“Our Homes Not Nursing Homes”

A Blueprint for Advocates: Recommended Next Steps to Advance California’s Implementation of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead Decision 

Like the similar civil rights decision of Brown v. the Board of Education, the Supreme Court’s 1999 Olmstead decision, validating the rights of people with disabilities to live in community settings instead of institutions, has been slow in making the large-scale changes that advocates expected. The economic recession has impeded progress and even set back California’s implementation efforts. However, the 2010 passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known as health care reform, is driving immense changes to long-term living programs and services that will potentially have a lasting impact on Olmstead implementation in the state. This Blueprint for Advocates provides an overview and context for the major change processes the state is undergoing, and suggests key strategies for advocates to continue to promote Olmstead implementation in a rapidly evolving landscape. Read the full report…