In accordance with federal civil rights laws and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Programs that receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and programs HHS directly operates are also prohibited from discrimination under federal civil rights laws and HHS regulations.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
USDA provides federal financial assistance for many food security and hunger reduction programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and others. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the Program Discrimination Complaint Form (AD-3027), found online at How to File a Complaint , or at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA providing all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
For any other information regarding SNAP issues, persons should contact the USDA SNAP hotline at (800) 221-5689 (also available in Spanish), or call the state information/hotline numbers, which provides a listing of hotline numbers by state. Online access to the SNAP hotline is also available.
HHS provides federal financial assistance for many programs to enhance health and well-being, including TANF, Head Start, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and others. If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), or religion in programs or activities that HHS directly operates or to which HHS provides federal financial assistance, you may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for yourself or for someone else.
To file a complaint of discrimination for yourself or someone else regarding a program receiving federal financial assistance through HHS, complete the form online through OCR’s Complaint Portal at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/ . You may also contact OCR via mail at: Centralized Case Management Operations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 509F HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201; fax: (202) 619-3818; or email: OCRmail@hhs.gov. For faster processing, we encourage you to use the OCR online portal rather than filing via mail. Persons who need assistance with filing a civil rights complaint can email OCR at OCRmail@hhs.gov or call OCR toll-free at 1-800-368-1019, TDD 1-800-537-7697. For persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech difficulties, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Alternative formats (such as Braille and large print), auxiliary aids, and language assistance services are provided free of charge for filing a complaint.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.