U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches Settlement to Ensure Effective Communication at McLaren Health Care Corporation Facilities Throughout Michigan

DETROIT - McLaren Health Care Corporation (McLaren) has agreed to enter into a Settlement Agreement with the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan to resolve its investigation under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. McLaren owns and operates multiple hospitals and outpatient health centers throughout the state of Michigan, including through its subsidiary, the Karmanos Cancer Institute. The U.S. Attorney's Office opened the investigation into McLaren after receiving complaints about the provision at multiple facilities of auxiliary aids and services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. McLaren fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorney's Office throughout the investigation.

The settlement agreement requires McLaren to provide auxiliary aids and services free of charge to ensure effective communication with their patients and their companions, consistent with the ADA. Under the terms of the settlement, McLaren will provide a combined $220,000 in monetary relief to fourteen affected individuals. McLaren will also review its policies and, as necessary, revise its policies to be consistent with the ADA's requirements regarding effective communication and the terms of the settlement agreement. McLaren will enhance existing notices within their facilities to clearly alert patients and their companions of the availability of ASL interpreters or other auxiliary aids and services free of charge. Furthermore, McLaren will contract with additional vendors to provide both virtual and in-person interpretive services as needed. McLaren will also train its staff on its updated policies and will report any future complaints from individuals who have disabilities to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"It is critical that patients who are deaf or hard of hearing have the ability to communicate effectively with their health care providers," U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said. "McLaren and its staff provide medical services to individuals throughout Michigan, including many rural areas with limited access to care. Therefore, I am especially proud of this resolution and what it means for equal access to health care."

The investigation was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael El-Zein and Sunita Doddamani of the Civil Rights Unit.

For more information on the ADA, please call the department's toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or visit www.ada.gov.

Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or experienced a civil rights violation can submit a complaint with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan by email at [email protected] or by phone at (313) 226-9151. Complaints can also be submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal.