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99-08
June 22, 1999
STATE OF WISCONSIN
Department of Health and Family Services
Division of Supportive Living
To:
Area Administrators/Assistant Area Administrators
Bureau Directors
County Departments of Community Program Directors
County Departments of Developmental Disabilities Services Directors
County Departments of Human Services Directors
County Departments of Social Services Directors
Program Office Directors/ Section Chiefs
Tribal Chairpersons/Human Services Facilitators
From:
Sinikka McCabe
Administrator
Re: Human Services Reporting System (HSRS) Race and Ethnicity Code
Changes
Document Summary
The Human Services Reporting System (HSRS) race and ethnicity codes
are changing in October 1999 to comply with new federal reporting
standards. Counties should change their own computer systems to meet these
standards as well.
The federal government has issued revisions to the standards for the
classification of data on race and ethnicity. HSRS will change the race
and ethnicity codes collected as follows:
A = Asian
B = Black or African American
W = White
P = Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
I = American Indian or Alaska Native
As many as apply may be coded. (All five races may be coded for one
client.)
There will be a separate Hispanic or Latino field with a Yes or No
coding.
DEFINITIONS
Asian: All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of
the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the
Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Black or African American: All persons having origins in any of the
black racial groups of Africa.
White: All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of
Europe, North Africa or the Middle East.
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: All persons having origins in
any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific
Islands. (The term Native Hawaiian does not include individuals who are
native to the State of Hawaii by virtue of being born there.)
American Indian or Alaska Native: All persons having origins in
any of the original people of North, South and Central America.
Hispanic or Latino: All persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,
Central or South American or another Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.
This change will occur on HSRS in October of 1999. This effective date
is also federally mandated.
These are the same race codes that will be used in the US Census.
ACTION SUMMARY:
Counties should start planning changes to their HSRS record keeping
and to their own computer systems to come into compliance with the new
federal standards by October 1, 1999
REGIONAL OFFICE CONTACT:
Area Administrator
CENTRAL OFFICE CONTACT:
HSRS SOS DESK
Division of Supportive Living
1 W. Wilson ST., P. O. Box 7851
Madison, WI 53707-7851
(608) 266-9198
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