Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
According to the ADA, public agencies and private entities
must comply with the law to provide reasonable accommodation for deaf
and hard-of-hearing persons upon request, or need, such as provision of
a sign language interpreter.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
All agencies receiving federal funds must provide interpreting
services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Hospital Patient's Rights
Interpreters and persons skilled in communicating with
deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals shall be available to both inpatients
and outpatients setting within 20 minutes, and to patients in the emergency
service within 10 minutes of a request to the hospital administrator by
the patient, the patient's family or representative of the medical care
provider.