Olmstead was foundational in its recognition that people with disabilities have the same right as others to be full and equal members of the community. For decades, even centuries prior, people with disabilities had languished in institutions, segregated from society, stripped of the choice and self-determination to map the course of their own lives, and were often subjected to abuse, neglect, or worse. The Olmstead decision opened the door to people with disabilities being able to access critical services and supports – including in-home care, accessible and affordable housing, and individualized therapies -- that can help them live in the community. Yet today, many people with disabilities continue to face widespread institutionalization and segregation—in hospitals, institutions, sheltered workshops, day habilitation programs, and nursing facilities—across the country. Access to community services is thwarted by limited placements, inadequate services, and lack of funding from and prioritization by States. When people with disabilities are denied access to community life and segregated in institutions, communities suffer because they are deprived of valuable personal insights, contributions, and leadership.
The late Judy Heumann said, “Change never happens at the pace we think it should. It happens over years of people joining together, strategizing, sharing, and pulling all the levers they possibly can.” Indeed, fulfilling the promise of Olmstead 25 years later requires our continued efforts to end the unjustified isolation of people with disabilities and bolster access to home- and community-based services that support them to thrive and flourish.