People in need of sign-language interpretation services can request them for free under a pilot program being offered by the state of Colorado.

Rural residents who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf and blind can receive the interpretation services for medical, legal and work-related reasons, among others, according to a news release.

Front Range residents have access to established sign-language interpreting services, but there are few certified sign-language interpreters available in rural areas, said Trish Leakey, auxiliary services manager for the Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind.

The shortage of interpretors “is a frequent barrier for communities who seek effective communication between the general community and individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind,” she said in an email to The Durango Herald.

The staff at Southwest Center for Independence, a nonprofit that serves people with disabilities, have not had a problem finding interpreters, but any help the commission can offer with interpretative services would be beneficial to the deaf community, said Martha Mason, executive director of the center.

Colorado’s Joint Budget Committee allocated $1.4 million to the two-year pilot program to provide free interpretative services. The pilot program will also offer sign-language interpreter training, Leakey said.

So far, the pilot program has received 45 interpreting requests, mostly from Alamosa, Grand Junction and Pueblo, she said.

Residents can request interpretation if they are attending a town meeting or a library program. It is also available for people attending a job training workshop, a job interview or a meeting with a supervisor.

To evaluate the pilot program, the state is collecting data about requests for interpretation and surveying people who receive the services, Leakey said.

Anyone in need of interpretative services can request them through colorisp.com or by calling (720) 457-3679.

mshinn@durangoherald.com