Washington’s 1997 legislature expanded supports and funding for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

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.

A 1970-era Washington State planning report identifies deficiencies in institutional care and outlines a coordinated strategy to improve facilities, update laws, and expand community-based services for people with developmental disabilities.

Through the DD Act, the federal government established DD Councils and a national network dedicated to strengthening disability rights, promoting community living, and ensuring that people with developmental disabilities guide decisions that affect their lives.

State officials in 1970 discuss the large number of unserved children with disabilities in Washington and propose a meeting to identify the scope of the issue, current gaps, and possible solutions.

This document explains Washington’s early efforts in 1970–71 to expand educational services for children with disabilities, including new requirements for school districts, guidance for identifying and serving students, and advocacy efforts under “Education for All.”

These minutes outline a 1971 Steering Committee meeting focused on organizing Washington’s implementation of mandatory education for children with disabilities and establishing the ad hoc committees needed to guide policy, eligibility, program standards, and oversight.

A 1974 Washington State memo outlines the planning, data collection, and community coordination needed to shift services from large institutions to community-based programs for people with developmental disabilities, mental health needs, and justice-involved youth.

This document provides congressional history, committee explanations, and statutory language related to federal legislation on the education of children with disabilities, detailing the intent, requirements, and protections included in the law.

Together, these 1976 documents outline federal expectations, implementation steps, advocacy roles, and legislative context for the Education for All Handicapped Children Act as states prepared to ensure every child with a disability received a free, appropriate public education.

A 1978 review of P.L. 94-142 outlines the administrative responsibilities states assumed to implement special education services and protect children’s rights under the new federal law.

The inaugural Congressional report on P.L. 94-142 shows major early gains in providing special education services nationwide, alongside the challenges states faced as they built the systems needed to meet the law’s promise.

A 1979 AFSCME complaint and accompanying federal guidelines reveal significant concerns about Rhode Island’s failure to provide required job protections for employees affected by deinstitutionalization, prompting calls for stronger state and federal enforcement.

The 1981 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act changed Social Security disability rules in ways that made benefits harder to qualify for and reduced protections for people with disabilities — including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

In the early 1980s, changes to federal disability policy strengthened self-advocacy, accountability, and people-first values, helping shift services toward individual rights, independence, and full participation in community life.

A 1985 AFSCME publication reprints investigative reporting on the dangers and systemic failures that accompanied rapid, under-resourced deinstitutionalization in Ohio, highlighting its impact on people with developmental disabilities.

By the mid-1980s, Washington State led the way in early childhood inclusion by expanding special education to preschoolers and strengthening early learning supports, helping establish early intervention as a foundation for inclusion and lifelong learning.

In 1987–1988, Washington State accelerated its shift from institutions to community living after federal decertification exposed serious failures in institutional care, leading to expanded community supports and new Residential Services Guidelines shaped with input from the Developmental Disabilities Council and people with lived experience.

A summary of Washington State legislation from 1983–1988 shows major advances in family support, employment, civil rights, and community services for people with developmental disabilities.

This agenda outlines the May 21, 1999 meeting of the Developmental Disabilities Council’s Planning & Public Policy Committee, covering legislative updates, budget review, policy decisions, and preparation for upcoming Council work.

A timeline from ITACC traces how the DD Act evolved from 1970 to 2000 into a comprehensive civil rights and community-living framework centered on inclusion, self-determination, and strong advocacy roles for DD Councils.

Diana reflects on decades of work in Washington’s disability community, sharing how listening to self-advocates and learning from people who experienced institutions helped drive progress toward true community inclusion.

Shawn Latham shares his perspective on disability advocacy and systems change. He talks about his own lived experience, his involvement with disability organizations, and what it has meant to be part of advocacy work over time.