Lawsuit Claims State is Denying Mental Health Services to Medicaid-Eligible Children

‘The state’s current approach is not only a serious violation of federal law, it is very poor public policy,’ Steven Brown, Executive Director of the ACLU of Rhode Island

The lawsuit says the state is in violation of the Medicaid Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.
The lawsuit says the state is in violation of the Medicaid Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.
cmh2315fl / Flickr
Share
The lawsuit says the state is in violation of the Medicaid Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.
The lawsuit says the state is in violation of the Medicaid Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.
cmh2315fl / Flickr
Lawsuit Claims State is Denying Mental Health Services to Medicaid-Eligible Children
Copy

A group of advocacy organizations filed a class action lawsuit yesterday against the state of Rhode Island for denying Medicaid-eligible children access to mental health care. The 68-page federal lawsuit, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island and advocacy groups Disability Rights Rhode Island and New York-based Children’s Rights, says this puts children at higher risk of being unnecessarily institutionalized.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, was brought on behalf of Medicaid-eligible children under 21 years old who require intensive home and community-based services. The complaint says the state is in violation of the Medicaid Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.

This story was reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

As student numbers decline and co-op teams expand, RI Interscholastic League director Mike Lunney urges schools to refocus on why sports were created — to keep kids engaged, build character, and prepare them for life beyond the field
New Census data show 32,549 children lived in poverty in 2024 — a jump of more than 20% from the year before — as advocates urge state action on health care, housing, and food security
In Rhode Island, the suicide and crisis hotline call center received over 1,500 calls in July. That’s a more than 200% increase from when 988 first launched

Caucus analysis claims the state’s housing finance agency devotes outsized resources to administrative costs compared with peers in Massachusetts and other New England states; RIHousing CEO pushes back, calling the criticism political and highlighting billions invested in homes
‘We care. We’re worried about the jobs right now,” the mayor said. “We’re worried about the people.’