Whether you're advocating for yourself, caring for a loved one, preparing for birth, or looking for a provider who understands your experience, you'll find practical tools, trusted resources, and guidance to help you navigate care with confidence.
Learn what your rights are, what to do when they are violated, and where to file a complaint.
Connect with Black providers, hospitals, and trusted support in Delaware.
Tools for birthing people, caregivers, and families looking out for someone they love.
When you receive care, you have rights. These rights apply in most settings, though they can look different in emergencies or with specific provider types. Knowing them is the first step to using them.
Nothing happens to your body without your voluntary yes. You can ask questions first. You can say not yet.
You may decline any treatment or procedure at any time, even mid-care. A provider cannot proceed without your agreement.
You have a legal right to see and get copies of your medical records. In most cases, providers must respond within 30 days.
You can ask to bring a support person. Many settings must allow it, though some safety rules may apply.
If your provider or plan is covered by federal civil-rights laws, you generally have the right to a qualified medical interpreter at no cost.
Providers covered by federal law cannot discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
HIPAA gives you important privacy rights, though some sharing is allowed for treatment, billing, and certain public health reasons.
If you believe your rights were violated, you can report it. It is illegal for providers to punish you for filing a complaint.
Did any of these happen to you or someone you love? You have a right to file a complaint. You do not need a lawyer to start. Just write down what happened. The date. The name of the staff. What they said and did.
Being given the wrong drug, overdosed, or drugs that interact badly.
You had surgery for something that could have been treated with medicine or physical therapy.
You got the wrong treatment. Or treatment you did not need. Or the doctor got your diagnosis wrong.
Your test results were bad or you got sicker. But you did not get treatment, or it came too late.
The hospital sent you home while you were still in a lot of pain. Or before you were stable.
You went home with no clear directions for new medicines or follow-up care.
You were ignored. The space was dirty. There were too few staff. The setting put you at risk.
A provider acted in a way that was unsafe, unfair, or against the rules of their license.
Match your problem to the right path. You can use more than one at the same time. Detailed steps are in the next section.
A problem with care, staff, or safety during a hospital stay.
Your plan denied, delayed, or underpaid for care you need.
Unfair treatment because of race, sex, disability, or HIPAA breach.
A licensed provider acted in a way that was unsafe or unethical.
For most insurance coverage problems, you start with your health plan's complaint or appeal process. Then go to the Delaware Department of Insurance. Sometimes federal agencies come next. For discrimination, privacy, or serious safety issues, you can also report directly to state or federal civil-rights and oversight agencies at the same time. Filing a complaint is your right. It can help fix problems for you and others, but it does not guarantee a specific outcome. Providers cannot legally punish you for it.
For most complaints, you must finish your health plan's complaint process before going to the state. Call your plan's member services number. Tell them you want to file a formal complaint. Then follow up by email or online. That way you have a written record.
Use this when your health plan denies, delays, or underpays for care. They handle insurance issues, not clinical negligence. If your plan does not fix the problem, the Delaware Department of Insurance is your next stop. They handle complaints about coverage denials, claim disputes, and network access. You must finish your plan's appeal first.
File here for complaints about licensed staff like doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers, or pharmacists. DPR can investigate and discipline providers who break the rules of their license. But they cannot award you money. For compensation, you may need to speak with a lawyer. You can also use DPR to check a provider's background.
File here when a provider treats you unfairly because of your race, skin color, where you are from, sex, age, or disability. This works for most hospitals and clinics that get federal funds. It is also the right place for HIPAA privacy issues. You usually have 180 days from the day the problem happened to file a federal civil-rights or privacy complaint with HHS OCR. Some state agencies give more time. Check current deadlines for your situation.
Use this for problems with a hospital, nursing home, or other licensed facility. That includes safety, cleanliness, unsafe discharge, or staffing. DHCQ does not handle individual provider discipline. That goes to DPR. DHCQ is the Delaware office that licenses care facilities.
Most major hospitals are Joint Commission accredited. If yours is, you can report patient safety events to them directly. The Joint Commission can investigate safety concerns at accredited hospitals. But they do not provide individual remedies or money damages. This is in addition to the other paths, not instead of them. Their seal of approval depends on what patients say.
For real harm or malpractice, talk to a medical malpractice lawyer. Use the Delaware Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division for things like billing fraud, deceptive business practices, or unsafe practices that affect many patients. Use the HHS Office of Inspector General to report suspected fraud involving Medicaid, Medicare, or other federal health programs. It can be hard to find a lawyer for harms that affect many people. Do not let that stop you. Good notes make it easier for advocates, lawyers, or agencies to help you later, even if you are not sure yet what you will do.
Start here for problems that happen inside a hospital. Every hospital must have a way to take and review patient complaints. The office may be called Patient Relations, Patient Advocate, or Patient Experience. Remember: these staff work for the hospital. They are not on your side in the same way an outside group would be.
Studies show Black patients often have better experiences and some improved health outcomes when they see Black providers. This includes better communication, trust, and uptake of preventive care. This is one part of addressing systemic racism in health care. Below is a list of Black OB-GYN providers in Delaware. Call ahead to check that they take your insurance and are seeing new patients.
Source: Black Mothers in Power Birth Equity Directory. Call each office to check if they are still in practice and accept your insurance.
If you are pregnant or planning to give birth in Delaware, this section is for you. Build a birth plan that reflects your wishes. Know which steps are your choice. And know that Delaware Medicaid now covers doula support across pregnancy and after.
A birth plan is how you tell your medical team what you want before, during, and after giving birth. You share it in writing and out loud. It is a tool, not a contract. Things can change. But it gives your team a clear starting point.
Talk through these areas with your provider. You can say yes, say no, or ask for another option on most of them.
Most labor and birth steps are your choice. You have a legal right to say yes or no to any medical step. In true emergencies or certain high-risk situations, your options may be limited and clinicians may need to act quickly. You still have the right to be told what is happening and why, whenever possible. When a doctor suggests something, ask: What is it? What is it for? Are there other options? Not every option may be available or a safe choice for you in every situation. Ask your team to explain the risks and benefits in plain language.
This is not the full list, and not all alternatives may be available to everyone. Always ask if there is another option. Ask if you can wait. Ask if you can say no. If a provider pushes back, ask them to write your refusal in your chart. Writing it down protects you.
Caring for someone in the medical system is its own kind of work. Whether you are looking after an aging parent, supporting a partner through birth, or advocating for a loved one with a disability, you have rights too. This section walks through three caregiver paths most common in Delaware.
As an adult child or family caregiver, you often need to access medical records, talk to providers, and advocate during care. Here is what you need to know.
People with disabilities have a right to reasonable accommodations and equal access to care under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws. As a family caregiver, you can help your loved one get the right accommodations and the right care.
Twenty-five organizations across the state. Use this directory to find caregiver resources by category. Each listing includes who it helps, what they offer, and how to reach them.
Delaware state agencies and services for older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers.
Programs that help family caregivers with respite, training, support groups, and education.
Organizations focused on disability rights, services, and community engagement.
Free legal help and financial coaching for older adults, families, and caregivers.
County-specific resources and local care providers.
National organizations with caregiver tools and information available to Delaware residents.
Reproductive justice is the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities. The framework was created in 1994 by 12 Black women who recognized that reproductive rights cannot be separated from racial, economic, and social justice.
Your rights matter. So does collective power. These Delaware groups shape policy and programs for Black maternal and infant health in the state. Many welcome community members to serve on their teams.
DHMIC is established in state law to advise on maternal and infant mortality and racial inequities. They work to lower infant and maternal deaths. They tackle racial gaps in care. They guide policy and programs across Delaware. The group includes community members and sends regular progress reports with recommendations to the Governor and Health Secretary.
MCDRC reviews deaths of pregnant people, new mothers, infants, and children to find preventable causes and recommend system-level changes. It does not assign individual blame for malpractice or decide lawsuits. MCDRC has worked under the Delaware Courts since 1995. In 2008, it grew to include maternal deaths.
RAAD is a coalition of Delaware organizations working to protect and expand reproductive rights and reproductive justice across the state. They bring together advocates, providers, and community members to push for policy change, fight harmful legislation, and educate Delawareans about their rights.
Connect with other Black birthing people. Share your story. Find solidarity. These tools are run by and for our communities.
A patient-led virtual reproductive healthcare platform built for Black and Brown communities. Real care from providers who see you.
A Delaware-rooted organization advancing Black maternal health, education, and community-led birth equity work across the state.
The Black Girl Health Collective is a Delaware-founded organization creating pathways to better health through education, connection, and access. Through culturally responsive resources, community-centered programs, and trusted support, we help Black women and their communities make informed decisions, build meaningful connections, and thrive across every stage of life.
"Birth without the B for bias." Read and share reviews of doctors, hospitals, and pediatricians from other Black and Brown families. Think of it like Yelp for pregnancy, birth, and baby care.
Delaware's group for Black reproductive justice work. They do policy, advocacy, and community organizing across the state. Connect with the movement here.
Did you get poor care at an accredited birth center? Report it to the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers. Their seal of approval depends on patient feedback.
The full Black Mothers in Power list of Black OB-GYN providers as a PDF. Print it, save it, or share it with someone who needs it.