In December of 2011, a Minnesota court ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) required states to provide services to people with disabilities in the “most integrated settings” appropriate to their needs. The settlement agreement, known as “Jensen,” required the development of a Minnesota Olmstead Plan.
With the goal of helping to integrate persons with disabilities into the communities of THEIR choice, Minnesota’s Olmstead Planning Committee is tasked to create a blueprint for this transition by this fall. Members of the committee include individuals with disabilities, family members, providers, and advocates, as well as senior decision-makers from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Members of the Minnesota Olmstead Planning Committee were either appointed as part of the Jensen Settlement Agreement or by mutual agreement between the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Jensen plaintiffs, from a diverse pool of interested persons from around the state, through a public application process.
The Planning Committee now has a website that will both inform and seek input. The Committee invites you to share your experience and viewpoint so it can better understand what life is like in Minnesota for people with disabilities when it comes to options for living in the community.