Civil Rights

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Pursuant to State and Federal Law, the administration of social services programs are nondiscriminatory, and no person shall, because of race, color, national origin (including language), political affiliation, religion, marital status, sex, age , gender, sexual orientation, domestic partnership, ethnic identity, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, medical condition, genetics, or disability (physical, mental, learning and developmental disability) be excluded from participation in services, be denied benefits, or be subjected to discrimination.

Do you have any physical, mental, or emotional conditions that make it hard for you to apply for benefits or meet program requirements? We can give extra help. We call this type of help a reasonable accommodation. The law protects people with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities as well as others with serious health problems (42 U.S.C. § 12132).

CIVIL RIGHTS COORDINATOR

The role of the Civil Rights Coordinator is to objectively handle complaints of discrimination. All investigations are handled in a manner that maintains confidentiality to the extent reasonably possible. The Civil Rights Coordinator can also assist you if you need a reasonable accommodation to access our services.

HOW TO FILE A DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT

If you feel Amador County Social Services has discriminated against you, you can make a discrimination complaint to the Amador County Department of Social Services Civil Rights Coordinator verbally or in writing.

Tina DalPorto
Amador County Department of Social Services
10877 Conductor Blvd.
Sutter Creek, CA 95685
Phone: (209) 223-6550

Toll free: (844) 835-3685

The information the Civil Rights Coordinator will likely need includes the following:

Client/applicant name and contact information
The basis of the complaint (e.g. race, gender, religion)
The discriminatory action(s) taken against the complainant (e.g. denial of benefits, no reasonable accommodation made, etc.)
The actual date(s) the incident took place
The names and job titles of the individuals being accused of discrimination
A detailed explanation of the sequence of events which you believe to be discriminatory
The specific action or corrective measure you are seeking

FILING DEADLINES

A complaint must be filed within 180 days from the date the alleged discriminatory action occurred, unless the filing date is extended by the California Department of Social Services.

HOW THE COMPLAINT IS INVESTIGATED

Upon receipt of the complaint, the Civil Rights Coordinator will determine if the complaint needs to be investigated. If so, the Civil Rights Coordinator will forward the complaint to the investigator. Within 20 calendar days of receiving the complaint, the investigator will send a letter to the complainant acknowledging receipt of the complaint and scheduling a face-to-face interview with the complainant. The investigation may include reviewing and obtaining copies of relevant documents, interviewing witnesses, and any other actions considered necessary in order to obtain relevant information.

It is important to remember that the complainant is expected to participate and cooperate with the investigation by providing any written material, names of individuals to interview, or any other information which would assist in the investigation.

ALTERNATE AGENCIES WHERE A COMPLAINT CAN BE FILED

California Department of Social Services Civil Rights Bureau
744 P Street, MS 8-16-70
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 654-2107
(866) 741-6241 (Toll-Free)
Website: http://www.cdss.ca.gov/Reporting/File-a-Complaint/Discrimination-Complaints

For the CalFresh Program:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Mail Stop 9410
1400 Independence Avenue S.W.,Room 1330, South Building
Washington, DC 20250.
Telephone: (800) 368-1019 TTY: (800) 537-7697
Website: https://www.ascr.usda.gov/node/119

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Civil Rights
90 7th Street, Suite 4-100
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 437-8310 (voice)
(415) 437-8311 (TDD)
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html

Know Your Rights Under California Welfare Programs Pamphlet (PUB 13)

This pamphlet describes your rights and explains what you can do if you have a complaint. The information is for persons applying for, receiving, or who have received aid or services. The pamphlet:

Spells out your rights as an applicant/recipient;
Specifies that multilingual services are available;
Lists the TDD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf);
Explains the steps you can take if you do not agree with the action of your application or services;
Explains the State Hearings process;
Outlines actions you can take for discrimination complaints; and,
Identifies state and federal contacts.

PUB 13

PUB 13 Large Print

English