Today, the United States filed in federal court a settlement agreement with the State of Maine, resolving a claim that Maine is unnecessarily segregating children with behavioral health disabilities in hospitals, residential facilities, and a state-operated juvenile detention facility in violation of the ADA and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The court-enforceable settlement agreement requires Maine to provide services to children with behavioral health disabilities in the most integrated (community) settings appropriate to children's needs, such as family and foster homes, so that they do not need to enter hospitals, residential facilities, and juvenile detention to get services. Pursuant to this agreement, Maine will provide children and families with the planning and services they need to avoid stays in emergency departments and institutions; ensure that children can move out of institutions and instead receive services at home if consistent with children and families' needs and desires; address current and future workforce shortages of community-based service providers; provide prompt mobile crisis interventions help children avoid unnecessary stays in emergency departments and contact with law enforcement; facilitate intra-agency coordination; and provide information to children, families, and stakeholders about community-based services and the rights of children under the agreement.
To learn more, please read the press release. To find out about the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (833) 610-1264 (TTY).
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