The Arc of Illinois

July 15, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

The Justice Department is participating in Bob Farley's lawsuit against the State of Illinois on the behalf of medically fragile disabled persons (Katie Beckett Waiver).  Here is Bob's press release.

The Justice Dept. joined the lawsuit on Friday.

Tony Paulauski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

 PRESS RELEASE

      Contact:      Robert H. Farley, Jr.                        

                         Attorney for William Hampe and others      

                         630-248-4880   (cell)              

            The United States Department of Justice has joined with Attorney Robert H. Farley, Jr., of Naperville, Illinois in challenging the [State of Illinois] systematic failure to modify its current policies and practices of providing insufficient home-based medical care for Medicaid-eligible adults to prevent institutionalization.  The Justice Department stated, The United States supports the Plaintiffs Motion for Class Certification because it advances the important public interest in community integration.  The Justice Department stated, due to the State of Illinois refusal to modify [its] policy and practice despite the fact that individual plaintiffs have successfully challenged this very policy in five separate lawsuits underscores the need to address this problem on a systemic, class-wide basis. 

            The Justice Department further stated the medical fragile / technology dependent Medicaid waiver program sets the maximum capacity at 700 persons while the persons with disabilities waiver program has a capacity of 27,870 persons.  Together, these programs constitute a sizeable amount of the states community-based services.  Plaintiffs claims will require system-wide change in policies to ensure that defendants Medicaid programs allows individuals to live in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

            Attorney Robert H. Farley, Jr. and his clients welcome the assistance of the United States Department of Justice in this litigation against the State of Illinois.   If any disabled person has been denied sufficient or adequate funding due to their disability, then please contact Attorney Robert H. Farley, Jr. at 630-369-0103.