Filed Date: July 6, 2011
Closed Date: Oct. 11, 2016
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In 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice (Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section) launched an investigation into the treatment of individuals with mental illness in the Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC), a state hospital. The investigation was later expanded to assess the state's liability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its integration mandate under the Supreme Court precedent Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999).
On November 9, 2010, the DOJ issued a findings letter documenting violations of both the ADA and the U.S. Constitution. DOJ found that, in violation of the ADA, individuals were unnecessarily institutionalized when community placement would be appropriate, and that individuals with mental illness living in the community were placed at risk of unnecessary institutionalization. DOJ also found "inadequate risk assessments; inadequate mental health treatment, especially the failure to provide appropriate behavioral interventions for individuals with identified risks; inadequate restraint and seclusion practices; inadequate investigations of serious incidents; and inadequate discharge planning/community integration to ensure individuals live in the most integrated setting."
Following negotiations, the United States filed a complaint and settlement agreement concurrently in July 2011. The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (Judge Leonard Stark) approved this consent decree on July 15. As part of the agreement, the state of Delaware agreed to augment its services to keep individuals with mental illness out of institutions, create additional supports, and reform the conditions at DPC to remedy constitutional violations. Delaware also agreed to create a crisis system to divert individuals from being hospitalized unnecessarily; develop case management and additional community supports; and support integrated housing options. The agreement was designed to reduce the institutionalized population by half and to replace institution-based services with Medicaid-reimbursable community-based services.
In accordance with the agreement, a Court Monitor filed reports on the State's progress through 2016. On October 6, 2016, the parties jointly moved to dismiss the case. The parties' brief noted that the State had greatly improved its services for people with serious mental illness; expanded its capacity to deliver those services; and reduced its reliance on segregative institutions. Furthermore, the State had enacted legislation aimed at ensuring it could continue improving its outcomes for people with mental illness absent court supervision. As of that date, the State was in full compliance with the agreement.
Accordingly, on October 11, 2016, Judge Stark dismissed the case.
Summary Authors
Beth Kurtz (10/26/2012)
Lauren Latterell Powell (11/5/2017)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4219401/parties/united-states-v-state-of-delaware/
Abernathy, Terri J (Delaware)
Abrams, David Gordon (Delaware)
Addington, Gregory W. (Delaware)
Albert, Eric D. (Delaware)
Alexander, Keith S (Delaware)
Abrams, David Gordon (Delaware)
Addington, Gregory W. (Delaware)
Allen, Julie Jackson (Delaware)
Armstrong, Samuel D. (Delaware)
Atkinson, Harold O. (Delaware)
Attorney, Noticing 2255 (Delaware)
Auchterlonie, Jennifer D (Delaware)
Bagenstos, Samuel R. (District of Columbia)
Barkoff, Alison (District of Columbia)
Bartlett, Anastasia D. (Delaware)
Beato, Andrew Michael (Delaware)
Bernstein, Bruce D. (Delaware)
Bickers, Kathleen Louise (Delaware)
Bohan, Mary (District of Columbia)
Borichewski, Lisca N (Delaware)
Brown, Aimee Woodward (Delaware)
Brown, Geoffrey J.L. (Delaware)
Butcher, Daniel Everett (Delaware)
Capers, Robert Lloyd (Delaware)
Castaldi, Lauren Marie (Delaware)
Chan, Priscilla To-Yin (Delaware)
Chizewer, David Joel (Delaware)
Chorpening, Jennifer (Delaware)
Clark, Caroline Jane (Delaware)
Clarke, Ellen Rebecca (Delaware)
Clayton, Lindsay Laurie (Delaware)
Cohen, Jeffrey Mark (Delaware)
Cohen, Frederick H. (Delaware)
Cohen, Richard Edward (Delaware)
Coles-Huff, Doris Denise (Delaware)
Cueto, Christopher F. (Delaware)
Darmstadter, Henry C (Delaware)
Delaney, Royston H. (Delaware)
Deutsch, David (District of Columbia)
Dimock, Christina Nicole (Delaware)
DOJ, Michelle Bennett (Delaware)
Dougherty, Burtis M (Delaware)
Dubal, Malisa Chokshi (Delaware)
DuBois, James Joseph (Delaware)
Duchemin, Meredith P (Delaware)
Durham, Jessie Huff (Delaware)
Durrell, Suzanne E. (Delaware)
Dworkin, Howard Sheldon (Delaware)
Eichenholtz, Seth D. (Delaware)
Farmer, Gary Michael (Delaware)
Ferguson, Edmund M. (Delaware)
Fisherow, W Benjamin (Delaware)
Fonti, Joseph Alberto (Delaware)
Fox, Deena (District of Columbia)
Franze-Nakamura, Francis (Delaware)
Gallagher, Erin Healy (Delaware)
George, William David (Delaware)
GOVT, Kevin Christopher (Delaware)
