Mississippi seeks to derail federal suits over mental health

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi solicitor general has argued to a federal appeals court that the U.S. Justice Department overreached in suing the state over its mental health system. A Justice Department attorney countered that there’s ample precedent to show the department has the power to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday in New Orleans. A ruling against the Justice Department could ultimately push the issue to the Supreme Court. The department sued Mississippi several years ago, saying the state violated federal law by confining people with mental illness in state hospitals instead of providing community-based services.