HHS Digital Accessibility Deadline Extended

May 8, 2026

Dear Stony Brook faculty and staff,

This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a one-year extension for its funding recipients to comply with digital accessibility standards under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974. The compliance deadline has moved from May 11, 2026, to May 11, 2027.

This announcement follows a similar one issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for the ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Rule, announced late last month and previously shared with the Stony Brook community.

Far from slowing momentum, these extensions serve as a catalyst to deepen collective expertise in digital accessibility, offering a vital window to further embed inclusive practices into teaching, research, service, and patient care.

We encourage you to use the resources already available to support our efforts to comply with these digital accessibility regulations:

• Our digital accessibility resource center,
• Training opportunities designed for faculty and staff, and students,
• Frequently asked questions.

Additional questions should be directed to the Office of Equity and Access.

We appreciate all that you have done to get us where we are. And we welcome your ongoing feedback and questions on what lies ahead.

Sincerely,

Bill and Carl

William A. Wertheim, MD, MBA
Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine

Carl W. Lejuez, PhD
Executive Vice President and Provost