Facing Foster Care in Alaska v. HHS

Plaintiffs Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA), Family Equality, True Colors United, Inc., and Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) collectively challenge the Grants Rule issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) on January 12, 2021 that modifies a regulation finalized in 2016, which set uniform nondiscrimination protections for beneficiaries of and participants in services and programs funded by HHS grants. The new rule leaves many potential beneficiaries and participants, including some of the most vulnerable members of our society, exposed to unlawful discrimination on the basis of religion, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity by removing protections meant to ensure people are safe and treated equitably when accessing critical, often lifesaving, government-funded services.

HHS grants fund programs that provide important health and welfare services to millions of people, including children in foster care and their families, youth experiencing homelessness, low-income families, people living with HIV, refugees, victims of trafficking, and older people.