The state agreed to continue round-the-clock, at-home care for a developmentally disabled Franklinton man who is suing health officials over planned cuts in services.
Bryan Stein's parents filed a federal lawsuit last month, claiming the Department of Health and Hospitals proposed service cuts that would force their 38-year-old son to be institutionalized. The lawsuit says that would violate his civil rights and put his life in jeopardy.
U.S. District Judge Ralph Tyson signed off on an agreement between both sides this week that would keep the current services in effect until there is a final judgment in district court.
"I am very appreciative that the state recognized the fairness of the request," said the Steins' lawyer, David Ferleger.
Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine said he wants a speedy resolution on the merits of the case.
Levine said the state was not cutting Stein's services. But he added, "Even if we were, under the appeals process we have put in place internally, we would agree to keep services in places while they appeal anyway."
Advocates for the disabled say the Stein lawsuit could be the first of many similar actions as the state moves to a new system of assessing the individual service needs of the developmentally disabled who live in communities across the state.
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Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com
