I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. It is hard to believe that it is August already. August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Southern Hemisphere, August is the seasonal equivalent of February in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, August falls in the season of summer Did you know that it is named after Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of the Roman Empire?
Arkay seeks to expand its reach and its services. We have a new Strategic Plan which will map out the future of Arkay. We will continue to emphasize community integration with our services with full participation in community life: This requires full participation in community life. Our goal is to focus on integrated and unsubsidized employment for our customers.
Recently, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C., a landmark case that opened the door for millions of people with disabilities to live in the community. The Olmstead case involved two women from Georgia, Lois Curtis (the L.C. in the case name) and Elaine Wilson, who both had diagnoses of intellectual disability and mental health conditions. Lois and Elaine were forced into the state’s mental health hospitals many times, despite wanting to remain at home with the help of community-based services. Doctors agreed that Lois and Elaine were capable of living in the community, with appropriate support. However, the state took years to set up their services. The Atlanta Legal Aid Society filed a lawsuit on behalf of Lois and later added Elaine to the case. Tommy Olmstead, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, was the defendant. The case was grounded in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and whether people with disabilities could decide where they could receive services and supports. The Supreme Court issued a requirement that states had to eliminate unnecessary segregation of persons with disabilities and to ensure that persons with disabilities receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.
The Supreme Court held that the ADA prohibits unjustified segregation of people with disabilities and that states must provide community-based services to people with disabilities when: such services are appropriate; the individuals do not oppose such services; and community-based services can be reasonably accommodated, considering governmental resources and the needs of others receiving disability services.
The Olmstead Decision is a living roadmap to help ensure that people with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) receive the support they need and opportunities to live, work, and learn in the setting of their choosing.
Arkay will need to continue to emphasize community integration with supported employment and skill building services. This continues to be achieved through Arkay’ coffee & sandwich shop, Java Junction. Please visit Java for a tasty coffee & a delicious sandwich. Full participation in community life is the goal: All individuals are to be supported to take part in their community and have the same access as other individuals in the community. This requires full participation in community life. Arkay will need to emphasize & focus on integrated and unsubsidized employment for our consumers.
Best Regards,
Kevin McGuckin
Comments