FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CRT

TUESDAY, JULY 11, 2006 (202) 514-2007

WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888

Justice Department Reaches

Agreement with Provider of Juvenile
Services on Effective Communication
with Juveniles Who are Deaf or Hard
of Hearing
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced an agreement with
Youth Services International, Inc. (YSI), to resolve a lawsuit filed by the
Department under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The
agreement requires YSI to ensure that youth who are deaf or hard of hearing have
an equal opportunity to participate in its programs.

“Juveniles with disabilities must be afforded the same opportunity to receive

services designed to further their education, health, and well-being,” said Wan J.
Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to
YSI’s prompt implementation of these reforms.”

The lawsuit and agreement were filed in the United States District Court in
Baltimore. The agreement resolves allegations that YSI, a company that provides
services at juvenile justice facilities and in community non-residential programs in
several states, failed to provide a sign language interpreter for a deaf youth at the
Victor Cullen Center in Sabillasville, Md. The deaf youth, who communicates
through American Sign Language, was detained at the Center for 11 months and,
along with other detainees, required to participate in rehabilitative, educational,
recreational, and other programs. However, he could not participate fully in and
benefit from the programs because he was not given appropriate services such as a
sign language interpreter.

Under the agreement, YSI will ensure that all youth who are deaf or hard of hearing
will be provided appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including sign language
interpreters, telecommunication devices for the deaf and visual alarms. The
company will also implement a company-wide training program on the ADA and
communicating with persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
"Under this agreement, YSI will ensure that children who are deaf or hard of
hearing are able to fully participate in and benefit from rehabilitation programs,"
Rod J. Rosenstein, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

The Department of Justice’s lawsuit resulted partly from YSI’s failure to comply
with a number of similar provisions to which YSI agreed in a 2004 settlement
agreement with the Department. In the papers filed today, the parties asked the court
to place the case on its docket for three and a half years, at which time the case will
be dismissed if YSI has met the terms of the agreement.

In May 2006, the Department released several new publications and a fully
accessible streaming video on its Web site, to assist law enforcement agencies in
understanding their obligations under the ADA, including effective communication
with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These publications can be downloaded
from the ADA Web site or ordered from the ADA Information Line.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the ADA or today’s agreement with
YSI can access the ADA home page at http://www.ada.gov or call the toll-free
ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD).

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