Religious Freedom

OCR enforces the following laws as they apply to recipients of HHS federal financial assistance:

• Section 508 of the Social Security Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or religion in the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant (42 USC § 708). 
• Section 533 of the Public Health Service Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or religion in Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (42 USC § 290cc-33). 
• Section 1908 of the Public Health Service Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or religion in programs, services, and activities funded by Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grants (42 USC §300w-7).
• Section 1947 of the Public Health Service Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or religion in programs, services, and activities funded by Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grants (42 USC § 300x-57).
• The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sex, or religion in programs, services, and activities funded under this Act (42 USC § 10406).
• The Communications Act of 1934, as amended by Equal Employment Opportunity provisions, prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national origin, or sex by federally-funded public telecommunication entities (47 USC § 398).

Recent Actions:

• State Letter to Michigan Withdrawing Exception from Non-Discrimination Requirements [November 18, 2021]
• State Letter to Michigan re: Application of 45 C.F.R. § 75.300(c) in Light of RFRA– November 3, 2020 [WITHDRAWN November 18, 2021]*
• State Letter to Texas Withdrawing Exception from Non-Discrimination Requirements [November 18, 2021]
• State Letter to Texas re: Application of 45 C.F.R. § 75.300(c) & (d) in Light of RFRA – March 5, 2020 [WITHDRAWN November 18, 2021]*

* People using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in these files. For assistance, contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights at (800) 368-1019, TDD toll-free: (800) 537-7697.