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The United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit held that the State of Florida, the Florida Senate, the Florida House of Representatives, the Board of Trustees of Florida State University, and state officials may be liable for compensatory damages pursuant to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. 12131–65, for failing to caption legislative hearings (see National Association of the Deaf and Eddie Sierra v. State of Florida, The Florida Senate, The Florida House of Representatives, Florida State University Board of Trustees, et al., No. 18‐12786, 11th Cir. Jan. 3. 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the U.S. Capitol Hill hearing on patient brokering and addiction treatment fraud in December 2017. Topics covered include profiteering practices on people with addictions by unethical sober home operators, the policy of top priority for patients and their well-being, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers' (NAATP) Quality Control Initiative, and the four provider categories. Also noted is the move to support smaller quality programs.

The article discusses two court cases in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, in which the U.S sued the state of Florida by bringing a lawsuit through the U.S Department of Justice, alleging that state violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The article discusses the 2011 Florida Fourth District Court of Appeals case Furtado v. Yun Chung Law which deals with an exception to a law enforcement officer's duty to provide reasonable accommodations (RA) to a mentally disabled person under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The court determined that there is an exception to the RA requirement of the ADA if compliance with the law would create an imminent risk to the officer or others.

The article discusses a court case wherein Clinton Knowles, an employee of the Sarasota County, Florida's Sheriff's Office (SCSO) claimed that he was denied reasonable accommodation under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It says that a valid ADA claim was not established by Knowles. It adds that the court ruled that Knowles failed to demonstrate that he was unlawfully discriminated.

The article discusses a court case wherein plaintiff Judith Meisenhelder filed a lawsuit against Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL) for allegedly failing to accommodate her disability in 2008. The U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida investigated the suit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The court dismissed the plaintiff's claims by applying the legal standards under the ADA since the actions happened before January 1, 2009.

The article focuses on the participation by city employees in St. Petersburg, Florida in training about interacting with people with disabilities. Topics discussed include the implementation by the city of a required video training services for its employees that addresses appropriate accommodations for different types of disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act, how the city staff created the training video, and suggested steps to forge an alliance with the city government.

This section offers mental health-related news briefs as of March 30, 2015. A mental health facility operator was sued by the parents of a 15-year-old boy who committed suicide the same day he was admitted to the Miami-Dade County, Florida facility. The result of a children's services evaluation was withheld by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (MDMH). Bills focusing on community-based mental health care were approved by the Montana senators.

The article offers information on the Florida Department of Education white paper "Guiding Principles for Section 504 Committees on Students with Individual Health Care Plans." The paper contains guidelines to make proper decisions with respect to 504 referral and eligibility that are in line with the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act. Focal to the paper is which students with health plans should be referred and evaluated under Section 504.

This section offers news briefs on the U.S. health care industry. The 89-bed Dallas Medical Center in Texas has been acquired by for-profit system prime Healthcare Services. A defensive stance was adopted by Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration against U.S. Department of Justice allegations that it forced families to send their disabled children to nursing homes. An asset purchase agreement was signed by Capella Healthcare for Mercy Hospital and Mercy Clinic.

The article reports that mental patients in Florida who are about to be released from state hospitals will be provided more options as a result of a settlement reached between the state's Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Disability Rights Florida.

The article discusses signing of a proclamation by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga honoring the historic enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990, and designating July 2015 to commemorate the anniversary of state courts system.

The article discusses a court case which deals with the complaint by a cosmetology student of being discriminated at a Florida technical center. According to the author the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) resolution offered by Florida district for the center to receive training regarding Section 54 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans withe Disabilities Act (ADA).

The article reports on the dispute between federal and state officials in Florida over the fate of 221 children with severe disabilities who live in nursing homes. The parents believe the institutionalization of the children represents a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), because it is not the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The U.S. Justice Department also stated that the state is violating the ADA by letting children live in nursing homes.

The article discusses a ruling by the U.S. Department of Justice into the civil rights of children with disabilities in Florida, noting the protection of children under the Americans With Disabilities Act and funding issues for individuals with disabilities in Florida.

The article focuses on the MV-1, the first mobility vehicle for wheelchair users, which was developed by the Vehicle Production Group LLC in Miami, Florida. It states that the vehicle does not require expensive after-market retrofitting. It also mentions that the mobility vehicle is the only vehicle that conforms with the standards of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The article discusses a court case where the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida applied the legal standards effective under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Judith Meisenhelder claimed that Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL) allegedly failed to accommodate her disability under ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The court noted that FCSL reasonably accommodated her and determined that she was not disabled under ADA because here condition was controlled by medication. The court granted summary judgment for FCSL.

The article reports on the decision of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Agency for Health Care Administration to spend 27 million dollars moving residents from nursing homes under a class action lawsuit settlement in 2009. The settlement covers about 8,500 residents of nursing homes in the state. The lawsuit was filed by American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) lawyers to the U.S. District Court. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) was used as the basis of the case that prevented such moves.

The article summarizes the court case King versus Monroe County School Board, which involves the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The request by the school district to dismiss the ADA claim of a computer laboratory worker was granted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The court ruled that the worker did not have a disability as defined by the ADA. The worker failed to submit medical evidence to support his claims.

The article discusses the court case Fornes v. Osceola County Sheriff's Office. The case involved a deputy sheriff who claimed that the sheriff's office violated the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) after terminating his employment. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supported a previous ruling that favored the sheriff's office.