In a recent legal battle, a federal judge ruled that Florida violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unnecessarily institutionalizing children with complex medical conditions in nursing homes. The judge ordered the state to make changes to allow these children to receive care in their family homes and communities with the assistance of private duty nursing (PDN). However, the state is seeking a stay on the ruling, as it claims that complying with the requirement of providing 90% of PDN hours to approximately 2,750 children is not feasible due to a nationwide nursing shortage. The state plans to challenge the ruling at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The case has been a decade-long legal battle, and the U.S. Department of Justice hailed the ruling as a major step towards preventing unnecessary institutionalization of children with complex medical needs in Florida.

Click here to read more about the decision.