The federal Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement with the state of North Dakota under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The complaint alleged North Dakota unnecessarily puts people with disabilities in nursing homes, instead of providing services for them to live in the community.
Assistant Attorney General Eric Drieband said this means the state will transform its long-term care system, and will provide more than 2500 people with individualized services.
"These services include help with deciding where to live, identifying and arranging community based services, and finding accessible housing," Drieband said. "They also include services provided at home, including home health aids, to help with daily activities such as bathing and dressing."
The agreement also includes provisions designed to insure that North Dakota develops high-quality long term care services, available throughout the state. Drieband said this is especially important, during the COVID-19 pandemic, because of the high risk of virus transmission in congregate settings.