12 Years after the Olmstead Decision, Olmstead Champion Lois Curtis Meets the President

On Monday, June 20th Olmstead champion Lois Curtis visited with President Obama in the Oval Office marking the 12th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court discussion in the Olmstead v. L.C. case in 1999.  The Olmstead decision helped to change the rehabilitation paradigm from medical/institutional model to a consumer-based model of care. Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, individuals with psychiatric and developmental disabilities living at a state psychiatric hospital in Georgia filed a suit in 1995 seeking disability services in the community.  They argued based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that institutionalization is an unjustified isolation of people with disabilities and a form of discrimination and the Supreme Court agreed.  The Olmstead decision was influential for the community/consumer-based services movement, which is discussed in our May 2007 issue of reSearch on “Olmstead and Community-Based Services for Persons with Psychiatric and Intellectual Disabilities.”  This edition of research is available at www.naric.com/public/reSearch/ReSearchVol2no3.cfm or in full-text at www.naric.com/public/reSearch/ReSearchVol2no3.pdf.  To read more about Ms. Curtis visit to White House and meeting with the President please visit www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/06/22/olmstead-champion-meets-president.