Requires Commissioners of DOH and DHS to perform language needs assessment.

This New Jersey bill (2011) requires the Commissioners of Health (DOH) and Human Services (DHS) to conduct language needs assessments for all their department offices and programs. The assessments must identify which language communities use services, which don’t access services, and where unmet needs exist for non-English materials. Based on these findings, the two departments must jointly plan for future translation services to serve communities with significant language needs. The bill mandates that departments adopt implementing rules within 180 days of its effective date.