Connecticut is committed to advancing health equity. Collecting self-reported REL data for each patient and client helps identify disparities in health. OHS has published uniform standards that agencies and provider organizations use to collect this data.
REL data is used by a variety of stakeholders, including the Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health, to inform their annual reporting.
REL data collection and reporting also helps state-agencies, researchers, policy makers, and legislators:
Explore more details about REL data collection by following the links below to review the data standards, implementation plan, and implementation guide.
Find all the information you need as you begin collecting race, ethnicity, and language data. This toolkit is for CT healthcare provider organizations, as well as state agencies, boards, commissions, and contractors.
Review the standards that agencies, boards, commissions, and healthcare providers must use to collect REL data.
Learn more about the tasks that REL data collectors need to complete to properly collect and maintain data.
See our findings and recommendations around race, ethnicity, and language data collection.
OHS, state agencies, and provider organizations only collect REL data that patients have self-reported and given their consent to use. It’s also important to note that patients are never required to provide REL information in order to get health care or services.
Organizations impacted by the mandate to collect REL data do so according to the data standards. This includes any agencies and contractors that provide clinical services, behavioral health services, community health services and support, and public health services and surveillance, such as:
Healthcare providers connected to CT’s Health Information Exchange (HIE), Connie, must also collect REL data in their electronic health record systems.
