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City of Boston Launches Enhanced Language and Communications Access Dashboard in Power BI

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~ Boston, MA - The Mayor's Office of Language and Communications Access (OLCA) has announced the launch of a new and improved Language and Communications Access Dashboard. This dashboard, now live on boston.gov/lca, aims to provide a transparent and user-friendly view of the city's efforts to provide language access accommodations.

The dashboard tracks the City's use of interpretation, translation, CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation), and American Sign Language (ASL) services from fiscal years 2022 through 2025. It also includes spending supported by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

According to OLCA, this dashboard is part of their ongoing commitment to ensuring that all Boston residents have meaningful access to City services and information regardless of the language they speak.

Since Fiscal Year 2022, OLCA has been collecting detailed data on how City departments utilize both on-demand interpretation and pre-scheduled language accommodations. The new dashboard brings this data together in one centralized platform built using Microsoft Power BI.

Some key features of the dashboard include usage data from the City's telephonic and video interpretation providers, separated by Over-the-Phone Interpretation (OPI) and Video Remote Interpretation (VRI). It also tracks total expenditure, hours of service provided, number of languages requested, and the top 10 requested languages.

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In total for FY25, City departments collectively supported constituents through more than 760 hours of live interpretation services. This ensures that every interaction was linguistically accessible and supported by a qualified interpreter.

The dashboard also tracks departmental requests for in-person and virtual interpretation, written translation (including revisions), CART, and ASL. It captures total spending, number of requests, number of languages, and the most requested languages annually.

To ensure accurate insights and usability, OLCA has integrated multiple data sources, created standardized metrics, and implemented robust filtering tools within the dashboard model.

Mariangely Solis Cervera, Equity and Inclusion Cabinet Chief, stated, "This dashboard reflects our Cabinet's commitment to embedding equity into the way Boston delivers services. By sharing this data openly, we're not only increasing transparency but also creating the foundation for smarter decision-making about where resources are most needed. It's another step toward building a city government that meets residents where they are."

Jeniffer Vivar Wong, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Language and Communications Access, added, "This dashboard brings together years of data into one place, giving residents and City staff a clearer picture of how language and communication services are being used across Boston. It's a practical tool that helps us understand current needs, identify gaps, and guide our ongoing work to expand access."

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Erika Garcia, Research & Data Manager for LCA, also commented on the importance of this dashboard. "This is the City's first multilingual dashboard, and it represents a major step forward in how we approach language access. With this tool, we can clearly see where translation and interpretation services are most needed, how resources are being used, and where we can continue to improve. It's about making sure every resident has access to the information and services they deserve."

Shin-pei Tsay, Chief Research and Data Officer for OLCA stated that "Data can tell a story about the people and places around us." She added that they are proud to build tools that make information public and accessible. This window into how language access services are used across the City allows them to understand, improve, and deliver language access for every Bostonian.

The Language and Communications Access Dashboard is available to the public as well as city staff at boston.gov/lca. An instructional video is also available in all 11 languages to guide users in navigating the dashboard and exploring the data.

This tool aims to support city departments, community organizations, and the general public in understanding the City's language access efforts and identifying service trends across Boston's diverse communities.

Filed Under: Government, City

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