​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Non-Discrimination Policy and Language Access

​Non-Discrimination Policy​​

Notice Regarding State Nondiscrimination Requirements - Updated June 13, 2020

DHCS complies with applicable Federal and State civil rights laws. DHCS does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. DHCS does not unlawfully exclude people or treat them differently because of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

DHCS:

• Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with DHCS, such as:
• Qualified sign language interpreters and real-time captioning​
• Written information in other formats such as Braille, large print, audio, accessible electronic formats and other formats
• Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:​
  
• Qualified interpreters
• Information written in other languages

If you need these services, call the Office of Civil Rights, at (916) 440-7370, 711 (California State Relay) or email CivilRights@dhcs.ca.gov. Upon request, this document can be made available to you in braille, large print, audiocassette, or electronic form.

If you believe DHCS has failed to provide these services or you have been discriminated against in another way on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation, you can file a grievance with the Office of Civil Rights.

Office of Civil Rights
Department of Health Care Services
PO Box 997413, MS 0009
Sacramento, CA 95899-7413
(916) 440-7370, 711 (California State Relay)

If you need help filing a grievance, the Office of Civil Rights can help you. Complaint forms are available here:

​DHCS-1044-DHCS-DISCRIMINATION-COMPLAINT-FORM.pdf  

Language Access Complaint Form

DHCS OCR Discrimination Grievance Policies and Procedures

Language Access Phone Numbers

Englis​h

Հայերեն (Armenian) 

中文 (Chinese)​

注意：如果您講中文，

您可以用中文撥打下面的號碼以獲得免費幫助。

若有關於資格性的疑問，請致電您的縣資格管理工作人員。

若有關於 Dental 服務的疑問，請撥打 (800) 322-6384 (TTY (800) 735-2922)。

若有關於Managed Care服務的疑問，請撥打 (888) 452-8609 (TTY 711)。

若有關於Mental Health服務的疑問，請撥打 (800) 896-4042 (TTY (800) 896-2512)。

若有關於Substance Use Disorder服務的疑問，請撥打 (800) 879-2772 (TTY (916) 327-8608)。

若有關於Long-Term Services and Supports服務的疑問，請撥打 (916) 552-9105 (TTY (800) 430-7077)。

若有常見的受益人疑問或疑慮，請撥打 (800) 541-5555 (TTY (800) 430-7077)。

  فارسی(Farsi)​ 

 

​

हिंदी (Hindi)​

ध्यान दें: यदि आप हिंदी बोलते हैं तो नीचे दिए गए नंबर पर कॉल कर अपनी भाषा में निःशुल्क सहायता प्राप्त कर सकते हैं।

 पात्रता से संबंधित समस्याओं के लिए अपने काउंटी कार्यकर्ता को कॉल करें।

Dental  सेवाओं से संबंधित समस्याओं के लिए (800) 322-6384 (TTY (800) 735-2922) पर कॉल करें।

Managed Care सेवाओं से संबंधित समस्याओं के लिए (888) 452-8609 (TTY 711) पर कॉल करें।

Mental Health सेवाओं से संबंधित समस्याओं के लिए (800) 896-4042 (TTY (800) 896-2512) पर कॉल करें।

Substance Use Disorder सेवाओं से संबंधित समस्याओं के लिए (800) 879-2772 (TTY (916) 327-8608) पर कॉल करें।

Long-Term Services and Supports सेवाओं से संबंधित समस्याओं के लिए (916) 552-9105 (TTY (800) 430-7077) पर कॉल करें।

सामान्य लाभार्थी पूछताछ या चिंताओं के लिए  (800) 541-5555 (TTY (800) 430-7077) पर कॉल करें।

Hmoob (Hmong)

Hu rau (888) 452-8609 (TTY 711) rau cov teeb meem hais txog Managed Care cov kev pab.

Hu rau (800) 896-4042 (TTY (800) 896-2512) rau cov teeb meem hais txog Mental Health cov kev pab.

Hu rau (800) 879-2772 (TTY (916) 327-8608) rau cov teeb meem hais txog Substance Use Disorder cov kev pab.

日本語 (Japanese)

Mental Healthサービスに関するお問い合わせは電話(800) 896-4042 (TTY (800) 896-2512)。

Substance Use Disorderサービスに関するお問い合わせは電話(800) 879-2772 (TTY (916) 327-8608)。

Long-Term Services and Supportsサービスに関するお問い合わせは電話(916) 552-9105 (TTY (800) 430-7077)。

受取人の照会全般あるいはご質問は電話 (800) 541-5555 (TTY (800) 430-7077)。

 한국의 (Korean)

Managed Care 서비스에 관련되는 문제에 대해서는 (888) 452-8609 (TTY 711)(으)로 문의하십시오.

Mental Health 서비스에 관련되는 문제에 대해서는 (800) 896-4042 (TTY (800) 896-2512)(으)로 문의하십시오.

Substance Use Disorder 서비스에 관련되는 문제에 대해서는 (800) 879-2772 (TTY (916) 327-8608)(으)로 문의하십시오.

ລາວ (Laotian)

ຄວາມສົນໃຈ: ຖ້າທ່ານເວົ້າພາສາລາວ, ທ່ານສາມາດຕິດຕໍ່ເບີຂ້າງລຸ່ມນີ້ ເພື່ອຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອເປັນພາສາຂອງທ່ານໄດ້.

ໂທຫາພະນັກງານປະຈໍາຄາວຕີ້ຂອງທ່ານສຳລັບບັນຫາທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບຄ ວາມມີສິດໄດ້ຮັບການຊ່ວຍເຫລືອ

ໂທຫາເບີ (800) 322-6384 (TTY (800) ​735-2922) ສຳລັບບັນຫາທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບການບໍລິການດ້ານ Dental services.

ໂທຫາເບີ (888) 452-8609 (TTY 711) ສຳລັບບັນຫາທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບການບໍລິການດ້ານ Managed Care services.

ໂທຫາເບີ (800) 896-4042 (TTY (800) 896-2512) ສຳລັບບັນຫາທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບການບໍລິການດ້ານ Mental Health services.

ໂທຫາເບີ (800) 879-2772 (TTY (916) 327-8608) ສຳລັບບັນຫາທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບການບໍລິການດ້ານ Substance Use Disorder services.

ໂທຫາເບີ (916) 552-9105 (TTY (800) 430-7077) ສຳລັບບັນຫາທີ່ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງກັບການບໍລິການດ້ານ Long-Term Services and Supports.

 ໂທຫາເບີ (800) 541-5555 (TTY (800) 430-7077)ສຳລັບການສອບຖາມຂໍ້ມູນກ່ຽວກັບຄວາມມີສິດໄດ້ຮັບການຊ່ວຍເຫລືອທົ່ວໄປ ຫລືຄວາມກັງວົນທົ່ວໄປ

Mienh waac (Mien)

Cau fim muangx long:  Bein tax mesh gorngv bend​ mienh waac nor, mes​​h core hair douc waac daaih lord yiem naai dei finx-hoc yiem gu’ndiev wuv liouh heuc wang-henh tengx fan bend mesh nei mienh fingz waac.​​

Mesh core hair douc waac mingh lord tax ninh mbuo nquenc zanga lien jaa liouh zouk goux tax puix-zipv tengx sic dash jauv-louc.
Douc waac lord tax (800) 322-6384 (TTY (800-735-2922) liouh nzie weigh goux tax zorc nyaah.

Douc waac lord tax (888) 452-8609 (TTY 711) liouh nzie weigh goux mangc jauv-louc.

Douc waac lord tax (800) 896-4042 (TTY (800) 896-2512) liouh nzie weigh goux tax corngh zingh baengc.

Douc waac lord tax (800) 879-2772 (TTY (916) 327-8608) liouh nzie weigh goux tax but inv nei jauv-louc.

Douc waac lord tax (916) 552-9105 (TTY (800) 430-7077) liouh nzie weigh goux tax goux zorc baengc lauh ndaauv nei zing hoc aengx caux tengx nzie.
Douc waac lord ta​x (800) 541-5555 (TTY (800) 430-70​77) liouh nzie weigh goux ta​x find kou tengx nzie goux mangc a’fai dau waac bun zuangx butv-baengc mienh ndaauv a’fai fih jail kuonx hnyouv sic dash jauv-louc

ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi)

Mental Health ਸੇਵਾਵਾਂ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਮੁੱਦਿਆਂ ਲਈ 1-800-896-4042 (TTY 1-800-896-2512) ‘ਤੇ ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ।

Substance Use Disorder ਸੇਵਾਵਾਂ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਮੁੱਦਿਆਂ ਲਈ 1-800-879-2772 (TTY 1-916-327-8608) ‘ਤੇ ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ।

Long-Term Services and Supports ਸੇਵਾਵਾਂ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਮੁੱਦਿਆਂ ਲਈ 916-552-9105 (TTY1-800-430-7077) ‘ਤੇ ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ।

ਆਮ ਲਾਭਪਾਤਰੀ ਪੁੱਛਗਿੱਛ ਜਾਂ ਚਿੰਤਾਵਾਂ ਲਈ 1-800-541-5555 (TTY 1-800-430-7077) ‘ਤੇ ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ।

Русский (Russian)

По вопросам, связанным с услугами в рамках программы Managed Care, звоните по номеру 1-888-452-8609 (TTY 711).

По вопросам, связанным с услугами в рамках программы Mental Health, звоните по номеру 1-800-896-4042 (TTY 1-800-896-2512).

По вопросам, связанным с услугами в рамках программы Substance Use Disorder, звоните по номеру 1-800-879-2772 (TTY 1-916-327-8608).

Español (Spanish)

Tagalog (Tagalog - Filipino)

Tumawag sa 1-888-452-8609 (TTY 711) para sa mga isyung kaugnay ng mga serbisyo ng Managed Care.

Tumawag sa 1-800-896-4042 (TTY 1-800-896-2512) para sa mga isyung kaugnay ng mga serbisyo ng Mental Health.

Tumawag sa 1-800-879-2772 (TTY 1-916-327-8608) para sa mga isyung kaugnay ng mga serbisyo ng Substance Use Disorder.

ภาษาไทย (Thai)

โทร1-888-452-8609 (TTY 711) สำหรับปัญหาที่เกี่ยวข้องกับบริการManaged Care 

โทร1-800-896-4042 (TTY 1-800-896-2512) สำหรับปัญหาที่เกี่ยวข้องกับบริการMental Health 

โทร1-800-879-2772 (TTY 1-916-327-8608) สำหรับปัญหาที่เกี่ยวข้องกับบริการSubstance Use Disorder

Українська (Ukrainian)

Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)​

Lưu ý: Nếu quý vị nói tiếng Việt, quý vị có thể gọi đến số điện thoại dưới đây để được trợ giúp miễn phí bằng ngôn ngữ của quý vị.

Gọi 1-888-452-8609 (TTY 711) nếu gặp vấn đề liên quan đến các dịch vụ Managed Care.

Gọi 1-800-896-4042 (TTY 1-800-896-2512) nếu gặp vấn đề liên quan đến các dịch vụ Mental Health.

Gọi 1-800-879-2772 (TTY 1-916-327-8608) nếu gặp vấn đề liên quan đến các dịch vụ Substance Use Disorder.

Language Access Plan​ - June 2024

Introdu​ction 

As part of ensuring meaningful access to programs and services, the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) adopted a Language Access Policy (Policy) on May 22, 2023, revised January 10, 2024, which requires each CalHHS department or office's programs to develop a Language Access Plan (LAP). The goal of this work is to ensure that CalHHS and its departments and offices provide meaningful access to information, programs, benefits, and services to people with limited English proficiency (LEP) and ensure that language is not a barrier to accessing vital health and social services.

This document is the Department of Health Care Services' (DHCS) Language Access Plan (LAP). In developing this Plan, we have reviewed our programs and services for the public, the ways we communicate with the public and the members we serve, and how we currently provide information and services in languages other than English. 

Department​ Programs and Services

DHCS' purpose is to provide equitable access to quality health care leading to a healthy California for all.

DHCS, a State of California department within the California Health and Human Services Agency, is the backbone of California's health care safety net. Approximately one-third of Californians receive health care services financed or organized by DHCS, making the Department the largest health care purchaser in California.

DHCS administers Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid Program, which is a public health care program that provides comprehensive health care services at no or low cost for individuals who meet eligibility requirements. The Department also administers programs for special populations and several other non-Medi-Cal programs as well as county-operated community mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs.

Other programs administered by DHCS, some of which are mandated by the federal government and others required by state law, are Children's Services; Child Health and Disability Prevention program; Genetically Handicapped Persons Program; Newborn Hearing Screening Program; Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment program; Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Every Woman Counts; and Coordinated Care Management. DHCS also administers programs for underserved Californians, including farmworkers and American Indian communities.

For a comprehensive list of DHCS programs and services, please visit our primary website at dhcs.ca.gov. 

