Huge Win for Advocacy Groups as People with Bleeding Disorders See Increased Equity and Access to Behavioral Health Facilities

The Bleeding Disorders Substance Use and Mental Health Access Coalition, National Bleeding Disorder Foundation (NBDF), and Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA), are pleased to share that after advocacy from the bleeding disorders community, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finalized a new rule that will increase equity and access to behavioral health facilities for people with bleeding disorders. 

The “Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities” clarifies that the protections afforded to people with disabilities (including bleeding disorders) under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 apply to medical settings. Medical providers must conduct an individualized inquiry to determine whether the facility can meet the person’s needs, and that they cannot deny access based solely on the presence of a diagnosis, such as a bleeding disorder. Read more here.

Source: National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, July 2024