Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission (BCHRAC) is an advisory body established by Barnstable County, to promote human rights for residents of, employees in, and visitors to Barnstable County (the fifteen Towns from Bourne and Sandwich to Provincetown).
The BCHRAC upholds the anti-discrimination laws of Massachusetts which protect all people in MA from being treated differently or unfairly based on their membership in a protected class.
We are here to assist with your concerns regarding a range of services if you feel you, or someone you represent, have been unfairly treated because of who you (or they) are. Human Rights Concern Intake and Referral form can also be used to report an incident, with no further action required of the BCHRAC.
Although we are an intake and referral resource for the community, our investigative capacity and scope are limited.  We have some oversight of Human Rights matters and strongly advocate for rights of individuals; however, we function as an educational, advocacy and advisory board. We will make every effort to ensure your concern is heard and addressed. We cannot guarantee the resolution that you desire but may be able to refer you to an agency which has enforcement powers; that is equipped to conduct a comprehensive investigation; and make a finding of civil rights or human rights violation or other legal, financial or personnel decisions. We may also be able to help you to access mediation, training, or other services/agencies to help you reach a satisfactory resolution. We will maintain a dialogue with you through the resolution process or up to the point when your concern is closed or withdrawn.
Although all information provided will be considered privileged, the BCHRAC may need to reveal certain details with third parties to verify or gather additional facts. Please refer to the Consent Form for further details.
Please note:Â Retaliation against a person for registering a concern, or filing a concern for the purpose of retaliation, is strictly prohibited.
We do not provide legal services.