Debra Kahn is DeafBlind and, for years, she couldn’t get the communication support she needed at doctor’s appointments. She repeatedly asked for in-person Tactile ASL (American Sign Language) interpreters. With help from Northwest Justice Project, Debra filed a federal complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The result: a personal settlement; a $350,000 compensation fund for Deaf and DeafBlind patients, and binding policy changes at the healthcare provider. One case. Individual justice. Systemic change. As the Americans with Disability Act turns 36 this month, federal enforcement is weakening. Legal aid holds the line—and moves it forward.
Northwest Justice Project provides free civil legal services to low-income Washingtonians on issues spanning housing, healthcare access, family law, protection from domestic violence, and consumer issues like debt. Our services include an ASL-fluent attorney serving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities statewide, with additional access through Protactile language for DeafBlind clients. It’s a matter of Language Rights and of Civil Rights. It’s a matter of justice.