From The Arc of the U.S. web site: http://www.thearc.org/
To learn more about the latest advocacy information and news updates regarding people with developmental disabilities, visit The Arc of San Francisco's and The Arc of the U.S.' websites.
The Arc is the national organization of and for people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families. It is devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for people with mental retardation and their families. The association also fosters research and education regarding the prevention of mental retardation in infants and young children. The Arc of the United States works to include all children and adults with developmental disabilities in every community.
The Arc was founded in 1950 by a small group of parents and other concerned individuals. At that time, little was known about the condition of mental retardation or its causes, and there were virtually no programs and activities in communities to assist in the development and care of children and adults with mental retardation and to help support families.
In the early days the association worked to change the public's perception of children with mental retardation and to educate parents and others regarding the potential of people with mental retardation. The Arc also worked to procure services for children and adults who were denied day care, preschool, education and work programs.
The Arc is a grassroots organization with 140,000 members who are affiliated through approximately 1,000 state and local chapters across the nation.
At the national level, a 24-member national board of directors and a delegate body of representatives from each chapter guide The Arc's work. National headquarters staff located in Silver Spring, Maryland, Bedford, Texas and Washington, DC carry out their decisions and directives.
The Arc works to ensure that the estimated 7.2 million Americans with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities have the services and supports they need to grow, develop and live in communities across the nation. These services include early intervention, health care, a free appropriate public education and supports for their families.
For adults, services and supports may include preparation for employment, help in finding a job, independent living skill training, leisure and recreation activities and any other supports they need.
The Arc also exists because people with mental retardation need help to ensure that their rights as citizens of this country are protected, and they are supported to live as they choose.
Finally, The Arc advocates for research and prevention of both the causes and the effects of mental retardation.
For the best information on developmental disabilities, visit The Arc of the U.S. web site: http://www.thearc.org/. This web site has the latest information on developmental disabilities in each state. This site is one of the best advocacy sites in the nation. In addition to providing vital information on each issue, this site has an "Action Center" that has up-to-date information on elected officials on a Federal, state and local level.
When you visit www.thearc.org/, scroll down and look on the left side of the page for the "Action Center." You can type in your zip code and get a list of the elected officials who represent you. We visited the site and got a list of all San Francisco Supervisors, their phone numbers and e-mail addresses. We clicked on "California" and got a list of the major issues affecting Californians with developmental disabilities. The "Action Center" provides research on issues, contact information on elected officials and even media contacts for those who want to focus public attention on an issue.
