The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights published a report listing the department's progress toward improving access to language assistance programs to those with limited English proficiency.
The report also identified steps the HHS will take toward continuing and strengthening the work across the department in the future, according to a May 24 news release.
“The need for meaningful access to language services continues to grow across America and HHS is taking important action to ensure individuals with limited English proficiency can fully access federal resources and programs,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release. “As a child, I often needed to translate insurance and medical documents for my parents. That is still necessary for many families in this country today, which is why we are working so hard to ensure everyone has access to health care and advance health equity for all people.”
The report, which is the first of its kind for the HHS since 2016, was issued in accordance with President Joe Biden's executive order on advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government, which works to increase access to government services to resolve barriers in federal programs and services, the release reported
The report was also published in response to Executive Order 14012 on restoring faith in our legal immigration systems and strengthening integration and inclusion efforts for new Americans, which instructed the federal government to create inviting strategies to encourage integration and inclusion and embrace the full participation of new Americans, many of whom have limited English proficiency, in the U.S. democratic process.
Additionally, the Office for Civil Rights reopened the HHS' Language Access Steering Committee, according to the release.
“HHS is taking important steps to ensure that people have full and equal access to programs and services across the department, so that no one is left behind because of the language they speak, or other communications barriers based on ability,” OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainer said in the release. “OCR is committed to guaranteeing that health and human services are inclusive, equitable, accessible and in compliance with civil rights laws for limited English proficient persons and their families.”