Granston, Michael D (Delaware)
Groom, Deborah Fennell (Delaware)
Grossenbacher, Glenn D (Delaware)
Grossenbacher, Gary M (Delaware)
Guadagnino, Charles A (Delaware)
Gupta, Vanita (District of Columbia)
Guthrie, Robert Gay (Delaware)
Habeas, US Attorney (Delaware)
Hall, Jennifer Lynne (Delaware)
Hanower, Patricia L (Delaware)
Harrington, Quinn Patrick (Delaware)
Hecker, Elizabeth Parr (Delaware)
Hendry, Melanie Dyani (Delaware)
Hikida, Katherine M (Delaware)
Hill, Eve L. (District of Columbia)
Hodges, David Wayne (Delaware)
Hollis, Christopher W (Delaware)
Horwitz, Matthew Joseph (Delaware)
Howlette, Jordan David (Delaware)
Humphrey, Richard D. (Delaware)
Iannarone, Liberatore Joseph (Delaware)
Jackson, E. Fletcher (Delaware)
Jennings, David Reese (Delaware)
Jensen, Michelle D. (Delaware)
Johnson, Kristin Berger (Delaware)
Kaminski, Gerald Francis (Delaware)
Kaufman-Cohen, Eric (Delaware)
Keller, John Timothy (Delaware)
Kelly, Elizabeth C. (District of Columbia)
Kenney, Patricia Jean (Delaware)
Kern, Charles Douglas (Delaware)
Klovers, Christelle (Delaware)
Krueger, Matthew Dean (Delaware)
Kwaterski, Laura Schulteis (Delaware)
Lagarde, Andre Jude (Delaware)
Langworthy, Nancy Fay (Delaware)
Laroche, Matthew Joseph (Delaware)
Larsen, Christian R (Delaware)
Larson, Kari Madrene (Delaware)
Lawrence, Kathleen O'Malley (Delaware)
Leiderman, Joel David (Delaware)
Lennington, Daniel P (Delaware)
Lesperance, Karen Folster (Delaware)
Levesque, Christian (Delaware)
Levingston, Luttrell (Delaware)
Lindquist, Susan J. (Delaware)
Littleton, Judson Owen (Delaware)
Long, Kenneth Gordon (Delaware)
Lowe, Virginia Cronan (Delaware)
Magnanini, Robert A. (Delaware)
Majeed, Sameena Shina (Delaware)
Marinelli, Matthew M (Delaware)
Marstiller, Philip S. (Delaware)
Maurer, Michael Stuart (Delaware)
McClanahan, Cathryn Dawn (Delaware)
McCord, Stacey Elise (Delaware)
McCormack, Timothy P. (Delaware)
McCulloch, Christine J (Delaware)
McEldrew, James Joseph (Delaware)
McEvoy, Lauren Mary (Delaware)
McKenna-DOJ, Sean Robert (Delaware)
Minzner, Max Justin (Delaware)
Miyashiro, Duane R. (Delaware)
Mosteller, Daniel Paul (Delaware)
Mustokoff, Michael M. (Delaware)
Nammar, Michael David (Delaware)
Nannis, Veronica Byam (Delaware)
Nathanson, John Alexander (Delaware)
Nelson, Anne Elizabeth (Delaware)
O'Brien, Thomas Peter (Delaware)
Office, United States (Delaware)
Parker, Nathaniel B (Delaware)
Paxton, Lauren Mary (Delaware)
Perez, Thomas E. (District of Columbia)
Perez, Alfred Juarez (Delaware)
Perros, Nicholas C. (Delaware)
Phillips, Robert F. (Delaware)
Phillips, Frederick S (Delaware)
Phillips, Cristine Irvin (Delaware)
Piropato, Marissa A (Delaware)
Poliakoff, Steven J (Delaware)
Pomeroy, Richard L. (Delaware)
Preston, Judith (Judy) C. (District of Columbia)
Price, Thomas Russell (Delaware)
Radice, John Daniel (Delaware)
Robinson, Stuart Justin (Delaware)
Rosenbaum, Steven H. (District of Columbia)
Rudman, Samuel Howard (Delaware)
Sadowski, Robert Wayne (Delaware)
Sandberg, Justin Michael (Delaware)
Schachner, Elliot M. (Delaware)
Schnieders, Kathleen Kelly (Delaware)
Schwartz, Richard Adam (Delaware)
Sgarlata, AnneMarie (Delaware)
Simmons, Timothy W. (Delaware)
Smith, Jonathan Mark (District of Columbia)
Smith, Sharon Denise (Delaware)
Spina, Thomas Spina (Delaware)
Sproul, Christopher Alan (Delaware)
Steinacker, Andrea K (Delaware)
Stengle, Linda Jeffries (Delaware)
Taylor-Phillips, LaQuita J (Delaware)
Tribuiani, Rinku Talwar (Delaware)
Underhill, R Michael (Delaware)
Underwood, Barbara D. (Delaware)
Walle, Erin McCarthy (Delaware)
Westphal, Leslie J. (Delaware)
Wiethe, Donetta Donaldson (Delaware)
Wilbanks, Marlan B. (Delaware)
Willing-FLU, Patricia A. (Delaware)
Wilson, Ryan C (District of Columbia)
Wilson, Edward Bryan (Delaware)
Wotring, Earnest William (Delaware)
Yanchunis, John Allen (Delaware)
Yoo, Danny Young-In (Delaware)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4219401/united-states-v-state-of-delaware/
Last updated April 20, 2025, 9:52 a.m.
State / Territory: Delaware
Case Type(s):
Public Benefits/Government Services
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: July 6, 2011
Closing Date: Oct. 11, 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The U.S. Department of Justice launched this investigation and settlement negotiations on behalf of individuals with mental illness in Delaware.
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.
Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act), 29 U.S.C. § 701
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Content of Injunction:
Order Duration: 2011 - 2016
Issues
General/Misc.:
Incident/accident reporting & investigations
Benefits (Source):
Disability and Disability Rights:
Discrimination Basis:
Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Assault/abuse by non-staff (facilities)
Assault/abuse by staff (facilities)
Deinstitutionalization/decarceration
Habilitation (training/treatment)
Placement in mental health facilities
Medical/Mental Health Care: