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Date: Thursday, May 25, 1995
For Immediate Release
Contact:  Lisa Silverberg, OCR (202) 619-0403

HHS Office for Civil Rights Cites
Connecticut Home Health Care Agency
for Racial Discrimination

An investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) into a complaint of racial discrimination has led to a formal finding that a home health agency refused or limited services based on redlining.

The complainant in the case, an African-American resident of New Haven, Conn., alleged that Staff Builders Services, Inc., a N.Y.-based home health care agency, violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by terminating services to her and her severely disabled minor son when they moved to the Eastern Circle housing complex in January 1993. Staff Builders used written employee safety guidelines that prohibited employees from visiting certain streets and specific housing complexes. The areas so designated were predominately Hispanic and African-American.

"This case illustrates that discriminatory medical redlining continues to exist," said Dennis Hayashi, director of OCR. "Any practice of selecting certain neighborhoods for limited or, in some cases, no service at all, is no more legal in the health care industry than it is in banking or real estate. Our office will continue to work closely with Staff Builders and the state to resolve this matter and to ensure that civil rights laws are not violated."

If Staff Builders does not agree to take corrective action within 60 days, OCR could initiate enforcement proceedings to terminate federal financial assistance.

Staff Builders receives federal funds for providing services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Staff Builders is a private corporation headquartered in Lake Success, N.Y. It operates a national network of 25 company-owned and 110 franchise home health care agencies employing skilled nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and home health aides who deliver needed services to individuals in their homes.

OCR's regional office in Boston issued its findings on May 19 and will continue to seek an agreement with the agency to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin.

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