This guidance is intended to assist state agencies and program operators of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program in meeting the longstanding federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data of program participants.
State agencies, local agencies, or other recipients that fail to provide free language assistance (interpretation/translation) to potentially-eligible persons, applicants, and participants, who are limited English proficient (LEP), or deny LEP persons access to federally assisted programs and activities, may be discriminating on the basis of national origin in violation of Title VI and its implementing regulations.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 prohibits discrimination based on disability by state and local governments.
The Civil Rights Division provides leadership and comprehensive protection against discrimination in FNS employment practices and delivery of programs to the public.
Our mission is to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies for FNS customers and employees regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, marital or family status, political beliefs, parental status, protected genetic information, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.