Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§15009 Rights of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Title 42 › Chapter 144— DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ASSISTANCE AND BILL OF RIGHTS › Subchapter I— PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES › Part A— General Provisions › § 15009

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Protects people with developmental disabilities by requiring appropriate treatment, services, and training that help each person reach their potential and that take place in settings that limit their freedom as little as possible. The federal government and states must only pay for institutional, residential, educational, or community programs that meet basic rules. Those rules cover five key areas: protection from abuse, neglect, sexual or financial harm and no greater risk than others; adequate medical and dental care; a ban on physical restraint and seclusion except when immediately needed to keep someone safe and never as punishment or instead of care; limits on using chemical restraints so they are not overused or used as punishment or in ways that stop needed services; and allowing close family or guardians to visit without prior notice. All programs must aim for the best possible results. Residential programs that give comprehensive health, training, assistive technology, or rehab services must meet standards at least equal to those for intermediate care facilities in the Secretary’s June 3, 1988 rules, adjusted for size and how services are given. Other residential programs must provide appropriate care, admit only people whose needs they can meet, and be humane, sanitary, and rights‑protecting. Nonresidential programs must also provide appropriate care. These rights are in addition to any constitutional or other legal rights people already have.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §15009

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Congress makes the following findings respecting the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities:

(1)Individuals with developmental disabilities have a right to appropriate treatment, services, and habilitation for such disabilities, consistent with section 15001(c) of this title.

(2)The treatment, services, and habitation 11 So in original. Probably should be “habilitation”. for an individual with developmental disabilities should be designed to maximize the potential of the individual and should be provided in the setting that is least restrictive of the individual’s personal liberty.

(3)The Federal Government and the States both have an obligation to ensure that public funds are provided only to institutional programs, residential programs, and other community programs, including educational programs in which individuals with developmental disabilities participate, that—

(A)provide treatment, services, and habilitation that are appropriate to the needs of such individuals; and

(B)meet minimum standards relating to—

(i)provision of care that is free of abuse, neglect, sexual and financial exploitation, and violations of legal and human rights and that subjects individuals with developmental disabilities to no greater risk of harm than others in the general population;

(ii)provision to such individuals of appropriate and sufficient medical and dental services;

(iii)prohibition of the use of physical restraint and seclusion for such an individual unless absolutely necessary to ensure the immediate physical safety of the individual or others, and prohibition of the use of such restraint and seclusion as a punishment or as a substitute for a habilitation program;

(iv)prohibition of the excessive use of chemical restraints on such individuals and the use of such restraints as punishment or as a substitute for a habilitation program or in quantities that interfere with services, treatment, or habilitation for such individuals; and

(v)provision for close relatives or guardians of such individuals to visit the individuals without prior notice.

(4)All programs for individuals with developmental disabilities should meet standards—

(A)that are designed to assure the most favorable possible outcome for those served; and

(B)(i)in the case of residential programs serving individuals in need of comprehensive health-related, habilitative, assistive technology or rehabilitative services, that are at least equivalent to those standards applicable to intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, promulgated in regulations of the Secretary on June 3, 1988, as appropriate, taking into account the size of the institutions and the service delivery arrangements of the facilities of the programs;

(ii)in the case of other residential programs for individuals with developmental disabilities, that assure that—

(I)care is appropriate to the needs of the individuals being served by such programs;

(II)the individuals admitted to facilities of such programs are individuals whose needs can be met through services provided by such facilities; and

(III)the facilities of such programs provide for the humane care of the residents of the facilities, are sanitary, and protect their rights; and

(iii)in the case of nonresidential programs, that assure that the care provided by such programs is appropriate to the individuals served by the programs.

(b)The rights of individuals with developmental disabilities described in findings made in this section shall be considered to be in addition to any constitutional or other rights otherwise afforded to all individuals.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 15009

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60