Some good news! Following up from a previous ruling, a Federal District Court Judge in New York ruled that up to 4,300 people must be allowed to live and participate in the community. For years, New York State has housed people with mental illnesses in large warehouse like settings-much to their dismay.
- Ruling paves way for community living in NY
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Read news article on this ruling.Read background information on this subject.
In 2003, Disabilities Advocates, a non-profit group, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the residents of this New York State supported housing in order to help them live in the community rather than warehouses. After seven years of snaking through the legal system, and with help of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, a federal judge gave New York three years to build 4,500 units of supportive housing so that people capable of living in their community have the opportunity to do so.
It seems that as a person with a disability, Governor Patterson (D-NY), would support helping people with disabilities succeed in living independent lives, but his administration is considering appealing the judge’s ruling. The result would be that people would remain in warehouse settings. It is useful that the U.S. Department of Justice supports this ruling.
