Filed: Oct. 18, 2016
Latest Update: Oct. 18, 2016
Summary: NOT FOR PUBLICATION PER CURIAM . Reza Sherkat ("Sherkat"), on behalf of himself and as the guardian of Shahram Sherkat ("Shahram"), appeals the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts's dismissal of the complaint he brought against New England Village, Inc. ("NEV"), three of its officers, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services ("DDS") Commissioner Elin Howe, and another DDS official. NEV is a private organization that receives funding from Massachusetts to
Summary: NOT FOR PUBLICATION PER CURIAM . Reza Sherkat ("Sherkat"), on behalf of himself and as the guardian of Shahram Sherkat ("Shahram"), appeals the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts's dismissal of the complaint he brought against New England Village, Inc. ("NEV"), three of its officers, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services ("DDS") Commissioner Elin Howe, and another DDS official. NEV is a private organization that receives funding from Massachusetts to ..
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NOT FOR PUBLICATION
PER CURIAM.
Reza Sherkat ("Sherkat"), on behalf of himself and as the guardian of Shahram Sherkat ("Shahram"), appeals the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts's dismissal of the complaint he brought against New England Village, Inc. ("NEV"), three of its officers, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services ("DDS") Commissioner Elin Howe, and another DDS official.
NEV is a private organization that receives funding from Massachusetts to provide community-based and residential services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. In September 2014, Sherkat completed the application process to have Shahram, his now-thirty-nine-year-old son, receive services from NEV. A month later, NEV officials responded that new DDS regulations forced NEV to stop planning for new admissions. NEV subsequently sent Shahram a letter stating that although Shahram was "eligible for services at [NEV]," NEV did not foresee any openings for either a residential placement or community-based day services and would place Shahram on a waitlist.
Sherkat claims that NEV's rejection of Shahram violated the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause; section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794; Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), 42 U.S.C. § 12132; and the "free choice" provision of the Medicaid Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1396n(c)(2)(C). Sherkat's complaint also included a count for negligent infliction of emotional distress against NEV officials based on Shahram's rejection causing Sherkat "physical and emotional harm." Additionally, Sherkat filed two claims against Howe and another DDS official claiming that DDS violated the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 12, § 11I, and sought injunctive relief "to take all necessary steps relative to the admission of Shahram to NEV."1
Upon de novo review, we conclude that the district court properly dismissed Sherkat's complaint. Pursuant to First Circuit Rule 27.0(c), we summarily affirm without adopting the district court's opinion.2
So ordered.
