VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — The Clark County Jail and the U.S. Department of Justice have reached a settlement to ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to services. The settlement stemmed from a complaint by a woman who was deaf and denied aids or services in 2019. There have been multiple similar lawsuits since 2014. An investigation found jail staff were not trained on how to assess an inmate’s communication needs despite the fact that the jail deals with many people with hearing impairments. Under the settlement, the jail must provide interpreter services for things like medical appointments and other services.
Clark County Jail reaches agreement on handling deaf inmates
