Can I Ask a Resident About Their Health Condition?

Recovery housing is not a clinical or treatment setting. Consequently, it is unlawful to discriminate against individuals who have a specific health condition, such as HIV/AIDS or hepatitis. Not only is it against the law, but it is also inequitable, as these conditions generally impact marginalized populations at higher rates.

Accordingly, it is not recommended to ask residents about any specific health conditions they may have, as it may lead to unlawful bias in deciding who and how someone can live in the house. Though the resident can freely tell you, without duress, about any disease they may have, they also have the right not to ever tell you anything about their health condition.

Therefore, you may not ever know if a person has a communicable disease.