June 22, 2009 Olmstead Anniversary

From Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey Continues--
June 22, 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Olmstead ruling for disability civil rights. Nearly ten years after the disability civil rights movement's victory in the Olmstead decision, incremental progress has occurred. Still, more than 313,000 people with disabilities in nursing homes (23% of the total) want to live in the community, and yet are denied their civil right to integration, primarily because of Medicaid's historical bias in favor of segregation.

How hard is it to understand and accept that, but for the denial of civil rights, many institutionalized people with disabilities would live in the community with adequate programs and supports, especially since its cheaper for the federal government and states to provide such programs and supports in the community?

How hard would it be to enact a Disability Civil Rights Act in 2009 to end unnecessary segregation just as Congress did with the Civil Rights Acts in the 1960s? Will U.S. Attorney General Holder look to how U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy addressed ending discrimination in the 1960s? General Holder could start by looking at the 313,000 people with disabilities living in nursing facilities who have said they do not want unnecessary institutionalized. He could inform states that Olmstead and the ADA/504 require providing real choice for people with disabilities who are segregated and want to live in the community.

Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at http://www.stevegoldada.com with a searchable Archive at this site divided into different subjects. To contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com or call 215-627-7100.