WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in response to the first federal complaint challenging discriminatory hospital “no-visitor” policies, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a resolution making clear that federal law requires hospitals and the state agencies overseeing them to modify policies to ensure patients with disabilities can safely access the in-person supports needed to benefit from medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strict no-visitor policies put in place at hospitals have prevented patients with disabilities from safely receiving support from family members or staff necessary for them to effectively communicate with medical personnel or otherwise receive equal access to medical treatment. No-visitor policies have disproportionately impacted Black people with disabilities, who have higher rates of infection and hospitalization. Accommodations to these policies are required by federal civil rights laws.  

The complaint was filed against the State of Connecticut by national disability organizations The Arc of the United States, Center for Public Representation, and CommunicationFIRST, together with Connecticut-based organizations Disability Rights Connecticut, The Arc of Connecticut and Independence Northwest: Center for Independent Living of Northwest CT. The groups alleged that Connecticut’s COVID-19 no-visitor policy denied people with disabilities equal access to medical care and effective communication, deprived them of their right to make informed decisions and provide informed consent, and resulted in harms such as unnecessary physical and chemical restraints. The groups filed a separate complaint against Hartford Hospital  regarding its discriminatory treatment of 73-year-old “Patient G.S.,” who has speech and short-term memory disabilities but was not allowed access to in-person supports necessary for her to communicate, which was also recently resolved and publicly announced today.

“We are thrilled that this resolution will help prevent other patients around the country from having to experience the discrimination, physical pain, and emotional harm endured by Patient G.S.,” said Tauna Szymanski, Executive Director of CommunicationFIRST. “Ensuring states and hospitals safely balance public health concerns with the obligation to ensure patients with disabilities can communicate effectively has been a top priority for CommunicationFIRST during the pandemic.”

“Today’s resolution sets a national precedent for how states and hospitals can ensure their policies comply with federal disability laws,” said Alison Barkoff, Director of Advocacy at the Center for Public Representation. “The COVID-19 crisis has laid bare the discrimination that people with disabilities face in accessing healthcare. We appreciate OCR’s leadership and collaboration with us to ensure people with disabilities can access the care they need.”

Highlights from the hospital policy announced by OCR and Connecticut include that it:

  • Requires all hospitals and other health care facilities to allow designated persons (family members, staff, or others) to support any disabled patient that may need such support;
  • Requires hospitals to provide available personal protective equipment (PPE) to support persons to keep them safe;
  • Includes procedures for screening support persons for COVID-19 symptoms and for supporters to safely take breaks and leave and re-enter the hospital; and
  • Encourages hospitals to mitigate the risk associated with support persons supporting COVID-19-positive patients.

“Many with intellectual and developmental disabilities are being deprived of basic rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have already seen dire consequences from this discriminatory treatment. We thank OCR for today’s resolution and will continue to fight for the health and well-being of all people with disabilities,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.

The national disability rights groups have created resources to assist stakeholders across the country in evaluating and advocating for non-discriminatory hospital visitor policies, at The Arc; Center for Public Representation; and CommunicationFIRST. 

For more information, complainants’ counsel can be reached at: 

Alison Barkoff, Center for Public Representation

abarkoff@cpr-us.org or 202-854-1270

Tauna Szymanski, CommunicationFIRST

tszymanski@communicationfirst.org or 202-556-0573

Shira Wakschlag, The Arc of the United States

wakschlag@thearc.org or 202-534-3708

Cathy Cushman, Disability Rights Connecticut

catherine.cushman@disrightsct.org or 860-469-4461

The post Federal Civil Rights Resolution Makes Clear Hospital Visitor Policies Nationwide Must Accommodate Patients with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on The Arc.

66 thoughts on “Federal Civil Rights Resolution Makes Clear Hospital Visitor Policies Nationwide Must Accommodate Patients with Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic”

  5. I love looking through a post that can make people think. Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!

  6. I am the proprietor of JustCBD Store company (justcbdstore.com) and I am currently planning to develop my wholesale side of company. I really hope that someone at targetdomain is able to provide some guidance ! I thought that the most effective way to do this would be to talk to vape stores and cbd stores. I was really hoping if anyone could recommend a reliable site where I can buy Vape Shop B2B Sales Leads I am presently considering creativebeartech.com, theeliquidboutique.co.uk and wowitloveithaveit.com. On the fence which one would be the most ideal option and would appreciate any advice on this. Or would it be easier for me to scrape my own leads? Ideas?

  8. A motivating discussion is worth comment. I do think that you need to publish more about this topic, it might not be a taboo matter but usually folks don’t talk about these topics. To the next! Best wishes!!

  9. I blog quite often and I really thank you for your content. This great article has really peaked my interest. I am going to take a note of your site and keep checking for new details about once a week. I subscribed to your Feed too.

  10. I really love your site.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you develop this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my own blog and would like to find out where you got this from or what the theme is named. Appreciate it!

