WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is restructuring its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) with a renewed focus on protecting religious freedom in health care and social services.
As part of the reorganization, HHS has reinstated the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division – an office debuted in President Trump’s first term to enforce federal laws protecting religious liberty and conscience rights in health care. The division was dissolved under the Biden administration in 2023.
The OCR will now operate through three separate divisions: The Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, The Civil Rights Division, and The Health Information Privacy, Data, and Cybersecurity Division.
“This reorganization restores the HHS Civil Rights Division and the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division and strengthens the Office for Civil Rights’ ability to defend religious liberty, enforce conscience protections, and combat unlawful discrimination,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
During a briefing with journalists on Wednesday, a senior HHS official highlighted several ongoing investigations involving alleged violations of religious liberty and conscience protections in health care settings.
According to the official, one case involves a hospital accused of firing ultrasound technicians who objected to participating in abortion-related procedures. Another investigation centers on a Michigan health system accused of terminating an employee after the worker requested religious accommodation related to the use of a patient’s preferred pronouns. The official also said OCR is investigating complaints against 13 states accused of pressuring health care entities to provide or pay for abortion coverage against their religious or moral objections.
Critics of the OCR’s policies argue that expanding religious freedom and conscience protections could allow health care providers to deny certain forms of care to patients. The National Women’s Law Center, which refers to the measures as “refusal laws,” says such policies can enable providers to withhold treatment based on personal religious or moral objections rather than a patient’s medical needs.
The senior HHS official said the department is also working with the federal Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias and is investigating complaints of alleged anti-Semitism involving Jewish and Israeli students on major college and university campuses.
The restructuring is the latest move by the Trump administration to elevate religious liberty protections across the federal government. Since returning to office, President Trump has established a Religious Liberty Commission through the Department of Justice and created a White House Faith Office aimed at strengthening partnerships with faith-based communities and organizations.
