From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Mandated improvements in mental health care in Georgia, the result of two recent federal civil rights challenges, could cost an estimated $480 million and force the doubling of Georgia’s mental health budget. But even if that happened, the state would just reach the national average for per-person spending on mental health, according to an analysis by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The cases have alleged widespread civil rights violations of patients in state psychiatric hospitals, including people with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

In a recent settlement, the state agreed to create substantial community-based programs for these people so that they would not be compelled to go into hospitals to receive needed services. The other matter, involving allegations of “critically deficient” conditions in mental hospitals, is still pending.

Georgia is nearly three times more likely than the national average to treat people with mental illness in a state hospital rather than in the community, which suggests its budget for those facilities actually lags even further behind the average.

… A larger shortfall exists in community services such as group homes, outpatient clinics and other programs intended to prevent hospitalizations. On average, other states spend 2.5 times more than Georgia on treating and managing mental illnesses outside hospitals.

Advocates say that investing in community care would be more expensive in the short term, but would ultimately save the state money.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

An agreement between Georgia and the federal government announced this week will help move Georgians with intellectual disabilities and mental illness out of psychiatric hospitals and into community settings such as group homes.

The pact with the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the latest in a series of actions designed to force the state to move people out of institutionalized care and into the community.

If the agreement announced Tuesday is successfully implemented, Georgia, at the very least, would be compelled to significantly boost its spending on community services for individuals with mental or developmental disabilities. Those services in Georgia have consistently been criticized by mental health advocates as severely inadequate.

New York Times writer Dan Barry rides along with a four-man work crew that cleans a rest area along the highway in Connecticut.

Bob, Bobby and Tony have been living at the Southbury Training School, “a 1,600-acre residence for people with mental retardation,” for as long as they can remember — more than 40 years. Southbury has gone through crises and changes, and is now down to fewer than 500 residents.

Dave is their driver, supervisor, counselor and friend. He has known these men for decades. They drink a lot of coffee together.

Lately, in the maintenance garage at the Danbury rest stop just off Interstate 84, the topic of conversation can shift suddenly from grass-cutting and litter pickup to death. What happens afterward? Where do we go? When I die, will you remember me?

Is there coffee in heaven?

(New York Times photo.)

Associated Press on WDAM-TV [New Orleans NBC affiliate] and the [New Orleans] Times-Picayune:

A report released by a non-profit group shows that children in group homes licensed by the state of Louisiana aren’t properly protected, and are placed in facilities that in many cases have been repeatedly cited for safety and health violations.

The Advocacy Center says in its report that children … too often aren’t given the mental health treatment, medical care and protection they should receive.

… Currently, the state has no power to issue civil fines against care providers that fail to meet minimum licensing standards, according to the report. This has led to some homes being cited year after year for similar violations.

• Down syndrome babies have rights, too (Fox News blogs)
• Man with autism found alive after a week alone in the woods (AP/Chicago Tribune)
• Forum big draw for little people (Windsor, Ontario, Star)
• Little People of America conference fights stereotypes, discrimination (Detroit Free Press)
• Britain recruiting people with disabilities to become teachers ([UK] Guardian)
• Washington’s right-to-die battle is personal (Los Angeles Times)
• Larger special ed classes upset parents (Detroit News)
• Special education students more likely to face disciplinary action (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
• Ian Ziering speaks out about his dyslexia (People magazine)
• In Poland, Chopin’s heart may hold secret of his death (Agence France Presse)
• Gatlin challenges doping ban under ADA (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.)
• Court: Connecticut falls short in helping residents leave institution (Newsday)

Boston Globe columnist Beverly Beckham again chronicles the life of her little granddaughter Lucy, who has Down syndrome. Beckham takes Lucy for a regular cardiology checkup. “Sweet, curious and brave,” Lucy stays still for an EKG and an echocardiogram.

She is all guts and grace, this little girl who, until about 20 years ago, most doctors and books dismissed as a child unable to understand anything, not worth the bother of loving and teaching and raising.

It kills me to think of children like Lucy whom our society wrote off for years, who were warehoused on the advice of experts, who were abandoned and then ignored. It kills me to think of experts today advising women to abort children like Lucy.

She runs down the hall when the tests are finished, laughing as I chase her. It is one hour and eight minutes later, a long, long time for a little kid to be quiet and patient and good. Dr. Geggel is pleased with Lucy’s test results. But like the rest of us who love Lucy, he is equally pleased with Lucy herself.

Earlier columns by Beverly Beckham are here.

(Boston Globe photo)

From the [Biloxi, Mississippi] Sun Herald:

In a national report ranking the states, United Cerebral Palsy has cited Mississippi as the state most likely to institutionalize people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The UCP report analyzes community supports for Americans with disabilities on Medicaid.

Nationally, the picture is improving, the report says, with more Americans leaving large institutions. Currently 41 states have 173 large state institutions (described as more than 16 beds) housing 37,700 Americans.

In Mississippi, however, the report says four in 10 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are housed in large institutions. Nationally, the figure is less than one in 14. Mississippi has five large institutions housing 1,369 residents.

… “Every American wants the opportunity to live and work in their community,” Stephen Bennet, UCP’s president and CEO, said when the report was released. “The top-performing states in our rankings do a better job promoting independence and productivity in safe, quality community settings, but we still have far too many people with disabilities not getting the services and supports they desperately want and need.”

More information on the report is here.