Coming soon!
- COVID-19 Related
- Documenting Disability Status
- Effective Communication
- Electronic Tools & Information
- Facilities & Equipment
- Other Key Organizations & Websites
- Provider & Staff Education
- Regulations
- Toolkits & General Resources
- Specific Disability Related Resources
- Understanding Disability & Healthcare Disparities
- Evaluation Framework For Hospital Visitor Policies: This guidance document lays out the legal framework under disability rights laws for reasonable accommodations to state and hospital no-visitor policies and lists criteria stakeholders can use to evaluate such policies to ensure they comply with federal disability rights laws.
- Guidance on COVID-19 Patient Visitor Policies (Communication First): Federal guidelines for Visitation at Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IIDs) and Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs)
- DOJ Alert re: Fraudulent face masks: The Department of Justice has been made aware of postings or flyers on the internet regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the use of face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which include the Department of Justice’s seal.
- OCR Statement on Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Have Reasonable Access to Support Persons in Hospital Settings During COVID-19: The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reached an Early Case Resolution (ECR) with the State of Connecticut after the state issued an executive order regarding non-visitation policies.
- Compiled COVID-19 Resources (DREDF): This page is dedicated to the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund’s COVID-19 materials and communications, opportunities for advocacy, government information, and more.
- Bulletin: Civil Rights, HIPAA, and the Coronavirus Disease 2019: In light of the Public Health Emergency concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is providing this bulletin to ensure that entities covered by civil rights authorities keep in mind their obligations under laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, and exercise of conscience and religion in HHS-funded programs.
- Ethics Resources on the Coronavirus: The Hastings Center has assembled ethics resources for responding to novel coronavirus Covid-19. We are updating this hub throughout the crisis.
- Applying HHS’s Guidance for States and Health Care Providers (DREDF): This document from organizations with expertise in federal disability rights laws provides a more detailed explanation of how the requirements set forth in the HHS Bulletin would apply and how states and health care providers can take steps to modify policies and practices to avoid disability discrimination.
- Know Your Rights Guide (NoBody is Disposable Coalition): Patient guide to rights: This toolkit covers rights and strategies for people facing potential triage discrimination based on disability or weight, alone or in combination with other characteristics, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Effective Patient Provider Communication for patients with COVID-19 (PPC): Tools and resources for effective communication
- Telehealth Challenges and Opportunities for Care (National Health Law Program): Summary of the benefits and limitations of telehealth for patients with disabilities.
- Rapid Response Team Training: Preventing discrimination against people with disabilities during a public health emergency (University of Miami Health): This training teaches triage team members how to ensure equitable and objective resource allocation in times of shortages.
- Access Living COVID Resources:
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Access Living created and maintains this list of resources.
- Center for Public Representation (CPR):
CPR uses legal strategies, advocacy, and policy to promote the integration and full community participation of people with disabilities and all others who are devalued in today’s society.
- Full Guide for Effective Communication in Healthcare (Hearing Loss Association of America: HLAA): for patients and providers
- Communication Access Plan (HLAA): One-page form to document patient’s hearing status and communication needs
- Effective Communications (U.S. DOJ): High-level overview for effective communication
- Communicating With and About People with Disabilities (CDC): Explains person-first language
- Effective Communication for Healthcare Providers (Center for Disability Studies): Guide to caring for people with disabilities
- Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings (U.S. DOJ) Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), hospitals must provide effective means of communication for patients, family members, and hospital visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing. The method of communication and the services or aids the hospital must provide will vary depending upon the abilities of each person and on the complexity and nature of the communications that are required.
- Improving Care to Communication Vulnerable Patients (The Joint Commission): This presentation describes best practices to improve care for patients who have difficulty communicating.
- Patient Provider Communication Forum This forum seeks to achieve shared learning about patient-provider communication through various activities, including bi-monthly conference calls and an interactive website and social media accounts for sharing resources and tools.
- Section 508 and Web Accessibility Guidelines for how to ensure that your website meets the revised 508 standards for accessibility.
- Guidance and Resources for Electronic Information Technology (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services): Guide for developing accessible Electronic and Information Technology devices and system
- Accessibility features of Windows 10, Office 365, and other Microsoft products Description of Microsoft’s efforts to decrease the accessibility gap for people living with disabilities.
Facilities
- Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities (U.S. DOJ): Guide for accessible medical equipment. This technical assistance publication provides guidance for medical care providers on the requirements of the ADA in medical settings with respect to people with mobility disabilities.
- Accessible Healthcare (ADA National Network): Suggested accommodations for patients with disabilities
- Guide to ADA Standards (U.S. Access Board): Chapters 3 and 4 highlight accessible spaces
- Wheelchairs, Mobility Aids, and other Power-Driven Mobility Spaces (U.S. DOJ): Overview of mobility accessibility
- ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities (ADA National Network): Detailed document which highlights standards for accessible facilities
- ADA Standards for Accessible Design (DOJ): The Department has assembled an official online version of the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design.
