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Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative

Press Release (April 13, 2013)

Press Release (July 26, 2012)

Through the Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, U.S. Attorneys' offices across the nation and the Department's Civil Rights Division target their enforcement efforts on a critical area for individuals with disabilities – access to medical services and facilities. The Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative is a multi-phase initiative that will include effective communication for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, physical access to medical care for people with mobility disabilities, and equal access to treatment for people who have HIV/AIDS.

The Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys' offices have long enforced the ADA in this area. This nationwide initiative seeks to focus and leverage the Department's resources together and aggregate the collective message that disability discrimination in health care is illegal and unacceptable.

Bhupinder S. Mangat, M.D. and Seminole Neurology Associates, P.A. -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for patients at the professional office of a healthcare provider (12/1/17)

Highline Medical Center -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to ensure effective communication at a hospital (8/22/17)

Overlake Medical Center Settlement Agreement -- re: re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to patients and companions who are deaf to ensure effective communication in a hospital (1/23/2017)

John Dempsey Hospital (part of the University of Connecticut Health Center) Settlement Agreement -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to patients who are deaf to ensure effective communication in a hospital that is part of a state university health center (1/3/17)

Arlington County Sheriff Settlement Agreement -- re: effective communication for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing detailed in Sheriff Department’s detention and corrections system (11/16/16)

City of NY and Richmond University Medical Center Statement of Interest (Word) | PDF -- re: failure to provide qualified sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication  to mother who is deaf when her son was being treated in the hospital’s emergency room (9/26/16)

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Settlement Agreement -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to patients and companions who are deaf to ensure effective communication in a hospital (7/2016)

Pain Management Care, P.C. -- re: denial of medical treatment by pain management doctor because the patient has HIV (4/7/16)

Complaint (4/7/16)

Dr. William Sher -- re: doctor’s refusal to perform a biopsy on a patient after learning the patient has HIV (3/9/16)

Grady Memorial Hospital -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to ensure effective communication at a hospital (1/12/16)

North Florida OB/GYN Associates, P.A. -- re: gynecologist’s denial of tubal ligation to female patient because of her HIV status in violation of Title III of the ADA (1/7/16)

Promedica Toledo Hospital -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for patient at a hospital (12/23/15)

Dekalb Regional Crisis Center -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for companions at a crisis mental health treatment center (8/11/15)

Srinivas Mukkamala, M.D., P.L.C. -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for patients at the professional office of a healthcare provider (July 14, 2015)

Arshad Pervez, M.D.: re: provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for patients at the professional office of a healthcare provider. (July 14, 2015)

Fairfax Nursing Center, Inc: -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for companions of patient at skilled nursing facility (July 6, 2015)

Dentex Dental Mobile, Inc. -- re: discriminatory denial of dental care due to HIV and improper referral of a patient with HIV by mobile dental clinic in violation of Title III of the ADA (March 13, 2015)

St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center -- re: the HHS Office for Civil Rights and the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for deaf and hard of hearing patients at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center patients at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center (February 13, 2015)

Genesis Healthcare System -- re: primary care physician's discriminatory denial of care due to HIV and improper referral of patients with HIV in violation of title III of the ADA (January 15, 2015)

Franciscan St. James Health -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication for patients at two hospitals (December 3, 2014)

Swedish Edmonds Hospital -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to ensure effective communication at a hospital (October 14, 2014)

Associated Foot & Ankle Centers of Northern Virginia, PC -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication in specialty medical care offices (October 9, 2014)

Dr. Hal W. Brown and Primary Care of the Treasure Coast -- re: adoption of effective communication and non-retaliation policies in family medical practice (August 29, 2014)

Dr. Peter Chang-Sing, M.D., F.A.C.C. -- re: provision of sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids in a specialist medical practice (July 22, 2014)

Wade W. Han, M. D. and Florida Ear Nose Throat and Facial Plastic Surgery Center -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication in specialty medical care offices (April 18, 2014)

Commonwealth Health & Rehab Center-- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a skilled nursing facility (March 24, 2014)

Rite Aid of Michigan, Inc. -- re: pharmacist’s denial of flu shot to customer because of his HIV status. (February 4, 2014)

Virginia Psychiatric Company, Inc. d/b/a Dominion Hospital – re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to patients and companions who are deaf to ensure effective communication in a psychiatric hospital (September 6, 2013)

The Heart Center of Memphis -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication in specialty medical care offices (June 27, 2013)

Midtown Neurology, P.C. -- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a doctor's office (June 26, 2013)

Burke Health and Rehabilitation Center- re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a skilled nursing facility (May 3, 2013)

Monadnock Community Hospital - re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a hospital
(April 5, 2013)

Manassas Health and Rehab Center – re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a skilled nursing facility
(April 5, 2013)

Gainesville Health and Rehab Center -re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a skilled nursing facility (April 5, 2013)

Center for Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine, Inc. - re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a rehabilitation center (April 5, 2013)

Northern Ohio Medical Specialists - re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a doctor's office (April 5, 2013)

Glenbeigh - re: settlement regarding exclusion of an individual from an alcohol treatment program because of the side effects of his HIV medication (March 13, 2013)

Woodlawn Family Dentistry - re: dentist office's unequal treatment of people with HIV in the scheduling of future dental appointments (February 12, 2013)

Castlewood Treatment Center - re: eating disorder clinic's refusal to treat a woman for a serious eating disorder because she has HIV (February 6, 2013)

Fayetteville Pain Center - re: unlawful exclusion of a person with HIV from treatment (January 31, 2013)

Northshore University Healthsystems - re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a hospital (June 28, 2012)

Steven Senica, M.D., and Senica Bruneau, Ltd. - re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a doctor's office (June 11, 2012)

Richard Noren, M.D., Henry Kurzydlowski, M.D., and Pain Care Consultant, Inc. - re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a doctor's office (April 3, 2012)

Trinity Regional Medical Center and Trinity Health Systems - re: provision of auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf to ensure effective communication at a hospital (March 29, 2012)

Henry Ford Health System - re: providing appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing throughout the hospitals and medical facilities of a regional health care system (February 1, 2012)

Cheshire Medical Center, Keene Health Alliance, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic D/B/A Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene - re: consent decree to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including sign language interpreters, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing at a hospital (October 31, 2011)


U.S. Attorney Program for ADA Enforcement

For more than 15 years, U.S. Attorneys have been a critical force multiplier with the Civil Rights Division in enforcing the ADA through the U.S. Attorney Program for ADA Enforcement with the Disability Rights Section.   Eighty-four U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the Nation currently participate in this critical and unique partnership effort and have resolved hundreds of matters involving core issues ranging from accessible voting, access to places of public accommodation and state and local governmental facilities, and discriminatory policies, practices and procedures. 

Offices of the United States Attorneys:
https://www.justice.gov/usao/
https://www.justice.gov/usao/about/offices.html