From the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune, AP/St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Disability advocates cheered the tentative settlement of a federal class-action lawsuit that is expected to move thousands of people with developmental disabilities out of institutions and into small, community based homes.

The suit claimed that Illinois was violating the civil rights of 6,000 people with disabilities living in 250 facilities. The settlement is expected to cost the state $7.5 million to $10 million annually.

David Cicarelli, a plaintiff (above, at right, with his father, James), says he wants to live in an apartment or small group home with roommates. He now lives in a suburban Chicago facility with about 100 other people, which he compared to “a prison.”

A recent federal report ranks Illinois as the last in the nation in helping adults with disabilities live independently.

Press release here.

See also:

Woodstock man at heart of class-action; state agrees to settle — Northwest [IL] Herald

See earlier post here.

(Chicago Sun-Times photo)

This entry was posted on Friday, November 14th, 2008 at 3:27 pm and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, civil rights, group homes, institutionalization, law. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.