Thursday, May 31, 2012

After DOJ Ruling, a Struggle to Find Homes

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Local governments across Virginia are struggling to cope with a settlement agreement that will change how the state handles people with intellectual disabilities.
Ever since a federal judge issued a ruling earlier this year to close what Virginia calls "training centers" -- essentially, institutions -- members of the Arlington Community Services Board have been struggling to figure out what's next. Right now, there are more questions than answers, and time is running out.
The Department of Justice determined that the state was essentially warehousing people in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is forcing most of the training centers to close. Local governments across Virginia will have to pick up the slack. In Arlington, that means the county will have to have to create new group homes for three dozen individuals who are currently living at the Northern Virginia and Central Virginia training centers.

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