HHS Restructures Office for Civil Rights

HHS Restructures Office for Civil Rights - Healthcare Law Update - June 2026 - Brach Eichler
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6/1/2026

On May 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) announced a restructuring of its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), DHHS’s law enforcement agency that oversees laws protecting civil rights, conscience and religious freedom, and health information privacy and security (HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 regulations). OCR is now divided into three distinct divisions: the Civil Rights Division, the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, and the Health Information Privacy, Data, and Cybersecurity Division.

As to data privacy and security, according to the announcement, “[t]he intake and processing of complaints filed with OCR and the review of reported breaches of unsecured protected health information will continue to be handled through an Enforcement Division that supports centralized intake and field office execution.” We expect further information about the reorganization through a notice to be published in the Federal Register in June.

Click Here to read the entire June 2026 Healthcare Law Update now!

If you need assistance with your HIPAA compliance program, an
OCR investigation, or a data breach incident, please contact:
Lani M. Dornfeld, CHPC | 973.403.3136 | ldornfeld@bracheichler.com

*This is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact the authors if you need specific advice.

Related Practices:   Healthcare Law

Related Attorney:   Lani M. Dornfeld

Related Industry:   Healthcare