Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Sound Community Services, Inc. (“Sound Community”), a behavioral health provider located in New London, to resolve allegations that the company was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with a disability alleging that Sound Community made the person feel unwelcome because of their service animal, including by requesting a license and vaccination record for their service animal and refusing to arrange transportation on one occasion because of their service animal.
As a result of the settlement agreement, Sound Community has agreed to post signage indicating “Service Animals Welcome,” implement a Service Animal Policy that is consistent with the ADA, and provide training for staff. Sound Community must also make compensation payment to the complainant if the complainant signs a release.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including private health care facilities, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. As part of that obligation, public accommodations cannot discriminate against individuals with disabilities who have service animals and must make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices, and procedures to ensure equal access for those individuals. More information about the ADA and service animals can be found at https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that the owners of Sound Community have worked cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to promptly address the ADA issues without litigation.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-696-3000.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing.