Supporting Peers to Advocate for Equal Rights and a Recovery-Based
Mental Health System
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Jul 20, 2026
On June 18, 2026 the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo arguing a much narrower reading of Olmstead v. L.C. and rolling back 30 years of federal support for the idea that individuals with disabilities have the right to live in a community setting.
The Olmstead v. L.C. landmark Supreme Court decision, issued on June 22, 1999, ruled that the unjustified institutionalization of people with disabilities is a form of illegal discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The historic case was brought by two women in Georgia, Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, who were held in a state psychiatric hospital long after their treatment teams agreed they were ready to live in the community. The Court established the "Integration Mandate," affirming that state and local governments must provide community-based services to individuals with disabilities whenever such placement is appropriate, desired by the individual, and can be reasonably accommodated.
The new interpretation by the DOJ does not change the law, but since the DOJ has previously been the main enforcer of Olmstead, the decision puts the rights of disabled people at risk.
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