NCLEJ and Empire Justice Center Sue Suffolk County Department of Social Services, Alleging Discrimination Against People with Disabilities

Yesterday, NCLEJ filed a federal class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf of low-income Suffolk County residents with disabilities, alleging discrimination by the Suffolk County Department of Social Services (SCDSS).

The plaintiffs and proposed class members are all persons with disabilities who rely on the services provided by SCDSS to access basic human needs like food, health care, income assistance, and shelter. Because of their disabilities, the plaintiffs and proposed class members are legally entitled to accommodations. They are challenging SCDSS’ failure or refusal to implement policies and procedures that ensure individuals with disabilities receive accommodations throughout the benefits application and recertification stages.

The lawsuit alleges multiple violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and seeks relief in the form of system-wide changes to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities and provide them with a meaningful opportunity to access programs like Medicaid, SNAP (commonly known as Food Stamps), and Temporary Housing Assistance.

NCLEJ is working with co-counsel Empire Justice Center on the case.

For more information, please contact:

Greg Bass, NCLEJ Senior Attorney (bass@nclej.org)
Travis England, NCLEJ Senior Attorney (england@nclej.org)
Jen Rasay, Equal Justice Works Fellow (rasay@nclej.org)

For more information, read the press release.