Olmstead & U.S. DOJ Civil Rights Division News

[Guest guest]

The Justice Department announced today that it has

entered into an agreement with the state of North Carolina to ensure the state is in compliance

with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act. The

agreement will transform the state’s system for serving people with mental

illness. Under the settlement agreement, over the next eight years, North Carolina’s system

will expand community-based services and supported housing that promote

inclusion and independence and enable people with mental illness to participate

fully in community life.

Under the ADA,

as interpreted by the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C., people with

disabilities have the right to receive services in the most integrated settings

appropriate to their needs. The settlement follows an investigation by

the Department of North Carolina’s mental health service system that began in

2010. Since the department’s letter of findings was issued one year ago, in

July 2011, the state has worked cooperatively with the department to negotiate

an agreement..

“As the Supreme Court noted over a decade ago, the

unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities is based on the unsupported

assumption that they are unworthy of participating in community life,” said E. ,

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will

enable North Carolinians with mental illness

to live in community-based settings, enriching their lives and the lives of

their neighbors, and recognizing their worth and dignity. I commend Governor Bev Perdue

and North Carolina’s

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Al Delia for their

leadership, which played a crucial role in making this comprehensive agreement

a reality.”

Over the next eight years, North Carolina will provide integrated

supported housing to 3,000 people, expand Assertive Community Treatment teams

to serve 5,000 individuals, and provide a range of crisis services. The

agreement will also expand integrated employment opportunities for people with

mental illness by providing supported employment services to 2,500 individuals.

These services will allow the state to serve people with mental illness

effectively in their communities while avoiding costly institutional settings.

To read more, click here.

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[Guest guest]

This says, " over the next eight years, North Carolina's system will expand

community-based services and supported housing that promote inclusion and

independence and enable people with mental illness to participate fully in

community life. "

I wish this would happen in Florida. It seems that in Florida the supposed

'advocates' for our kids do everything they can to block any efforts to build

supportive housing communities and very little is done to provide crisis or

employment services here.

Glenda

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> The Justice Department announced today that it has

> entered into an agreement with the state of North Carolina to ensure the state

is in compliance

> with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act. The

> agreement will transform the state's system for serving people with mental

> illness. Under the settlement agreement, over the next eight years, North

Carolina's system

> will expand community-based services and supported housing that promote

> inclusion and independence and enable people with mental illness to

participate

> fully in community life.

>

>

>

> Under the ADA,

> as interpreted by the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C.,

people with

> disabilities have the right to receive services in the most integrated

settings

> appropriate to their needs. The settlement follows an investigation by

> the Department of North Carolina's mental health service system that began in

> 2010. Since the department's letter of findings was issued one year ago, in

> July 2011, the state has worked cooperatively with the department to negotiate

> an agreement..

>

>

>

> " As the Supreme Court noted over a decade ago, the

> unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities is based on the

unsupported

> assumption that they are unworthy of participating in community life, " said

E. ,

> Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. " This agreement will

> enable North Carolinians with mental illness

> to live in community-based settings, enriching their lives and the lives of

> their neighbors, and recognizing their worth and dignity. I commend Governor

Bev Perdue

> and North Carolina's

> Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Al Delia for their

> leadership, which played a crucial role in making this comprehensive agreement

> a reality. "

>

>

>

> Over the next eight years, North Carolina will provide integrated

> supported housing to 3,000 people, expand Assertive Community Treatment teams

> to serve 5,000 individuals, and provide a range of crisis services. The

> agreement will also expand integrated employment opportunities for people with

> mental illness by providing supported employment services to 2,500

individuals.

> These services will allow the state to serve people with mental illness

> effectively in their communities while avoiding costly institutional settings.

>

>

>

> To read more, click here.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Follow The

> Department of Justice on Twitter. | Like The

> Department of Justice on Facebook.

>