- Georgia families are suing three state agencies responsible for child welfare.
- The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges the state's actions violate federal law.
- Families say Georgia's failures have left children needlessly institutionalized and separated from their families.
Three social services agencies in Georgia have been sued by families who claim their children's mental health problems were exacerbated by long-term institutionalization because the state failed to provide adequate in-home services. It is being sued in federal court.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court says the state's deficiencies violate federal law, including Medicaid law and provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit asks a judge to order government agencies to improve the mental health care system.
“Georgia's children deserve to be home with their families,” said Ruby Moore, executive director of the nonprofit Georgia Advocacy Office, which represents families suing the state. “Georgia's failures are forcing children needlessly into institutions and child welfare.”
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The lawsuit names as defendants leaders of three Georgia state agencies: the Department of Community Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. The agencies declined to comment, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges the state's action violates federal law, including Medicaid law and provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. (Fox News)
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs' children spent long periods in the facility, resulting in their symptoms worsening and requiring frequent visits to hospital emergency rooms and psychiatric treatment facilities. The report said one of the children was institutionalized 16 times and admitted to the emergency room 18 times, due in part to the state's failure to provide adequate home care.
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Lawyers for the families are asking the court to require the state to conduct evaluations of the children who have been institutionalized multiple times and provide improvements, including better correctional care.
