The Washington Post: Story Surveys Mental Health Services at Dixon Settlement

To mark the end of Dixon v. Gray class action lawsuit settlement, The Washington Post reviews progress and looks at next steps for the District’s mental health system. Children’s Law Center Judith Sandalow is quoted. The Dixon case, which originated almost 40 years ago, has been the impetus behind the growth of community-based mental health services to serve patients outside of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

Sandalow noted that Dixon is fundamentally focused on the mental health needs of adults, and with the settlement more attention should now be focused on getting children the mental health services they need. “There’s no question that D.C. is failing its children on the mental health side,” she told the Post. “We have well-educated, well-trained lawyers who have difficulty getting mental health services for our clients. And it’s not just that they can’t access services; there aren’t services.”

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