Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) joins other organizations across the country in rejecting the legal analysis, contained in the memo recently issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel, that questions the integration requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
More than two decades ago, in Olmstead v. L.C., the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities is discrimination under the ADA. This new memo does not overrule Olmstead, nor the ADA or Section 504 statutes; it is not a court decision or law change, and it is not binding on any court.
All Delawareans, including older adults and those with disabilities, belong in their communities if that is where they want to be. CLASI is committed to fighting for the rights of individuals with disabilities and will continue to advocate for all to have the supports and services necessary to live and work in their communities.
For more information about the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, the DOJ memo, and the response from national disability rights organizations, please visit:
CLASI’s Disability Rights Delaware program serves as Delaware’s designated Protection & Advocacy System for individuals with disabilities.