Dec. 19 (UPI) — Delaware has agreed to better enforce federal disability rights laws after a recent complaint claimed the state failed to provide medical equipment and support services to a person with disabilities so they could live at home.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights announced the resolution agreement with Delaware, citing the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires services be provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to the person’s needs, including in their own home.
“Nursing home placement should never be the automatic option after a person with disabilities is discharged from a hospital. Alternatives, including returning the individual to their home , must first be considered,” said OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainier.
“States must ensure they support community-based placement and independent living to the fullest extent of the law, so people with disabilities are not denied the right to live in their homes and communities,” Rainier added.