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Notice from the Maryland Department of Health (September 24, 2020).

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State and federal law prohibits discrimination against individuals based on disability. In addition, the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of the Department of Disabilities require all licensed Maryland hospitals, related institutions, freestanding medical facilities, freestanding ambulatory care facilities, chronic disease centers, hospice care facilities, comprehensive rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living programs (collectively health care providers) to adopt policies allowing support persons for individuals with disabilities to stay with those persons during visits to health care providers (the Access Notice).

If you believe that one of the listed health care providers is violating the Access Notice, you may file a complaint with the Maryland Department of Health's Office of Health Care Quality.

If you believe that you are a victim of discrimination because of your disability, you may file a complaint with any of the following:

Effective Oct. 1, 2020, you may file a complaint with MDH's Office of Equal Opportunity, Equal Access Compliance Unit and/or the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights.

Office of Equal Opportunity Programs Maryland Department of Health
201 W. Preston Street, Suite 422, Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-6600 | Fax: 410-333-5337

MD Relay: 711

AND/OR

Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR)
6 Saint Paul Street, Suite 900, Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: 800-637-6247 | 410-767-8600 | MD Relay: 711
https://mccr.maryland.gov/Pages/Intake.aspx

You also may file complaints with the following federal agencies if you believe you have been subject to discrimination by a health care provider:

U.S. Department of Justice (via mail) Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
4CON, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20530
https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ | Fax: 202-307-1197

More information on the DOJ complaint process may be found by visiting:
https://www.ada.gov/filing_complaint.htm

AND/OR

Centralized Case Management Operations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (via mail)
200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 509F HHH Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20201 | OCRComplaint@hhs.gov
https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf

More information on the HHS complaint process may be found by visiting: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/complaint-process/index.html

Carol A. Beatty
Secretary, Department of Disabilities

Robert R. Neall
Secretary, Department of Health

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