Federal Civil Rights Investigations - An Opportunity for Accountability
/This article from the LA Times about a federal civil rights investigation into the pregnancy-related death of Kira Johnson illustrates the potential for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to bring much needed systemic accountability for birth inequities, obstetric racism and obstetric violence.
Elephant Circle has been working on developing this pathways for years, having first met with leaders at the OCR in 2021. We now have a process in place to help people file complaints with the office - learn more here and share widely!
We also wrote a comprehensive brief on the issue, Mobilizing the Office for Civil Rights’ Authority to Address Obstetric Violence and Obstetric Racism, which we delivered to the Office for Civil Rights in 2022. Follow-up conversations we have had with the office in 2023 confirms that this is a tractable pathway. We encourage anyone who has experienced obstetric racism, obstetric violence, or inequities during the perinatal period to file a report.
Cedars-Sinai faces federal civil rights investigation over treatment of Black mothers
BY MARISSA EVANS STAFF WRITER
JULY 11, 2023 5 AM PT
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is facing a federal civil rights investigation over how the Los Angeles hospital treats Black women who give birth there, an official with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed.
The investigation comes after allegations of racism and discrimination emerged in the years after the death of Kira Dixon Johnson.
Johnson went to Cedars-Sinai in April 2016 to deliver her second son by cesarean section but died hours later after hemorrhaging blood. News of the incident spread over social media and led to her husband, Charles Johnson IV, filing lawsuits against the hospital over her death.
The Times obtained a copy of a letter the federal agency sent to Charles Johnson in March indicating that it was aware of the allegations involving the hospital’s level of care for Black women.
The Office of Civil Rights “has been made aware of concerns regarding the standard of care provided to Black women in the care of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center,” the letter said. “Specifically, OCR is aware of allegations that Black women are provided a standard of care below what is provided to other women who are not Black when receiving health care services related to labor and delivery.”
The letter noted that based on the allegations and the fact that Cedars-Sinai receives federal funding, the agency is reviewing whether the hospital is complying with federal civil rights laws.
Melanie Fontes Rainer, director of HHS’ Office of Civil Rights, confirmed the agency’s investigation in an emailed statement.
“Maternal health is a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration and one in which the HHS Office for Civil Rights is working on around the country to ensure equity and equality in health care,” Fontes Rainer said. “To protect the integrity of this ongoing investigation we have no further comment.”