FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(CHICAGO, January 11, 2011) – A groundbreaking agreement in Ligas v. Hamos, filed today in the federal district court in Chicago, will dramatically expand community living options for people with developmental disabilities, while assuring those who choose to live in Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled (ICF-DDs) that their needs will continue to be met.

If approved by the court, the proposed Consent Decree will give residents of ICF-DDs the choice to move into small community-based settings with the necessary supports.  The agreement also requires that an additional 3,000 people with developmental disabilities currently living at home without services be provided with community services. “This case is about choice, and now thousands of people with developmental disabilities will have the option to choose community living,” said Barry Taylor, Legal Advocacy Director at Equip for Equality, which served as lead counsel for the plaintiffs. “Under the proposed Consent Decree, the State of Illinois will move closer to fulfilling the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act to integrate people with disabilities into our society.” An agreement was previously reached in this case, but Judge James Holderman denied final approval due to concerns raised by guardians of ICF-DD residents that the agreement would adversely impact their family members.  The new agreement makes clear that ICF-DD residents who are happy with their current placement would not be part of the proposed class and would not be required to move. In addition, those in need of residential placement may still choose to live in an ICF-DD.   Only those who have affirmatively expressed a desire to live in the community would be part of the class.  The proposed Consent Decree now ensures that resources necessary to meet the needs of those who choose to continue to reside in ICF-DDs will be made available. “The resolution process, while extended, has been useful and productive,” commented lead trial counsel John Grossbart, a litigation partner with SNR Denton, which represented plaintiffs on a pro bono basis. “Once all the parties came together, we discovered that all of us wanted to ensure personal choice – allowing residents to make the judgment about which living arrangement was best for them.  The consensus that we reached will serve our clients, as well as those who previously objected to the agreement. Twenty years ago, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and more than 10 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that undue segregation is discrimination under the ADA.  Notwithstanding the Supreme Court’s ruling, most people with developmental disabilities in Illinois seeking residential services are only offered placements in large facilities.  Illinois currently ranks 51st among all states and the District of Columbia in serving people with developmental disabilities in small integrated settings.  “I want to live with friends in the community and have my own room,” said David Cicarelli, a named plaintiff in the case.  David’s father, Jim Cicarelli agreed, “We’re so happy that our son, and many others with developmental disabilities, will be fully integrated into the community.  For over 10 years, David has waited to fulfill his dream to live in the community.  We are thrilled that finally his dream will be realized.”

“Experience around the country shows that when given meaningful supports, people with disabilities thrive in community settings,” explained Benjamin Wolf, Associate Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and co-counsel for the plaintiffs.  “We are pleased that everyone involved has come together to offer real choices to these citizens of Illinois.”

In addition to the Ligas case, two other class actions were brought to expand community living choices for people with disabilities in Illinois. In 2010, Judge William Hart approved a similar agreement in Williams v. Quinn, a class action on behalf of people with mental illness living in large private state-funded facilities.  A third case, Colbert v. Quinn, brought on behalf of people with disabilities living in nursing homes in Cook County, is currently pending.

“This agreement is just one more step in the historic process to assure persons with disabilities in Illinois have the choice to live in small, community-based settings, where they can make decisions about who they live with, what time they eat, what time they go to sleep and what they do during the day,” explained Ed Mullen, a representative for Access Living and co-counsel for the plaintiffs.

A copy of the proposed Consent Decree and other documents relevant to the case are available at www.equipforequality.org

Reference: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, and Chicago
Case No. 1:05-cv-4331
Ligas et al v. Hamos et al

 About SNR Denton

SNR Denton is a client-focused international legal practice delivering quality and value. It serves clients in key business and financial centers from 49 locations in 33 countries, through offices, associate firms and special alliances across the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and the CIS, Asia Pacific and Africa, making us a top 25 legal services provider by lawyers and professionals worldwide. SNR Denton offers business, government and institutional clients premier service and a disciplined focus to meet evolving needs in eight key industry sectors: Energy, Transport and Infrastructure; Financial Institutions and Funds; Government; Health and Life Sciences; Insurance; Manufacturing; Real Estate, Retail and Hotels; and Technology, Media and Telecommunications. For more information, visit www.snrdenton.com.

About Equip for Equality

Designated in 1985 as the federally funded Protection and Advocacy System for people with disabilities in Illinois, Equip for Equality’s mission is to advance the human and civil rights of people with all types of disabilities in Illinois.  Equip for Equality provides self-advocacy assistance, legal services, and disability rights education while also engaging in public policy and legislative advocacy and conducting abuse investigations and other oversight activities.  For more information, www.equipforequality.org

About Access Living

Access Living is a cross-disability, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to work toward the full equality, inclusion and empowerment of all people with disabilities.  It is governed and staffed by a majority of people with disabilities.  For more information, www.accessliving.org

About the ACLU of Illinois

The American Civil Liberties Union is a non-partisan, non-profit membership organization dedicated to protecting and extending freedom, liberty and equality to all in the United States.  The work of the ACLU is based upon, but not limited to, protecting the liberties and freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights. With a membership of more than 500,000 nationwide – more than 23,000 in Illinois – the ACLU accomplishes its goals through litigating, lobbying and educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting our liberties.  For more information, www.aclu-il.org