The federal government is backing away from a decades-old disability rights promise
The 19th News
The federal government is no longer enforcing the 1999 Olmstead v. L.C. ruling, which guaranteed people with disabilities the right to live in the community rather than in institutions. The Trump administration’s Department of Justice has withdrawn from cases defending these rights and settled a case that weakened community-based care regulations. This shift threatens progress made in deinstitutionalization and could force people with disabilities back into institutional settings.
All articles from 8 October 2026. Summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors; the linked article is the authority.