PARTICIPANT RIGHTS WPPM #510-20 Subject: Treatment of Individuals Item: Use of the Nondiscrimination Statement on Print and Media Materials

Revised California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 1 of 5 February 25, 2024 PURPOSE: To provide guidance for the use of the nondiscrimination statement (NDS). POLICY: I. The local agency (LA) must include the NDS on all materials used for certification and eligibility, program outreach, program promotion (including Public Service Announcements), and participant rights that are distributed, posted, or aired for public viewing. PROCEDURES: I. The following NDS is approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): A. In English 1. Standard version: “In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad- 3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights

PARTICIPANT RIGHTS WPPM #510-20 Subject: Treatment of Individuals Item: Use of the Nondiscrimination Statement on Print and Media Materials

Revised California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 2 of 5 February 25, 2024 violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: 1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 3. email: program.intake@usda.gov This institution is an equal opportunity provider.” 2. Short version: “This institution is an equal opportunity provider.” B. In Spanish 1. Standard version: “De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las normas y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA), esta entidad está prohibida de discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo identidad de género y orientación sexual), discapacidad, edad, o represalia o retorsión por actividades previas de derechos civiles. La información sobre el programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas que no sean el inglés. Las personas con discapacidades que requieren medios alternos de comunicación para obtener la información del programa (por ejemplo, Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje de señas americano (ASL), etc.) deben comunicarse con la agencia local o estatal responsable de administrar el programa o con el Centro TARGET del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY) o comuníquese con el USDA a través del Servicio Federal de Retransmisión al (800) 877-8339. Para presentar una queja por discriminación en el programa, el reclamante debe llenar un formulario AD-3027, formulario de queja por discriminación en el programa del USDA, el cual puede obtenerse en línea

PARTICIPANT RIGHTS WPPM #510-20 Subject: Treatment of Individuals Item: Use of the Nondiscrimination Statement on Print and Media Materials

en: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027s.pdf, de cualquier oficina de USDA, llamando al (866) 632-9992, o escribiendo una carta dirigida a USDA. La carta debe contener el nombre del demandante, la dirección, el número de teléfono y una descripción escrita de la acción discriminatoria alegada con suficiente detalle para informar al Subsecretario de Derechos Civiles (ASCR) sobre la naturaleza y fecha de una presunta violación de derechos civiles. El formulario AD-3027 completado o la carta debe presentarse a USDA por: 1. correo: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 3. correo electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.” 2. Short version: “Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.” II. Statement Inclusion A. The standard NDS must be included on any WIC program materials used for certification and eligibility, program outreach, referrals, program promotion, and participant rights intended for public information, public education, or public distribution. 1. Examples include applications, publications, informational materials, posters, outreach materials, handouts, referral materials, videos, leaflets, brochures, and flyers. 2. All websites that inform the public about the WIC Program must contain the NDS. At the minimum, the NDS, or a link to it, must be included on the home page of the program information. 3. Where space restraints make it infeasible to include the standard long statement, the short version may be used to satisfy the NDS requirement. Revised California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 3 of 5 February 25, 2024

PARTICIPANT RIGHTS WPPM #510-20 Subject: Treatment of Individuals Item: Use of the Nondiscrimination Statement on Print and Media Materials

Revised California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 4 of 5 February 25, 2024 III. Statement Exclusion A. The NDS is not required on items such as cups, baby bibs, buttons, tote bags, pens, magnets, or other incentive items. B. Nutrition education and breastfeeding promotion and support materials that strictly provide a nutrition message and simply carry the WIC logo with no other mention of the WIC Program are not required to display the NDS. IV. Public Service Announcement (PSA), Paid Television, or Radio Advertising A. A PSA is a non-commercial advertisement typically on television or radio and broadcast for the common good at no charge. Paid television and radio advertisements require a fee for broadcasting. B. The entire standard NDS does not have to be read in its entirety for radio and television PSAs. Instead, the shorter statement, “This institution is an equal opportunity provider”, is sufficient to meet the federal nondiscrimination requirement. C. The California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Office of Public Affairs requires that all PSAs, paid television and radio advertising, outdoor print ads, videos/websites, and collateral materials that are produced and/or paid for with CDPH funds must also include the following statement(s): 1. Public Service Announcements – Television and radio: a. “Brought to you by the California Department of Public Health.” b. “Brought to you by the State of California.” (For campaigns that include funds from another state agency) 2. Paid television or radio advertising: a. “Sponsored by the California Department of Public Health.” b. “Sponsored by the State of California (For campaigns that include funds from another state agency) 3. Outdoor print ads: a. “California Department of Public Health.” 4. Videos/Websites: a. “California Department of Public Health.” Individual program names/logos may be included, as appropriate.

PARTICIPANT RIGHTS WPPM #510-20 Subject: Treatment of Individuals Item: Use of the Nondiscrimination Statement on Print and Media Materials

Revised February 25, 2024 California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 5 of 5 RESOURCES: Graphic Standards Manual for California WIC Program on Local Agency SharePoint Site (LASS) Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (English) Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (Spanish) AUTHORITY: 7 CFR §246.8 Nondiscrimination WRO All States Memorandum 818C WRO All States Memorandum 06-21