Federal Court Requires New York State to Find New Homes for Mentally Ill

For New York residents with mental disorders that require significant support, new options are expected to be in place within the near future. Many people currently housed in group homes in New York that provide services for those with mental health issues will be moving into independent housing within the next three years, based on a ruling by a federal appeals court this week.

The federal judge confirmed an earlier court order that requires the state of New York to provide what is termed “supportive housing” for thousands of people with mental disorders who currently reside in large, institutional group homes. The state will still continue to provide services to these individuals, including case management and visits from psychiatrists and visiting nurses.

The ruling this week, made by two judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, comes after seven years of legal fights. A nonprofit group called Disability Advocates filed the suit on behalf of adults housed in large, institutional privately run group homes. As a result of the ruling, these individuals will be offered the opportunity to move into apartments or houses and live independently in the community.

The state has appealed the ruling, saying that the costs of the plan outstrip the state government’s ability to pay, and that the demand for private housing on the part of group home residents was not as high as disability advocates claimed.

The state will continue to appeal, but the federal court this week ordered that the plan to develop and offer independent, supportive housing must begin now, while the appeals process continues. A spokesman from the governor’s office said that the state was evaluating the situation in order to determine what its next steps should be.

Although over 4,300 people are currently housed in group housing, the plan only calls for the state to develop 1,500 housing units. That’s enough to make a sizable difference and offer options to the mentally ill who require assistance, enabling many of them to achieve greater levels of independence and improved quality of life.