Oregon Crisis Care Plan Harms People with Disabilities, People of Color, and Older Adults Tell Leaders: Our Lives Have Equal Value
Each of us deserve to be protected equally from this public health threat
Disability Rights Oregon filed a formal federal civil rights complaint against the State of Oregon challenging its Crisis Care Guidance. This plan discriminates against people with disabilities, people of color, and seniors.
We took this action alongside other communities hard hit by the virus. We all have the same right to medical treatment, even during an emergency.
Alarm bells have been sounding in the disability community precisely because of how real the threat of discrimination in accessing healthcare resources and treatment is:
“We are scared. No one should have to worry about whether a doctor will listen to you or treat you when you are really sick just because you have a disability.”
— Ross Ryan, a Self-Advocate from Mt. Angel who identifies as having an Intellectual Disability who Signed the Complaint
Ross, who has an intellectual disability, joined the civil rights complaint. We want the State of Oregon to fix its Crisis Care Guidance before the next surge of this pandemic happens.
“It’s not just a hypothetical concern. It’s a real concern that we’re already seeing here in Oregon.”
— Emily Cooper, Disability Rights Oregon Legal Director on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Think Out Loud
People of Color are Experiencing Higher Rates of COVID-19 Death
This devastating pandemic has exposed and worsened many long-standing inequalities in our society. In Oregon, 29.1 percent of people who’ve died from COVID-19 are Hispanic, according to Oregon’s May 5, weekly COVID-19 report. But Hispanic people make up just 13.3 percent of Oregonians.
“Though Oregon was the first state admitted to the Union with exclusion laws written into its state constitution, and its legacy of racism, xenophobia and disparate treatment of immigrants and minorities is well documented, non-discriminatory access to life saving medical care for Oregon residents must clearly be an unalienable right. COVID-19 provides another opportunity for America, and Oregonians, to demonstrate that even in crisis, perhaps especially in crisis, we adhere to our core principles that all life is valuable, and all in America must be treated fairly and equally.”
— Marcus C. Mundy, Executive Director of the Coalition of Communities of Color, who Signed the Complaint
Standing together, we are stronger. That’s why Disability Rights Oregon has teamed up with other communities that have also long fought ingrained attitudes about the inherent value of their lives to fight for equality. We’re proud to partner with:
Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens
United Seniors of Oregon
Sam Bagenstos, former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Together, we are calling for changes to Oregon’s “Crisis Care Guidance”—the state’s discriminatory healthcare rationing plan.
But we shouldn’t wait for the federal government to fix this problem.
Take Action
Take action by contacting your State Legislator to ask what is being done to address this issue. You can find your State Representative or Senator at: https://gov.oregonlive.com/legislators/
What to say to your legislator
I am your constituent.
I am concerned about healthcare discrimination against people with disabilities, people of color, and older adults during COVID.
If there is a Legislative Session, please pass a law to prohibit discrimination in healthcare rationing.
What is being done to prevent health care rationing from happening?
