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The Arc Demands Charges Against Officer in Costco Shooting

/in , , /by Pam Katz

The Arc is outraged by the decision not to file criminal charges against the Los Angeles police officer who shot and killed Kenneth French, a man reported to have had intellectual disability, at a California Costco store in June. Kenneth was nonverbal and also lived with mental health issues, according to his family.

While Officer Salvador Sanchez was holding his child, he was pushed or hit by Kenneth — who was unarmed. Sanchez used excessive force and recklessly ended the young man’s life, despite reported warnings and pleas by Kenneth’s family explaining that he had intellectual disability. Sanchez fired 10 shots, also critically wounding Kenneth’s parents.

“Officer Sanchez should face criminal charges. Based on the evidence made public, we are outraged by the grand jury’s recommendation. We are infuriated that Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin also declined to file charges. Both decisions raise serious concerns for the disability community and all communities disproportionately impacted by unwarranted police violence, a problem that has plagued our country far too long.

“The criminal justice system has failed the French family. At a minimum, charges should be filed and a full trial held. Let a judge or jury decide whether a crime has been committed after all the evidence is presented.

“Kenneth French and other people with disabilities have the right to be in the community, shopping with their family or doing any other ordinary activity, without a police officer shooting and killing them. Kenneth’s death is a senseless tragedy that magnifies the troubling divide between law enforcement and all people they are sworn to protect and serve,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.

The Arc makes it a priority to build strong, respectful relationships between the disability community, the criminal justice system, and law enforcement personnel across the country. Our National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD) trains attorneys, judges, law enforcement officers, and victim advocates nationwide through Pathways to Justice. We educate them on issues facing the disability community and how to safely and effectively interact with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are at least two times more likely to become victims of violent crimes.

“There is an urgent need for officer training, intentional relationship-building with people with disabilities and agencies that serve them, and the use of de-escalation techniques. The Arc will continue to follow the case closely, as LAPD investigates and Kenneth’s family pursues legal action,” said Berns.

Nurse holding the hand of a patient

The Arc Condemns Change Targeting Sick Children and Adults

/in /by The Arc

Washington, D.C. – The Arc is deeply concerned over a cruel federal policy shift that hurts families and immigrants with serious illnesses, certain disabilities, and other chronic health conditions. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has eliminated a protection that allowed some immigrants with serious medical needs and their family members who care for them to stay in the country while receiving life-saving treatment. This change hurts people with multiple diagnoses or serious health needs, including individuals with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, and other developmental disabilities, as well as cancer, HIV, and other diseases.

In addition, we are troubled USCIS ended the exemption, officially known as deferred action, without advance public notice or due process. The change creates turmoil, fear and potentially devastating consequences for people who are facing serious medical illness and their families. Some health care providers have also expressed strong opposition to the change.

“The lives of sick children and adults with developmental disabilities are in danger. Some families will forego necessary medical treatment to stay in the U.S. or face deportation to countries where they cannot receive the care they need – a death sentence,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc. “We urge USCIS to reverse course immediately.”

In a letter to USCIS, The Arc and more than 150 advocacy organizations and legal groups called on the agency to reverse this inhumane and unfair shift in policy.

The Arc urges Congress to hold USCIS accountable. We will pay close attention to the upcoming House Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hearing on the issue, scheduled for Wednesday, September 11. All people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are entitled to human and civil rights.

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

Black and white photograph of justice scales sitting on a desk in a courtroom

Disability Advocacy Groups File Amicus Brief Opposing Administration’s Public Charge Rule as Illegal Disability Discrimination

/in /by The Arc

The Arc and seventeen other national disability advocacy groups represented by the global law firm Latham & Watkins filed an amicus brief in support of litigation to stop the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from implementing its new “public charge” rule. Twenty-one states, led by California, Washington, and New York, have filed cases against the Trump Administration to block the new rule. The advocacy groups – representing tens of thousands of people with disabilities and their families across the country – claim that the new public charge rule will prevent people with disabilities from entering this country or becoming legal residents in violation of federal disability law.

