In 1999, the United States Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999) (hereinafter referred to as “Olmstead”) requiring states to provide services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs.
In rendering its decision, the United States Supreme Court encouraged states to develop comprehensive plans for placing qualified disabled individuals in less restrictive settings.
This decision resulted in the Department publishing the 2003 Roadmap for Change – Maine’s Response to the Olmstead Decision.
The Department has updated its response to the Olmstead decision for the individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism.
The Department will continue to identify programmatic strengths and weakness, and to strategically identify objectives moving forward as it pertains to Olmstead.
All questions related to this initiative, can be sent to oads@maine.gov.