(WXYZ) — The Justice Department has launched an investigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act into whether the State of Michigan "unnecessarily institutionalizes adults with serious mental illness in state psychiatric hospitals."
According to the department, the investigation will look into "whether the state fails to provide necessary community-based mental health services to enable people to transition from the state psychiatric hospitals and remain stable in the community."
DOJ says they have informed both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office of the investigation.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act protects people’s right to receive mental health services in the community, rather than remaining in hospitals when they are ready to go home,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a news release. “This investigation will assess whether Michigan is honoring the ADA’s promise that people with disabilities be served in the most integrated setting appropriate. The Civil Rights Division will continue to advocate for states to provide people with disabilities the services they need to avoid unnecessary institutionalization.”
The news release also included comments from both of Michigan's US Attorneys.
“Our office is committed to investing the resources necessary to investigate these claims because we will never tire of ensuring that every citizen is afforded the full protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan.
“We open this investigation as part of our mission to protect civil rights and to ensure our neighbors with mental health disabilities can succeed and thrive in their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark A. Totton for the Western District of Michigan.
Anyone with information pertinent to the investigation is encouraged to contact the Justice Department through email at Community.Michigan@usdoj.gov, by phone at 888-392-5415, or through the Civil Rights Division’s Civil Rights Portal at civilrights.justice.gov/.
