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Disability Gulag
Harriet McBryde Johnson
Courtesy of Susan K. Dunn
On this page you will find the link to the full article, The Disability Gulag, (c) 2003 Harriet McBryde Johnson (distributed by NY Times Features Syndicate).The article highlights the dilemma faced by many people with disabilities who are arbitrarily and needlessly placed in institutions. You will also find links to resources that will assist people with disabilities who want to live where, how, and with whom they choose.
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DISABILITY GULAG |
In this
article, attorney Harriet McBryde Johnson explains that some
two million Americans with disabilities are confined in nursing
homes, care facilities, and other institutions not because that
is what they want or need, but because that's what the
government will pay for. In describing this system,
she borrows the word "gulag," which describes the Soviet
Union's former network of prison camps where millions were
forcibly isolated from their families and communities.
There are very big differences between the two "gulags."
However, by highlighting the similarities, using stories and
argument, Johnson gives fuel to the disability rights movement's
demand for services that will enable all of us to live where,
how, and with whom we choose. To view full text of
article CLICK HERE (Reprinted by permission).
To request permission to reprint, click here to email the NY Times Features
Syndicate, stating full particulars about the nature and purpose of the reprint. Inquiries
are welcomed from non-profit advocacy organizations that wish to distribute
the article at no charge in support of their work. Legal Questions/Advice Should
you have any legal questions regarding your rights to live where you want
to live and whom provides you those services, please contact
P&A by email or
call us in-state, toll free at 1.866.275.7273. Should you have legal questions
and you live in a state besides
South Carolina, please contact your state Protection and
Advocacy System. Click here to
get in
touch with your P&A. Resources Listing of Independent Living Centers (ILC's)
ADAPT WebPage
Medicaid Community Attendant Services and Supports Act (MiCASSA)
Olmstead Decision - Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
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