Justice Department: Nebraska unnecessarily institutionalizes people with mental illness [View all]

Source: Nebraska Examiner

By: Zach Wendling - May 14, 2024 3:24 pm

LINCOLN — The U.S. Department of Justice concluded Tuesday that Nebraska unnecessarily institutionalizes adults with serious mental illness in violation of their civil rights.

The Justice Department said Nebraskans are being segregated in assisted living and day program facilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1999 decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The department interviewed affected Nebraskans, agency heads and others after beginning an investigation in June 2021 following multiple complaints.

In a letter to Gov. Jim Pillen, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the department’s Civil Rights Division said the department wants to “work cooperatively” to resolve the findings. This includes entering settlement negotiations and an agreement to remedy the identified violations.
Institutionalized ‘far too often’

If Nebraska does not negotiate, or if the talks fail, the federal government said it could take appropriate action, which could include legal action, to remedy the violations.



Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/14/justice-department-nebraska-unnecessarily-institutionalizes-people-with-mental-illness/