Recent Civil Rights Resolution Agreements

Following a complaint investigation or compliance review, OCR sometimes determines it necessary to negotiate resolution agreements requiring covered entities to revise their policies, practices and procedures to comply with Federal civil rights laws. These agreements can be far-reaching, statewide agreements that call for a systemic change in the way a state does business, or they may cover a single healthcare provider or hospital. Most OCR resolution agreements address the need to improve access for persons with disabilities and for people with limited English proficiency. Some recent examples are listed below:

Alaska's Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Anchorage Pioneer Home (APH), an assisted living facility serving over 160 seniors, entered into a Settlement Agreement with OCR to ensure that APH residents with disabilities have equal access to transportation services. The settlement resolves the Violation Letter of Finding which OCR issued to DHSS and APH in January 2009. (April 2009) Read the Letter of Finding Read the Settlement Agreement Read the HHS Press Release
New York's Schenectady County Department of Social Services, serving a county population of 150,818, signed a voluntary resolution agreement to ensure that individuals with physical disabilities receive equal access to its services and office buildings. (November 2008) Read the Resolution Agreement Read the HHS Press Release
State of Hawaii Department of Human Services (serving a state population of more than 1.2 million) signed a statewide Settlement Agreement to ensure that limited English proficient persons receive equal access to its programs and services, including medical care for low-income persons. (September 2008) Read the Resolution Agreement Read the HHS Press Release
State of Georgia signed a statewide Olmstead Settlement Agreement to ensure that more than 2,500 persons in Georgia with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental illness institutionalized in Georgia's seven public psychiatric hospitals and mental retardation facilities will have the opportunity to live in their communities with appropriate supports tailored to meet their individualized needs. (July 2008) Read the Resolution Agreement Read the Summary of the Resolution Agreement Read the HHS PRess Release
Arizona hospital and trauma center (serving 150,000 patients annually) agreed to ensure that patients who are deaf or hard-of hearing receive timely auxiliary aids, including sign language interpreters or video interpretation services. (April 2008) Read the Resolution Agreement
New York social services agency (serving 4025 food stamp users monthly) agreed to ensure that clients who are deaf or hard-of hearing receive timely auxiliary aids, including sign language interpreters. (April 2008) Read the Agreement
New York hospital and trauma center (serving 56,000 patients yearly) agreed to ensure that patients who are deaf or hard-of hearing receive timely auxiliary aids, including sign language interpreters or video interpretation services. (April 2008) Read the Agreement
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance agreed to ensure that people with learning disabilities have equal access to participate in and benefit its Massachusetts’ Employment Services Program (serving 44,713 beneficiaries annually). (January 2007) Read the Agreement