BHS Cultural and Linguistic Competency Resources

1. On-Demand Language Line Telephone Interpretation Services
2. Scheduled Video and In Person Language Interpretation Services
3. Written Language Translation Services
4. American Sign Language (ASL) Services
5. Required Language Services Signage
6. Recommended Cultural and Linguistic Competency Resources for All Staff
7. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Requirements
8. Cultural Competency Workforce Data Report Requirement
9. Cultural and Linguistic Competency Policies
10. Cultural Competence Plans and Reports

If you are NOT a BHS program, please contact DPH Language Services at: Interpreterservices@sfdph.org

Instructions for accessing on-demand phone interpretation for members/clients served at BHS civil service and contractor programs:

1. Call Language Line at: 1-877-245-0386
2. Enter on your telephone keypad or provide to the representative:
   1. For BHS contractors: 6-digit Client ID: 501817
   2. For BHS civil service: 6-digit Client ID: 597092
   3. Press 1 for Spanish.
   4. Press 2 for all other languages and speak the name of the language you need at the prompt.

Note: Please use the appropriate 6-digit Client ID. This is critical for tracking and continued funding. Please DO NOT use this Client ID if you are not a BHS civil service or contracted program. If you are not a BHS provider, please contact DPH Language Services at: Interpreterservices@sfdph.org

If you are NOT a BHS program, please contact DPH Language Services at: Interpreterservices@sfdph.org

For BHS civil service and contractor programs: If on-demand Language Line telephone interpretation services do not meet the needs of BHS members/clients, programs can request additional language interpretation services by completing and submitting the BHS Interpretation and Translation Request Form to: BHS-Lang-Support@sfdph.org.

Please submit the online form a minimum of 7 business days prior to the date of requested video or in-person interpretation. For more urgent requests, please use on-demand Language Line telephone interpretation services.

Written language translation services are reserved for BHS civil service programs only. Contractors are responsible for program related written translation, unless the document is produced and required by BHS. In most cases, the BHS forms unit will have translated copies of all BHS documents, at least for BHS Medi-Cal threshold languages (Spanish, Chinese, Filipino, Russian, and Vietnamese).  For further information on available translated documents please contact cbhsforms@sfdph.org.

For civil service programs: Please submit requests for written language translation a minimum of 2-4 weeks prior to the date needed, depending on the length of the document, using the BHS Interpretation and Translation Request Form and submit to BHS-Lang-Support@sfdph.org.

If you are not a BHS program, please contact DPH Language Services at: Interpreterservices@sfdph.org.

For on-demand American Sign Language translation by phone, BHS civil service and contractor programs may call 711 (replaced TYD). For scheduled American Sign Language interpretation or translation (Braille and audio), please complete and submit the BHS Interpretation and Translation Request Form to BHS-Lang-Support@sfdph.org and DPH Language Services at Interpreterservices@sfdph.org.

If you are not a BHS program, please contact DPH Language Services at: Interpreterservices@sfdph.org

BHS civil service and contracted programs are required to post two language interpretation services posters in a member-accessible area:

1. BHS Notice of Availability of Language Assistance Services and Auxiliary Aids and Services 
2. LanguageLine Language Identification Guide 

Programs can also request printed copies of the posters by contacting: cbhsforms@sfdph.org

It is highly recommended that all BHS civil service and contracted programs 1) share these resources with all staff via email on an annual basis, 2) include resources in new staff orientations, and 3) Designate one all staff meeting per year to review and discuss resources.

Any entity receiving state, federal, or local funding must comply with requirements to ensure access to services by the disabled.

The county and each contractor have a legal responsibility to comply with:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 84, Non-discrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance
• Title 24, California Code of Regulations (CCR), Part 2, Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance
• Unruh Civil Rights Act California Civil Code (CCC) Sections 51 through 51.3 and all applicable laws related to services and access to services for people with disabilities.

[Reference: State bulletin dated May 27, 2009, #09-05]

BHS civil service and contracted programs are required to have a printed copy of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) checklist with up-to-date facility information. This checklist is a tool to raise awareness about best practices and to proactively plan for any necessary member/client accommodations.

For additional resources, please see the SF Human Services Agency Office on Disability and Accessibility's Accessibility Resource Guide. 

BHS civil service and contractor programs are required to submit the Cultural Competence Data Report annually. This report is used to strengthen culturally and linguistically congruent services across BHS by documenting workforce language capacity and race/ethnicity representation for both civil service and contracted community-based organizations. BHS uses these data to produce summaries that identify capacity strengths and gaps by program and service area, support workforce development and retention planning, and inform quality improvement efforts to increase access and engagement for diverse client populations.

FY 26-27 report submission dates TBD. For more information please contact BHS-Lang-Support@sfdph.org.

Behavioral Health Services Policies and Procedures

1. National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care
2. Behavioral Health Network Adequacy Certification Requirements
3. San Francisco Language Access Ordinance (LAO)
4. Cultural and Linguistic Humility Requirement for Behavioral Health Services Manual Number 3.02-15
5. Medi-Cal Member Informing Materials Policy Manual Number 3.02-25
6. Behavioral Health Services General ADA Policy Manual Number 3.15-01
7. Grievance and Appeal System for Behavioral Health Services Manual Number: 3.11-01

Cultural Competence Plan Update 2025-2026

This FY25-26 Cultural Competency Plan update provides updates on FY24-25 and provides plans moving forward.

Cultural Competence Plan Update - 2024-2025

This FY23-24 Cultural Competency Plan Update provides updates on FY23-24 and provides plans moving forward.

Cultural Competence Plan Update - 2022-2023

2022-2023 Cultural Competence Plan Update including objectives such as understanding the impacts of racism and discrimination on our workforce and communities, building workforce capacity to provide culturally congruent care for our communities with the greatest health inequities, and improving systemwide anti-racist practices and policies.

Published April 11, 2024

Cultural Competency Plan Update - 2018-2019

Given the constant increase in demand for services from Limited English Proficiency (LEP) clients and greater emphasis on this from Dept. of Health Care Services, BHS has been allowed to devote a greater amount of resources to meeting these needs.

Cultural Competency Plan Update - 2017

The Cultural Competence Plan is first a report about the current landscape of how BHS is currently providing culturally and linguistically competent care and secondly, outlines what the future priorities for the City and County Behavioral Health Plan are going forward.

Cultural Competency Report - 2016-2017

BHS is committed to offering culturally competent care essentially by providing client-centered care. One strategy for addressing diversity or disparity needs stemming from education, health literacy, age, gender, income, sexual orientation, religion, disability status, socioeconomic class and access to care, among others is to use the directives noted in the CLAS.

Cultural Competency Plan Report Update - 2014

The goal of this report is to provide an overview of the cultural and linguistic competence efforts by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDP) - Community Behavioral Health Services during FY 14-15.

Published December 28, 2014

Cultural Competency Plan Report - 2010

The San Francisco Mental Health Plan (MHP) is required by the State Department of Mental Health to establish a Cultural Competence Plan for achieving cultural and linguist competency under specialty mental health services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Published August 28, 2010