Trump's week in review: White House defends Marty Makary, DOJ sues Minneapolis Public Schools
3. HHS launches investigation over failure to protect conscience, faith-based organizations
In a statement Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights announced that it had launched an investigation into the health department of an unnamed state to determine “whether its licensing policies, interpretations, or enforcement practices for behavioral health residential facilities and licensed behavioral health personnel violate Federal law” by trampling on conscience rights and discriminating against faith-based organizations.
Specifically, the investigation will probe whether the state requires faith-based behavioral health residential facilities to perform gender transition procedures and treats religious objections to the life-altering interventions as grounds for “adverse licensure action” and discriminates against such facilities for refusing to perform, pay for, provide coverage of or refer for abortion.
The probe will also determine if the state requires individuals in HHS-funded health service programs to assist in the performance of services that violate their religious beliefs, including counseling related to abortion and gender transition procedures.
“Amid a national shortage of behavioral health providers, every qualified professional is essential to meeting the needs of people in crisis,” said OCR Director Paula Stannard. “OCR is committed to ensuring that faith-based organizations can contribute fully and that no provider is asked to violate their religious beliefs or moral convictions as they step forward to serve.”
HHS indicated that Tuesday’s announcement “marks the fifth announced investigation during the second term of President Trump’s Administration examining compliance with Federal laws that safeguard conscience rights for health care professionals.”
The agency stressed that OCR has the authority to enforce federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of religion and conscience in HHS-funded programs.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
