Americans with Disabilities Act and Olmstead Decision

Americans celebrate their country’s Independence Day on July 4. However, two additional days advanced independence for people with disabilities in the U.S.

Thirty-four years ago, on July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law a groundbreaking, comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Today, many celebrate the entire month of July as “Disability Pride Month.”

Twenty-five years ago, on June 22, 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Olmstead v. L.C. & E.W. that states must provide services and programs for disabled people in the most integrated setting based on their needs and preferences and that unjustified segregation was a form of discrimination under the ADA.

In this newsletter, you will discover several disability independence resources, including:

• A digital booklet with 25 policy innovations and milestones stemming from the Olmstead decision,
• Olmstead success stories from the field, and
• Webinars and other resources celebrating disability independence.