Thursday, August 6, 2009

Alabama Lawsuit Settled on Wait List for Disability Services

While this is great news for people with disabilities in Alabama, it doesn't seem to me that without increased funding it will have a tremendous impact on lessening the waiting time for services. Just look at New York State and how its NYS CARES initiatives helped address the wait list.


MONTGOMERY. Ala -- The state government has settled a 9-year-old lawsuit over the lengthy waiting list to get services for adults with mental disabilities.
The settlement does not force the state to spend more money on services, but a copy of the settlement provided by Attorney General Troy King says it will:
- provide a centralized telephone number for people to contact about receiving services.
- let applicants know within 90 days if they have been deemed eligible for services.
- provide an appeals process to families seeking services.
'This is going to be a much more open system for all people who are interested,' said James Tucker, an attorney for Alabama Disability Advocacy Program, which represented disabled adults in the litigation.

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