Language Acces​​​s Requirements

In planning for how to provide meaningful language access moving forward, DHCS reviewed the following four factors for each of our programs: 

• Number or proportion of LEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be encountered by the program or service.  
• Frequency with which LEP individuals come into contact with the program.  
• Nature and importance of the program, activity, or service.  
• Resources available to our Department and costs of language services. 
• We have also considered the specific requirements in the CalHHS Policy and other program-specific laws or requirements.  
• Welfare & Institutions Code 14029.91
• Welfare & Institutions Code 14029.92
• Welfare & Institutions Code 14727
• California Code of Regulations, Title 9, Section 1810.410
• The Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act, Government Code § 7290 et seq.
• Government Code section 11435.05 -11435.65
• Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Ac​t
  

Please note that this plan does not address the DHCS process for conducting or reporting on the biennial language survey required under the Dymally Alatorre Bilingual Services Act.

Providing Notice to Peop​le with LEP and Identifying Language Preference

This section includes how DHCS will notify the public about available language access services. Below is a check list of tools DHCS may use to notify the public of these services.  

• Translated notices in public waiting areas in the following languages: Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mien, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian and Vietnamese
• Translated taglines on English language forms
• Translated taglines on department program websites
• DHCS collects both oral and written language preferences primarily using application forms. If a language preference is not chosen, the language defaults to English. This can be done through:
• The paper Single Streamlined Application (SSApp) (DHCS and Covered California form)
• The online SSApp/California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System (CalHEERS) (DHCS and Covered California application portal)
• The paper SAWS 2 PLUS (California Department of Social Services application for multiple social services programs, including Medi-Cal)
• The BenefitsCal portal (California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) public facing portal application used for multiple social services programs, including Medi-Cal)

Language preferences can also be reported directly to a county social services office. This information will be added first to CalSAWS and then to the Medi-Cal Eligibility Database (MEDS).

Language Servic​​es   

This section includes the actions DHCS will take to provide information and services in languages other than English.

Direct In-Language Commu​nication

To qualify for bilingual certification, an employee must work in a setting that requires the use of their bilingual skills and 1) be certified bilingual proficient, and 2) use their bilingual skills at least 10 percent of their essential job functions.  Certified bilingual employees use their language abilities to communicate with members and the public in accordance with their assigned duties.

Only certified bilingual employees are permitted to communicate with the public in languages other than English. DHCS adheres to the California Department of Human Resources' process for bilingual oral fluency examination and certification. DHCS' Human Resources Division oversees the certification process. To serve in a designated bilingual position and receive the associated pay differential, an employee must score in the testing language at least equivalent to level 2 in Listening and Speaking on the OLR scale. The DHCS employee must complete a language proficiency exam with a qualified vendor who is consistent with the Interagency Language Roundtable's (ILR) Language Proficiency Scale. When DHCS' Office of Civil Rights (OCR) receives an employee's passing score, the OCR analyst will forward the certification to the program to initiate the Bilingual Pay Authorization (STD 897) process with the Personnel Analyst. Where positions require reading, writing, or more advanced or specialized skill in the testing language, DHCS will require additional testing as appropriate. Persons appointed to bilingual positions must have first passed a bilingual fluency examination.

Interpretatio​n

DHCS uses qualified contracted vendors to provide remote interpretation. OCR contracts with a telephone-interpreting agency to provide oral, over the phone, interpreter services for persons with LEP who contact DHCS. These services are free and available in approximately 240 non-English languages, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is a department-wide contract and any employee can access procedures for using the contract on our internal intranet site. Programs can also use their own contracted vendors. DHCS also provides auxiliary aids and services including but not limited to, readers, notetakers, American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, closed captioning, text telephones, and real-time captioning (computer assisted real time transcription, CART). DHCS provides TTY numbers or users can access services through the 711 National Relay Service.

Translati​on

DHCS is required by state and federal laws and regulations to provide individuals with LEP translated written materials to ensure meaningful access to programs and services. DHCS programs will identify which documents they believe are vital by performing the four-factor analysis. Examples of vital documents generally include critical program information, consent forms, complaint forms, applications for participation in a program or activity or to receive services or benefits, written notices of language assistance services, eligibility criteria, and notices of rights or notices of denial, loss, or decrease of services or benefits. A current list of DHCS vital documents can be found in the 'Document List' section below. DHCS will conduct at least a biennial language access survey to update these documents together with this Plan. 

