ACLU Reflects on 25 Years Since Landmark Supreme Court Decision in Olmstead v. L.C.

WASHINGTON — On the 25th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C., Zoe Brennan-Krohn, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Disability Rights Program, reflected on the progress we've made since the ruling and how far we still have to go:

"Twenty-five years ago today, the Supreme Court ruled in Olmstead v. L.C. affirming a 'right to live in the world' for people with disabilities, paving the way for generations to live and receive support in their homes and communities, rather than being warehoused in institutions.

"This landmark decision recognized the importance of allowing people with disabilities to live integrated lives as part of the promise of the ADA. It has led to landmark victories to get people with disabilities out of segregated, isolated settings and into their communities. But the promise of Olmstead remains unfulfilled. Too many people remain in nursing homes and institutions, or languish on long waiting lists for home and community-based services.

"Thousands more remain segregated or excluded from their communities in other ways too: in separate classrooms, in the workplace where they often are paid sub-minimum wages, and in prisons and jails which too often fail to provide support and treatment particularly to those with mental health disabilities. We won’t stop fighting to bring people the supports they need to live and participate in their communities."