Letter Report On The New York City Department Of Veterans’ Services’ Compliance With Local Law 25 Of 2016 Regarding Translation Of Agency Website

Executive Summary

This Letter Report concerns the New York City Comptroller’s audit of the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services’ (DVS’) compliance with Local Law 25, which governs the translation of websites of New York City agencies.  The objective of this audit was to determine whether DVS is complying with Local Law 25, which is intended to make City agencies, and ultimately the City as a whole, more accessible to foreign-born residents whose primary language is not English.  Our audit of DVS is one in a series of audits we are conducting on the City’s compliance with Local Law 25.

New York City, with a population of more than 8.5 million people, is home to one of the most diverse populations in the world, with more than 3.2 million foreign-born residents from more than 200 countries.  According to the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP), nearly one-half of all New Yorkers speak a language other than English at home, and almost 25 percent of City residents age five and over, or 1.8 million persons, are not proficient in English.  For individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP), interacting with City government can often be a challenge.

Most City agencies have a significant presence on the internet and rely on agency websites to both provide information to and interact with the public.  Accordingly, in 2016, Mayor de Blasio signed Local Law 25, amending the City’s Administrative Code in relation to citizens’ ability to access translation of City websites.  Local Law 25 requires that every website maintained by or on behalf of a City agency include a translation service enabling users to view the text of that website, wherever practicable, in languages other than English.  It also requires that the translation service be identifiable in a manner that is comprehensible to speakers of the seven most commonly spoken languages in the city.  As determined by DCP, the seven most commonly spoken languages in New York City amongst residents with limited English proficiency are:

• Spanish
• Chinese (includes Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese and Formosan)
• Russian
• Bengali
• Haitian Créole
• Korean
• Arabic

Thereafter, with the City’s enactment of Local Law 30 of 2017, as of July 1, 2017 through the present, all City agencies that provide direct public services or emergency services, including DVS, must develop and implement Language Access Plans, in consultation with the Mayor’s Office of the Language Services Coordinator and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, that include translation and interpretation services in the top 10 LEP languages—the 6 designated by DCP and 4 others determined by the Mayor’s Office of the Language Services Coordinator, based on language access data collected by the City Department of Education.   DVS’ Language Access Plan accordingly adopted Local Law 30’s 10-LEP language standard for purposes of providing direct public access via translation services through its website.  The 10 designated Citywide in New York City among residents with limited English proficiency are:

• Spanish
• Chinese (includes Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese and Formosan)
• Russian
• Bengali
• Haitian Créole
• Korean
• Arabic
• Urdu
• French
• Polish

DVS works with City, State, and federal agencies, as well as regional private and not-for-profit partners, to improve the lives of all New York City veterans and their families.  DVS seeks to ensure that homeless veterans have permanent housing and access to support services needed to find and maintain their homes; expand education and career opportunities for veterans; and provide information for the veterans and their families to gain citywide access to benefits, resources, and care.  DVS states that it is committed to supporting overall mental wellness, addressing the full impact of war and military service on veterans.

Audit Findings and Conclusions

Our audit found that DVS generally complies with Local Law 25.  DVS’ website, found at https://www1.nyc.gov/site/veterans/index.page includes a translation feature for viewing text and essential information in various languages, including the above-noted top 10 languages.  DVS’ website also provides important information regarding its functions and services, which includes, but is not limited to, information pertaining to DVS’ various divisions, office locations, contact information, forms, brochures, caregiver information, funeral and burials, and mental health aids.  All essential information can be translated and viewed in each of the top 10 noted languages.

DVS’ most frequently requested documents can be translated and downloaded in the 10 most-requested languages according to DVS’ Language Access Plan 2018 (Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Bengali, Haitian Créole, Korean, Arabic, Urdu, French, and Polish).   We reviewed and successfully translated the following documents into DVS’ 10 most requested languages:

• Caregivers
• Ending Veterans Homelessness
• Engagement
• Funerals Honors and Burials
• Get Help
• Mental Health First Aid
• Mentor A Veteran
• Veterans on Campus

DVS provides translation and interpretation services in all of its locations that interact with the general public, including its five Borough Business Centers located in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

Audit Recommendations

The audit recommends that DVS continue to maintain its compliance with Local Law 25 to ensure it effectively meets the needs of residents with limited English proficiency when accessing city services online.

Agency Response

In its response, DVS agreed with the audit’s findings and recommendation, stating, “DVS will maintain its compliance with Local Law 25 to ensure that residents with limited English proficiency can effectively navigate the NYC Department of Veterans’ Services.”