Brown Dermatology Settlement Agreement
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Brown Dermatology has agreed to resolve allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in its care and treatment of patients who are deaf or hard of hearing. Brown Dermatology is a private medical practice that provide clinical services at 10 locations across Rhode Island.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office began the investigation after a complainant alleged that Brown Dermatology failed to provide her family member, who is deaf, with sign-language interpreters during scheduled medical appointments. As a result, the complainant alleged that she was forced to interpret for her family member’s medical appointments, a position for which she is not qualified. The U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated and found that Brown Dermatology failed to provide the deaf patient with a qualified sign language interpreter necessary to provide effective communication for at least 12 medical appointments between 2018 and 2021. The investigation also revealed that Brown Dermatology failed to provide at least seven other deaf patients with a qualified sign language interpreter necessary to ensure effective communication during their medical appointments.
Under the settlement signed today, Brown Dermatology agreed to: (1) adopt policies and procedures that ensure that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing receive auxiliary aids and/or services (including sign language interpreters when necessary) that ensure effective communication; (2) train its staff on the ADA’s effective communication requirements; and (3) pay $31,000 in settlement. Under the terms of the agreement, $17,500 will be paid to the patient who is deaf; $3,500 will be paid to her family member (for association discrimination), and $10,000 will be paid as a civil penalty to the United States. Brown Dermatology fully cooperated with the investigation and settlement of this matter.
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Amy Romero in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island is committed to investigating alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, including a Business Brief on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings, at www.ada.gov/hospcombr.htm. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TTY).
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that the office of a health care provider or any other place of public accommodation or public entity in Rhode Island is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at https://www.justice.gov/usao-