The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. (Olmstead) found the unjustified segregation of people with disabilities is a form of unlawful discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. On June 22, 1999, the Supreme Court handed down its decision.

The Olmstead decision required states to ensure that people with disabilities can receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs, opening the doors to community inclusion and integration for even more people with disabilities.

The decision was an influential moment in women’s history, because at the center of the watershed case was a powerful trio of women: Lois Curtis, Elaine Wilson, and Sue Jamieson. Lois and Elaine were people with mental health and developmental disabilities. Sue Jamieson was the lawyer who filed a federal lawsuit on their behalf against the State of Georgia.