“The new public charge rule is based on an insidious and outdated notion that people with disabilities do not have a valued place in American society,” said Alison Barkoff, Director of Advocacy for the Center for Public Representation. “Almost 30 years ago, Congress removed the per se exclusion of immigrants with disabilities, recognizing the discrimination and prejudice these policies embodied. In the following years, Congress has repeatedly legislated its commitment to include and integrate people with disabilities in all aspects of life. This new rule flies in the face of that progress and federal law.”

“The new rule punishes immigrants who use Medicaid, even though Medicaid is the only way to access critical disability services,” said Claudia Center, Senior Staff Attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. “Congress has explicitly recognized the importance of Medicaid in enabling people with disabilities to be productive, contributing members of society. Studies show that access to Medicaid increases employment for people with disabilities. That is the opposite of a public charge.”

“This new policy is devastating to many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. It discourages immigrant families from utilizing critical public services out of fear of harming their immigration status. The rule will increase poverty, hurt public health, and worsen housing instability. It’s the latest callous tactic in restricting access to necessary services and supports. The Arc continues our work to ensure that non-citizens with any type of disability have a fair opportunity to enter and reside legally in the U.S., without unnecessary or discriminatory restrictions based on their disability,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

“We are proud to represent the disability community in this important litigation,” said Sarah Ray, a partner with the global law firm Latham & Watkins. “Our public interest organization partners across the disability and immigration sectors report that this new rule is causing serious fear and confusion among immigrants – especially those with disabilities and those whose family members have disabilities. This rule violates federal law and must be stopped before it goes into effect on October 15th.”

For more information about the public charge rule and its impact on people with disabilities, see www.medicaid.publicrep.org/feature/public-charge/ or www.protectingimmigrantfamilies.org.

Media contacts:

Kristen McKiernan, The Arc

202-534-3712, mckiernan@thearc.org

Lauren Weiner, American Civil Liberties Union

212-549-2666, media@aclu.org

Alison Barkoff, Center for Public Representation

202-854-1270, abarkoff@cpr-us.org

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

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The Arc Reacts to SNL’s Pete Davidson Using the R-Word

/in /by The Arc

Washington, D.C. – The Arc is disappointed that Saturday Night Live Actor and Comedian Pete Davidson used the r-word during a comedy show at the University of Central Florida in Orlando on Monday, August 26. He became upset at an audience member recording the performance on their cell phone. During an expletive-filled rant, Davidson used the slur against students in attendance.

“Pete Davidson’s use of the r-word is unacceptable. The word is dehumanizing and offensive to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and advocates,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc. “The Arc and our allies across the disability community have worked hard to put an end to the r-word and bring awareness to the painful history of exclusion behind the word. It has no place in our society, and it is shameful to hear it still used by anyone. We are asking Davidson for an apology.”

The Arc has been involved in diligent efforts to eliminate the word. We advocated heavily for the 2010 passage of Rosa’s Law, which removed the offensive term from federal health, education, and labor statutes. The Arc’s state and local chapters have successfully advocated for similar changes in states across the country as well, including removing the r-word from the names of the state government agencies that serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

 

A teenage girl with Down syndrome standing in a yard in front of a white fence with an older family member. The woman is laughing, with her hands on her granddaughter's shoulders. They are both looking at the camera.

The Arc Urges HHS to Address Caregiver Crisis

/in /by The Arc

Washington, D.C. – In a series of critical meetings this week, The Arc will take important steps in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the caregiver crisis facing millions of families. Nancy Murray, President of The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh at ACHIEVA, and James Cheely, President of The Arc of Barren County, Kentucky serve on the newly-formed RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council. The Council meets for the first time on Wednesday, August 28 and Thursday, August 29 in Washington, D.C. to develop recommendations to HHS Secretary Alex Azar.

Murray, who is co-chair of the Council, and Cheely bring a deep personal and professional understanding of the caregiver crisis for families and people with intellectual and development disabilities (I/DD). Murray is the mother of two adult children with Down syndrome and was a caregiver to both of her aging parents. Cheely has a son with I/DD. He is also a former president of The Arc of Kentucky.

“The RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council has been charged with a huge task.  I am honored and excited to be a part of it,” said Cheely. “I am looking forward to representing families of The Arc in these discussions.”

Murray and Cheely are available to speak about the growing national caregiving crisis and efforts to alleviate it.

