Accessibility Statement

1. Our Commitment

South OC Chiropractic is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all patients, prospective patients, visitors, employees, and members of the public, including individuals with disabilities.

We strive to provide equal access to our healthcare services, office, website, online scheduling resources, forms, communications, and other information. We seek to treat every person with dignity, respect, independence, and fairness.

South OC Chiropractic works to identify, prevent, and remove accessibility barriers when reasonably possible and to provide reasonable modifications, auxiliary aids, services, and alternative methods of access when needed.

2. Purpose and Scope

This Accessibility Policy describes the steps South OC Chiropractic takes to improve access to:

• Our chiropractic office and patient services;
• Our website at www.southocchiropractic.com;
• Online appointment and scheduling tools;
• New-patient forms and other electronic documents;
• Telephone, email, text-message, and in-person communications;
• Information regarding our services, policies, office hours, and location; and
• Third-party digital services that we use to provide information or facilitate patient care.

This policy applies to South OC Chiropractic personnel who communicate with or provide services to patients and members of the public.

3. Applicable Accessibility Standards

South OC Chiropractic endeavors to provide access consistent with applicable United States federal and California disability-access laws, including, where applicable:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act;
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, when applicable;
• The California Unruh Civil Rights Act;
• The California Disabled Persons Act; and
• Other applicable federal, state, and local accessibility requirements.

As a technical accessibility goal for our website and digital content, we aim to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, currently WCAG 2.2 Level AA, where reasonably achievable.

Because websites, assistive technologies, browsers, and accessibility standards continue to change, accessibility is an ongoing process rather than a one-time project.

4. Website and Digital Accessibility

South OC Chiropractic seeks to make its website usable by individuals with a wide range of disabilities, including people with visual, hearing, mobility, speech, cognitive, learning, and neurological disabilities.

Our accessibility efforts may include:

• Providing text alternatives for meaningful images;
• Using headings and page structures that are understandable to screen-reader users;
• Supporting keyboard navigation where reasonably possible;
• Maintaining readable text and adequate color contrast;
• Providing descriptive labels for links, buttons, and form fields;
• Avoiding unnecessary flashing or rapidly moving content;
• Supporting browser zoom and text enlargement;
• Providing captions, transcripts, or alternative descriptions for important multimedia content when reasonably possible;
• Reviewing website forms and scheduling functions for accessibility;
• Using clear, understandable language;
• Correcting identified accessibility barriers; and
• Periodically reviewing the website as content, technology, and accessibility guidance change.

Despite our efforts, some content or functionality may not yet be fully accessible in every browser, device, assistive-technology combination, or third-party platform. We welcome notice of any specific accessibility problem so that we can investigate and provide assistance.

5. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may link to or use services operated by third parties, such as online scheduling systems, patient intake forms, maps, videos, social-media platforms, payment tools, laboratory services, or other external resources.

South OC Chiropractic does not control the accessibility, programming, content, or policies of independently operated third-party platforms. However, when we become aware that a third-party service creates an accessibility barrier, we will make reasonable efforts to assist the individual, offer an alternative method of access, or communicate the concern to the applicable provider.

The presence of a link to an external website does not mean that South OC Chiropractic controls or guarantees that website’s accessibility.

6. Alternative Access and Communication Assistance

A person who has difficulty accessing information through our website may contact us for assistance.

Depending on the individual’s needs and the nature of the request, we may provide information through an alternative method, such as:

• Telephone assistance;
• Email;
• Text communication;
• A printed document;
• A large-print document;
• Assistance completing an online or paper form;
• Reading information aloud;
• Providing information in a different electronic format;
• In-person assistance; or
• Another reasonable communication method agreed upon with the individual.

We will work with the person requesting assistance to identify an effective method of communication whenever reasonably possible.

7. Telephone and Electronic Communications

Our staff will make reasonable efforts to communicate clearly and effectively with individuals who have disabilities.

When telephone communication is not effective or appropriate, an individual may request another available communication method, such as email, text messaging, written communication, or assistance from an authorized support person.

Individuals who use a telecommunications relay service may use that service to contact our office.

Patients should not send urgent medical concerns or emergencies through email, text messages, website forms, or social-media messages. In an emergency, call 911 or seek immediate emergency medical care.

8. Assistive Devices

Individuals with disabilities may use personal assistive devices when accessing our office and services, subject to legitimate health and safety requirements.

Assistive devices may include:

• Wheelchairs;
• Walkers;
• Canes;
• Hearing devices;
• Communication devices;
• Screen readers;
• Magnification software;
• Voice-recognition software; and
• Other aids.

When the use of a particular device would create a significant and unavoidable safety concern or interfere with the safe provision of healthcare, we will discuss reasonable alternative arrangements with the individual.

9. Service Animals

South OC Chiropractic welcomes individuals with disabilities who use service animals, as permitted under applicable federal and California law.

A service animal generally may accompany its handler in areas of the office open to patients and the public unless the animal is excluded under a lawful exception, such as when the animal is not under control, is not housebroken, or its presence would create a legitimate health or safety concern that cannot be addressed through reasonable measures.

