New York, NY (KELO-AM) South Dakota made headlines in the New York Times on Tuesday, but the story was far from flattering.
The Times did a big story on the U.S. Justice Department accusing South Dakota of breaking Federal law by putting too many disabled people into nursing homes. The Times called it a "scathing" rebuke of South Dakota's health care system.
The Obama Justice Department is in a ramped up effort against what it sees as civil rights violations against the disabled and the mentally ill, and South Dakota is just the latest target. The Times story is more evidence the national media are taking notice.
Governor Dennis Daugaard (R) acknowledges that South Dakota's system is not perfect, but says the state's rural nature makes for extra challenges.
The Justice Department claims that South Dakota is overly reliant on nursing facilities for the disabled when the goal should be providing services to them in their own homes and communities.
The South Dakota Department of Social Services is reviewing the Justice report.