“I am honored to be selected to be a member of the new Family Caregiving Advisory Council and to create awareness of the vital role that family caregivers play in the United States. At one time or another, many, if not most Americans, become a caregiver for an elderly parent, child with a disability, or spouse with a disability or illness,” said Murray. “We need to increase and strengthen the resources and supports for family caregivers. One possible solution to help ease the crisis is a federal paid leave policy.”

Less than half of caregivers reported having paid leave in The Arc’s Family & Individual Needs for Disability Supports (FINDS) 2017 Survey. The survey reflects the true extent of the crisis and the need for change.

The Council was established by the RAISE Family Caregivers Act enacted last year to help HHS address the caregiver crisis for family members and persons with I/DD, seniors, veterans, and others. Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Michael Bennet of Colorado were original sponsors of the legislation. Florida Rep. Kathy Castor and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik originally sponsored the House version of the bill.

 

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

 

The Arc logo

The Arc Visits Walmart Corporate Headquarters to Deliver Disability Inclusion Training

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – On July 30, The Arc’s staff traveled to Walmart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas to deliver a disability inclusion training to members of its leadership and staff. Nearly 300 participants, both in-person and virtual, took part in the session which provided an introduction to the history of the disability rights movement in the United States and examined some of the core issues affecting today’s disability community.

The training is the first of two that The Arc’s national employment initiative, The Arc@Work, will be conducting over the coming months. The next step will be to develop an eLearning training module that will span multiple topics related to disability, inclusion and employment. This training module will be made available to the staff at corporate headquarters as well as all of Walmart’s US-based associates.

“The Arc is a leading voice in the disability community, advocating for and implementing change for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. The Arc is honored to be bringing nearly 70 years of knowledge and expertise in the disability rights field to Walmart and its employees. Our trainings will allow Walmart to learn more about the disability community and further their understanding of how fostering employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is the right thing to do, and good for business,” said Jonathan Lucus, Senior Director, Workforce Strategy, The Arc.

The Arc@Work supports corporate clients in meeting their diversity and inclusion goals, from recruiting qualified job candidates with disabilities, to conducting staff and management disability awareness trainings, to creating disability-inclusive workspaces.

Employment rates for people with disabilities – especially people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – are critically low compared to people without disabilities. The US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2015) estimates that people with any disability or a cognitive disability are employed at much lower rates (34.3% and 24.8% respectively) than those without disabilities (73.6%)1. Additionally, the National Core Indicators Survey of 2015-2016 reported that 19% of people with I/DD in the workforce reported having a paid job in the community2.

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

 

Black and white photograph of a hallway with open doors

The Arc Rejects President Trump’s Comments on Bringing Back Institutions

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – The Arc, the nation’s largest civil rights organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), which was founded by parents and family members who rejected institutions and fought for decades to close them, released the following statement on President Trump’s comments about creating new institutions for people with mental health needs.

“The Arc and our constituents are all too familiar with calls to reopen the institutions of the past, where people with all different disabilities were imprisoned against their wills and subject to horrific torture and abuse. For nearly 70 years, The Arc has focused on advocating for deinstitutionalization to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and other disabilities, can live meaningful, independent lives in the communities of their choice among their families and peers, with accompanying supports and services.

“We have spent decades building the community services we need and we still have so far to go to ensure that people with all disabilities, but especially those with dual diagnoses of I/DD and mental illness, have access to the critical services they require to support community living.

“People with I/DD and mental illness are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators of it. The misguided idea that mental illness causes violence is inaccurate, harmful, and discriminatory to the disability community.

“Re-institutionalization would bring people with disabilities back into the dark ages of isolation and segregation. Nearly 30 years after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its ‘integration mandate’, we have come so far. Yet 37 states still have institutions, and these comments impede our progress. Clearly, we have more work to do, and encourage people to join our efforts to build a world where people with disabilities do not face this harmful stereotyping,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

A woman and young child walk down a sun-filled sidewalk holding hands

The Arc Responds to Cruel DHS Public Charge Rule That Hurts People With Disabilities and Their Families

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – The Arc denounces the harmful rule that will be finalized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday, August 14. This new rule discriminates against people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families, among others.  It allows the federal government to deny admission into the U.S. and unfairly restructures immigration in a way that is detrimental to individuals based on their disability and the use of vital programs like Medicaid.

