Civil Rights Training

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Civil Rights Training

• Presented by the Texas Department of Agriculture

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Civil Rights Training
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Civil Rights Training continued

• To be done annually

• Topics
• Collection use of data
• Effective public notification systems
• Complaint procedures
• Compliance review techniques
• Resolution of noncompliance
• Requirements for reasonable accommodations of
  persons w/ disabilities
• Conflict resolution
• Customer service

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Data Collection Reporting

• State local agencies, and other subrecipients
  are required to obtain data by race ethnic
  category on potential eligibles, applicants, and
  participants in the programs.

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Data Collecting Reporting continued

• Systems must ensure data is
• Collected retained by the service delivery
  point for each pgrm
• Based on document records maintained for three
  years
• Access restricted to authorized personnel

• Submitted as requested to FNS Regional or
  Headquarters Offices

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Race Ethnic Categories, Two Question Format

• 1. Ethnicity collected first
• Hispanic or Latino. Cuban, Mexican, Puerto
  Rican, South or Central American, or other
  Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
• Not Hispanic or Latino
• 2. Race Mark one or more
• American Indian or Alaskan Native. Origins of
  North/South America (including Central America
  who maintain tribal affiliation)

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Race Ethnic Categories, continued

• Asian. Origins of the Far East, Southeast Asia,
  or Indian subcontinent.
• Black or African American. Origins of Africa,
  Haitian or Negro.
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
  Origins of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific
  Island.
• White. Origins of Europe, Middle East, or North
  Africa.

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Race Ethnic Categories continued

• Program applicants may not be required to furnish
  race or ethnicity
• Identification must be voluntary
• Visual observation will be used when the
  applicant does not self-identify

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Compliance Reviews

• TDA conducts review
• Civil Rights findings during the CRE require a
  corrective action plan that ensures compliance
  with this Instruction

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Resolution of Noncompliance

• Districts must submit an acceptable corrective
  action plan
• Failure to respond or correct the finding may
  result in suspension or termination of financial
  assistance.

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Complaints of Discrimination

• Right To File
• Any person alleging discrimination has the right
  to file a complaint within 180 days of the
  alleged action
• Acceptance
• In Texas, written or verbal forward to TDA FN

• Forms
• Complaint form in ARM
• District may develop their own
• Verbal Complaints
• The elements of the complaint should be written
  up by the complainant or the person allegations
  are made against

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Forms

• Pass out FNS 113-1 Sample Complaint Form
• Pass out ARM Complaint Form

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District/CRE Information

• TDA will ask
• Have you ever received any written or verbal
  complaints alleging discrimination?
• If YES, have these complaints been reported to
  the State Agency?
• What is your policy to handle a complaint of
  discrimination?

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District/CRE Information continued

• Public Release
• Letter to parents, application form, income
  guidelines
• Copy on file
• Foreign language translations are available
• USDA poster displayed in prominent place
• Correct nondiscrimination stmt on pgrm materials

• Admission procedures do not restrict enrollment
  by minority persons
• Incorrectly denied F/R applications are not
  disproportionately composed of minority
  applications
• Disabled students are provided pgrm benefits

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District/CRE Information continued

• No separation based by race, color, sex,
  handicap, age or national origin in
• Eating periods
• Seating arrangements
• Serving lines
• Eating areas

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District/CRE Information

• All discrimination complaints written or verbal
  must be reported to TDA FN division

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Procedures for Processing Civil Rights Complaints

• State Agency will
• Accept acknowledge the compliant
• Gather facts to support or refute complaints
  allegation (s)
• Ensure all relevant sources of info are
  investigated
• Review evaluate the facts
• Implement corrective action plan, if necessary

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Procedures for Processing Resolving Complaints

• All complaints alleging age discrimination must
  be referred to the Federal Mediation
  Conciliation Service within 5 working days after
  receipt
• All complaints alleging discrimination in general
  must be processed within 90 days of receipt
• Contact FNS Regional Office

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• Questions

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In The End

• Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds
  will continue in others, who believe and act for
  fairness and justice
• Rosa Parks
• 1913-2005

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• In accordance with Federal law and the U.S.
  Department of Agriculture policy, this
  institution does not discriminate on the basis of
  race, color, national origin, sex, age, or
  disability. To file a complaint of
  discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of
  Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,
  Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800)
  795-3272 or [phone] (TTY). USDA is an
  equal opportunity provider and employer.