Public Health

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) needs to do more to uphold the civil rights of people with disabilities.

COVID-19 identified long-standing public health policy problems, including highlighting that people with disabilities are frequently at increased risk from multiple kinds of viruses and infections, and tend to not get needed accommodations in healthcare settings (i.e., appropriate medical transportation, access to home vaccination, policy protections for people with disabilities who require personal care assistants in hospitals and institutionalized settings, or that mask requests will be honored as accommodation requests). CDPH enforcement workers must be trained and able to enforce civil rights requirements in the hospitals and other provider entities over which CDPH has jurisdiction.

California fails to use proven public health tools to mitigate COVID-19 transmission.

In January 2024, CDPH revoked the last of its meager remaining COVID-19 protections by shortening guidance on the isolation period for a positive COVID-19 test from 5 days to 0 days. This decision devalues disabled lives. This decision was made during the second highest COVID-19 spike ever, while Californians died daily from the virus and millions across the nation face lifelong disability from long-COVID. CDPH needs to consider high-risk people and the needs of disabled Californians in implementing policies that protect people from the deadly and disabling virus.

Masks are one of the most important tools as high-risk people navigate the ongoing pandemic. However, the University of California system recently joined in a wave of mask bans. Many disabled people need masks for health and safety. Restrictions on wearing masks harm disabled people by increasing surveillance and policing, inviting harassment and invasive medical questions, and generally discouraging mask-wearing.[47]

Disability demographic data is largely absent in California’s public health system.

CDPH, along with DHCS and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, runs the California Health Interview Survey. Currently, this survey lacks needed disability data, as it is limited to a few disability types and does not collect data across disability types.[48] This survey should collect far more information about people with disabilities to ensure disabled people are included in public health measures. Local public health departments need current and accurate information to meet the needs of people with disabilities in emergency and non-emergency situations.


[47] “DREDF, DRC and 89 Organizations Condemn Mask Bans and Urge Lawmakers Not to Adopt Them to Protect the Right of People with Disabilities to Participate in the Community Safely” Disability Rights California, 31 Jul. 2024.

[48] ”CHIS Methodology Reports Repository” UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.