Emotional-support, comfort, or companion animals that have not been individually trained to perform work or tasks related to a disability may not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If a service animal must lawfully be excluded, we will make reasonable efforts to allow the individual to obtain our services without having the animal present.

10. Support Persons and Personal Assistants

Individuals with disabilities may be accompanied by a family member, caregiver, interpreter, personal assistant, or other support person when appropriate.

Because South OC Chiropractic provides healthcare services, patient privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, examination requirements, and clinical safety may affect a support person’s participation in certain discussions or treatment areas.

We may request the patient’s permission before discussing protected health information in the presence of another person. The patient may also be asked to authorize the support person’s involvement when required by privacy law or office policy.

11. Reasonable Modifications

South OC Chiropractic will consider reasonable requests to modify its usual policies, practices, or procedures when a modification is necessary to provide an individual with a disability meaningful access to our services.

A requested modification may not be provided when it would:

• Fundamentally alter the nature of the healthcare service;
• Create a direct threat to health or safety that cannot be reduced through reasonable measures;
• Require action that is prohibited by law;
• Compromise professional or clinical standards;
• Violate the privacy or rights of another person; or
• Create an undue financial or administrative burden under applicable law.

When a specific request cannot be granted, we will attempt to discuss other reasonable and effective options.

12. Accessible Patient Information and Forms

Upon request, South OC Chiropractic will make reasonable efforts to provide patient-facing information in an accessible format or assist a patient in reviewing or completing forms.

Requests should be made as early as reasonably possible, particularly when specialized communication assistance or document conversion may be necessary.

Nothing in this policy changes applicable requirements regarding informed consent, patient identity verification, medical-record documentation, privacy, or the accuracy and completeness of healthcare forms.

13. Office Accessibility

South OC Chiropractic seeks to maintain accessible routes and reasonable access to areas of our office used by patients and the public.

Individuals who have questions regarding parking, building entrances, elevators, restrooms, treatment tables, mobility accommodations, or other physical-access concerns are encouraged to contact us before their appointment so we can discuss available arrangements.

Because portions of the property may be owned, maintained, or controlled by a building owner, property manager, or other third party, we may need to coordinate certain physical-access concerns with that party.

14. Temporary Disruptions

We will make reasonable efforts to notify affected individuals when we become aware of a planned or unexpected disruption involving an accessibility feature or service.

Depending on the circumstances, notice may be provided through our website, telephone, email, text message, posted office signage, or direct communication.

When reasonably possible, the notice will describe:

• The affected service or accessibility feature;
• The anticipated duration of the disruption; and
• Available alternative methods for receiving services or information.

Emergency situations may limit our ability to provide advance notice.

15. Staff Awareness and Training

South OC Chiropractic personnel who interact with patients or the public may receive information or training appropriate to their responsibilities concerning:

• Respectful communication with individuals with disabilities;
• Responding to accessibility requests;
• The use of service animals and support persons;
• Assisting individuals who use mobility or communication devices;
• Providing alternative methods of communication;
• Protecting patient privacy while providing assistance; and
• Reporting accessibility concerns for review and correction.

Training and internal procedures may be updated as our services, technology, or legal obligations change.

16. Accessibility Feedback and Requests

We welcome comments regarding the accessibility of our office, services, website, and digital resources.

To report an accessibility issue or request assistance, please contact:

When reporting a website accessibility issue, please provide, when possible:

• The webpage address or name of the page;
• A description of the problem;
• The device and browser being used;
• The assistive technology being used, if applicable;
• The format or method of assistance requested; and
• Your preferred method of contact.

Providing this information is optional but may help us identify and address the issue more efficiently.

We will review accessibility concerns in good faith and make reasonable efforts to respond promptly. The time required to investigate or correct an issue may depend on its complexity, the technology involved, and whether a third-party service is affected.

17. No Retaliation

South OC Chiropractic will not retaliate against a person for requesting an accessibility accommodation, identifying an accessibility barrier, submitting accessibility feedback, or exercising rights protected by applicable disability-access laws.

18. Ongoing Review

We recognize that digital and physical accessibility requires continued attention. We may periodically:

• Review website content and functionality;
• Assess newly added pages, forms, images, videos, and documents;
• Evaluate reported accessibility barriers;
• Update staff procedures;
• Communicate concerns to third-party technology providers; and
• Revise this policy to reflect changes in our services, technology, accessibility standards, or applicable law.

19. Policy Limitations

This policy describes South OC Chiropractic’s accessibility goals and procedures. It is not intended to create contractual rights, expand legal obligations beyond those imposed by applicable law, or represent that every aspect of our website, office, or third-party services will be accessible under every circumstance.

The use of an accessibility tool, overlay, plugin, or widget is intended to assist users but is not a substitute for accessible website design, testing, remediation, reasonable modifications, or alternative access.

20. Policy Availability and Updates

A copy of this policy may be requested by contacting our office. We will make reasonable efforts to provide it in an alternative format upon request.

South OC Chiropractic may revise this policy periodically. The "Last Updated" date at the top of the policy identifies the most recent revision.