County Mental Health Plans (MHP) and Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans (MCP) have specific threshold language requirements for vital documents. California Welfare and Institutions Code requires that language taglines be provided in at least the top 15 languages spoken by LEP individuals in the state. DHCS programs (excluding county administered MHPs and contracted MCPs), use these taglines with the addition of Laotian, Ukrainian, and Mien as the basis for threshold languages for translation of written documents. This is a DHCS best practice, not a requirement. If providing 18 non-English threshold languages is not practical due to a program's service need or capacity, vital documents must be translated at a minimum into Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Tagalog per the CalHHS Policy. Programs shall use the four factor analysis to assess the needs of members and program capacity when translating additional languages upon request. 

To determine threshold languages required for translation of important member information, both MHPs and MCPs consider service area data. A numeric threshold is used, which is the lower of 3,000 or 5 percent of the eligible member population in the service area who identify a primary language other than English. MCPs additionally consider a concentration standard of 1,000 or more in a single ZIP code or 1,500 or more members in contiguous ZIP codes who identify a primary language other than English within their service area.

DHCS considers essential website content as information that provides individuals with LEP meaningful access to information, programs, benefits, and services and ensures that language is not a barrier to accessing vital health services. This consists of critical member help phone numbers as well as a guide to help individuals with LEP navigate our services for assistance. All information is translated by a qualified translation vendor into the top five languages spoken in California pursuant to the CalHHS Policy. An ASL video clip describing DHCS and advising of the availability of free ASL services will be provided on the webpage. This video is interpreted through a qualified ASL video production vendor. 

If certified bilingual employees are unable to respond to written communications from individuals with LEP in languages other than English, a DHCS qualified translation vendor must be utilized. Any DHCS program/division that does not have a contracted translation vendor and needs assistance translating written communications can contact the OCR at CivilRights@dchs.ca.gov. OCR holds a department-wide contract for both interpretation and translation services and provides instructions on how to access these services on an internal intranet site.

Training Em​​ployees

Public Facing Empl​​oyees

Language access training will be provided to all current public-facing employees on an annual basis. New employees hired into public contact positions will receive language access training within their first three months of employment.

Training topics for public contact positions will cover the federal and state law requirements pertaining to interpretation and translation for individuals with LEP, the CalHHS Policy requirements, procedures for using contracted interpretation and translation vendors, and support resources provided by OCR.

Non-Public Facing​ Employees

All DHCS employees must complete a mandatory civil rights compliance training that includes language access. The language access portion covers all federal and state law requirements pertaining to language access, language taglines and notice of availability for threshold languages, vital documents, and requirements for translation and interpretation for DHCS programs.

Monitoring and U​​pdating LAP

This section describes how DHCS will monitor language access services and update this LAP at least every two years. This information will ensure that DHCS is compliant with the CalHHS Policy and address processes and procedures used to deliver meaningful language access to Californians including those served by our programs.

DHCS will create a monitoring program or process to ensure implementation of details included in the LAP. This process will entail:

• Identification of training needs
• Assessing training effectiveness
• Assessing employee awareness of language access policies and procedures
• Assessing effectiveness of interpretation and translation services
• Check-in with community partners and stakeholders
• Tracking costs of providing language access services
• Data collection
• Identifying amount and type of language services (interpreter services, sight translations) available to consumers by program

Every two years, CalHHS will generate and update the list of minimum threshold languages for the translation of vital documents and essential web content. Consistent with CalHHS Policy, the DHCS LAP will be reviewed, revised if necessary, and resubmitted to CalHHS every two years. Revisions will address any changes in the Title VI four-factor analysis; whether existing policies and procedures are meeting the needs of LEP individuals; whether employees are sufficiently trained; and whether identified resources for assistance are up-to-date, available, accessible, and viable.

Reevaluations will incorporate, as appropriate, new programs, new legal requirements, additional vital documents, and community input on the LAP.

Complaint Pro​c​ess

Any complaints regarding language access should be directed to:

• Complaint Process Contact Name: Office of Civil Rights
• Language Access Coordinator (LAC) Name: Corey Wood
• Phone / Email: (916) 440-7370 / civilrights@dhcs.ca.gov
• DHCS Discrimination Grievance Policies and Procedures​

Documen​​​t List

Review DHCS' vital documents. Included are the five languages required by the CalHHS Policy and any others identified as threshold languages pursuant to analyses under Title VI, Dymally-Alatorre, and any program-specific language access laws.​