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Clark County presents language‑access voicemail; staff report 40 calls in 18 months
Summary
Communications manager Marissa Armstrong described a voicemail‑based language‑access system launched January 2025 that routes callers in Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chuukese to language‑specific mailboxes. Staff reported 40 calls to date, 90% in Spanish, and a target of returning calls with an interpreter within three business days.
Marissa Armstrong, communications manager for Clark County Public Health, described the department's language‑access voicemail system and early results at the July 22 Board of Health meeting. Armstrong said the system launched in January 2025; callers choose English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese or Chuukese, leave a message in their language and staff transcribe, translate and triage the request to the appropriate program.
"When people call our main number, they're first prompted to select a language," Armstrong said. "If they select a different language, they are routed to a voice mailbox. There is one voice mailbox for each of the languages." She said communications transcribes the audio, routes a transcript to program staff and asks staff to call back with an interpreter within three business days.
Armstrong gave specific use and performance numbers: the system has received 40 calls in 18 months; about 90% were in Spanish, 5% in Russian and 5% in Vietnamese; there have been no Chuukese calls so far. Armstrong said 90% of calls were closed within three business days and 80% were closed within one day; 88% were closed after staff contact with an interpreter. Examples of caller needs included permit questions, food‑establishment complaints, vital‑records requests and requests for information about Medicaid or testing services.
Boardmembers asked about contractor arrangements and quality control. Armstrong said the county holds multiple contracts with language‑service providers and that the RFP required capacity for Pacific Islander languages; in‑person interpretation uses local interpreters where available, while over‑the‑phone interpretation is provided through contractors that are not necessarily local. The presentation closed with staff offering to share the model with other county departments that might adapt the workflow.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation; staff said they will continue outreach to increase awareness of the service and monitor call volumes and timeliness.
