Background
We are proud to share our collaboration with the state of Maine on their impactful initiative: the Transforming Interpreting Maine (TIME) Project. The TIME project, led by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is a long-term effort to expand and improve American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting services statewide.
In response to community frustrations over a lack of interpreter availability and coordination challenges, the state formed a committee comprised of several state and community representatives, including the Maine Association of the Deaf (MeAD), the Maine Sign Language Interpreter Committee (MeSLIC), and other agencies. Based on input from Maine residents, the committee identified ASL/English interpreting as a priority, and therefore the TIME project was formed. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) received federal funding from the SAMHSA Emergency Response Grant (SERG), along with American Rescue Plan (ARP, under Section 9817) Federal Medicaid state funding in response to the Lewiston tragedy on October 25th, 2023 to support this transformation of interpreting services in Maine.
Partnership with Innivee Strategies
As a foundational step for the TIME project, Innivee Strategies is conducting a needs assessment on Maine’s interpreting system. This assessment, which includes four phases, will engage and include various community members impacted by interpreting services.
The first phase consisted of connecting with the Maine community during Deaf Awareness Week and sharing about the project. In the second phase, Innivee Strategies will return to Maine and collect community insights through a survey, focus groups, and interviews with Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing individuals, ASL interpreters, those aiming to become interpreters, interpreting agencies, and service providers who utilize interpreters. During phase three, Innivee Strategies will analyze all of the data collected during phase two, and develop and in-depth report highlighting what was learned. In phase four, Innivee Strategies will collaborate with the TIME committee to develop a strategy to address the findings from the assessment, working to create long-term improvements in Maine’s interpreting services.
Stay Updated on the TIME Project
To learn more about the TIME Project and stay updated on its progress, please visit the project webpage: www.maine.gov/dhhs/TIME.