The DHS final rule means the government will consider a significantly expanded list of factors to determine whether a person will be considered a “public charge.” A public charge is a person that the government thinks will (currently or in the future) be dependent on the government for support. The rule will hurt children and adults based on disabilities and chronic conditions. The use of many programs such as most Medicaid services, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), housing assistance, and other important benefits will also be considered in the public charge test.  DHS acknowledges that the new rule may have an outsized impact on people with disabilities.

“This new policy is devastating to many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. It discourages immigrant families from utilizing critical public services out of fear of harming their immigration status. The rule will increase poverty, hurt public health, and worsen housing instability. It’s the latest callous tactic in restricting access to necessary services and supports. The Arc continues our work to ensure that non-citizens with any type of disability have a fair opportunity to enter and reside legally in the U.S., without unnecessary or discriminatory restrictions based on their disability,”  said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.

The Arc opposed the rule and submitted comments with the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities when the rule was proposed in 2018.

For more information, see this short explainer.

The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.

Photo of desks in a classroom with dim, moody lighting

West Virginia, National Disability Advocacy Groups File Complaints Alleging Systemic Disability Discrimination in Kanawha County Schools

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – Local and national disability advocacy organizations have filed three complaints with the West Virginia Department of Education alleging widespread failures by Kanawha County Schools (KCS) to educate children with disabilities, including autism, intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental health concerns, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Specifically, the groups assert that KCS—the public school district serving Charleston, West Virginia’s state capital, and its environs—has failed to provide behavioral and academic supports to students with disabilities and are instead segregating them into separate schools and classrooms, or sending them home because KCS schools will not educate them. The advocates—Disability Rights of West Virginia, Mountain State Justice, The Arc, and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, along with the global law firm Latham & Watkins LLP—allege that KCS has violated federal laws protecting students with disabilities.

“Students with disabilities and behavioral support needs can thrive in school, graduate with diplomas, and transition to successful adulthood provided they receive the appropriate supports to which they are entitled under federal law. It is critical that KCS take responsibility for teaching all of its students, not just some,” said Jeremiah Underhill, Legal Director of Disability Rights of West Virginia.

As described in the complaints, scores of children with disabilities enrolled in KCS have been separated unnecessarily from mainstream classrooms in their schools. Instead, the students are segregated for years in separate classrooms where they interact only with other students with disabilities, and receive an inferior education; placed on “homebound” status where they may only receive a few hours of tutoring each week; or suspended or even expelled from school for behaviors that are caused by their disabilities. The students are not receiving critical behavioral supports that can help them be successful in the general education classroom with their classmates without disabilities.

“It is heartbreaking to see KCS undermine the great potential of students with disabilities by failing to provide necessary supports and, ultimately, removing them from the classroom, causing them to miss vital instructional time and fall farther and farther behind academically and socially,” said Lewis Bossing, Senior Staff Attorney with the Bazelon Center.

Specifically, the complaints allege that KCS is: 1) violating the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by failing to provide children with disabilities with the special education they need to receive a “free appropriate public education” in the least restrictive environment; and 2) violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) by failing to educate children with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs, and denying them equal educational opportunity.

“We are seeing KCS discipline students with disabilities with months-long homebound placements, out-of-school suspensions, and segregated placements in classrooms that resemble storage facilities rather than places of learning for ‘infractions’ as minor as touching another student with a plastic fork or refusing to get off the playground slide at the end of recess. Students are receiving behavior plans that take the form of rote checklists rather than the individualized guidance documents the IDEA requires to adequately support children to succeed in school,” said Shira Wakschlag, The Arc’s Director of Legal Advocacy & Associate General Counsel.

In 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court held unanimously in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE-1 that the “IDEA demands more.” Specifically, the Court provided a new and more demanding standard for what schools must do to adequately educate students with disabilities, requiring that school districts provide “an educational program reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances” and provide students with disabilities the opportunity to meet “challenging objectives” with “appropriately ambitious” special education. For virtually all children, this means receiving instruction and services in the general education classroom, with appropriate supports, alongside students without disabilities. In addition, in 1999 in Olmstead v. L.C., the Court held that the ADA prohibits the needless isolation or segregation of people with disabilities. The ADA applies to public schools, which cannot unnecessarily segregate students with disabilities, nor deny them equal opportunities.

