Feds probe Missouri’s treatment of severely mentally ill

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Justice Department says it is investigating whether Missouri has violated civil rights laws by needlessly institutionalizing adults with severe mental illnesses. The federal agency said Wednesday that it will review whether Missouri’s use of guardianships and conservatorships instead of less restrictive forms of assistance needlessly strips people of their independence. Court-awarded guardianships and conservatorships give someone control over certain decisions for another person, including where they live. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division says people with disabilities have too often been unlawfully institutionalized. The Missouri Mental Health Department says it plans to fully cooperate with the investigation.