Language Justice Project urges $150,000 for multilingual public‑health messaging; state officials acknowledge procurement and capacity needs

Allison Seager, founder and director of the Vermont Language Justice Project (VLJP), testified in support of S243 and requested that the committee approve authorizing the Department of Health to distribute $150,000 in FY27 to support multilingual informational materials for disease outbreaks and other public‑health emergencies.

Seager described VLJP's track record: more than 250 unique videos produced in 10–21 languages, an app with 18 languages including ASL, and rapid crisis response (for example, producing 17 videos in 17 languages about SNAP benefit changes within 36 hours). She said VLJP's CDC racial-disparities grant ended abruptly in January 2025 and the nonprofit is currently funded by donations and fee-for-service work, limiting its ability to collaborate on Department of Health materials without dedicated funding.

Supporters from Hunger Free Vermont and Vermont Emergency Management described VLJP as transformational for outreach and disaster preparedness. Anur Horton (Hunger Free Vermont) said VLJP's video approach dramatically improved information reach for SNAP benefit updates. Eric Foran (Vermont Emergency Management) said state emergency managers are working to add pre-produced multilingual preparedness videos and that having VLJP on a pre-authorized state contract list (Vermont Buys) would speed emergency response.

Representatives from the Department of Health (Song Wen and Amber Levintree) said the department has translated resources and grant lines for translation but that VLJP's speed and community networks are valuable. Health staff noted procurement constraints: to use some funding streams equitably, state agencies must use competitive processes unless a vendor is pre-authorized; witnesses discussed steps to help VLJP become a readily accessible state contractor (Vermont Buys). Seager said VLJP is fiscally sponsored by United Way and already on the Vermont buyers list but needs assistance with remaining hurdles.

What happens next: The committee asked VLJP and state witnesses to submit written testimony and follow up on contracting steps; members signaled support for helping VLJP be more easily accessible to state agencies for rapid, multilingual emergency messaging.