Hands In Unity LLC | Section 1557, Title VI and Section 504
1. Hands In Unity does not discriminate
Hands In Unity LLC (HIU) complies with applicable federal civil rights laws. HIU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency and primary language), sex, age, or disability in its health programs and activities. HIU does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Title VI. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that programs receiving federal financial assistance be free of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. As a provider licensed by and contracted with the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (DDA), HIU follows Title VI and DDA's Title VI requirements. No person will be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in HIU's services because of race, color, or national origin.
Section 504. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. HIU does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or treatment in its programs and activities, or in employment.
Section 1557. Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in health programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including Medicaid (TennCare).
2. Free help we provide
HIU provides, free of charge and in a timely manner:
- Reasonable modifications for people with disabilities: changes to our rules, policies or practices when needed to give equal access
- Auxiliary aids and services for people with disabilities, such as qualified sign language interpreters, and written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, braille)
- Language assistance services for people whose primary language is not English, such as qualified interpreters and written information translated into other languages
3. How to ask for this help
Call 865-659-8279 (TRS: 711), Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time; email c.pate@hiucare.com; or ask any HIU staff member or your Family Model Provider. Tell us what you need. You do not have to pay, and you do not have to bring your own interpreter.
4. Civil Rights Coordinator
HIU's coordinator for Section 1557, Title VI, and Section 504 is:
Civil Rights Coordinator (Section 1557 / Title VI / Section 504)
Chris Pate, Co-founder and Director of Operations
Hands In Unity LLC, 900 E Hill Ave. Ste 430, Knoxville, TN 37915
Phone: 865-659-8279 | TRS: 711 | Email: c.pate@hiucare.com
5. How to file a grievance with HIU
If you believe HIU failed to provide these services or discriminated against you in another way, you can file a grievance with HIU. Our grievance procedure is available at hiucare.com/report-a-concern and on paper from our office.
- By phone: 865-659-8279 (TRS 711)
- By email: c.pate@hiucare.com (Civil Rights Coordinator) or d.byerley@hiucare.com
- By mail or in person: Hands In Unity LLC, Attn: Civil Rights Coordinator, 900 E Hill Ave. Ste 430, Knoxville, TN 37915
- An online grievance form is not available yet. Please use phone, email, mail, or visit us in person.
If you need help filing a grievance, Chris Pate is available to help you. We will not retaliate against you for filing a grievance or a complaint, or for helping someone else file one.
If you tell HIU about discrimination in TennCare-funded services, HIU will send a copy of your complaint to TennCare's Office of Civil Rights Compliance (HCFA.fairtreatment@tn.gov) within 2 days of receiving it, as TennCare and its health plans ask providers to do. HIU will also send Title VI complaints (race, color or national origin) to DDA's Office of Civil Rights (DDA.ocr@tn.gov) when our contracts require it. HIU still handles your grievance, and you can also file directly with any agency listed in this document.
6. How to file a complaint with the federal government (HHS OCR)
You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. You do not have to file with HIU first.
- Online: HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Complaint Portal, https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf
- Phone: 1-800-368-1019 (toll-free) | TDD: 1-800-537-7697
- Email (questions or help filing): OCRMail@hhs.gov
- Mail: Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201
- Complaint forms and information: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html
- Complaints generally must be filed within 180 days of the date of the alleged discrimination; OCR can extend this time for good cause.
7. Other places you can file
You may also contact these agencies. DDA prefers that Title VI complaints be raised at the local level first, but you do not have to.
| Agency | Use it for | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| DDA Office of Civil Rights (Title VI Compliance, Central Office) | Title VI complaints (race, color, national origin) about DDA services or DDA-contracted providers such as HIU | (800) 535-9725 DDA.ocr@tn.gov Davy Crockett Tower, 2nd Floor, 500 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243 |
| DDA East Region Title VI Coordinator | Title VI complaints in East Tennessee | (423) 787-6491 Tammy.R.Green@tn.gov Post Office Box 130, Afton, TN 37616 |
| TennCare Office of Civil Rights Compliance (OCRC) | Discrimination in TennCare-funded services (race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex). File within 180 days. | 615-507-6474 (TRS 711) HCFA.fairtreatment@tn.gov 310 Great Circle Road, Floor 3W, Nashville, TN 37243 Help filing: TennCare Connect 855-259-0701 |
| U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division | Federal civil rights complaints (listed on DDA's Title VI notice) | (855) 856-1247 (toll free voice and TDD) https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20530 |
| Tennessee Attorney General, Civil Rights Enforcement Division | Discrimination under Tennessee civil rights laws (listed by DDA as a Title VI option) | (615) 741-5825 CRED@ag.tn.gov P.O. Box 20207, Nashville, TN 37202 |
DDA's Title VI complaint form: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/disability-and-aging/documents/about-us/divisions/office-of-general-counsel/office-of-civil-rights/60.1.1.a%20-%20DDA%20Title%20VI%20Complaint%20Form-UA.pdf
DDA Title VI notification (PDF)
8. Where this notice is available
- On our website: hiucare.com/nondiscrimination (linked from every page under "Your rights & privacy")
- Posted at our office, 900 E Hill Ave. Ste 430, Knoxville, TN 37915, in large print
- Given to each person we support and to applicants when services start and once a year
- In other languages and formats (large print, braille, audio, accessible electronic) at no cost: call 865-659-8279 (TRS 711)
This notice is also available with our language assistance notice at hiucare.com/language-assistance.
Language and disability help
Language and disability help. If you speak a language other than English, free language help is available. Free large print, sign language interpreters and other aids are also available. Call 865-659-8279 (TRS: 711).
Free language help in other languages. Language-assistance taglines in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, French, Amharic, Gujarati, Laotian, German, Tagalog, Hindi, Russian, Japanese and Persian are on our Language assistance page. Call 865-659-8279 (TRS 711).
Effective date: October 19, 2026
Related pages
- Your rights (HCBS)
- Notice of Privacy Practices (HIPAA)
- Website privacy policy
- Notice of nondiscrimination (this page)
- Language assistance
- Accessibility statement
- Report a concern / grievance procedure
Hands In Unity LLC · 900 E Hill Ave. Ste 430, Knoxville, TN 37915 · 865-659-8279 (TRS 711) · Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time