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Health Services Anti-Discrimination Law
"A hospital or related institution may not discriminate against any individual with respect to the individual’s medical care because of the race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the individual." Health-General Article, § 19-355 (c), Annotated Code of Maryland
How MCCR Can Help
The Commission on Civil Rights is charged by Md. Code Ann. Health-General Art. § 19-355(d) with enforcing protections prohibiting health services discrimination.
If you believe that you were refused medical or health care because of your race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability, it is imperative that you contact our agency immediately to initiate an inquiry, so that we can assist you in determining if you have been a victim of discrimination. Our trained Intake Staff will guide you through the intake process and, through a series of questions and interviews, help you analyze your situation to determine if the actions taken against you meet the threshold of being considered discriminatory.
The statute of limitations to file a complaint with MCCR alleging unlawful discrimination in health services is 6 months from the date of the alleged discriminatory act.
Accessibility
MCCR undertakes every effort to make all of our documents and services available and accessible to the public. For example, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services are available upon request for individuals with limited English proficiency, or who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing. MCCR will also assist with securing an interpreter free-of-charge if requested in advance of an appointment. MCCR offices are accessible to those with mobility limitations. We welcome your request for an accommodation when utilizing MCCR's services. To request an accommodation, please contact MCCR at 410-767-8600 or [email protected].
How to File a Complaint with MCCR
If you believe you are a victim of unlawful discrimination and you wish to file a complaint, our Intake Unit is ready to assist you. The first step in MCCR's complaint process is to submit a complaint inquiry, often referred to as a Preliminary Questionnaire ("PQ").