WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US government is suing the state of Mississippi for failing to provide services in community settings for people suffering from mental illness, the US Department of Justice announced in a press release on Thursday.
"The [Justice] Department found that the state unnecessarily institutionalizes adults and children with disabilities and fails to ensure that they have access to necessary services and supports in the community," the release stated.
The Justice Department cited the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as civil rights laws, in its complaint.
A 2011 investigation uncovered the abuses, the release noted. Since then, the Justice Department and state officials have unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a settlement that would resolve the violations.
