Justice Department Sues South Carolina for Violating Americans with Disabilities Act
The Justice Department sued the State of South Carolina today for unnecessarily segregating adults with mental illness in adult care homes, in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The department previously notified South Carolina of its findings of civil rights violations in a July 2023 letter , which identified steps that the state should take to remedy the violations. “People with disabilities in South Carolina can and must be able to receive services in their own homes, rather than being isolated in institutions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to ensure that people with disabilities can receive the services necessary to enable and empower them to leave institutions, and participate fully in community life.” “The ADA requires publi...