  12. Spot on with this write-up, I absolutely think this amazing site needs much more attention. I’ll probably be back again to see more, thanks for the info!

  13. The very next time I read a blog, I hope that it won’t disappoint me as much as this particular one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read through, however I truly thought you would have something useful to say. All I hear is a bunch of complaining about something that you can fix if you were not too busy looking for attention.

  14. Howdy! This article couldn’t be written much better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept preaching about this. I’ll send this article to him. Pretty sure he’s going to have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!

  15. I truly love your blog.. Great colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself? Please reply back as I’m trying to create my very own blog and would like to learn where you got this from or what the theme is named. Many thanks!

  18. I’m more than happy to uncover this great site. I wanted to thank you for ones time for this fantastic read!! I definitely loved every bit of it and I have you saved to fav to look at new things in your website.

  19. I’m very pleased to discover this website. I wanted to thank you for ones time for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it and I have you saved as a favorite to see new things in your website.

  20. I was very happy to uncover this website. I want to to thank you for ones time for this wonderful read!! I definitely savored every part of it and I have you saved to fav to see new things on your site.

  22. Aw, this was a very nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to produce a superb article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and don’t seem to get nearly anything done.

  25. I truly love your website.. Pleasant colors & theme. Did you create this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m planning to create my own blog and would like to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is named. Cheers!

  26. I’m impressed, I must say. Rarely do I come across a blog that’s equally educative and amusing, and without a doubt, you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is an issue that not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy I came across this during my hunt for something relating to this.

  28. Can I simply just say what a relief to find somebody that truly knows what they are talking about on the web. You certainly understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people have to check this out and understand this side of the story. I was surprised that you aren’t more popular because you definitely have the gift.

  29. I absolutely love your website.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you build this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my very own site and would love to know where you got this from or what the theme is named. Appreciate it!

  31. I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this blog. I really hope to see the same high-grade blog posts by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own, personal blog now 😉

  32. Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you writing this post and also the rest of the website is very good.

  34. Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after looking at some of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Regardless, I’m certainly delighted I discovered it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!

  35. Good blog you have here.. It’s hard to find high quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! Take care!!

  36. A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe that you ought to write more about this subject matter, it may not be a taboo subject but generally people don’t discuss such topics. To the next! Kind regards!!

  40. Definitely consider that which you said. Your favorite justification appeared to be at the net the easiest thing to bear in mind of.
    I say to you, I definitely get annoyed at the same
    time as folks think about issues that they plainly do not recognise
    about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest and also outlined
    out the entire thing with no need side-effects , people could take a
    signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks

  42. I must show my appreciation for your kindness for those people that require assistance with your area. Your special commitment to passing the message around had become especially advantageous and have all the time enabled individuals much like me to arrive at their endeavors. Your own helpful guidelines indicates a great deal to me and far more to my mates. Thank you; from everyone of us.

  43. Aw, this was an incredibly nice post. Finding the time and actual effort to produce a top notch article… but what can I say… I hesitate a whole lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.

  45. Hi! I could have sworn I’ve visited this website before but after going through some of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back frequently!

  47. Hi, I do think this is an excellent web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to return yet again since i have book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.

  49. Hmm it looks like your site ate my first comment (it was super long) so
    I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say,
    I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m
    still new to the whole thing. Do you have
    any tips for inexperienced blog writers? I’d certainly
    appreciate it.

  51. My spouse and i have been so glad Michael managed to round up his preliminary research with the precious recommendations he got out of the web page. It’s not at all simplistic to just possibly be releasing information that many people today could have been selling. We see we now have you to give thanks to because of that. All the illustrations you have made, the straightforward web site navigation, the friendships you can give support to create – it is mostly spectacular, and it’s assisting our son in addition to us feel that this situation is interesting, which is certainly exceptionally essential. Thanks for everything!

  52. You are so interesting! I do not suppose I have read through a single thing like that before. So good to discover someone with original thoughts on this issue. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This web site is something that’s needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!

  53. You actually make it seem so easy along with your presentation however I to find this matter to be really something that
    I think I’d by no means understand. It seems too complex and extremely extensive for me.
    I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the grasp of it!

  59. Thanks a lot for giving everyone an extraordinarily pleasant possiblity to read articles and blog posts from this web site. It is usually so cool and as well , stuffed with a great time for me and my office colleagues to search your blog a minimum of three times in one week to read the newest stuff you have got. And lastly, I’m so actually impressed with all the astounding inspiring ideas you give. Certain 2 points on this page are honestly the simplest I’ve ever had.

  61. Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to your blog before but after looking at many of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m certainly happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!

  63. I’m more than happy to find this web site. I wanted to thank you for ones time due to this wonderful read!! I definitely really liked every little bit of it and i also have you book-marked to look at new information on your blog.

  65. You made some really good points there. I looked on the web for more information about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this web site.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *