Public Accommodations

Public accommodations are programs or services that are generally open and available to the public, including retail stores, libraries, gyms, schools, courthouses, salons, healthcare facilities, restaurants, theaters, museums, and hotels. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, including HIV, in public accommodations. Disability-based discrimination in public accommodations may occur through exclusion from entering or participating in a program or service, or through imposition of different standards and rules for participation based solely on a person's HIV status or other disability.

This HIV Policy Resource Bank category contains complaints, briefs, and settlement agreements that address discrimination in access to such services as dental care, weight loss programs, massage therapy, pharmacy assistance, emergency medical services, and surgical treatment. Also included is Title III of the ADA, as well as its implementing regulations.