News and Alerts

CPR and partners filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (HHS OCR) today regarding the failure to provide people with disabilities with reasonable accommodations to hospital no-visitor policies in effect during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first OCR complaint filed regarding a state’s hospital visitor policies during this pandemic, and follows several other complaints filed by CPR and partners regarding states’ discriminatory medical rationing policies.

On April 24, 2020, the federal district court in Ball v. DeWine approved a comprehensive Settlement Agreement designed to increase access to integrated home and community-based services and provide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities a meaningful, informed choice between Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) and community services.

CPR and a coalition of more than 20 interested organizations and individuals respond to the recently revised Massachusetts Crisis Standards of Care

CPR and its partners propose changes to the Massachusetts Crisis Standards of Care and share response and recommendations in a follow-up letter to state hospital associations and the Massachusetts Medical Society.

Many states and hospitals are relying on the use of Crisis Standard of Care plans to inform providers how to make decisions on the allocation and re-allocation of scarce medical resources. These plans should be carefully scrutinized to ensure that people with disabilities are not subject to discrimination. CPR, together with The Arc, Bazelon Center, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Visiting Scholar Ari Ne’eman, and Professor Sam Bagenstos, developed an evaluation framework to assist stakeholders in evaluating Crisis Standards of Care in their states.

The next coronavirus bill is currently being developed so now is our chance to make sure the next bill includes the critical disability priorities that were missing in the CARES Act. Read more for information on the weeks of action organized by the disability community to bring attention to these issues using the hashtag #WeAreEssential.

Today, in response to a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) by CPR and partners, the state of Alabama has withdrawn its discriminatory ventilator rationing policy and instructed hospitals across the state that they cannot discriminate against people with disabilities in accessing treatment.

The Center for Public Representation supported partners in Pennsylvania and Utah in complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (HHS OCR) regarding illegal disability discrimination in treatment rationing protocols being developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Center for Public Representation, together with The Arc of the United States, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, and Professor Samuel Bagenstos, released critical guidance to states and healthcare providers about how to avoid discriminating against people with disabilities if rationing access to COVID-19 treatment becomes necessary. The guidance is endorsed by 90 national disability and health advocacy organizations.

Today, CPR and other advocates urged leaders at the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, the College of Boston Teaching Hospitals, and the Massachusetts Medical Society to ensure that life-saving medical care is allocated consistent with federal disability law and recent directives from the Office of Civil Rights.