Arc Muskegon - About Us | Developmental Disability

For people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities

arc about us photo

Who is The Arc?

The Arc is and always has been about people - people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, parents, friends, family and professionals. In 1952, a group of concerned families and their friends formed an organization they called, "Family and Friends of the Mentally Retarded". In 1953 they joined the National Association for Retarded Citizens and became a local chapter. This movement grew and is now known as The Arc, no longer an acronym by eliminating the word "Retarded". The Arc Muskegon continues to be proudly affiliated with the state and national organization. There are 780 local chapters, with 34 of them in the state of Michigan.

The Arc is a membership organization with a collective membership of 140,000 from across the country. The Arc is the largest grassroots organization advocating for people with intellectual (cognitive) and developmental disabilities and their families.

View our 2009 Membership/Community Report
View our 2010 Membership/Community Report

Our Board of Directors
David Waterstradt, President
Barb Young, Past President
Janet Evertsen, Vice President
Denise P. Meier, Secretary
Rachel Terpstra, Treasurer

Directors
Jim Mikesell lll, Director
Emily Michalski, Director
Susan Treutler, Director
Lori Gomez-Payne, Director
Tim Michalski, Director
Stan Miller, Director

Staff
Margaret O'Toole, Executive Director
Mikki Rosema, Administrative Assistant
Karen Lindsay Bowne, Community Living Supports Coordinator

Community Living Supports Staff:
Lataja Washington
Shari McCain
Sandy McMillan
Denise Brown
Robin Wicklund

What is a developmental disability?

Developmental disabilities are a class of disabling conditions that usually originate before birth or shortly after and prior to age 22 and will continue through the course of a person's life. An intellectual/cognitive disability (previously known as mental retardation) is a developmental disability at which a person's rate and degree of intelligence is lower than society as a whole. Most people - 87% have a mild intellectual disability. This diagnosis needs to occur by the age of 18 years old.

There are approximately 7.2 million Americans (Source: The Arc US) with an intellectual or developmental disability or one in nine families. Causes can include:

genetics
trauma at birth
poor nutrition
substance abuse
lead poisoning
accidents
environmental factors
many causes unknown

Examples of developmental disabilities can include:

Autism
Down syndrome
Rett syndrome
Cerebral Palsy
Fetal Alcohol syndrome
Spina Bifida

What is an intellectual disability? An intellectual disability is a below-average cognitive ability with three (3) characteristics:
•   Intelligent quotient (IQ) is between 70-75
•   Significant limitations in adaptive behaviors (ability to adapt and carry on everyday life activities such as self care,
     socializing, communicating, etc..)
•   The onset of the disability occurs before age 18