Hospital Settlement

Maryland's Fort Washington Medical Center has agreed to provide interpreters for deaf patients. It's part of a settlement between a deaf patient and the Department of Heath & Human Services. The problem started when a deaf man came to the Medical Center's emergency room with his son. He requested an interpreter but none was provided. The medical staff decided to let the 11-year-old boy interpret for his father. He later filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights which found that Fort Washington Medical Center had violated the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Medical facilities are requied to provide qualified sign language interpreters rather than depended on family members.