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Program Functional Area 8: Civil Rights Goal 8: Establish and administer policies and procedures that ensure participant-oriented, customer friendly service environment for all applicants and participants and comply with Racial/Ethnic Federal mandate to ensure uniformity and comparability in the collection and use of data as required by OMB standards. By September 30, 2024: Objective: 8.1 Verify 100% of local agencies comply with use of revised nondiscrimination statement requirements and OMB racial/ethnic data collection standards. Objective: 8.2 Conduct annual civil rights training for state and local agency staff.

Objective Strategies/Activities Baseline Indicators Progress 8.1 Verify 100% of local agencies comply with use of non- discrimination statement requirements and OMB racial/ethnic data collection standards. During monitoring, request copies of LA developed brochures, handbooks, and/or other publications, webpages or social media accounts and review for proper usage of the nondiscrimination statement.

Monitor to verify that Racial/Ethnic Data Collection procedures are followed at local agencies during FY24 reviews. Ongoing Each brochure and handout and webpage will contain the current USDA non-discrimination statement.

Regulatory compliance as evidenced in monitoring reports. One of the three local agencies reviewed to date failed to ensure the current NDS is included on all publications.

Staff in the three local agencies reviewed follow the proper procedure for collection of Race/Ethnic data. 8.2 Conduct annual civil rights training for local agency staff.

Annually, update and train all State and local staff on revised nondiscrimination complaint procedures and forms.

The annual interactive Civil Rights applied session is incorporated into the annual Statewide Meeting.

Annual Civil Rights Training was presented by NERO/USDA on 9/27/2023 or 9/28/2023. All State and local agency staff attended or reviewed the recording.