Special Topics in Civil Rights

Reproductive Health Care - Among its civil rights enforcement responsibilities, OCR is responsible for protecting the rights of women and pregnant people in their ability to access care free from discrimination. This includes their ability to access reproductive health care free from discrimination.

Child Welfare Services including Adoption and Foster Care – Agencies and entities that receive federal financial assistance may not discriminate in the delivery of child welfare services

Community Living and Olmstead – Serving people with disabilities in the most integrated setting is an important part of the ADA.

Effective Communication in Hospitals – Gives hospitals tools, information, and other technical assistance to meet communication challenges.

Emergency Preparedness and Response – Nondiscrimination is essential in all emergency preparedness activities.

Health Disparities – Differences in rates of disease and health outcomes, which can negatively affect certain racial or ethnic groups.

HIV/AIDS – OCR enforces federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination by health care and human service providers against people with HIV/AIDS.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP) – May make access to healthcare or social services difficult for certain people.

National Origin Discrimination – Prohibited under federal civil rights laws.

Environmental Justice – The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Sex-Based Harassment – Title IX of the Education Amendments and Section 1557 of the ACA prohibit sex-based harassment, which includes sexual harassment, sexual orientation-based harassment, gender identity-based harassment, and sexual violence.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) – Provides time-limited assistance and work opportunities to needy families to promote self-sufficiency.