ATLANTA — Georgia is asking a federal judge to release the state from a 2010 lawsuit over programs for people with disabilities.
The lawsuit focused on shifting care away from institutional settings and expanding community-based services. State officials say they have made significant progress, considering the lawsuit was filed more than a decade ago.
Kevin Tanner, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, says those changes have strengthened the state’s system of care.
“That really has built one of the most robust community systems in the country,” Tanner said.
If the judge agrees, the only remaining requirement would be for the state to continue providing supportive housing for more than 500 individuals.