AOIC Encourages Use of Interpreter Services – Funding Still Available
December 21, 2020
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and myriad challenges, the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts continues to encourage the use of interpretation services and offer limited funding for the use of two companies, inLingo and InterpreNet. This funding has been available since July of 2020 and each company has proven its ability to provide high quality services during this difficult time.
The AOIC support is intended to encourage counties to adopt best practices for interpretation services during COVID-19. Given the realities of the pandemic and recent advisory stay-at-home orders, the AOIC encourages circuit clerks, judges, and court personnel to utilize these services to more easily provide language support in the courtroom.
A major advantage of using inLingo and InterpreNet is that they use certified and qualified interpreters and offer both in-person and remote interpretation. Currently, no contract is necessary to start hiring interpreters from inLingo or InterpreNet. Both companies will invoice the AOIC directly until funding is depleted.
The advantages of interpretation services range from selection of highly skilled certified interpreters to phone apps as well as on demand interpreters. For example, inLingo offers a phone app that users can employ during their hearing. They also offer a video or audio only option for their services. Both inLingo and InterpreNet offer simultaneous interpretation as well as access to over 200 languages including American Sign Language.
Moreover, the most important advantage of using inLingo or InterpreNet is having access to certified and qualified interpreters with years of experience in the courtroom. inLingo’s services have been characterized as “very professional” and that interpreters “understood the nature of the hearing” and assisted the court throughout the duration. InterpreNet has received praise from its courts as well, one even stating, “what makes InterpreNet different is that they provide one point of contact, their interpreters are very professional, and they always accommodate short-term requests.”
The AOIC is currently conducting a survey of inLingo and InterpreNet until December 21 for additional feedback from courts currently using their services.
For additional information from InLingo, please contact Alessandra Campana at 866-346-5464 or acampana@inlingo.com. For InterpreNet, please call 312-928-1188 or email info@interprenet.net