Concerns Over Discriminatory Grants by HHS
A letter obtained by the Daily Call News Foundation raises alarms from civil rights organizations about the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continuing to fund hundreds of grants that may be discriminatory.
According to the Equal Protection Project (EPP), there are over 700 ongoing grants aimed at improving outcomes for minorities listed in public databases. On June 24th, EPP announced issues related to these grants, highlighting concerns directed at HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
The letter emphasizes that while aiming for better outcomes in minority communities is admirable, it shouldn’t verge into civil rights violations during execution.
William Jacobson, founder of the EPP, pointed out that HHS must not permit grant recipients to breach civil rights. “We’re calling for audits and oversight from agencies that misuse HHS funds for discriminatory purposes,” he stated. He added that any eligibility discrimination in healthcare not only harms those excluded but also impacts the healthcare system as a whole.
In relation to a specific grant challenged on June 24th, a complaint was submitted to the HHS office for civil rights, which involves funding for minority fellowships. This grant, run by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) and Yale School of Medicine, has criteria that state applicants must belong to certain racial or ethnic minority groups.
The EPP letter contends that while the grant’s conditions technically do not restrict eligibility, the AAAP and Yale enforce these criteria, effectively applying discriminatory standards while utilizing federal funds. “It’s fair to think the grant program’s title—’Minority Fellowship Program’—may promote such discriminatory practices, even if it doesn’t explicitly require them,” the letter noted.
The letter calls on HHS to conduct a thorough review of these grants to ensure that the aim of serving minority communities aligns with the Civil Rights Act.
As of now, HHS has not commented on the situation.
