You may have seen some alarming headlines recently about a new federal legal opinion regarding the rights of disabled people to live in the community. Disability Rights California (DRC) has just released a strong statement breaking down what this means for families here in our state.
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion that tries to weaken the long-standing “integration mandate” that says people with disabilities have a civil right to receive services in their community rather than in institutions. DRC strongly condemned this opinion, pointing out that it is especially dangerous in California right now as the state expands involuntary commitment laws.
The most important thing for parents to know right now is that this opinion does not erase the Americans with Disabilities Act, and it does not give California permission to stop building community-based services. Advocates are fighting hard to protect these rights.
You can read DRC’s full response and learn more about what this means for our community on the Disability Rights California website.