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Photo: ACLU/SC's Mark Rosenbaum announces the settlement of a hospital dumping lawsuit with L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.

Video released last year of a 63-year-old woman wandering Skid Row in a hospital gown sparked calls to end the hospital practice of dumping homeless patients in L.A.'s streets. The ACLU/SC has now settled a lawsuit filed last year against Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, accused of mismanaging Carol Ann Reyes' care.

"What happened to Ms. Reyes was disgraceful, and this agreement will help bring dignity back to the treatment of homeless people in this city's hospitals," said ACLU/SC Legal Director Mark Rosenbaum. He called the settlement a "national model" for the hospital dumping problem that has plagued cities but received little attention until now.

Kaiser agreed to adopt new discharge protocols for homeless patients and training procedures for hospital staff members who work with them. A retired federal judge will oversee the agreement.

The ACLU/SC announced the settlement with co-counsel, Public Counsel, and the L.A. City Attorney's office, which filed criminal charges against the hospital.

Carol Ann Reyes was discharged from Kaiser's Bellflower hospital in March 2006 and dropped 16 miles away outside the Union Rescue Mission in downtown L.A. Mission staff had received little advance notice and were unprepared for Ms. Reyes, who still faced medical problems and was readmitted to another hospital soon after being dumped at the mission's doors.

The story came full circle at a May 15 press conference on the mission's roof. Public Counsel's Dan Grunfeld said the settlement "marks the end of a nightmare for Ms. Reyes and a new beginning for our city in how we treat some of our most vulnerable members."

Ms. Reyes, now 64, lives in an assisted-care facility in the L.A. area. Her treatment and the disturbing video of her dumping put a spotlight on the precarious position of L.A. county's homeless population. Approximately 88,000 people are homeless in the county each night, and limited services are available to meet the need.

In 2004, California sent a smaller percentage of its high-school students to four-year colleges than any state other than Mississippi. At the ACLU/SC's urging, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced a $100-million plan to expand college-prep classes and toughen career-technical education for the state's students.

The request came in the May budget revision and follows months of discussions among the governor's staff, legislators and ACLU representatives that led to the announced proposal.

Close to 1 million students each year do not qualify for admission to college or other career paths because they lack access to required courses taught by qualified teachers. Nearly two-thirds of these students are Latino and African American.

The governor's proposal will increase the number of college preparatory and career-technical courses, hire qualified teachers, and improve reporting and accountability measures.

State law mandates equal opportunity for the state's students regardless of race or income, and the ACLU/SC supports that fundamental right through our litigation and public education. The 2004 settlement of the Williams v. California lawsuit provided $1 billion to address school conditions that hamper learning, raise the level of teaching, and provide textbooks at low-performing high schools. Click here to learn more about the Williams v. California settlement.

"We agreed with the Governor that Williams was only a first step for California's students," said Catherine Lhamon, ACLU/SC Racial Justice Director. "Bridging the college and career gap by funding rigorous courses for kids who want them is critical for California's future."

LOS ANGELES - Responding to the ACLU of Southern California's call to improve college and career opportunities for the state's high-school students, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today requested $100 million to strengthen college-prep and career-technical classes. The request came in the May budget revision and follows months of discussions among the governor's staff, legislators and ACLU representatives that led to the announced proposals.

'This is an historic step forward for California students,' said ACLU/SC legal director Mark Rosenbaum. 'The Governor is breaking down the institutional walls blocking opportunity for students stuck in low-performing schools, not in 10 or 20 years, but starting this fall. For the first time, the promise of the American dream can be California students' dream too.'

California law already requires higher-education opportunity for all high-school graduates who satisfy the requirements of the state's public universities and colleges. But 55% of California's public high schools do not offer classes students need to qualify for college, and the number of rigorous career-technical classes has been recently slashed. The result, according to UCLA researchers and the Governor's office:

- California sent a smaller percentage (23%) of students to four-year colleges in 2004 than any state other than Mississippi.

- Close to 1 million students each year do not qualify for admission to college or other career paths because they lack access to required courses taught by qualified teachers.

- Nearly two-thirds of these students are Latino and black, and nearly 250,000 attend racially isolated schools.

- Only 16% of career-technical classes satisfy college requirements, limiting students' options and shutting doors.

State law mandates equal opportunity for the state's students regardless of race or income, and the ACLU/SC supports that fundamental right through our litigation and public education. The 2004 settlement of the Williams vs. California lawsuit provided $1 billion to address school conditions that hamper learning, raise the level of teaching, and provide textbooks at low-performing high schools. The ACLU/SC currently sponsors SB 405, which also addresses availability of career-technical and college-eligible classes.

'We agreed with the Governor that Williams was only a first step for California's students,' said Catherine Lhamon, ACLU/SC Racial Justice Director. 'Bridging the college and career gap by funding rigorous courses for kids who want them is critical for California's future.'

The governor's proposal will increase the number of college preparatory and career-technical courses, hire qualified teachers, and improve reporting and accountability measures.