RAINSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department opened an investigation into the City of Rainsville on claims that officials refused to allow a faith-based organization to establish a recovery center on the premise of keeping “drug addicts” away.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said it announced that it is going to determine whether the City violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 and the Fair Housing Act by denying a faith-based organization’s application to operate an addiction-recovery facility in the City.
The Department said it opened the investigation after receiving a complaint saying the City denied a Christian recovery organization the ability to establish a Christian discipleship program designed to “keep away ‘drug addicts.’”
“The ADA affords every individual, including those on the path to recovery, the dignity and opportunity to fully participate in society,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “The Civil Rights Division stands guard to protect not only the rights of Americans with disabilities, but also the rights of religious institutions to minister to those recovering from substance abuse.”
The Department said the program was intended to rehabilitate men with drug and alcohol dependency, and other life-controlling problems.
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