Regardless of the language one speaks, everyone in Michigan should be able to easily access state services they are eligible for, engage with staff and get questions answered. Language access is a critical part of immigrant inclusion in our state because over 900,000 Michiganders speak a language other than English and many are a part of immigrant families. Although the majority (65.5%) also speak English “very well,” there are thousands of residents that experience daily barriers to access and inclusion because there are not appropriate language access protocols in place.
The U.S. Census American Community Survey defines Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals as those five years old or older who self-identify as speaking English, but less than “very well” on a scale of “not at all,” “not well,” “well,” or “very well.” Based on recent Census data, the vast majority of those who are LEP in Michigan are multilingual, yet may not speak English at the level of “very well” as it is not their native language or they might be English-language learners. In the United States, being an LEP resident is a barrier to engagement across institutions and access to services when adequate language access policies are not in place. This is not a deficit or the fault of the resident, but a structural failure to provide meaningful access to services for all individuals who may not currently be at a high level of English language proficiency.
Therefore, implementing a statewide language access plan (LAP) program as a means of addressing the systemic barrier that is a lack of language access is of particular importance for Michiganders who are LEP.
In Michigan, although some localities and state-level agencies have implemented their own plans, currently there is no LAP program to ensure that residents who speak languages other than English – and especially those who are LEP – have access to the same services as those who are English-speaking. Without a robust statewide LAP program, there are no clear expectations or standards set forth when it comes to agency-level training on language access responsibilities, data reporting regarding language access needs or enforcement of inclusive protocols. These factors and others would contribute to all residents having access to state services they are eligible for, regardless of the language they speak.
The good news is that the final 2023 state budget included an investment to support the development and implementation of a statewide LAP program, to be coordinated by the Office of Global Michigan (a part of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity). The funding amounts to $700,000 (General Fund/General Purpose) in one-time appropriations along with $268,700 (GF/GP) in ongoing funding for two positions.
This initiative, which was initially included in the Governor’s proposed budget released in early 2022, recognizes the need for better language access across state agencies and services and will also bring Michigan into compliance based on federal stipulations for language access requirements. Underlying these federal requirements are Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and President Clinton’s Executive Order 13166 (“Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency”). Further guidance related to the latter establishes language access-related standards for entities that receive federal funding and what they must do to be considered in compliance with Executive Order 13166.
A robust LAP program in Michigan will impact thousands of residents. According to 2015-2019 American Community Survey data, out of the 900,000 Michiganders who speak a language other than English, more than one-third (over 300,000 people) are LEP and 11 percent of those who are LEP do not speak English at all (35,000 people).
The charts below show the top 10 rankings for languages other than English that are spoken in Michigan as well as languages spoken by LEP Michiganders, including the proportion of speakers of each language within these categories. For example, Spanish is the most commonly spoken non-English language in Michigan; Spanish speakers represent 30.1% of Michiganders speaking a language other than English and 29.4% of all LEP residents. The table also highlights how 33.9% of Spanish speakers in Michigan are LEP.
Notably, we see Arabic, Chinese, Near East Arabic dialect, Vietnamese, Koren and Albanian speakers comprise a greater proportion of the LEP population in Michigan than they do the general population of all non-English language speakers. For Near East Arabic dialect, Vietnamese and Korean in particular, this disproportionality is especially pronounced; their rankings are also higher in the LEP category when compared to that in the non-English language category. (Korean ranks 11th and Vietnamese ranks 12th among non-English languages spoken in Michigan, at 1.91 percent and 1.71 percent, respectively.) Analyzing this same data to determine the proportion of speakers who are LEP within a given language, we find that approximately half of all Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean speakers in Michigan are LEP, while 40 percent of Arabic speakers and one-third of Spanish speakers are LEP.
When designing and implementing a robust and effective LAP that will target language access resources and services to those who need it most, it will be especially critical for the state to consider data about LEP residents – including the languages spoken among LEP residents and the proportion of LEP speakers for non-English languages. This is because LEP residents are more likely to need to utilize, and will ultimately benefit from, language access services at state agencies and offices, and federal standards for meaningful access to services focus on the impact on LEP residents.
Taking a more community-focused or regional approach to language access services in local or branch offices may also be beneficial. For example, in localities where Vietnamese, Chinese or Korean are spoken, it is key to recognize that based on statewide data, as many as half of those who speak these languages may be LEP and benefit from interpretation, translation and other language services at state agencies and offices.
As the work on an LAP transitions from proposal to a newly funded statewide program, our state can look to the experiences and best practices of other states and localities that have implemented their own plans. (For example, here is a great resource on this topic from the Migration Policy Institute.) In 2022, the Protecting Immigrant Families-Michigan coalition shared recommendations for Michigan’s LAP program in addition to a number of anonymized first-hand experiences that clients have faced related to barriers in accessing state services because of language access barriers. Some of our recommendations to the Office of Global Michigan included:
- Involving community members and other experts in the planning and monitoring of the LAP implementation, through establishing a Language Access Advisory body and other engagement opportunities.
- Training agency staff in addition to providers of federally funded services on LAP requirements, agency responsibilities and benefits to Michigan residents. In addition, the LAP and training should be explicit about acceptable and unacceptable forms of interpretation or translation and include anti-bias concepts.
- Ensuring better availability of certified interpreters and translators (such as bilingual staff, telephonic interpreters and trained volunteers).
- Supporting state agencies in budgeting, tracking and reporting language access needs and trends in addition to monitoring implementation of the LAP.
- Establishing enforcement policies for agency-level compliance with the LAP and an individual complaints process, including consequences for agencies that are found to be out of compliance.
Michigan’s forthcoming LAP and its implementation is an important initiative to help address systemic barriers in our state, with the potential to impact thousands of residents. The League is looking forward to seeing more about the state’s plans in 2023 as Michigan takes language access for all residents seriously. With progress in the area, Michigan will make strides to become more welcoming, improve accessibility and truly serve everyone who calls our state home.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
