New Jersey's Linguistic Diversity and Medical Transportation
New Jersey is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse states in the United States. According to U.S. Census data, more than 30% of NJ residents speak a language other than English at home. The state's major linguistic communities include Spanish speakers (the largest group, concentrated in Hudson, Essex, Union, Passaic, and Middlesex counties), Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese speakers (strong presence in Newark, Elizabeth, Ironbound, and the Ironbound communities of Newark), Polish speakers (Wallington, Garfield, and other Passaic County communities), Tagalog speakers (Filipino communities in Middlesex and Bergen counties), Korean speakers (Bergen County communities including Fort Lee and Palisades Park), Chinese speakers (Mandarin and Cantonese, particularly in Edison and central NJ), Arabic speakers (Paterson and surrounding Passaic County), Hindi and Gujarati speakers (Middlesex and Somerset counties), and Haitian Creole speakers (Essex and Union counties).
For patients in these communities who are limited English proficient (LEP), medical transportation can be an intimidating experience — not just physically, but linguistically. Confusion about pickup times, destination confirmations, or medical needs can arise from language barriers, potentially leading to missed appointments or unsafe situations. Delta Medical Transportation is committed to serving all NJ communities, regardless of language background.
Your Legal Rights as an LEP Medicaid NEMT Patient
Non-English speaking patients enrolled in NJ Medicaid have specific legal protections that NEMT providers must honor:
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
Title VI prohibits discrimination based on national origin by any entity receiving federal funding. Because Medicaid is a federally funded program, all Medicaid contractors — including NEMT providers and brokers — must comply with Title VI. This means:
- NEMT providers cannot deny transport to a patient based on their inability to speak English
- Meaningful communication must be provided to LEP patients — this may include interpreter services, bilingual drivers or dispatchers, or other language access measures
- Written materials about your transport rights should be available in languages your community speaks
NJ Medicaid Language Access Requirements
NJ Medicaid managed care organizations are required to provide interpreter services to members at no cost, including for interactions with contracted NEMT providers. If you or a family member have limited English proficiency and need interpreter assistance to arrange transport, contact your MCO's member services line — they are required to provide interpreter assistance for that call.
The Right to Bring Your Own Interpreter
You always have the right to bring a bilingual family member or friend to assist with communication during transport. While providers must offer interpreter services, using a trusted family member is often more comfortable and practical for routine transport coordination.
How Delta Serves Multilingual NJ Communities
Spanish-Speaking Patients
Given that Spanish is the most widely spoken non-English language in NJ, Delta's dispatching team includes staff who can communicate with Spanish-speaking patients. For routine booking coordination, many Spanish-speaking patients can communicate directly with our team in Spanish. When scheduling transport, Spanish-speaking patients should feel comfortable asking to speak with a Spanish-speaking dispatcher.
Other Language Communities
For patients whose language needs extend beyond Spanish, Delta coordinates with professional interpreter services and encourages patients to use MCO interpreter services for initial authorization and booking processes. Once a transport schedule is established, the need for verbal communication during the trip itself is limited — drivers confirm the pickup address and destination, which can often be communicated in writing or through a translation app.
Written Communication and Translation
When written transport confirmation or instructions are needed for LEP patients, we work to provide these in a usable format. NJ Medicaid also publishes member materials in multiple languages — including Spanish, Portuguese, and other common NJ languages — that explain NEMT rights and how to access transport services.
How to Communicate Language Needs When Booking Transport
The most important step for LEP patients is to communicate language needs at the time of initial booking:
- When contacting your MCO to request transport authorization, inform them of your preferred language. They are required to log this and can arrange interpreter services for that call.
- When the NEMT provider (such as Delta) contacts you to confirm the trip, have a bilingual family member available if possible for initial communication.
- If you use a smartphone translation app, these can be useful for basic on-the-spot communication with drivers — though not a substitute for proper interpreter services for complex medical transport coordination.
- If you have a social worker, case manager, or community health worker, involve them in the initial transport setup — they can facilitate communication and ensure language needs are documented in the transport profile.
Community Health Centers and Language-Concordant Care in NJ
New Jersey's Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community health centers often serve as primary care homes for LEP populations and have robust language access infrastructure. These centers — including Zufall Health Center (Dover, Morristown, and other locations), CAMcare Health (Camden), Bergen County Community Health Center, and others — are frequent NEMT destinations for underserved NJ communities.
Delta provides transport to FQHCs and community health centers throughout NJ. See our service areas to confirm we serve your community. Contact us to discuss language-specific transport needs.
Patient Rights Documents in Multiple Languages
NJ Medicaid is required to provide member handbooks and rights documents in multiple languages. If you have not received your rights information in your language, contact your MCO and request it. The NJ Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) can also be contacted if you believe your language access rights are being violated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a medical transport company refuse to pick me up because I don't speak English?
No. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and NJ Medicaid regulations, NEMT providers cannot discriminate based on national origin, which includes language. If you believe you were denied transport due to language, file a complaint with your MCO and with the NJ Division of Civil Rights.
Puedo llamar a Delta en español para reservar mi transporte? (Can I call Delta in Spanish?)
Sí. Tenemos despachadores que hablan español y podemos atender a pacientes hispanohablantes en su idioma. No dude en llamarnos y pedir hablar con alguien en español. (Yes. We have Spanish-speaking dispatchers and can serve Spanish-speaking patients in their language. Don't hesitate to call and ask to speak with someone in Spanish.)
My grandmother speaks only Korean. How do I set up transport for her?
The best approach is to involve a bilingual family member in the initial setup process. Call us with the family member available to translate, and we'll set up a transport profile for your grandmother with all her details noted. Once the schedule is established, day-to-day transport can proceed with written address confirmation and minimal verbal communication needed.
Does my MCO provide free interpreter services for transport booking calls?
Yes. All NJ Medicaid managed care organizations are required to provide free interpreter services for member service calls, including transport authorization requests. When you call your MCO, request an interpreter in your language at the start of the call. They should be able to conference in a phone interpreter within a few minutes.
Are there any NJ Medicaid materials about NEMT rights available in Spanish?
Yes. NJ Medicaid publishes member rights information and managed care plan materials in Spanish, and most NJ MCOs provide member handbooks in Spanish. Contact your MCO to request Spanish-language materials if you haven't received them. The NJ DMAHS website also has some resources in Spanish at nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs.