(a) The California Civil Rights Department (department), through its Community Conflict Resolution Unit (CCRU), provides community conflict resolution conciliation assistance to communities or persons therein experiencing disputes, disagreements, or difficulties arising from discriminatory practices based on the protected characteristics identified in Government Code section 12931. To be eligible for community conflict resolution conciliation assistance, the disputes, disagreements, or difficulties of the communities or persons therein must, within the judgment of the department, impair the rights of persons in the community under the Constitution or laws of the United States or of this state and threaten peaceful community relations.

(b) Community conflict resolution conciliation assistance is intended to assist communities experiencing conflict to develop community-led solutions to the conflict and enhance communities' capacity to independently prevent and resolve future conflict. Staff who provide community conflict resolution conciliation assistance serve as neutral and impartial resources to assist communities resolve disputes, disagreements, or difficulties.

(c) Community conflict resolution conciliation assistance is separate and distinct from the department's enforcement activities as defined in subchapters 1-3 of this chapter. Staff who provide community conflict resolution conciliation assistance do not engage in any of the department's enforcement activities, including mediation conducted by the Dispute Resolution Division to resolve a complaint brought pursuant to the department's enforcement activities.