For people suffering from the disability of heroin or other opiate addiction, methadone treatment is often the only effective treatment. Methadone has been proven to be safe, and the drug does not diminish a person’s mental functioning or ability to fulfill job requirements. Prior to the 2007 suspension of her license, Ms. Reynolds had worked as a licensed nurse for over 25 years. Following her suspension, she had no choice but to take other work earning only minimum wage.

The lawsuit charges that the Commonwealth’s actions violate the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act by discriminating against a person with a disability – in this case drug dependency. We aim to force the State Board of Nursing to stop discriminating against nurses using methadone to successfully treat drug addictions.

Case Progress