Investigation Reveals Mississippi Violates ADA: Unnecessarily Institutionalizing Persons with Disabilities

The Justice Department found that Mississippi has violated the ADA by unnecessarily institutionalizing thousands of people with disabilities. In 1999 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the ADA ensures people with disabilities the right to live in their communities and take part in communal life.

In February, the Justice Department cited Virginia for institutionalizing people with developmental disabilities. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed allocating $30 million to increase community-based treatment. In 2010 the Justice Department came to a settlement agreement with Georgia, requiring the state to spend $77 million more on community-based treatment in 2012.

While community-based treatment costs money upfront, it will save taxpayers money in the long run. Mississippi taxpayers currently pay $110,000 a year for each patient housed at a developmental disability institution, and $150,000 for each patient housed at a mental health facility. According to the report, it would only cost 27,000 a year to provide a person with community-based treatment, allowing the state to service far more people while also protecting each person's right to live in their community. 

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