Fifteen years ago this month — on June 22, 1999 — the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Olmstead v. L.C. (“Olmsted“), finding that the unjustified segregation of persons with disabilities constitutes discrimination in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark Supreme Court decision requires states to eliminate unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities and to ensure that persons with disabilities receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.
Locally, in August 2012, the State of North Carolina settled a complaint initiated by Disability Rights North Carolina over the State’s placement of people with mental illness in Adult Care Homes, rather than in less-restrictive community settings. For more on this settlement and the actions North Carolina is required to take to comply with the ADA and Olmsted, click here.
