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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communication Services Request

For use by public agencies

Request an ASL interpreter or CART captioning

Employees of public agencies (state, county, city and municipal) can use the online form below to request American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters or real-time captioning (CART). These services are coordinated through Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (ODHHS). The requesting agency is responsible for payment.

Make a request Frequently asked questions

Communication Services Request




Frequently asked questions

For requestors

Employees of public agencies (state, county, city, or municipality) can use this form if ASL or CART services are needed at a public office or agency. See “How do I request accommodation services” below.

If you are not a public office or agency, you can find interpreters through the ​Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf​. Our staff can help with general information, but we can't recommend specific agencies or schedule interpreters for you.

Employees of public agencies: ​

  • ​Fill out the online request form on this page. Please don’t email accommodations request to our staff.
  • You must provide a billing contact. See below for payment details.
  • Submit your request at the earliest date possible. This makes it more likely that we can arrange the needed services. We normally need a minimum of two business days to arrange accommodations.

If you are not an employee of a public office or agency:

You should ​consult first with the person who needs the accommodation about their preferences. But in general:

  • Sign Language Interpreters are our most common ASL interpreting request. They work in most situations with Deaf participants who use ASL to communicate.
  • Protactile and Tactile Interpreters work primarily with DeafBlind people.
  • Close-Vision Interpreters work mostly with people with low-vision.
  • Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDIs) usually work with an ASL Interpreter as a team in emotional or complicated communication situations where the CDI’s native proficiency in ASL can facilitate clear communication more effectively.
  • Real-time captioning or CART is relaying speech-to-text by a person trained in Communication Access Real-time Translation.

The public office or agency that is requesting accommodations is responsible for payment. ODHHS arranges for the accommodations but does not pay for them.​​

  • ASL and DeafBlind interpreting costs $68 per hour.
  • CART services cost $110 per hour, with a 2-hour minimum.​

You are ​required to provide billing contact information when you make the request. If you don’t know who the billing contact person is, please find out before placing the request, or (in an urgent situation) by the date of service. ​

Depending on how long the appointment is scheduled for, you need to cancel from 1 to 3 business days in advance to avoid paying the full invoice.

  • For appointments that are two hours or less, you need to cancel at least 24 hours before the meeting start time (1 business day).
  • For appointments that are more than two hours but less than six hours, y​ou need to cancel at least 48 hours before the meeting start time (2 business days).
  • For appointments that are longer than six hours, you need to cancel at least 72 hours before the meeting start time​ (three business days).

​If you don't cancel within these timeframes, you will be responsible for paying the full cost of the scheduled​ services.

For providers of ASL and CART services

If you are a sign language interpreter (hearing ASL interpreters, PTASL interpreters, tactile interpreters, CDIs) or CART provider and would like to receive assignments through ODHHS, please connect with us. We especially seek interpreters and CART providers from under-served areas of Oregon.

Email us at request.odhhsp@odhsoha.oregon.gov to introduce yourself and provide your ​resume.

​The ODHHS Accommodations Coordinator will send out blasts for any assignments to all providers in your geographic area. 

  • ​The first to respond that they are available will receive the assignment, barring any conflicts. 
  • If the requester indicates a preference for you as their provider, then you would be approached first to check your availability.

When you receive an assignment, you will get an email confirmation that includes:

  • Information about the location, client and other interpreter(s) if it is a team assignment
  • A brief description of the situation (e.g., training)
  • Any materials available in advance
  • A billing contact

To request payment:

  • After you complete an assignment, email your invoice and a copy of the confirmation email to the billing contact listed in the confirmation email.
  • The agency or unit that requested the accommodation is responsible for payment.​

We require requestors to ​​provide from 1 to 3 days advance notice of cancellation, depending on how long the scheduled appointment was for. If an appointment is cancelled with less than the required notice, you are entitled to invoice ​for the full amount of the scheduled work.

  • For appointments scheduled for two hours or less, we require 24 hours advance ​notice of cancellation (1 business day).
  • For appointments scheduled for more than two hours but less than six hours, we require 48 hours advance notice of cancellation ​(2 business days).
  • For appointments longer than six hours, we require 72 hours advance notice of cancellation​ (three business days).

Contact us

 Email us if you have questions or problems with the online form.

Resources for the public

If you need advice or referrals for yourself or someone else who is Deaf, DeafBlind or Hard of Hearing, visit our services page.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services