Health Care Providers Settle with Justice Department Over Complaints of HIV Discrimination
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![Department of Justice seal](https://files.hiv.gov/s3fs-public/field/image/DOJSEAL2_5.jpg)
The second complaint was filed by a man with HIV who went to the Knoxville Chiropractic Clinic North in Knoxville, Tenn., for chiropractic treatment following an automobile accident. After examining him, the doctor determined that the patient required 24 subsequent appointments to treat his injuries. On his third visit to the clinic, however, the receptionist informed him that the doctor would not see him because they could not treat people “like him.” The United States determined that Knoxville Chiropractic Centers had a blanket policy of refusing treatment to persons with HIV in violation of the ADA.
“It is critical that people with disabilities, including HIV, not be denied equal access to goods and services, especially to health care services. The Civil Rights Division takes discrimination based on unfounded fears and stereotypes about HIV very seriously,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
The settlement agreements require the entities to develop and implement a non-discrimination policy and to train staff on the requirements of the ADA. In addition, the settlements called for penalties.
You can read the full press release about the settlements at the DOJ’s web site.
Outreach and TrainingDOJ also continues to build on collaborations described previously in our post on the civil right to live free from discrimination on the basis of HIV/AIDS status. DOJ’s Civil Rights Division has performed additional training of AIDS service organization and advocacy groups in South Bend and Fort Wayne, Ind.; Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.; Mobile, Ala.; St. Louis, Mo.; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla.; and Salt Lake City, Utah.
To learn more about the work, visit DOJ’s Fighting Discrimination Against People with HIV/AIDS section of the ADA.gov web site.