Standards
Schools
Nat'l
Courts
A freelance or staff Interpreter who has National RID Certification with Legal Specialist Certification preferred; graduated from an Interpreter Training Program (preferably two - four year Associate or Bachelor Degree Program); has minimum of three years experience; and has completed a specialized, intensive, legal interpreting training, mentoring and documentation of successful experiences in court or other legal proceedings. SC:L
State Agencies
Nat'l
Medical
Nat'l
All Venues
Nat'l
None Required
Off
Notes
For legal/court work, an interpreter must either have their SC:L. All interpreters must interview with Director of Interpreter/CART in order to be MCDHH approved for legal/court jobs, even if holding SC:L.
Licensure
Yes.
Governing Body
The Department of Interpreter/CART Services within the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Website(s)
Fee(s)
All interpreters are employed through the state and their fees are taken from the individual assignments.
Board
An Act Establishing a Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 1985 (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 716, Annotated at MGL c.6, __191-199) which mandates the Commission as the principal agency of the Commonwealth to advocate, and coordinate public policies, regulations, and programs, and improve the quality of existing services and promote the development of new services for deaf and hard of hearing citizens.
Qualifications
Educational Interpreter Registration:
1. The individual should join RID.
2. Interpreters and transliterators who are not RID-certified must undergo MCDHH screening; screening is waived for RID-certified interpreters and transliterators. The individual undergoes the interview portion of the interpreter screening process first.
3. If the individual passes the interview portion of the screening, he/she undergoes the performance portion of the screening process.
4. If the individual passes the performance portion of the screening process, he/she will be given an MCD01 contract to sign. He/she will be invited to meet with the Director, Department for Interpreter/CART Services or her/his designee for an informational meeting.
5. Once the contract is executed, he/she will become eligible for job referrals through the Interpreter/CART Referral Service. The individual will also have four years to become nationally certified by RID.
6. If the screened interpreter does NOT become nationally certified in four years, he/she may opt to re-take the performance portion of the MCDHH screening process. If he/she passes, he/she will be granted another four years to become nationally certified. If he/she does not pass, he/she will no longer be eligible to receive job referrals from the Interpreter/CART Referral Service.
7. If the individual is not able to become nationally certified after eight years, his/her MCD01 contract will be rescinded and invalidated.
1. The individual should join RID.
2. Interpreters and transliterators who are not RID-certified must undergo MCDHH screening; screening is waived for RID-certified interpreters and transliterators. The individual undergoes the interview portion of the interpreter screening process first.
3. If the individual passes the interview portion of the screening, he/she undergoes the performance portion of the screening process.
4. If the individual passes the performance portion of the screening process, he/she will be given an MCD01 contract to sign. He/she will be invited to meet with the Director, Department for Interpreter/CART Services or her/his designee for an informational meeting.
5. Once the contract is executed, he/she will become eligible for job referrals through the Interpreter/CART Referral Service. The individual will also have four years to become nationally certified by RID.
6. If the screened interpreter does NOT become nationally certified in four years, he/she may opt to re-take the performance portion of the MCDHH screening process. If he/she passes, he/she will be granted another four years to become nationally certified. If he/she does not pass, he/she will no longer be eligible to receive job referrals from the Interpreter/CART Referral Service.
7. If the individual is not able to become nationally certified after eight years, his/her MCD01 contract will be rescinded and invalidated.
Special Provisions
Liability coverage is highly encouraged and required under some circumstances