I am
Olmstead.
Celebrating A Lifeline for
Georgia’s Disabled Youth
SUSAN WALKER GOICO
Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.
June 22, 2019 marked the 20th anniversary
of Olmstead v. L.C. and E.W.– the landmark
U.S. Supreme Court case hailed as the
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Brown v. Board of Education for people
with disabilities. The decision clarified
that people with disabilities have the right
under the Americans With Disabilities
Act to obtain services in the community
rather than in institutions. The decision
has had a profound impact on people with
disabilities in the Atlanta area and beyond.
Atlanta Legal Aid Society, which brought
the Olmstead case, is continuing to fight to
ensure Olmstead is fully implemented. One
example is the advocacy involved Tykeem,
a young man with autism who does not use
words to communicate. As a result of having
advocates on their side, Tykeem received
around-the-clock care in a group home and
also helped his mother, who has multiple
sclerosis and uses a wheelchair, receive the
in-home supports she needed.
As a result of justic prevailing, Tykeem
is now supported in a home with trained
caregivers who are able to manage his
challenging behaviors and help him engage
in the community. Without Legal Aid’s
advocacy, Tykeem would likely have been
institutionalized, but he is now able to
live close to home and maintain a healthy
relationship with his mother. The Olmstead
decision has made it possible for Tykeem
and others to live in the community rather
than being unnecessarily segregated in
institutions.
In recognition of the 20th anniversary of
this groundbreaking civil rights decision,
Atlanta Legal Aid Society will co-host a
conference along with Georgia State Law
School on August 8-9, 2019 to explore the
history of the case, assess the current state of
compliance with the law, and imagine a path
forward, where all people with disabilities
have access to the supports they need to live
full and meaningful lives in the community.
For more information and to register for the
conference, go to https://clhs.law.gsu.edu/
journal-of-legal-medicine/