Olmstead Under Threat – Pushing Limits – July 3, 2026
About this episode
The episode discusses the threats to the Olmstead decision and the implications for people with disabilities.
Will we return to the bad old days of existence in substandard hospitals and nursing homes? Or will we fight to preserve our lives in the community? Sadly, this is not a rhetorical question. In 1999, the United States Supreme Court passed the Olmstead decision determining that people with disabilities should not be forced into institutions when they can be safely and appropriately supported in community settings. Or, in other words, people with mental and other disabilities no longer had to be incarcerated in oppressive institutions when they could reside in whatever type of community living was most appropriate to the individual. But in a memo issued in June, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel upended that guidance. It argued that neither the Americans with Disabilities Act, nor Section 504, two major disability rights laws, requires states to provide services in the most mainstream setting. Pushing Limits on Friday, July 3 interviews Eric Harris, Associate Executive Director of External Affairs for Disability Rights California, to discuss Olmstead and the threat against it. This Program is hosted and produced by Eddie Ytuarte. Click here for a relevant article…
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