Health and Human Services Commission
Civil Rights Office

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The Texas health and human services system and its agencies are committed to providing services to our applicants and clients in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner. This obligation to comply with federal and state laws and regulations extends to service contractors, as well as any other agency, institution or organization participating in a health and human services program by contract or other arrangements.

The Health and Human Services Commission's Civil Rights Office has the responsibility to investigate claims of discrimination; to conduct new, periodic and special compliance reviews of offices, programs and contractors; to provide training and guidance; and to take other appropriate steps to ensure that programs and services do not discriminate.

• Contact Us

• Learn About Civil Rights Laws and Policies

• How to File a Discrimination Complaint with HHSC

• How to File a Discrimination Complaint with a Federal Agency

• HHSC Civil Rights Brochure and Posters

Contact Us

Civil rights complaints or questions may be directed to any of our five area offices as well.

Learn About Civil Rights Laws and Policies

It is the responsibility of our agencies and our contractors not to discriminate against applicants or clients. Consumers are protected from discrimination by federal and state laws, regulations and policies. These laws, regulations and policies state that clients and consumers are protected from discrimination if it is based on one or more of the following:

• Race
• Color
• Sex
• National origin
• Religion
• Age
• Disability
• Political belief*
• Sexual orientation*

*Political belief and sexual orientation do not apply to all programs and services. Please contact the Civil Rights Office for additional information.

The civil rights laws and policies that protect consumers and applicants for services include:

• Social Security Act of 1935 (Title V)
• Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI)
• The Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX)
• Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
• Age Discrimination Act of 1975
• Food Stamp Act of 1977
• Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Food and Nutrition Services Instructions (113 Series)
• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Directives (1510.1 and 1520.1)
• Methods of Administration with US Department of Health and Human Services
• State Plan of Operation and Federal/State Agreements
• Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code (Chapter 106)
• Texas Administrative Code (Title 40 and Title 25)
• HHSC Civil Rights Policies and Procedures
• Other applicable civil rights laws and regulations

How to File a Discrimination Complaint with HHSC

Consumers and applicants for benefits or services who believe they have been discriminated against by an employee of a Texas health and human services agency or an employee of an entity providing contracted agency services may file a complaint of discrimination with the Civil Rights Office.

The HHSC Civil Rights Office must receive the complaint of discrimination no more than 180 days after the alleged discriminatory action.

A complaint may be filed with HHSC by using the HHSC Client Complaint of Discrimination form. Individuals also may file complaints in person or by letter, e-mail, fax or phone.

The discrimination complaint must contain the following information:

• Your name, address, telephone number, or other means of contacting you.
• The specific office name and address where the alleged discriminatory practices occurred.
• The date or dates of the alleged discriminatory practices occurred.
• The reason, or basis, you feel the discrimination occurred (e.g., race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation or political belief).

Complaints also may be filed in one of our four area Civil Rights Offices in Grand Prairie, Houston, Lubbock, and Edinburg.

Please click here to access office locations and contact information.
Please click here to access the HHSC Client Complaint of Discrimination form.

How to File a Discrimination Complaint with a Federal Agency

A civil rights discrimination complaint also may be filed with a federal agency. Please contact the agency or office for additional information.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Programs:
Programs include, but are not limited to: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Women, Infants and Children (WIC); Food Safety and Inspection Services; and other USDA Programs.

U.S. Department of Education Programs:
Programs include, but are not limited to: Vocational Rehabilitation programs; Busines Enterprise of Texas Program (BET); Independent Living Services programs; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and other rehabilitative services programs.

