Revised 9-2022

Connecticut WIC Program Manual WIC 104-01 SECTION: Civil Rights SUBJECT: Nondiscrimination Statement

Federal Regulations: §246.8; FNS Instruction 113-1, Departmental Regulation 4300-003, Equal Opportunity Public Notification Policy-June 2, 2015

POLICY State and local agency staff shall not discriminate or permit discrimination against any person or group of persons on the grounds of race, color, age, national origin, sex, or disability in any manner prohibited by the laws of the United States or of the State of Connecticut.

Nondiscrimination Posters Prominently display the USDA nondiscrimination poster entitled “And Justice for All” and the State of Connecticut poster “Discrimination is Illegal” at each local WIC agency and satellite site waiting area.

Contact the State WIC agency to obtain copies of the poster in four different languages and/or in alternative means of communication (Braille, large print, etc.).

Nondiscrimination Statement The nondiscrimination statement must be included, at a minimum, on the State agency WIC home page on the web. Local agencies must submit, to the State agency Local Program monitor, for review and approval any new outreach materials, publications, leaflets, handouts and brochures that describe the WIC Program prior to their dissemination. The following nondiscrimination statement MUST be included on all publications, outreach materials, handouts, referral materials, leaflets, brochures that identify or describe the WIC program: 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/USDA- OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.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 violation. The completed

Revised 9-2022

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;

(2) fax(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442 ; or

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Spanish translation:

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 en: https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource- files/usda-program-discrimination-complaint-form-spanish.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; o

(2) fax: (833)256-1665 o (202) 690-7442; o

(3) correo electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov

Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

Revised 9-2022

Status of Current Materials

In order to avoid waste of current materials, WIC State and local agencies may deplete current supplies^. All new materials, however, must include this revised statement. If the material size does not permit the full statement to be included, the material MUST at a minimum include the statement, in print size no smaller than the text that:

“This institution is an equal opportunity provider”^ Until such date to be determined by the USDA with additional guidance on use of these supplies.

Guidance for radio or television

In addition, for radio and television public service announcements the nondiscrimination statement does not have to be read in its entirety. Rather, the statement “This institution is an equal opportunity provider” is sufficient to meet this requirement. Nutrition education and breastfeeding promotion and support materials that strictly provide a nutrition message with no mention of the WIC Program, are not required to contain this nondiscrimination statement.