06/23/2026
CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY LIVING: Federal law created something called the integration mandate decades ago. It opened the door to community living for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. This week, the US Department of Justice released a memo that reinterprets established law and says, no states do not need to provide services in the community.
This would mean that instead of getting community residential support, employment services, in-home personal care, and other essential services, people could be forced to live in institutions.
The memo does not undo the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 stand. It does not overrule the US Supreme Court, which in 1999 said people have a right to receive care in the community (Olmstead v LC).
But it indicates the US Department of Justice may not enforce the law.
The Arc's response and FAQ: https://bit.ly/OlmsteadOpinion
"Disability rights aren’t always weakened through one big repeal. Sometimes they’re weakened through legal memos, withdrawn guidance, reduced enforcement, and regulations that get rolled back."
The Arc - Washington State Self Advocates In Leadership People First of Washington Allies in Advocacy Disability Empowerment Center
