A 1957 IRS ruling confirms The ARC of Washington’s federal tax-exempt status and outlines the benefits, limitations, and reporting requirements tied to its 501(c)(3) designation.

Washington’s governor formally established the state’s Developmental Disabilities Planning Council in 1976, defining its membership, responsibilities, and federal compliance requirements under Public Law 94-103.

In the 1960s, national exposure of civil rights abuses in institutions—including Willowbrook, Pennhurst, and the documentation in Christmas in Purgatory—helped launch the modern disability rights movement.