From the ED's Desk - Community Care Matters
This past week, the Department of Justice released a new legal opinion that runs counter to the longstanding precedent established by Olmstead v. L.C., which held that people with disabilities are entitled to receive services in their communities rather than in institutions.
The opinion states that states are not legally required to integrate individuals with mental disabilities into their communities by providing community- or home-based care. Civil rights advocates have argued that this interpretation undermines protections for people with mental, physical, and intellectual disabilities who rely on state-funded services.
This latest interpretation could lead to higher rates of institutionalization as health and human services agencies change how they investigate and enforce allegations of discrimination involving individuals who receive state-funded care. For years, courts have recognized that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, and learn in their communities rather than be segregated from society.
Fellowship Housing Opportunities firmly believes that community-based housing, paired with an appropriate level of support, is a far better solution than institutionalization. Community integration is often more effective and less expensive than isolation. How can we expect individuals with mental, physical, and intellectual disabilities to become contributing members of society if they are confined to institutions?
I encourage you to support funding and programs that promote community- and home-based care and preserve access to these services outside the walls of an institution, where they can provide greater benefits to individuals and society as a whole.
GIVE