Interpreters will require specific credentials and certifications for working in areas "where the information being communicated may be technical or complex in nature" or "where the level of harm that could be caused by miscommunication is highest."
Michigan has new rules requiring specific training for sign language interpreters. They apply to interpreters in K-12 schools, colleges, hospitals and law offices. Those institutions would also be required to make sure the interpreters they hire are certified. "The conversation between a doctor and a patient may involve very different, very complex medical terminology and is very important to get accurate and have effectively communicated, or the consequences can be life-altering. That's a very different type of communication than a training on the job site," said Leslee Fritz with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. Michigan didn't require interpreters to be certified until 2007. That set of rules was a one-size-fits-all system, which the department says wasn't doing the job. Some rules took effect Monday, Others take effect in September of 2016.