Cuyahoga County residents who have Limited English-Proficiency (LEP) can speak to local eligibility specialists who speak a language they’re more comfortable with when calling the Cuyahoga Job and Family Services Contact Center.

     The employees who serve on the Contact Center’s LEP Line provide a much-needed service to Cuyahoga County customers who have limited English skills with applying for benefits and making case changes. Elizabeth Rosa, who serves on the LEP line said the service is important for customers to have benefits explained to them in the language they are comfortable using.

     “Being able to conduct business in one’s native/preferred language encourages open dialogue, increases trust, and allows the agency to better serve the needs of the community,” Rosa said.

Cuyahoga Job and Family Services Bi-Lingual Staff

11 specialists on LEP Line:

• 9 Spanish language
• 1 Arabic language
• 1 Russian language

27 employees in various other roles:

• Spanish
• Russian
• Serbian
• Burmese
• Arabic

Workers on the LEP line also have access to 24-hour interpreter services should customers speaking other languages call.

Calls to LEP Line

• 10,887 – 2019 Total
• 2,183 - September 2020 *Highest volume of calls since it was established in 2018.

     The nine staff members who speak Spanish serve the growing Spanish-speaking population in Cuyahoga County.  “I enjoy being able to help people that are often underserved and underrepresented. They often experience a reduced access to benefits due to a language barrier and the LEP lines allow them to obtain the benefits needed to help meet their needs,” Rosa said.

     Melissa Ianni, a newer member of the LEP team, said she likes to be able to assist on cases with Spanish-speaking customers and is learning new skills about some of the extra challenges the Spanish-speaking population faces.

     “I like being there to make sure the cases are given the same treatment as everyone else,” she said, adding that many times these cases also have extra steps necessary related to immigration status. “I try to make the application process easy yet thorough.” Ianni also enjoys using her Spanish-language skills at work. “I get to speak Spanish every day and I get to help people every day,” she said.

     Ianni said she likes working with her team members who are committed to making sure non-English speakers get the same customer service as English-speaking customers. “I want the client to feel confident that their information is being handled professionally and that their eligibility is determined correctly so at the very least they don’t have to stress about food or insurance,” she said.