The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is committed to making its information and communication technology (ICT) accessible to individuals with disabilities by meeting or exceeding the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998. HHS, at a minimum, applies WCAG 2.0 level AA, Section 508 standards, and digital accessibility best practices to all ICT developed, procured, funded, maintained, or used. These standards are documented in the HHS Conformance Checklists. The HHS Policy for Section 508 Compliance and Accessibility of ICT is posted in the policy archive in accordance with Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) guidelines.
If you require assistance or wish to report an issue related to the accessibility of any content on this website, please email 508OperationsBoard@hhs.gov. If applicable, please include the web address or URL and the specific problems you have encountered.
OpDiv Representatives
Per policy, the OpDiv Section 508 Program Managers (PMs) are designated by the OpDiv Chief Information Officer (CIO). The HHS Section 508 Program Director is selected by the department CIO. A list of all HHS OpDiv Section 508 PMs is below.
| OpDiv | Representative | Contact Information |
|---|---|---|
| Administration for Children & Families (ACF) | Janean Chambers | Janean.Chambers@hhs.gov |
| Administration for Community Living (ACL) | Steven Verber | accessibility@acl.hhs.gov |
| Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) | Amy Ngan | AHRQSection508@ahrq.hhs.gov |
| Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) | Albely Sajneen | Albely.Sajneen@hhs.gov |
| Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) | Mark Urban | 508HelpDesk@cdc.gov |
| Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) | Aaron Allen | 508Feedback@cms.hhs.gov |
| Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | Heather Chafin | FDA508Coordinator@fda.hhs.gov |
| Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | Kate Sweeney | 508OperationsBoard@hhs.gov |
| Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) | Lauren Taylor | Section508@hrsa.gov |
| Indian Health Services (IHS) | Kevin Fulbright | IHSSection508@ihs.gov |
| National Institutes for Health (NIH) | Antonio Haileselassie | Section508Help@nih.gov |
| Office of the Secretary (OS) | Cammie Truesdell | OSA11y@hhs.gov |
| Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) | Alex Karakcheyev | 508@samhsa.hhs.gov |
Resources for Reasonable Accommodations
For information about Reasonable Accommodations and Personal Assistance Services (PAS), visit the HHS Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity & Inclusion (EEDOI) website.
How to Apply to HHS as a Person with Disabilities
Visit the HHS Careers website for more information on Schedule A Hiring Authority, Open Opportunities, Current Opportunities, and Find a Selective Placement Program.
Instructions for Telecommunications Relay Services
(Source: NIH, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), Fact Sheet: Voice, Speech, and Language, Telecommunication Relay Services https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/Documents/health/TelecomunicationsRelayServices.pdf)
What are telecommunications relay services?
Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (which took full effect on July 26, 1993) requires all U.S. telephone companies to provide telecommunications relay services. A telecommunications relay service (TRS) provides a communications assistant (CA) that allows people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired to communicate with people who use a standard telephone. A TRS offers two options: voice carry-over (VCO) and hearing carry-over (HCO). VCO allows a person with a hearing impairment to speak directly to the other party and then read the response typed by a CA. HCO allows a person with a speech impairment to hear the other party and relay the typed response back to the telephone user through the CA. This service allows individuals with communication disorders to communicate with all telephone users.
How can I use a telecommunications relay service?
To reach a TRS, dial 711 and the assistant can place the 10-digit call on behalf of the text telephone device (TTY or TDD) user. You can dial 711 to access all telecommunications relay services anywhere in the United States. The relay service is free. In the event of an emergency, TDD or TTY users can call 911 directly and do not need to make a TRS call via 711. Communications assistants are trained to be unobtrusive. An assistant’s responsibility is to relay the conversation exactly as it is received. All relay calls are confidential. Regardless of which long-distance company or organization is providing a state’s relay service, callers can continue to use the long-distance company of their choice.
Where can I find additional information about telecommunications relay services?
For more information on TRS, please visit the Federal Communications Commission at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html.
Complaint Resolutions
For general questions or comments regarding accessibility pertaining to the Department or OS send an email to 508OperationsBoard@hhs.gov or for other OpDivs contact the respective OpDiv Section 508 program team. Note: Do not disclose procurement sensitive information until a representative has responded to the inquiry.
Formal complaints must either be routed to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) or the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) office. It is up to the party filing the complaint to determine if an OpDiv-level or agency-wide entity will receive the submission. Upon request of an OCR or EEO entity, the respective Section 508 Program Manager or designee will assist in the complaint process. Each OpDiv Section 508 Program Manager or designee is responsible for aiding in complaints pertaining to an OpDiv system, product, content, or service. Assistance may include, but is not limited to, gathering data, performing evaluations, or providing guidance.
Prior to a complaint being submitted, the nature of the complaint must be determined. The OCR investigates complaints related to civil rights, conscience, religious freedom, and health information privacy at covered entities under the follow authorities:
- Federal civil rights laws,
- Conscience and religious freedom laws,
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, and
- Patient Safety Act and Rules
Complaints can be filed on behalf of yourself, someone else, or an organization. OCR complaints must be filed using the OCR’s Complaint Portal Assistant. The OCR’s procedures will be followed, and the applicable parties will be contacted if the complaint refers to an entity within an OpDiv.
The EEO office processes complaints of employment discrimination based on disability. Federal employees and applicants for federal employment who believe they have been subjected to discrimination must contact an EEO counselor within forty-five (45) calendar days of the alleged discriminatory action. EEO contact information can be located on the EEO Programs and Offices website. The complaint will then follow the EEO office’s procedures until a determination is reached.