As I travel the country and visit people in their homes, schools, workplaces and health centers, I am reminded just how much our lives are shaped by the places we occupy. Oftentimes, our opportunities are defined by the homes and communities in which we live.
Thirteen years ago, on June 22, 1999, people with disabilities moved closer to choosing where they live when the Supreme Court handed down the Olmstead v LC decision. This ruling established that people with disabilities have the right to live in the community with the proper services and supports, rather than being unnecessarily institutionalized.
Building on the President’s Year of Community Living, this spring the Obama Administration created the Administration for Community Living (ACL) at the Department of Health and Human Services, bringing together its experts charged with developing policies and improving supports for seniors as well as people with disabilities. Among other activities, ACL promotes the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act: to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.
Fonte: White House