History of The Arc
In 1950, little was known about intellectual disability (then referred to as ‘mental retardation’) and developmental disability, or its causes. There were virtually no programs and activities to assist in the development and care of people with IDD or to support families. It was common for doctors to tell parents that the best place for their child was in an institution, where they often received no education. But these families wanted more. They wanted their loved ones to lead fulfilling lives in the community and not be shuttered away in dark institutions.
The Arc was born out of their collective desire to raise their children in the home and their refusal to accept that institutionalization was the only option. Through the decades, The Arc has advocated for the passage of state and federal legislation on behalf of people with disabilities and established a broad network of state and local chapters.
History of Our Name
National Association for Retarded Children (NARC)
1953 – 1973
​National Association for Retarded Citizens (NARC)
1973 – 1981
Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States (ARC)
1981 – 1992
The Arc of the United States (The Arc)
1992 – Present​
Words matter. Over time, as the words ‘retardation’ and ‘retarded’ became harmful, discriminatory, and dehumanizing, we evolved our terminology to reflect the desires of people with disabilities, and changed our name to ‘The Arc.’
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The term has largely been replaced with ‘intellectual disability’ and ‘developmental disability.’ We are doing everything in our power to make sure they’re adopted more broadly and strongly believe the only ‘R-word’ that should be used when referring to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is respect.
The Arc Today
Our mission is to create meaningful experiences for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The Arc of McLennan County expands opportunities, care, and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Central Texas. We achieve this through advocacy, family support, and programs including the Opportunity Center which is designed to meet the unique needs of our community. The Arc helps individuals build independence, connection, and purpose. Its work is guided by three pillars: Advocate, Relate, and Create. ​
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