Laws, Regulations, and Guidance

OCR enforces the following regulation and laws as they apply to covered entities that receive Federal financial assistance from HHS. At the bottom of the page, you will find a link to information about OCR's guidance on providing services to people who have limited English proficiency.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000d et. seq.) prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin. The HHS regulation is at 45 C.F.R. Part 80. (Note that this link goes to the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, a currently updated version of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). It is not an official legal edition of the CFR.) For more information>>

OCR also enforces nondiscrimination provisions of other laws as they apply to programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance from HHS. The following links take you to the Government Printing Office Access to the United States Code website, which allows you to electronically search the United States Code. Please note that those using the online version for legal research should verify their results against the printed version of the United States Code available through the Government Printing Office.

Section 1808(c) of the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 prohibits covered agencies and entities from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin in child placement decisions in adoption and foster care. The law is 42 U.S.C. 1996b.
Sections 794 and 855 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 295m and 296g, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex (gender) in Federally-Assisted Health Training Programs. The regulation is 45 C.F.R. Part 83.
Section 508 of the Social Security Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex (gender), or religion in the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant. The relevant section of the law is 42 U.S.C. 708.
Section 533 of the Public Health Service Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex (gender), or religion in Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness. The relevant section of the law is 42 U.S.C. 290cc-33.
Section 1908 of the Public Health Service Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex (gender), or religion in programs, services, and activities funded by Preventative Health and Health Services Block Grants. The relevant section of the law is 42 U.S.C. 300w-7.
Section 1947 of the Public Health Service Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex (gender), or religion in programs, services, and activities funded by Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grants. The relevant section of the law is 42 U.S.C. (Subpart III) 300x-57.
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex (gender), or religion in programs, services, and activities funded under this Act. The relevant section of the law is 42 U.S.C. 10406.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex (gender) in programs, services, and activities funded under this Act. The relevant section of the law is 42 U.S.C. 8625.
The Community Services Block Grant Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex (gender) in programs, services, and activities funded under this Act. The relevant section of the law is 42 U.S.C. 9918.
The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, has Equal Employment Opportunity provisions that prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex (gender) by Federally-funded public telecommunication entities. The law is found at 47 U.S.C. 398.