Querida Mabel,
Thank you for contacting Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT) regarding your concerns. DRCT provides legal advocacy and rights protection to residents of Connecticut with disabilities who are facing barriers to their civil, legal, and human rights. DRCT responds to complaints and concerns that fall within our Focus Areas and Objectives. We address issues that will have the biggest impact on large numbers of adults and youth with disabilities.
Unfortunately, DRCT is unable to provide individual legal representation or advocacy because we do not have the capacity to take on your request. I have included self-advocacy information and potential referrals below in the hopes they are helpful to you as you decide how to navigate the current situation.
Information about Language-Based Discrimination:
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits any organization that receives federal funding from discriminating based on race, color, or national origin. Under Title VI, healthcare programs and providers that receive federal funds, such as Medicaid, must provide translations and interpreters for clients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Title VI also requires providers and agencies receiving federal funds to provide written materials in languages other than English. These providers or agencies must make interpreter services available to all of their clients, not just those clients served with federal funds. Civil rights requirements must be met by Access Health CT, Department of Social Services, hospitals, individual providers, administrative organizations, and all social service agencies involved in HUSKY. Access Health CT and the Department of Social Services (DSS) have Spanish-speaking staff and a telephone language line to assist its staff in communicating with clients who speak a language other than Spanish or English. When clients call Access Health CT or DSS, they need to state their spoken language so that staff can call an interpreter to join them on the line. HUSKY Health (for help with obtaining medical appointments and other services), 2-1-1, and Access Health CT have Spanishspeaking staff as well as a language line to assist callers who speak languages other than Spanish or EnglishAll applicants for health care coverage through Access Health CT are entitled to interpreters for language assistance at no cost. Clients are not responsible for payment or provision of an interpreter. If applicants have difficulty accessing interpreters, they should contact Access Health CT at 1-855-805-4325
How to file a complaint with Birth to Three:
For more information about the Mediation Process, please visit https://www.birth23.org/families/rights/mediation/.
It is important that families know their rights. Parent Rights brochure can be found here. Very often the quickest and most satisfying way to resolve a concern is to talk with your service coordinator. If you feel uncomfortable doing this you can speak his or her supervisor or your specific Birth to Three program director. You can find that person’s name here or by clicking “Our Programs” above.
The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) developed three very helpful families guides.
Anyone may contact the Birth to Three Family Liaison at 1-860-500-4420 who will help facilitate a solution.
Other Options for Filing Discrimination Complaints:
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) - Connecticut - Civil Rights Division: The Civil Division maintains a Civil Rights enforcement program, which brings civil rights actions to enforce federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin and to recover damages for victims of civil rights violations. The majority of the civil rights cases are brought to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), and the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). Address: 157 Church St. 25th Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. Telephone: (203) 821-3700. Fax: (203) 773-5376. Email: USACT.Citizenscomplaint@usdoj.gov. Website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)- Federal - Civil Rights Division: The primary goal of the Disability Rights section is to achieve equal opportunity for people with disabilities in the United States. You can file an Americans with Disabilities Act complaint alleging discrimination against a State or local government or a public accommodation (including, for example, a restaurant, doctor's office, retail store, hotel, etc.) by mail or online. Complaints must be submitted in writing, press option six (6) to report a violation of the ADA, please allow up to 90 days for a response.
Address: 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section – 1425 NYA, Washington, D.C. 20530. Email: askcrd@usdoj.gov Telephone: (202) 514-3847 (Voice); (202) 514-0716 (TTY); (844) 491-4945 (fax). Link to file a complaint: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Having provided you with the self-advocacy and referral information above, I am closing your current request for assistance. Please be advised that the information contained in this email or conveyed during our conversation does not constitute legal advice.
If you should have other issues related to your disability in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us at 75 Charter Oak Ave, Suite 1-101, Hartford, CT 06106, (860) 297-4340 (voice), (860) 509-4992 (videophone), or (800) 842-7303 (voice, toll-free CT). If you need this correspondence in an alternative format, please let me know.
Attached Links:
· DRCT’S Grievance Procedure: https://www.disrightsct.org/s/Grievance-Procedure-Form_121323.pdf
· Voter Registration Form: https://voterregistration.ct.gov/OLVR/regDetails.do
Thank you,
Dani Glenn
Self-Advocacy and Referral Advocate
Cc: Deborah Dorfman, Executive Director/Attorney
75 Charter Oak Ave
Suite 1-101
Hartford, CT 06106
Telephone: (860) 297-4300 (voice) | (800) 842-7303 (toll-free CT) | (860) 509-4992 (videophone) | Fax: (860) 296-0055
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