Background: Olmstead v. L.C.

On June 22, 1999, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Olmstead v. L.C., finding that the unjustified institutional isolation of people with disabilities is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The court found that under certain circumstances, regulations implementing Title II of the ADA require the placement of persons with disabilities in community settings rather than institutions. The decision challenged federal, state and local governments to develop cost-effective community-based services to prevent or delay institutionalization.