06/23/2026
Today is the anniversary of Olmstead v. L.C., the Supreme Court decision that affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in their communities. And today, that right is at risk.
A new Department of Justice opinion says the federal government may stop enforcing one of the strongest protections people with disabilities have against institutionalization.
This opinion doesn’t erase Olmstead or take away the regulations that protect community living. But it’s dangerous because rights mean less when the federal government refuses to enforce them.
Our Senior Executive Officer Shira Wakschlag, told NPR: “This opinion is a direct threat to decades of progress toward community living for people with disabilities. People with disabilities shouldn't be forced into institutions because a state refuses to provide services in the community.”
Olmstead has helped millions be a part of their communities and live the lives they choose. We cannot go backward.
Read the NPR article: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/20/nx-s1-5865100/doj-memo-trump-disability-civil-rights-institutionalization
