06/22/2026
Today marks the 27th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C., which affirmed that the unjustified segregation of people with disabilities constitutes discrimination under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Olmstead decision reinforced the right of people with disabilities to live, work, and fully participate in their communities rather than be unnecessarily confined to institutions. More than two decades later, it remains one of the most significant disability rights rulings in our nation’s history.
As we mark this important day, we want to call attention to a recent U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel memo that has generated significant discussion by challenging long-standing interpretations of Olmstead.
Read the summary from the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As) below to learn more and please stay tuned for updates.
“On June 18, 2026, the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel issued a slip opinion that directly attacks decades of progress toward equality, inclusion, and community living for people with disabilities. We strongly condemn this attempt to undermine the fundamental principle that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, learn, and receive services in their communities rather than be segregated in institutions. For generations, advocates, families, and people with disabilities have fought to dismantle systems of isolation and exclusion. This opinion rejects that hard-won progress and disregards the experiences of millions of Americans whose lives have been transformed by community-based services and supports.
Although this opinion does not overturn Olmstead v. L.C., repeal the Americans with Disabilities Act, or invalidate decades of federal court precedent, it sends a deeply troubling message about the Administration's intentions. The opinion is inconsistent with longstanding interpretations of federal disability rights law embraced by courts and administrations of both parties. By questioning the legal foundations of the Integration Mandate, it threatens the protections that help people avoid unnecessary institutionalization, remain connected to their families, secure stable housing, access education and employment, and participate fully in civic life. At a time when community-based supports are already under strain, this effort risks reversing decades of bipartisan progress and weakening one of the most successful civil rights movements in our nation's history.
“Our vision is rooted in hope and in the belief that people with disabilities belong in their communities, with the supports, opportunities, and dignity they deserve—and we will not go back,” said Marlene Sallo, Executive Director. We reject any effort to return to systems that separate people with disabilities from their communities or limit their choices and independence. We will continue to defend the protections and promises of Olmstead, the ADA, and Section 504; protect the services that make community living possible; and stand with people with disabilities and their families in the fight for equality, dignity, and self-determination. The work of community integration is not over, and our commitment to keeping people in their communities and homes remains as strong as ever."
h/t National Disability Rights Network
