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Linguistic Services

Service Standard

Linguistic Services Service Standard print version

Texas Department of State Health Services, HIV Care Services Group – HIV/STD Program

Subcategories Service Units
Translation/Interpretation – Document Per payment
Translation/Interpretation – Interpersonal Per 15 minutes

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Description

Linguistic Services include interpretation and translation activities, both oral and written, to eligible clients. A qualified linguistic services provider must provide these activities as a component of HIV service delivery between the healthcare provider and the client. Agencies must provide these services when necessary to facilitate communication between the provider and client and support delivery of HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) eligible services.

Program Guidance

Agencies may provide linguistic services in both group and individual settings. These standards ensure that language is not a barrier to any client seeking HIV-related medical care and support and that agencies provide linguistic services consistent with the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards.

Limitations

A qualified linguistic provider must provide linguistic services, including interpretation (oral) and translation (written) services.

Universal Standards

Service providers for Linguistic Services must follow HRSA and DSHS Universal Standards 1-63 and 175-177.

Service Standards and Measures

The following standards and measures are guides to improving healthcare outcomes for people living with HIV throughout the State of Texas within the Ryan White Part B and State Services Program. 

Standard Measure

Provision of Services: Agencies will document the client’s need for linguistic services to facilitate communication with the provider and receive appropriate services. Staff must document the need at the time of the client’s initial request for services, which may occur at intake or initial assessment.

Agencies must provide translation or interpretation services for the date of the scheduled appointment and document the type of linguistic service provided in the client’s primary record. Documentation must include the language involved, the type of service provided (oral interpretation or written translation), and whether services were for an individual or a group. Agencies may provide linguistic services in person or via telephone or other electronic means.

  1. Percentage of clients with documentation of the need for linguistic services as indicated at the client’s initial request for Linguistic Services.
     
  2. Percentage of client files with documentation that interpretive or translation services were provided for the date of service requested, including: (Pilot measure 2025-2026)
    1. The language involved.
    2. The type of services provided (oral interpretation or written translation).
    3. Whether services were for a group or an individual.

References

Division of Metropolitan HIV/AIDS Programs, HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB). Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) National Monitoring Standards for RWHAP Part A Recipients. Health Resources and Services Administration, March 2025.

Division of State HIV/AIDS Programs, HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB). Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) National Monitoring Standards for RWHAP Part B Recipients. Health Resources and Services Administration, March 2025.

Office for Civil Rights (OCR). “Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title vi and the Prohibition against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons.HHS.gov, US Department of Health and Human Services, July 26, 2013, 

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. Policy Notice 16-02: Eligible Individuals & Allowable Uses of Funds. Health Resources & Services Administration, October 22, 2018.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). CLAS Standards. Think Cultural Health; Department of Health & Human Services. thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/clas/standards