Hello friends,

Hope you are enjoying your summer so far. As you know, a Washington State budget proviso passed in early 2025 that gave ODHH funding to set up a workgroup, with the goal of studying the Washington State interpreter shortage and suggesting legislative solutions.

ODHH will release their report on June 30th with its findings and recommendations. We asked them to share the recommendations with the community first, and they declined, so we will not know the contents of the full report until it is shared with our state legislators. 

In order for the community to have a voice, we must also contact the Washington State legislature ourselves to advocate for the solutions that we want. It is important that we start doing this now so that legislators have time to receive our input when they decide how to invest our taxpayer dollars in the Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing community.

TerpsWA supports the creation of a new Interpreter Training Program (ITP) in Washington State. We need your help reaching out to your legislators NOW to share your feelings and wishes with state lawmakers. Below are instructions and an email draft that you can send to your legislators. We will be in touch for more updates. 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Below is a template for you to use to email your legislators below.  

2. Please find your legislators using the instructions available here, and send a message to your local senators and representatives.

3. If you want to add your name to the letter below, let us know by emailing us at terpswa@gmail.com to show your support.

4. Be on standby to circulate the latest legislative updates from TerpsWA.com in the future with your legislatures and peers. 

5. Thank you in advance for advocating for our community!

LETTER TEMPLATE (updated 6.28.2025)

Subject line: Update on WA State Interpreter Shortage 

Hello [Legislator Name],

We, the diverse representatives of the Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing (DDBDDHH) communities, write to express our strong and united support for urgent action to address the statewide shortage of qualified American Sign Language (ASL), ProTactile, and trilingual interpreters in Washington State.

We specifically call on state support for the establishment of a university-based 4-year Interpreter Training Program (ITP) focused on preparing qualified generalist professionals who may later pursue specialized training.

Without adequate interpreting services, thousands of DDBDDHH individuals are excluded from full participation in society. An ITP will give more community members access to:

• Education

• Employment opportunities

• Healthcare

• Legal rights and services

• Civic and community engagement

We emphasize the urgency of this issue. There are not enough interpreters to fill the needs for business, academic, legal, medical, and cultural assignments. Since 2013, countless DDBDHH citizens have been denied access to the tools they need to thrive, because:

• The interpreter pipeline has slowed significantly. Interpreter Training Programs are critical for maintaining an adequate pipeline of sign language interpreters.

• The existing ITP is helpful, but falls far short. Since the closure of Seattle Central Community College's ITP in 2013, Washington has relied on a single, 2-year Interpreter Training Program at Spokane Falls Community College. This program, which is valuable and focuses on k-12 educational interpreting, cannot support the needs of the entire state.

• Aspiring interpreters are now forced to pursue expensive out-of-state programs, such as those in Oregon, which creates financial and academic barriers for local residents and reduces the diversity and availability of interpreters in our own state. 

• Existing and potential sign language interpreters are leaving Washington, draining the state of talent and economic equity.

We appreciate the Legislature’s allocation of $926,000 in 2024, which enabled a workgroup—under the direction of the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH)—to explore solutions to the interpreter shortage. This funding was secured through the advocacy of the Washington State DDBDDHH community and TerpsWA (terpswa.com), with the specific intent of generating legislative recommendations to address this crisis, including the re-establishment of an ITP. The ODHH report is expected to be released by June 30, 2025, and we are hopeful it will reflect our concerns and propose bold, timely solutions.

We cannot afford to wait another four or five years to address this critical need. As we prepare for the 2026 legislative session, we strongly urge your support in establishing a 4-year Interpreter Training Program in Washington State. Investing in this infrastructure will:

• Build a bigger, sustainable interpreter workforce that contributes to the cultural and economic growth of Washington State.

• Create in-state training pathways for aspiring interpreters, including professionals who specialize in academic, legal, medical, arts, and business interpreting, among other specializations.

• Encourage high school and college students to pursue interpreting as a career.

• Allow more DDBDDHH people to succeed in school, join the workforce, and participate in the community.

• Ensure language access and equity for all Washingtonians by reducing language barriers and empowering DDBDDHH people.

Thank you for your attention to this vital issue. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your staff to further discus

Together Stronger, 

Karen Atwood, Washington State Association of the Deaf President 

Ariele Belo, Co-Executive Director for HSDC

Paul Bert, ASL Interpreter

Morgan Breese, Lighthouse for the Blind, DeafBlind Program Manager

Shawn Broderick CDHY ASL Outreach Specialist

Cindy Culpovich ASL/English Interpeter; CI, CT, NIC-Advanced

Gina Gallaway, RID ASL Interpreter, WASCLA board member, Director of Interpreting Services for HSDC

Sienna Geal, Nationally Certified ASL Interpreter

Laura Gramer, Community Member

Shelly Hansen, CI/CT/SC:L/Ed:K-12/CHI WA State Court Certified ASL Interpreter

Lindsay Klarman, Co-Executive Director for HSDC

Patty Liang, Deaf Spotlight Executive Director

Anna Mansell Karagiannis, Nationally Certified Sign Language Interpreter & past President of Washington     

State Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (WSRID)

Suzanne Noble, MA, Therapist/ RID certified Interpreter

Drew Pidkameny, ASL interpreter

Katie Roberts, Seattle Central Community College ASL Professor

Theresa B. Smith, Ph. D., CSC, SC:L, MCSC, Interpreter Educator retired

Kate Strack, Edmonds College ASL Associate Faculty 

Angela Theriault, DeafBlind Service Center Executive Director

Ron Willenborg, Community Member

Dr. Jaime Wilson, Prescribing Medical Psychologist, Wilson Clinical Services, PLLC

Jessie Zhang, Community Member