KEYWORDS:
Access barriers; health disparities; immigrant access; limited English proficiency; civil rights; health and human services; discrimination; partnerships

BACKGROUND:
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). OCR enforces laws that prohibit discrimination against persons based on their race/ethnicity, age, and disability. Especially compelling are discriminatory practices that subject a growing immigrant population to access barriers related to ethnicity and limited English proficiency (LEP).

OBJECTIVE(S):
1. Eliminate health care barriers which deny services to racial/ethnic minorities and LEP persons.
2. Establish mechanisms for allowing LEP persons to seek and receive services in a quality manner and devise implementation strategies for service providers.

METHOD(S):
1. Establish partnerships with governmental, community, advocacy, immigrant, and service provider groups to work toward solutions in overcoming barriers.
2. Conduct reviews of health programs and services to ensure that such programs do not disproportionately exclude minority and immigrant populations.

RESULT(S):
1. Provide improved access to services for minorities and immigrants by reducing barriers.
2. Eliminate discrimination in the delivery of services to these groups.

CONCLUSIONS(S):
A growing immigrant population further exacerbates discrimination in providing health care services thereby increasing the health disparities in their communities as compared to non-immigrant and non-minority populations. Access barriers and discrimination can be significantly reduced by developing partnerships with community, provider, and governmental groups and through outreach and education on health disparities, and by enforcing existing laws related to such discrimination.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Cite the various factors that influence and sustain minority, ethnic, immigrant, and LEP health care access barriers.
2. Articulate strategies to overcome discrimination and barriers in the delivery of health care services to the affected groups.
3. Explain the authority and role that OCR has in enforcing laws regarding discrimination and in proactively conducting outreach activity aimed at education and assistance.