Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue shared with The Arc the following note regarding a welcome change in terminology in the Administration’s Listing of Impairments.

I am pleased to inform you that today we put on public display at the Office of the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to replace the term “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” in our Listing of Impairments and in other appropriate sections of our rules.

Many of you have rightfully asserted that the term “mental retardation” has negative connotations, has become offensive to many people, and often results in misunderstandings about the nature of the disorder and those who have it. Partly in response to these concerns, Congress passed Rosa’s Law, which changed references to “mental retardation” in specified Federal laws to “intellectual disability,” and references to “a mentally retarded individual” to “an individual with an intellectual disability.” While Rosa’s Law did not require us to make any changes to our existing regulations, we are doing so in the spirit of the law and to join other agencies and organizations who are adopting the term “intellectual disability.”

Beginning Monday, you can view the NPRM online at www.regulations.gov.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation with the Social Security Administration as we work to serve the needs of the American public.

Michael J. Astrue
Commissioner