Information about certified/authorized interpreters and translators can be found by clicking on the Find an Interpreter or Translator link found on the navigation bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to DSHS Facilities, Finance and Analytics Administration's Frequently Asked Questions! Below you may search by topics such as information for bidders and question about our Language Testing and Certification Program, and Background Checks.
The solicitation document and subsequent amendments contain all of the information and directions necessary to participate in the procurement process. Be sure to read the entire document. It is important to follow all of the directions and meet all deadlines.
Contact staff at the local office that authorized the service in question. The local office controls what is authorized and can make needed corrections.
One DSHS-approved continuing education activities will count toward all your certificates/authorizations.
- Example: You have a social services interpreter certificate, medical interpreter certificate, and a translator certificate. You only need to accumulate 20 credits in a 4 year period, not 60 credits.
In-Person Activities:
- There is a sign-in/out sheet that is provided to the host of the approved DSHS CE activity for use the day of the activity. This sign-in/out sheet will be used to allot credits to your files. Make sure to write down ALL your alphanumeric certificate/authorization numbers so the activity is added to all your certificates/authorizations.
Online Activities:
- Send an email to LTC with the certificate that you receive upon completion of the approved DSHS online CE activities. Include the approval number, found under the List of DSHS Approved CE Activities. Make sure to include ALL your alphanumeric certificate/authorization numbers in the body of the email so the activity is added to all your certificates/authorizations.
Why are these certificate numbers so important?
- Each certification number represents a record in one of the six databases that we work out of. If you have multiple authorizations/certifications, we won't know, because these databases don't "talk" to each other. Without knowing your record number in each database, we don’t have any other way to verify that we are allotting the credits to the correct file. The six databases are:
- Employee Certified (ex: EC1234. Employees do not need to report CE)
- Social Service Authorized (ex: SA1234)
- Social Service Certified (ex: SC1234)
- Medical Authorized (ex: MA1234)
- Medical Certified (ex: MC1234)
- Translator Certified (ex: TC1234)
A certified/authorized interpreter is a person who has passed the required DSHS interpreter examination, or has passed the interpreter examination offered by the Washington State Office of the Administrator for the Courts or the Federal Courts, AND has completed the DSHS required orientation and professional ethics training.
For DSHS Social Service Interpreter and Document Translator credentials, after you have passed the required tests, you will receive notification by email with instructions to log in to LTC Gateway to view the letter with test scores and information on completing the free Social Services Orientation and Ethics Orientation trainings. When you complete the orientations, go to the Credentials tab to request your credential.
For medical interpreter candidates, submit the test score reports of the written and oral tests you passed (should be within two years of test date) to dshsct@dshs.wa.gov. LTC will enter the test information on your Gateway profile. You will then receive notification by email with instructions to log in to LTC Gateway to view the letter with test scores and information on completing the free Medical Orientation and Ethics Orientation trainings. When you complete the orientations, go to the Credentials tab to request your DSHS Medical Interpreter-Recognized credential.
The Medical Orientation and Ethics Orientation trainings apply only to candidates requesting a DSHS medical interpreter credential for the first time.
You should inform Language Testing and Certification of any changes via USPS mail or email. For a name change request, a court document (photo copy) such as a marriage or divorce certificate should be attached to your request. Please include your current mailing address and phone numbers.
The schedule for each procurement is located in the solicitation document. DSHS reserves the right to revise the schedule and will post notice of any such changes on WEBS and on the DSHS web site by issuing an amendment.
- Payees who are authorized for SSPS invoiced services, and
- Payees whose invoice is dated within the last six months (see date in upper right hand corner of invoice)
Submit your SSPS invoice for payment or inquire about a submitted invoice
The Invoice Express toll free number is 1-888-461-8855, and is printed at the top of every SSPS invoice.
An operator is available during normal business hours if the caller has problems, however SSPS staff cannot submit your invoice information for you.
Features:
- Callers may choose either English or Spanish voice prompts.
- Callers may choose to complete an entire invoice, or to complete selected pages of their invoice.
- Callers may choose to check on the status of an invoice.
- Callers may use the toll free line any time of day or night.
Helpful Information about Invoice Express
View the Invoice Express Brochure (DSHS 22-369 PDF)
The Interim Fingerprint Check Notification is a preliminary notification in the Fingerprint-based background check process. The Interim Fingerprint Check Notification is provided once a Washington State Name and Date of Birth Check is completed prior to the applicant being fingerprinted. Based on the Interim Fingerprint Check Notification results, take the appropriate action. If the Applicant/Employee is NOT disqualified and you wish to complete the fingerprint-based check, the applicant MUST schedule the fingerprinting appointment as soon as possible after receiving the Interim Fingerprint Check Notification. The Interim is NOT the final Fingerprint Result Notification.
