The New York Civil Liberties Union wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights in support of a lawsuit brought by Disability Rights New York against Governor Cuomo challenging New York State’s failure to ensure that congregate care settings serving New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities have priority access to essential personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at particularly high risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19 because many cannot adhere to essential prevention protocols, including wearing a mask, thoroughly and frequently washing hands, and avoiding touching their faces and others. In addition, many direct service providers work in residential settings where up to 14 people live in close proximity and provide intimate care for residents throughout the day, including physical assistance with washing, toileting, dressing, and eating.

Date filed

April 7, 2020