Today, the Commonwealth of Virginia affirmed that peer masking in Virginia public schools is a reasonable modification for students with disabilities that put them at severe risk if they contract COVID-19 as part of a settlement in the Seaman et al. vs. Commonwealth of Virginia et al. lawsuit.
Year: 2022
Virginia Continues to Unnecessarily Hospitalize Over 200 Virginians
DBHDS reports that as of the end of July 2022, 210 individuals were on the Extraordinary Barriers to Discharge List (EBL). Thirty-one (31) individuals on the EBL have an ID/DD diagnosis. Some of these individuals have been waiting, needlessly, for months or even years to return home.
Report on Critical Incidents in Virginia’s State Operated Mental Health Facilities
During Federal Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) , dLCV received a total of 468 Critical Incident Reports from facilities operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS)
Honoring Advocates who Promote the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in the Arts
After reflecting upon the past few years of pandemic living, the disAbility Law Center of Virginia has witnessed the power of art in overcoming isolation and fear. That is why, in 2022, the organization is honoring individuals who have become a beacon of hope and inclusion through the arts.
The Insanity of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity
“It’s a sad thing that I have been locked up for 10 years, all because of the NGRI process.” Emanuel VaShaun Key, a patient at Central State Hospital (CSH), has been deprived of a life outside a state psychiatric hospital due to the Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) plea.
Seaman v. Virginia — Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction against Virginia in School Mask Mandate Case
On March 23, 2022, the federal District Court for the Western District of Virginia issued a legal opinion and order as relates to masking requirements in 10 Virginia school districts.