A certified translator is a person who has passed the required DSHS written translation examination, or has passed the American Translators Association written translation examination, AND has completed the DSHS required orientation and professional ethics training.
All DSHS credentials are valid for four years and will expire at the end of the four-year cycle unless the interpreter/translator submits ALL the renewal requirements per Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Section 388-03-160.
All renewal requirements must be submitted through LTC Gateway:
- 16 general credits - Earned any time in the four-year cycle. Need to be completed prior to credential expiration date.
- 4 ethics credits - Earned one credit per calendar year of your credential cycle. You can access the annual ethics training and quiz directly on your Gateway profile, and the date you take the quiz will be added to your record once completed. You must complete each credit on time. If you miss a credit, you won't be able to make it up. If you have more than one credential, one ethics credit will apply to all your credentials.
- Signed Code of Conduct - Complete this on your LTC Gateway profile’s "Renewals" tab.
- Background Check Attestation - Complete this on your LTC Gateway profile’s "Renewals" tab.
You may send your request to us in writing or via e-mail with the following information: your full name, last four of your social security number, language, current mailing address and phone number. Please indicate certificate (medical, social service, or translator) or authorization (medical, social) type.
Upon release of any solicitation document, all communications concerning the procurement must be directed only to the coordinator identified in the solicitation document. Any communication directed to DSHS staff other than the coordinator may result in disqualification.
Any oral communications will be considered unofficial and non-binding to DSHS. Bidders should rely only on written statements issued by the coordinator.
All questions should be in writing to the coordinator and may be sent through fax, U.S. mail or email. Questions will be accepted until the date set forth in the solicitation document schedule.
Questions and Answers will be in the form of an amendment to the solicitation document.
- Invoice Express is a way to submit an invoice using a touch-tone phone.
- Several days of processing time are saved when you use Invoice Express.
- For each line of your invoice, use your telephone number pad to report units of service provided.
- You must mail in your invoice if you need to lower your rate. Invoice Express does not allow rate changes by telephone.
- The information you enter goes into the main computer in Olympia at 4:30 PM each business day.
- You can enter your invoice by telephone at any time of the day or night, seven days per week.
- Do not worry about having your invoice returned because of errors. You can correct errors on the spot.
- No problems with double entry: Once your claimed services have been put into SSPS either by mail or telephone, Invoice Express will not allow entry of an invoice a second time.
Submit your SSPS invoice for payment or inquire about a submitted invoice
The Invoice Express toll free number is 1-888-461-8855, and is printed at the top of every SSPS invoice.
An operator is available during normal business hours if the caller has problems, however SSPS staff cannot submit your invoice information for you.
Features:
- Callers may choose either English or Spanish voice prompts.
- Callers may choose to complete an entire invoice, or to complete selected pages of their invoice.
- Callers may choose to check on the status of an invoice.
- Callers may use the toll free line any time of day or night.
Helpful Information about Invoice Express
View the Invoice Express Brochure (DSHS 22-369 PDF)
Yes, same day appointments are possibly available. Your personal information must be sent to IDEMIA (formerly MorphoTrust) for validation before you can schedule an appointment. The applicant information is sent to IDEMIA after the entity selects proceed to fingerprints in the Background Check System (BCS). Applicant information takes about 20 minutes to upload on IDEMIA's scheduling website / call center after the proceed to fingerprint selection.
For DSHS bilingual staff, please call 360-664-6038 to schedule your test. You should learn more about what kind of tests are available, what kind of questions are in the test, and other test-related information before you register for a test. Detailed test-related information and registration policies are included in the Examination Manual. Once you know what tests you need to register for, please follow the steps in the how to schedule a test online. For step-by-step guides, please refer to the following : Written Test Scheduling Guide / Oral Test Scheduling Guide / Translator Test Scheduling Guide.
To check your current four-year credential cycle’s renewal information, log in to your Gateway profile. Go to the Credentials tab and click on the magnifying glass 
icon under Actions.
Completed items are in green and pending items are in red.
Example:
All policies applying to testing and certification are included in the Examination Manual. The same policies can also be found in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 388-03). You can find the answer to your specific question in either document.
For general instructions on proposal delivery please see Proposal Delivery Methods. The proposal is to be sent to the coordinator in accordance with the delivery instructions specified in the solicitation document.
You should allow sufficient delivery time to ensure timely receipt by the coordinator. You assume the risk for the method of delivery and for any delay in the mailing or delivery of your proposal.
Proposals must be prepared and submitted no later than the proposal submission date and time specified in the particular solicitation document. DSHS reserves the right to disqualify any proposal and withdraw it from consideration if it is received after the proposal submission deadline. All proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of DSHS and will not be returned.