census. Of all racial groups in New York City, Asian Pacific Americans have the highest percentage (28 percent) to speak English “not well” or “not at all”. More than 50 of the over 200 languages spoken in New York City are Asian languages, including Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Although the city’s education, child welfare, and mental health systems are beginning to comply with federal, state, and local laws on language access, these laws remain insufficient in meeting the language needs of Asian Pacific American families. The laws do not clarify how agencies should ensure meaningful communication with limited English proficient individuals at all points of contact in a timely manner. There are also few ways to enforce and monitor compliance with these language access laws. As a result, Asian Pacific American families depend on children to be interpreters, which can place an undue burden on the children and have an adverse effect on parent-child dynamics. Language barriers to essential systems of care in New York City can be devastating to a child’s development and future well-being.  

This policy brief: 

❖ Examines the language barriers that Asian Pacific American children and families face when interacting with the education, child welfare, and mental health systems of New York City. 

❖ Describes the relevant federal, state, and local laws mandating translation and interpretation services. 

❖ Analyzes the actions being taken in New York City to provide language assistance services. 

❖ Provides policy recommendations on improving language access for the diversifying and growing Asian Pacific American community.