32 Miss. Code. R. 22-4.5 - REGISTRATION OF INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF

The purpose of these regulations is to promote public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring that deaf and hearing persons needing to communicate through an interpreter service have some measure of determining the basic qualifications of the person who presents himself or herself as an interpreter/translator of Sign Language to English and English to Sign Language. Further, in order to encourage those engaged in the business of interpreting for deaf persons to continue to improve their skill and perform in a professional manner, it is the purpose of these regulations to provide and impose sanctions against those individuals who do not meet or adhere to the procedures, qualifications and standards set out in these regulations.

Legal Authority: The Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) within the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS) shall discharge, as additional duties and responsibilities, the provisions of this chapter in the recording of documentation, registering and regulation of persons who interpret/translate to provide communication between deaf and hearing persons for pay or remuneration, as established and empowered by 2005 Mississippi Laws, Chapter 402.

Definitions: The following definitions apply as used in these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires:

Certification means the level of credentials that has been granted by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) or the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), and the documentation that supports the certification level the interpreter has achieved.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing Person means a person who has either no hearing or who has significant hearing loss so as to need the services of an interpreter to communicate. For the purposes of these regulations the term "deaf" will be used to denote persons who are deaf or hard of hearing who need interpreting services.

Deaf-Blind Person means a person who has either the dual loss of hearing and sight or who has significant hearing and vision losses so as to need the services of an interpreter to communicate. For the purposes of these regulations the term "deaf" will be used to denote persons who are deaf-blind who need interpreting services.

Department means the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Interpreter Training Program (ITP) means a postsecondary degree program of at least two (2) years in duration that is accredited by the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning or, in the case of a nonresident, a comparable agency in another state.

Interpreter means an individual certified by the National Association of the Deaf, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or an individual who holds a valid Mississippi Quality Assurance (QA) screening level or holds the equivalent or higher credentials from another state.

Interpreting means the process of providing accessible communication between and among consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing and those who are hearing. This process includes, but is not limited to, communication between persons who use American Sign Language, English, cued speech and oral communication. It may also involve various other modalities that involve visual, gestural, and tactile methods.

Quality Assurance Level means the level granted through the Mississippi Quality Assurance screening committee, and the documentation that supports the Quality Assurance (QA) level the interpreter has achieved.

Register means the process whereby the certification and QA level of qualified interpreters are documented and maintained so as to permit those individuals to act as an interpreter for pay in the State of Mississippi.

Registering Authority is the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

The Council means the three-person Advisory Council to ODHH for the Mississippi Interpreter Registration Law.

The Act means the Mississippi Interpreter Registration Law.

Undue Hardship means when an agency or school is left without an interpreter and/or it would be unreasonable to acquire a replacement interpreter where one is required by law or regulations.

Publication: ODHH shall maintain a list of the names and addresses of all persons registered under the Interpreting Registering Law and a list of all persons whose registration has been denied initially or for renewal, pursuant to the sections in these regulations.