U.S. Department
of Justice
Clark County Washington
On July 15, 2021, the Department (through the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington) reached a resolution of an allegation that a jail in Clark County, Washington failed to provide auxiliary aids and services, including a qualified sign language interpreter, to ensure effective communication with an individual who is deaf. The agreement includes adoption of a model assessment of communication needs of patients and companions, designation of an Effective Communication Coordinator, training staff, maintenance of an auxiliary aid and service log, implementation of a grievance resolution mechanism for the investigation of complaints regarding effective communication, notice to the community of the jail’s policy to provide auxiliary aids and services, reports to the Department, written notification to the Department of future complaints, and $25,000 in compensatory damages for the individual.