History of The Arc in Minnesota

1950

The Arc was formed at the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis at the first-ever national convention of parents on September 28, 1950 in Minneapolis.

1957

Members of The Arc worked with state legislators, departments, and governor to get legislation passed that mandated special education opportunities for students with IQs of 50 or higher (known as “educable” at the time) and those with physical disabilities. State aid was provided. Schools were “permitted” to serve children with IQs below 50.

1964

Parents succeeded in establishing classes for students with disabilities in the Minneapolis Public Schools, eleven years before national legislation mandated special education services.

1971

The Arc was instrumental in the state’s passage of legislation requiring education for all students ages 5-21 which included those identified as “trainable”.

1975

Arc members’ hard work securing the right to a public education for all children, regardless of their disability, was rewarded by the passage of Public Law 94-142, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act.

1975

The Arc was a significant advocate for the passage of the federal Developmental Disabilities Act which established DD Councils and the Protection and Advocacy System in all states.

1979

March was designated as Mental Retardation Awareness Month by The Arc and The Advertising Council. This month would later become IDD Awareness Month.

1982

Arc’s Value Village Thrift Store opens in Richfield to provide funding for The Arc.

1984

The Arc spearheaded meetings of national medical and disability groups, leading to the signing of the “Principles of Treatment of Disabled Infants” and the passage of the “Baby Doe” Amendments to the Child Abuse Act, protecting newborns with disabilities from the withdrawal of medical care.

1984

The Arc was a lead advocate for legislation to require Minnesota to establish the Developmental Disabilities Waiver Program to be an alternative to large congregate living settings.

1985

he Arc’s Bioengineering Program scored its first success when research proved that a computer system equipped with voice recognition and environmental control capabilities could be configured for use by people with profound mental retardation and severe physical impairments. In 2023, forty states had Technology First initiatives.

1988

The Arc played a major role in achieving the Fair Housing Act Amendments of 1988, which prohibit housing discrimination based on disability.

1989

The Arc Minnesota was a major partner, along with the Disability Law Center and state agencies, in negotiating the agreement and approving the plan to close state institutions in Minnesota and replace them with community services.

1990

The Arc joined other disability organizations in celebrating the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The Arc was a leader among national disability groups advocating for this landmark legislation.

1999

The Arc Minnesota leads efforts to established a work incentive program that allows employed persons with disabilities to pay a premium for their Medical Assistance, have $20,000 in liquid assets and contribute to retirement programs without any limit on earnings.

2004

The Arc achieved expanded provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Higher Education Act, supporting students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in transitioning from public schooling to higher education, employment, and adult life.

2006

The Arc participated in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a landmark treaty aimed at protecting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities worldwide.

2014

The Arc supported the passage of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, signed into law on December 19, 2014.

2020

The Arc Minnesota and other disability groups lobbied for the adoption of Emergency Executive Order 20-12 Preserving Access to Human Service Program during the COVID Peacetime Emergency and 20-11 that sought federal authority for necessary waivers.

2021

Arc’s Value Village Thrift Store opens in Richfield to provide funding for the Arc.

2023

The Arc Minnesota successfully got the legislature to eliminate Parental Fees in the TEFRA program that allows children with disabilities access to Medical Assistance (Medicaid)

2023

The Arc Minnesota working with the disability community was successful in getting the legislature to eliminate asset limits under the Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD).

2024

• 2024: The Arc advocated for the passing of the Autism CARES Act of 2024, which:

• Increased investments in services, research, and training across the lifespan.

• Tackled long waits for diagnoses and closed gaps in adult support.

• Affirmed the dignity, independence, and opportunities people with autism and other disabilities deserve at every stage of life.

2025

The Arc celebrated 75 years of working to promote and protect the rights of individuals with IDD.