Olmstead: Reclaiming Institutionalized Lives (Abridged Version)

September 29, 2003

SCOPE AND PURPOSE:

In this report, the National Council on Disability (NCD) assesses the nation’s response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999) that the unjustified institutionalization of people with disabilities is a form of discrimination. NCD’s research reports on the extent of unnecessary institutionalization in the United States, the continuing barriers to community placement, and resources and service models that facilitate community integration. NCD examines the Federal Government’s implementation efforts and the strategies states and key stakeholders are using to (1) develop consensus on a coordinated action plan, (2) identify and commit the necessary resources for community-based service options, and (3) sustain collaborative action toward creating real choice for people with disabilities living in institutions.