House Approves Bill Removing "Mental Retardation" From Law

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill in September to alter the language used in wording of Federal laws. Under the bill, the terms "mental retardation" and "mentally retarded" would be stripped from federal health, education, and labor policy. "Intellectual disability" and "individual with an intellectual disability" would be inserted in their places. The legislation, known as Rosa's Law, now goes to President Obama for approval.  White House officials say he intends to sign this measure. The changes would occur as laws and documents come up for revision over the next several years. Since the alterations would be implemented naturally when documents are revised, the legislation is not expected to incur any extra costs. 

 
This is an important change of language in legislature and is a huge win for the disability community. The term "intellectual disability" is in use already by most states and some federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The language swap would not alter the rights that individuals with disabilities have, but would merely bring the federal government more in line with a trend toward using this 'person first' language.

According to the bill's sponsor, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., "Rosa's Law will make a greatly-needed change that should have been made well before today - and it will encourage us to treat people the way they would like to be treated."

United Way of Midland County Reaches Historic Goal

Just two months ago, our community embarked on a historic journey with United Way to raise $5 million to meet the increasing needs in Midland County. This was an ambitious goal, with all that our community has faced, but critical for our friends and neighbors in need.

Bob Hansen, President of the Dow Corning Corporation and the 2010 United Way campaign chairman, said that the $5 million benchmark is a significant step forward for the campaign. He said "The first time the goal began with a five was in 1942, when United Way raised just over $55, 000."

Jim Morris, the inspiration behind the Disney blockbuster "The Rookie," joined us at the beginning of this quest, reminding each of us that, "If you get enough people doing a little, it ends up being a lot. All those links create a strong chain."

Truer words could not be spoken. Midland County is a place where people care about other people. This year's United Way campaign truly illustrates the heart of our community, as community members came together to raise a historic $5,003,820 to meet the identified and prioritized needs throughout Midland County.

The United Way partners with 28 local agencies to reach people in need. In addition, it offers many direct services to people who are struggling.

Click here for the coverage from ABC12

Chuck's Story

Chuck was introduced to the Disability Network (DNMM) by his high school counselor. A talkative 19 year old, Chuck holds passionate interests in music and technology and aspires to be a computer programmer someday. Born in Germany and raised in three different foster homes in Michigan, Chuck believes that DNMM is the only form of family he's ever had. When asked about DNMM, Chuck claims, "being involved in this network has enabled me to learn and apply skills that I would not have learned in school. I have made friends, best friends. I also found my first girlfriend. I figured out what college is best for me, what jobs are out there for me and how to find them." 

Chuck worked with all of the STAGES staff members during the Summer STAGES program and developed an especially positive relationship with Tim. Chuck said, "Tim is awesome; I can talk to someone now and not feel scared that they won't like me. (I am) proud of who I am." When asked about life skills covered in the program, Chuck mentioned learning about key traits employers desire when hiring. He said Tim emphasizes communication and interpersonal skills. "Without the Disability Network, I had problems with interrupting people. I have a hard time trying to be patient. They taught me the importance of patience and how to interact positively". Summer STAGES gave Chuck opportunities to work on his social skills by interacting with others his age to share ideas, resolve conflicts, and generate professional and personal bonds during planned social events and educational activities. 

Along with teaching him social interaction skills and tips on independence, DNMM helped Chuck learn some positive ways to spend his free time. "I stay busy now. I am no longer sitting around the house waiting for a friend to call me; I have tons of friends through the Network. We do fun activities together - job tours, bike rides, hang outs, and picnics just to name a few."

One of the fun things Chuck did during the summer was to attend an overnighter at "Camp Fish Tales". This is an annual Summer STAGES event. Throughout the event Chuck interacted with other kids in a friendly, stimulating environment and learned how to engage with diverse groups of people. "It was a fun experience and you get to know everyone better" said Chuck. Activities such as performing skits helped Chuck practice being part of a group and helped him work on a collaborative team effort.  

According to Chuck, before working with DNMM, "I couldn't perform a simple task such as dialing my own ride with County Connection". Being able to use the County Connection system has resulted in increased independence for Chuck; he no longer has to rely on friends or family for transportation. "I'm so thankful that they taught me to dial my ride and wait for the bus. I can go wherever I want now. I feel like... free".

"Without the Disability Network, I would be very dependent on my foster mom. I like relying on myself and thank the organization for not only teaching me independence, but introducing me to great people - all my friends."

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