U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Assistant Attorney General
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW - RFK
Washington, DC 20530

August 26, 2020
The Honorable Tom Wolf
Governor of Pennsylvania
Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Dear Governor Wolf:
I write to request information regarding COVID-19 and nursing homes run by, or for,
the State of Pennsylvania, as defined in more detail hereafter. The Civil Rights Division of the
Department of Justice enforces the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). See
42 U.S.C. § 1997. The Division is evaluating whether to open a CRIPA investigation of
institutions “providing skilled nursing, intermediate or long-term care, or custodial or residential
care” that are “owned, operated, or managed by, or provide[] services on behalf of
[Pennsylvania] or [a] political subdivision of [Pennsylvania]” (“Public Nursing Homes”).
To help us make this determination, the Division respectfully requests the following
documents and information for each Public Nursing Home. Data should be provided on a Public
Nursing Home-specific basis for each Public Nursing Home in the state.
1.

The number of Public Nursing Home residents, employees, other staff, guests, and visitors
who contracted COVID-19, regardless of where such persons contracted COVID-19.

2.

The number of Public Nursing Home residents, employees, other staff, guests, and visitors
who died of COVID-19 including those who died in a Public Nursing Home or after being
transferred to a hospital or other medical facility, hospice, home care, or any other location.

3.

All State-issued guidance, directives, advisories, or executive orders regarding admission
of persons to Public Nursing Homes, including those previously superseded, as well as the
dates each such document was in effect.

4.

The number of persons who were admitted to a Public Nursing Home from a hospital or
any other facility, hospice, home care, or other location after testing positive for COVID19 during the period the guidance or orders were in effect.

 The Honorable Tom Wolf
August 26, 2020
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We have not reached any conclusions about this matter. In the Division’s many
years of enforcing CRIPA, the good faith efforts of state, county, or local jurisdictions
working with us have enabled us to resolve many matters amicably. We request the
above information within 14 days.
If you have any questions, please contact our office.
Sincerely,

Eric Dreiband
Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division

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