- Accessible Temporary Events (ADATA): A planning guide to making temporary events accessible for people with disabilities
- Increasing the Physical Accessibility of Health Care Facilities (CMS): This brief provides an overview of why physical accessibility of health care facilities is important for people with disabilities.
- Microsoft’s Accessible Events Tips:
This guide provides Microsoft’s recommendation and best practices for
planning and executing an inclusive event.
Equipment
- Medical Equipment (DREDF): Detailed responses to questions posed by amended regulations issued under ADA
- Advancing Equal Access to Diagnostic Services (U.S. Access Board): Recommendations on standards for the design of medical equipment
- Wheelchair-Accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment (ACL): Accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment Fact Sheet
- Northwest ADA Center Healthcare Info:
This Healthcare Toolkit provides information for healthcare providers and for individuals with disabilities about accessible healthcare.
- Access to Medical Care for Patients with Mobility Disabilities (Department of Justice): Overview of the American Disabilities Act
- Access Board’s Standards for Accessible Medical Equipment: The Access Board issued accessibility standards for medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) that provide design criteria for examination tables and chairs, weight scales, radiological and mammography equipment, and other diagnostic equipment that are accessible to people with disabilities.
Other organizations offer excellent resources for accessible healthcare. We encourage you to find other storehouses through the following organization’s web sites:
- Healthcare Access for Persons with Disabilities (University of Kansas): Online training for healthcare providers
- Improving Access to Healthcare for People with Disabilities (DREDF): Course consists of 5 modules; overview for HCOs
- Disability Integration Toolkit (SUNY Upstate Medical): Courses and curriculum for medical students and providers
- A Guide to Disability Rights Laws (ADA): An overview of ADA implications.
- Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services)
- Model Policies and Procedures for Primary Care Practices (DREDF): Guideline for accommodating seniors and patients with disabilities in primary care practices.
- A Roadmap for Hospitals (The Joint Commission): Guidelines for hospitals to provide care that meets each patient’s unique needs.
- Disability Access Plan Worksheet (HRSA): Worksheet that facilitates the development of a disability access plan
- AASPIRE Healthcare Toolkit: Primary Care Resources for Adults on the Autism Spectrum and their Primary Care Providers
- Providing Disability Competent Care (Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing)
- Practical Recommendations for Enhancing the Care of Patients with Disability (SUNY Upstate Medical University): Learning modules for providing care for patients with disabilities
- An Integrated Model for Disability Competent Care (RIC): Toolkit for providing disability competent care for eligible medicare/medicaid patients
- The Disparities Solutions Center: The center is dedicated to the development and implementation of strategies that advance policy and practice to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care.
- ADA National Network Learning Session: CMS Efforts to Increase Health Care Access and Quality of Care for People with Disabilities
Mobility
- Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities (U.S. DOJ): Guide for accessible medical equipment
- Wheelchairs, Mobility Aids, and Other Power-Driving Mobility Spaces (U.S. DOJ): Overview of mobility accessibility
Blind/Visual Impaired
- About Guidance on Prescription Drug Container Labels (U.S. Access Board): Making prescription labels readable
- ADA Checklist: Healthcare Facilities and Service Providers (American Foundation for the Blind): Ensuring access to services and facilities for patients who are blind, blind-deaf, or visually impaired
Communication Disabilities
- Effective Communication: Healthcare (ADA Center): Effective communication with people with communication disabilities
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
- Tips for Employees who are Deaf: Resources for Deaf employees who work remotely.
- Guide with Strategies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Employees: Resources for deaf employees who participate in remote meetings.
Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
- Healthcare for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Developmental Disabilities Primary Care Initiative)
- National Curriculum Initiative in Developmental Medicine (NCIDM): The goal of the NCIDM is to integrate IDD curriculum into every medical school in the United States.
- Health Matters program at UIC: The HealthMatters™ Program engages people with IDD and their supports to have access to research, education and training, service learning, and evaluation tools to improve their health where they live, work, learn, and play.
- Autism Friendly Initiative at BMC: The Autism Friendly Initiative (AFI) at Boston Medical Center is recognized as a national and international leader in improving the healthcare experience for patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families.
Service Animals
- Understanding How to Accommodate Service Animals in Healthcare Facilities (PHE): This fact sheet is intended to provide policy guidance when interacting with an individual using a service animal, with a particular emphasis on the health care setting during a disaster or emergency.
- ADATA Guide on Service Animals vs. Emotional Support Animals: This manual details the difference between service animals and emotional support animals, and where and when each is allowed.
- Health Disparity for People with Disabilities (DREDF): Guide explains disability and the disparities that people with disabilities face which makes healthcare inaccessible.
- The Current State of Healthcare of People with Disabilities (NCD): Report which outlines the general disparities that people with disabilities experience