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/ad-3027.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 AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or - fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or - email:
[email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The USDA Nondiscrimination Statement is in the process of being translated into 22 languages.
The Child Nutrition Programs, which include the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), are designed to provide nutritious meals to children in the United States. These programs offer accommodations for children with disabilities and special dietary needs to ensure that they receive adequate nutrition.
Accommodating Disabilities: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires schools to provide reasonable accommodations to children with disabilities in the Child Nutrition Programs. This means that schools must modify their policies, practices, or procedures to ensure that children with disabilities have equal access to the same benefits and services as their peers. Schools may need to modify menus or meal patterns, provide assistance with feeding, or offer alternative meal options.
Special Dietary Needs: Schools must also accommodate children with special dietary needs, including those with food allergies, intolerances, or other medical conditions that require a special diet. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service provides guidance to schools on how to accommodate these needs. Schools must make substitutions or modifications to meals when a child’s special dietary needs cannot be met by the regular menu.
To accommodate children with special dietary needs, schools may ask parents to provide a written statement from a licensed physician or other medical authority that describes the child’s special dietary needs. This statement should include the following information:
- An identification of the medical or other special dietary condition that restricts the child’s diet
- The food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet
- The food or choice of foods to be substituted
Based on the information provided in the written statement, schools may make modifications to the child’s meal or provide an alternative meal. Schools may also offer a “special menu” that meets the child’s dietary needs.
It is important to note that schools must keep any information regarding a child’s disability or special dietary needs confidential, except when necessary to provide for the child’s health and safety or with written parental consent.
USDA Child Nutrition Program Civil Rights complaints
All civil rights complaints related to the USDA Child Nutrition Programs must be forwarded to the USDA or to OPSI for forwarding to the USDA. OSPI has developed a sample Civil Rights Complaint Procedure and Complaint Log.