LOS ANGELES—On Wednesday, May 20, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Angeles Institute, a for-profit nursing school, had agreed to “comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by allowing individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to enroll.”
The agreement resolves allegations that the Artesia-based school denied admission to a prospective student because he was deaf. He had applied to Angeles Institute’s nursing assistant program: “a 5-week course designed to introduce students into the medical field and help provide the skills necessary to become certified nursing assistants,” according to the school’s website.
The ADA prohibits instances like this as it states that public facilities and private educational institutions are not allowed to deny service access to anyone with disabilities.
Angeles Institute must (as recorded in the affidavit):
- “modify its policies to clarify that prospective students cannot be denied admission because of a disability.”
- “provide interpreters or other auxiliary aids and services free of charge when necessary to ensure effective communication with students and prospective students.”
- “modify its courses if necessary to ensure they are accessible to individuals with disabilities.”
- “appoint an ADA Coordinator to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to the school’s programs and services.”
- “pay $10,000 to the complainant and a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States.”
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Nickell of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section managed the settlement, and Angeles Institute “fully cooperated” with the investigation.
