As we rejoice Black Historical past Month, we mirror on the function of my workplace, the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) Workplace for Civil Rights (OCR), in advancing racial fairness and remaining dedicated to the enforcement of federal civil rights legal guidelines to make sure nondiscrimination primarily based on race, coloration, and nationwide origin.  This month and all year long, our workplace acknowledges the numerous contributions of Black People, the historic battle for equality, and the work forward to handle well being inequities for Black People.

President Biden mirrored on his dedication to fairness and variety in a Proclamation on Nationwide Black Historical past Month, 2024. The President acknowledged the huge contributions and developments made by Black People and that “Black historical past is American historical past.”

At HHS, OCR contributes to this mission by main the Division’s work on nondiscrimination and by working to advertise higher well being entry and outcomes for folks of coloration and different underserved communities.  That is mirrored in our persistent enforcement of federal civil rights and privateness legal guidelines to safeguard our providers from discrimination, bias, and obstacles.

A few of OCR’s latest efforts embrace:

Strengthening Nondiscrimination in Well being Care

OCR issued a proposed rule revising Part 1557 of the Inexpensive Care Act (Part 1557) that features sturdy provisions to guard folks from discrimination and helps the Biden-Harris Administration’s precedence of advancing well being fairness and civil rights. Part 1557 prohibits discrimination on the idea of race, coloration, nationwide origin, intercourse, or incapacity in sure well being packages or actions and is among the authorities’s strongest instruments for guaranteeing nondiscriminatory entry to well being care. OCR is working to finalize the Rule.

Enforcement

Black Maternal Well being: OCR is investigating allegations of racism and discrimination in hospitals throughout the nation, together with in certainly one of Los Angeles’ wealthiest services, the place an area girl died from the being pregnant care she had acquired.

Environmental Justice

Lowndes County, Alabama: On Could 4, 2023, OCR and the Division of Justice introduced an interim decision settlement of their environmental justice investigation into the Alabama Division of Public Well being (ADPH) relating to the discriminatory administration of a wastewater disposal system program.  The investigation in Lowndes County, Alabama, a predominately Black county with a excessive poverty price, revealed that ADPH had didn’t take significant actions to treatment sanitation situations. This was regardless of consciousness of resident’s publicity to uncooked sewage, a burden that positioned disproportionate well being and monetary impacts on the County’s Black residents, who may face potential property loss and even prison penalties in the event that they weren’t capable of remediate.

The Settlement was reached after an 18-month investigation. Underneath the decision settlement, ADPH can be required to develop equitable and protected wastewater disposal and administration providers, in addition to elevate consciousness of the well being impacts of publicity to wastewater.  

The Settlement requires ADPH to handle well being disparities and enhance well being outcomes by guaranteeing compliance with federal civil rights legal guidelines and the fulfilment of settlement phrases.

“Environmental justice is a public well being subject, and the place you reside mustn’t decide whether or not you get sick from fundamental environmental hazards not confronted in different prosperous and white communities,” stated Division of Well being and Human Companies Workplace for Civil Rights Director Melanie Fontes Rainer. “We’re happy that Alabama’s Public Well being Division has dedicated to take quick and long-term steps to guard the well being of Lowndes County residents. This neighborhood has lengthy been on the coronary heart of the civil rights wrestle, and at present’s decision is one more testomony to the continuing work that’s the pursuit of racial justice.” 

Eradicating Language Limitations

As part of this Administration’s accessibility and inclusion efforts, together with by tasks outlined in President Biden’s Govt Orders and the HHS Fairness Motion Plan, OCR is working to make sure that all folks have significant entry to well being and human providers packages and actions no matter race, ethnicity or linguistic skill.  This subject is of great significance to OCR, as racial minorities usually tend to communicate a language aside from English at dwelling, and communication obstacles typically lead to destructive well being outcomes together with elevated morbidity and mortality. OCR is main HHS on Language Entry by launching and organizing the Division-wide Language Entry Steering Committee, which is at the moment overseeing the implementation of Language Entry Plan updates for HHS Employees Divisions and Working Divisions.

• As a part of this effort, the Language Entry Steering Committee is overseeing the implementation of up to date Language Entry Plans for all of HHS’ element Employees Divisions and Working Divisions.  The updates made to element Language Entry Plans will enhance and make sure the high quality and accuracy of language entry providers in HHS-funded well being and human providers packages and actions for folks with restricted English proficiency and other people with disabilities.
• OCR additionally releases an annual progress report primarily based on language entry work being performed throughout HHS. The annual report tracks enforcement exercise and the progress of the Language Entry Steering Committee.

Making certain Equal Entry to Telehealth

OCR and the Division of Justice Civil Rights Division issued steering on nondiscrimination on the idea of race, coloration, nationwide origin, and incapacity in accessing telehealth.

• The steering explains authorized obligations below Title VI, Part 1557 of the Inexpensive Care Act, Part 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the People with Disabilities Act.
• It supplies data to well being care suppliers about their nondiscrimination obligations and sensible tips on learn how to present accessible telehealth.

Strengthening the Well being Care Workforce to Meet America’s Various Wants

Every summer time, OCR continues a long-standing collaboration with the Affiliation of American Medical Schools to ship civil rights compliance coaching to pre-medical and pre-dental school college students.

• From June to August, OCR workers members ship coaching to roughly 1,000 college students at schools and universities throughout the nation, together with traditionally Black establishments, Howard College, and Charles R. Drew College of Medication and Science.

For those who or somebody has skilled discrimination, you possibly can file a grievance with HHS at: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints/index.html.