New York State is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, by unlawfully segregating approximately
4,000
residents of large “adult homes” in New York City, according to
plaintiffs in this lawsuit. The complaint alleges that these facilities, which house thousands of
former psychiatric hospital patients, lack the staff, resources or mandate
to provide integrated housing and services to promote community living.
The lawsuit seeks the creation of additional "supported apartments" for
adult home residents, where appropriate rehabilitation and support services
could be provided to those who wish to live outside an institution. The State
already licenses and provides financial support for such "supported apartments," but
has failed to create enough of them to meet the needs of adult home residents.
