History of Developmental Disabilities
People all over the world have experienced life with developmental disabilities throughout history. However, it isn’t a stagnant or sedentary history. A lot of events had to take place, and progress had to be made, to reach the place we are today.
Those with developmental disabilities, and disabilities in general, often face unique challenges and circumstances in life that others don’t. In the United States, the advancement of disability rights and advocacy has been a long and winding road.
In this week’s blog, we’ll dig into the history of developmental disabilities, going over some of the most important moments that have shaped our perspectives on disabilities over time. The Americans with Disabilities Act, or the ADA, is often credited as a significant focal point for disability history, thus, we will focus on how this groundbreaking act came to be.
In order to continue with the amazing progress that we’ve made, it’s important to understand the events that have led us to where we are now – and to consider the improvements we can make in the future.
The Parent Movement
The Parent Movement, also termed the “Family Movement” or the “Family Support Movement,” is thought to be caused by societal shifts that took place in the 1950’s. This big change brought the importance of family support to light for those with disabilities.
To put it in broad strokes, many important economic shifts occurred in the 50’s, and afterwards, the 60’s brought forth ideas of social change and civil rights. Many people, especially minority groups, were looking for a sense of community and equality. This set the stage for disability advocacy to become a greater priority as well.
Beginning around the 60’s and continuing through the start of the 80’s, the Parent Movement had a strong focus on improvement within schools and government services. Parents and family members of people with disabilities campaigned for more supportive, inclusive programs within their schools and communities.
In addition to the central purpose of creating a better world for those with disabilities, this movement also placed emphasis on improving family relationships between people with disabilities and people without them.
Since family members play such a huge role in the lives of people with disabilities, this movement is an important starting place when considering what led to the ADA.
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1975
The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1975 is considered a crucial forerunner to the ADA. As movements like the Parent Movement and other social change efforts continued to develop, it only made sense that the U.S. government should create policy that reflected the characteristics and needs of this population.
This act, also called “the DD Act,” did two key things: defined what having a disability meant in a clearer way than previously depicted, and established parameters for disability protection. This act was amended over the years since it had been put into place, including:
- Later in 1975: articulated that people with disabilities had a right to minimally restrictive treatment and stated that funds for residential disability programs should not be distributed to places that did not meet compliance standards.
- In 1978: defined 4 service areas to focus on – case management, child developmental services, alternative community living, and nonvocational social-developmental services.
- In 1984: defined goals for the act – fostering independence, productivity, and integration for people with disabilities.
- From 1987-2000: defined requirements for reviewing and analyzing standards and satisfaction with disability programs, emphasized inclusion and individuality, and included provisions that care should be free of abuse and exploitation.
Many of the crucial points and amendments of the DD Act paved the way for the introduction and development of the ADA. This momentous act provided a roadmap of sorts for creating the disability legislature that we are familiar with today.
Self-Advocacy
Around the same time that the DD Act was in its developing stages, another movement was taking place: the “Self-Advocacy Movement.” During the late 60’s, the idea of people with disabilities being able and allowed to advocate for themselves was a somewhat radical thought.
This movement originated from “radical” thinkers in Europe and Canada, whose progressive thoughts eventually made their way to the United States. Stemming from the ideas of a Swedish advocate, Dr. Bengt Nirje (director of the Swedish Parent Association), who presented his opinions at a conference in Ireland, self-advocacy conferences started taking place in Canada in 1973, and then in Oregon a short while later.
These conferences, and the fast-spreading ideas of self-advocacy that came with them, introduced a new side to the disability rights movement that had not been widely considered before: the concept of those with disabilities having the opportunity to make their own change for themselves.
Americans with Disabilities Act
In 1989, arguably the most significant development in the history of developmental disability rights in the U.S. was put into place: the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Following an extensive debate in the Senate that effectively maximized the reach of the ADA, U.S. legislators voted in favor of implementing the most extensive protections for people with disabilities that had ever been created in the United States government. This act remains the most central piece of disability rights legislature that we have to the present day.
A crucial aspect of the ADA’s universal coverage is that it is a federal law, and not a benefits program. This means that every person with a disability in the United States is covered – without having to apply for help like they would in the case of a social program. The ADA has been amended over the years to reflect societal changes and new scientific knowledge, but its focus remains the same: to protect people with disabilities.
The ADA seeks to improve and protect many aspects of life for people with developmental disabilities, including things within the public sphere like transit and public businesses, as well as government services, telecommunications, and more. Overall, this law is a concrete result of decades of movements, precedents set by other civil rights laws, and advocacy by people with disabilities and their allies.
Amendments and Impact of the ADA
Over the years, the ADA has been continuously amended to reflect needed changes, similar to the way that the DD Act was adapted over time.
These amendments have included things like redefining what kinds of disabilities are covered under the ADA, along with somewhat altering the definition of disability itself. For example, people who have substance use disorders, people in sexual minority groups, and a few other categories were stated in amendments to not be included in ADA protections.
The introduction and implementation of the ADA has also influenced perspectives on disability rights throughout the rest of the world. In 1992, the United Nations declared December 3rd to be “International Day of Persons with Disabilities.” This kind of recognition for people with disabilities on a global scale has proved to be an important catalyst for further improvement in disability rights.
The ADA in 2023 and Moving Forward
As we come up on the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26th, we invite our Adam’s Camp family to consider the long history behind the way that people with disabilities are treated today.
Though many amazing and important moments have taken place thus far in the history of the United States, people with disabilities still face both personal and public challenges in life. Knowing the history of disability rights is an important step in enacting further change for the benefit of people who have developmental disabilities.
At Adam’s Camp, we believe that disability advocacy is a multifaceted endeavor, one that is a constant work-in-progress. We hope that this article inspired you to honor our nation’s history regarding developmental disabilities – and to think about how you can best support the people in your life who have developmental disabilities.
The Adam’s Camp mission is to realize the potential and develop the strengths of children, youth, and adults with disabilities. We do this through unique adventure and therapy programs with the help of committed counselors, therapists, and volunteers who all work together to create a safe, fun, and supportive environment for people with disabilities.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions about how we support our community – and we hope this article is a helpful resource for some background on disability rights.