“We have long fought for students with disabilities throughout West Virginia to be educated in their neighborhood schools with appropriate services and supports. KCS’s systemic failures to support students with disabilities in the least restrictive, most integrated setting cannot be justified in light of recent and longstanding Supreme Court precedent,” said Lydia Milnes, an attorney with Mountain State Justice. “KCS must do much more to ensure that all its students with disabilities receive the education they need and to which they are entitled.”

“By failing to adhere to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Americans with Disabilities Act, Kanawha County Schools is diminishing the ability of our clients to secure the education to which they are entitled by law,” said Michael Faris, Latham & Watkins partner. “We look forward to ensuring that the law is upheld.”

About Disability Rights of West Virginia

Disability Rights of West Virginia (DRWV) is the federally mandated protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities in West Virginia. DRWV protects and advocates for the human and legal rights of persons with disabilities. To learn more, visit https://www.drofwv.org/.

About Mountain State Justice

Mountain State Justice is a non-profit legal services firm dedicated to redressing entrenched and emerging systemic social, political, and economic imbalances of power for underserved West Virginians, through legal advocacy and community empowerment offered regardless of ability to pay. To learn more, visit https://mountainstatejustice.org/.

About The Arc

The Arc is the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. In partnership with its network of 650 chapters across the country, The Arc works to promote and protect the rights of people with I/DD to live, work, and learn in the community free from discrimination. To learn more, visit www.thearc.org.

About The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a national legal advocacy organization protecting and advancing the rights of people with mental disabilities. The Center promotes laws and policies that enable adults and children with mental disabilities to live independently in their own homes, schools, and communities, and to enjoy the same opportunities that everyone else does. To learn more, visit www.bazelon.org.

About Latham & Watkins LLP

Latham & Watkins LLP is global law firm with more than 2,700 lawyers located in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. For more information, please visit its website at www.lw.com.

A pregnant woman walks through trees and grass, holding the hand of her young daughter

The Arc to Host Environmental Risk Reduction Program

/in /by The Arc

Washington, DC – The Arc is pleased to announce that it will host Project TENDR (Targeting Environmental Neuro-Developmental Risks), a collaborative of leading scientists, health professionals and children’s and environmental advocates that works to disseminate scientific information and raise awareness of the risks pregnant women and children face from chemicals and pollutants that harm brain development, and to eliminate disproportionate exposures to children of color and children in low-income communities.

Project TENDR was established in 2014 to address the unacceptably high-risk children in America face for disorders that affect the brain. Widespread exposures to toxic chemicals in our air, water, food, soil, and consumer products can increase children’s risks for cognitive and behavioral impairment, as well as specific disorders such as autism and ADHD. Although these complex disorders have multiple causes—environmental, genetic, and social—the contribution of toxic chemicals to these disorders can be prevented. In its first five years, the project has developed a first-of-its kind scientific consensus statement which received coverage by the New York Times, CNN, NPR and hundreds of other media outlets; sponsored Congressional briefings; facilitated sign-on letters from scientists and health professionals on federal policy issues; and provided scientific evidence to state legislatures.

“The Arc is honored to host this unique initiative as it carries on our tradition of supporting research and advocacy. Every day, we are learning more about the harmful and lasting effects of environmental exposures on developing brains, many of which contribute to intellectual and developmental disabilities. Investigating the causes, avoiding those that are preventable, and limiting negative effects of conditions that cause intellectual and developmental disabilities will contribute to individual and family quality of life. Sadly, we also know that the service system for people with I/DD has never adequately met demand so we must do everything we can to prevent the harmful exposures in the environment that contribute to I/DD as well as fight for the supports and services needed by people with disabilities to live a full and inclusive life,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.

Project TENDR is co-directed by Maureen Swanson, The Arc and Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a professor at the MIND Institute at UC Davis. It is funded by grants from the John Merck Fund, Ceres Trust, Passport Foundation, the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and other foundations.

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.