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Georgia’s Disability Care System Exposed as State Agrees to Reform
A federal investigation has uncovered serious deficiencies in Georgia’s care for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness, prompting the state to agree to a comprehensive reform package.
The extension agreement, reached with the state after a 2010 settlement, aims to address seven areas of alleged deficiency, including the forced placement of individuals with disabilities into state hospitals and inadequate community-based services.
Under the agreement, Georgia will help people with developmental disabilities move from its state hospitals to integrated settings, consistent with their needs and preferences, and will create at least 675 new Medicaid home- and community-based waiver slots as alternatives to placement in a facility.
The state will also provide clinical oversight and enhanced support coordination for individuals with developmental disabilities served by the state and require providers to develop risk management and quality improvement programs.
At least 600 additional individuals with mental illness will receive bridge funding and at least 633 will receive housing vouchers under the Georgia housing voucher program, with the state required to have capacity to provide supported housing to any of the people with mental illness covered by the settlement agreement that need it by June 30, 2018.
“By strengthening the services provided by Georgia’s mental health system, this agreement will make a difference in the lives of Georgians with developmental disabilities or mental illness who wish to build lives in the community,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“We look forward to working with Georgia to deliver on the promise of community integration enshrined in the ADA,” Gupta added.
U.S. Attorney John A. Horn of the Northern District of Georgia praised the state’s willingness to continue to partner with the federal government and stakeholders to improve the quality of care for people with disabilities.
The agreement marks a significant step towards reforming Georgia’s disability care system, which has faced criticism for its inadequate services and treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Public Corruption|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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