The Georgia Advocacy Office as Georgia’s protection and advocacy system is concerned and disappointed by the Department of Justice’s recent memorandum addressing the integration requirements of the ADA and Section 504. While the memorandum does not change existing law, it departs from a widely accepted understanding that has guided disability policy, litigation, and service systems for decades.
Since the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. in 1999, courts and policymakers have built a substantial body of law recognizing that unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities is contrary to the goals of equality, inclusion, and full participation. States have spent years expanding home- and community-based services in response to these legal obligations and because community integration has proven to be the right policy choice and what people with disabilities want.
Research and lived experience consistently demonstrate that people with disabilities are more likely to lead safe, productive, and meaningful lives when they have access to appropriate supports in their communities. Community living promotes independence, strengthens families, expands employment opportunities, and enables individuals to contribute to the social and economic life of their communities.
The Georgia Advocacy Office remains steadfast in its commitment to these principles. We encourage federal and state leaders to continue supporting policies that expand community-based services and preserve the rights recognized under Olmstead. The promise of equal opportunity is best realized when people with disabilities have the support they need to live, work, and participate fully in community life.
Read the DOJ Memo here: https://www.justice.gov/olc/media/1446701/dl