DCI News

Jefferson City, Mo. - The state agency that licenses and regulates sign language interpreters in Missouri has made video help available on its website for deaf consumers. The State Committee of Interpreters website now offers three videos for consumers explaining the consumer complaint process and state regulations governing the industry.

An instructor at William Woods University in Fulton, who is deaf, hosts the videos. The first video details the committee's process for investigating and taking action on consumer complaints against licensed sign language interpreters.

The second video describes how to file a consumer complaint. It includes screen shots of different sections of the complaint form and explanations of required information and documents.

The third video explains the difference between state licensing, handled by the state committee, and certification, overseen by a different state agency, the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

"State licensing and discipline can be complex, and our goal with these videos is to make the process more accessible to deaf Missourians," said Carrie McCray, chair of the State Committee of Interpreters. "We need to do all we can to encourage these consumers to step forward when they believe their interpreter has violated state law."

Missouri has licensed sign language interpreters since 1994, when the state legislature created the State Committee of Interpreters to regulate the profession. Missouri has 673 licensed interpreters.

Consumers can file complaints or ask questions of the committee at pr.mo.gov, or by using this contact information:

573-526-7787 Telephone
573-526-0661 Fax
800-735-2966 TTY
800-735-2466 Voice Relay