ELLIE'S BLOG on Living Well with Disability

President Obama recognizing that since the Olmstead ruling in 1999 much progress has been made but much more needs to be done stated.

"The landmark Olmstead Case  affirmed the rights of Americans with disabilities to live independently," said President Obama "On this anniversary, let's recommit ourselves to building on the promise of Olmstead by working to end all forms of discrimination and uphold the rights of Americans with disabilities and all Americans"

 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/22/anniversary-olmstead-obama-administration-recommits-assist-americans-dis

Lois Curtis one of the original plaintiffs in Olmstead v.L.C

presents President Obama with a gift of one of her original paintings

"Girl in Orange Dress",

On June 22,1999 the United States Supreme decision on Olmstead v.L.C. changed positively the lives of many people with disabilities.

The ruling stated that unjustified segregation of persons with disabilities constitutes discrimination in violation of title 11 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Lois Curtis, 31 and Elaine Wilson, 47, were the two women in the the decision to reach the Supreme Court. These two women had mental disabilities and  were hospitalized repeatedly over two decades with periodic discharges to inappropriate settings like a homeless shelter and hospitals. Their last hospitalization was voluntarily at the State run Georgia Regional Hospital for rehabilitation. The mental health professionals there stated that each was ready to move to a community based program. However it was only after a legal aid Attorney in Atlanta Georgia brought a lawsuit were they moved to a small group home .

Let's be honest Olmstead v. L.C.  would not have been needed had society accepted  fully the ADA Law which was passed prior to Olmstead vs. L.C.  In fact I happen to think that most American's are not even aware of Olmstead today and more importantly why it was needed.

By now people just take the architectural changes like ramps and parking permits for granted. But there are still builders and employers and States who have yet to come around to seeing the equality never mind the humanity in following the ADA .

When the ADA was being discussed in the legislature one of the main reasons for enactment was the increased awareness that society was segregating people with disabilities and treating them differently.  And treating them differently in a very degrading way.

Representative Ron Dellums during the final passage of the ADA stated that he had seen mental institutions. He stated that he had looked into the vegetative eye's of its inmates in their sterile environments. He also stated that we were allowing them to rot in their beds. "These living dead are our imprisoned Americans with disabilities".   And "Getting people .. out of institutions" was specifically stated by Senator Tom Harkin. 

Two years ago on the 10th anniversary of Olmstead President Obama stated that even though great strides had been made we needed to do more. There were very long waiting lists for people with disabilities to get into an Independent Living Center. Therefore he proclaimed 2009 the year of Community Living.  This was a new  effort to assist Americans with disabilities.  And at that time he provided over $140 million in the Recovery Act funding for Independent Living Centers across the country.

Although the big push to pass Olmstead was to get people with disabilities out of  these terrible institutions into group homes it effects every person with a disability . For the goal is equal rights for all people with disabilities. To allow them to live and function in an environment that's the least restrictive, to be able to live as independently as possible and be able to interact with the non-disabled in the community.  http://www.ada.gov/olmstead/q&a_olmstead.htm

"To live in my own Home, well I feel very grateful to all the people who helped me to get my own Home and I feel very good about my home.  I have a great life and I can make my own decisions.  And I can handle my own business, and I feel good about myself."

Elaine Wilson, from an interview

With the current economic situation those of us who are interested in seeing the civil rights and equality of people with disabilities maintained and bettered will have to keep ourselves well informed. 

ellie