U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-1100

U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Programs:
Programs include, but are not limited to: Medicaid and Medicaid-related programs; Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF); Community Care for the Aged and Disabled; Community Based Alternagives; other Long-Term Care programs; HIV and STD prevention and treatment programs; family and community health programs; mental health programs; and substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
1301 Young Street, #1169
Dallas, Texas 75202

HHSC Civil Rights Brochure and Posters

HHSC Civil Rights Office Brochure

• English [English - PDF] [English - Word] [English - Audio]
• Spanish [Spanish - PDF] [Spanish - Word] [Spanish - Audio]
• Vietnamese [Vietnamese- PDF] [Vietnamese - Word] [Vietnamese - Audio]

Size: 15” x 9.5” (requires special size paper).
Printing Instructions:  These brochures require special sized printer paper. If your printer is unable to print the brochure in this size, we recommend printing it on legal size paper (8.5” x 14”) to facilitate readability. Alternate formats such as Braille and large text are available on request.

Questions: Contact the HHSC Civil Rights Office.

Civil Rights Posters for Clients

All posters should be prominently displayed in client common areas so they are easily visible. Client common areas include lobbies and waiting rooms, front reception desks, and locations where clients apply for services.
The following two posters (and all four versions) are required for all health and human services client service offices. There is a third poster below that is required for certain offices:

• “Know Your Rights” [English] [Spanish]

Size: 8.5” x 11” (standard size sheet of paper).
Posting Instructions:  Post the English and Spanish versions of this poster next to each other.
Questions: Contact the HHSC Civil Rights Office.

•  “Need an Interpreter”  [Language Translation] [American Sign Language]

Size: 8.5” x 11” (standard size sheet of paper).
Posting Instructions: Post the “Language Translation” version and “American Sign Language” version next to each other.
Questions: Contact the HHSC Civil Rights Office.

• “Americans With Disabilities Act” [English A] [Spanish A] [English B] [Spanish B]

Size: Poster A is 11” x 13”.  Poster B is 8.5” x 11”.
Posting Instructions:  Post the English and Spanish versions of this poster next to each other. For larger print, select Poster A (legal size).
Questions: Contact the HHSC Civil Rights Office.

In addition to the posters above, offices that provide programs provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children Program) or Food Safety and Inspection Services must display at least one version of the following poster:

• “And Justice for All”

There are three versions of this poster. Order the poster that corresponds to your program. All versions are in English and Spanish.  The download versions of these posters are for reference and not for posting purposes due to size requirements for readability.

1. Offices that provide client services associated with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Form AD-457B). [Form AD-457B: English and Spanish]

To obtain this poster, contact Bo Platt with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission at bo.platt@hhsc.state.tx.us.

2. Offices, schools and other sites that provide client services associated with the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) (Form AD-475C). [Form AD-475C: English and Spanish]

To view and obtain this poster, go to the WIC catalogue located on the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) website. This poster is named “Stock No. 13-183p English/Spanish 10/05” and is located near the bottom of the DSHS web page.

3. Offices that provide client services associated with the Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) (Form AD-457A). [Form AD-457: English and Spanish]

To obtain this poster, contact the Texas Department of State Health Services, Meat Safety Assurance unit. Contact information is at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/msa/.

Other Languages Available: If your office serves many clients who speak one of the following languages, please also post the translation (it is in simple paragraph form): Chinese, Creole, French, German, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian and Vietnamese

Civil Rights Employment Posters for Contractors, Vendors and Providers

All posters should be prominently displayed in client common areas so they are easily visible. Client common areas include lobbies and waiting rooms, front reception desks, and locations where clients apply for services.

• “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law”* [EEO: English] [EEO: Spanish]

Size:  17” x 22” (requires special size paper).
Language Translations: Poster is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese. At a minimum, you must post English and Spanish versions.

Order Information: THis poster was updated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in November 2009. HHS offices are required to prominently display the newly revised poster or the old poster with a supplemental information sheet.  To order the new posters or to download the supplemental information sheets, visit the EEOC website at http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/poster.cfm, or contact them by calling (800) 669-4000. There is no charge for the poster or shipping.

• “The Law in Texas” [Law in Texas: English and Spanish]

Size:  8.5” x 11” (standard size sheet of paper).
Download Information: Contact the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division at (888) 452-4778.  

Size:  8.5” x 11” (standard size sheet of paper).
Download Information: Contact the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division at (888) 452-4778.