Our mission is to empower children and adults with developmental disabilities to achieve their potential based on personal choices, abilities and interests...

For more information please contact:

Mellissa Lang
Director of Marketing and Public Affairs
phone: 914.949.9300,
ext. 4618
fax: 914.997.2985
or 914.428.0322
mlang@westchesterarc.org

Westchester Arc
The Gleeson-Israel Gateway Center
265 Saw Mill River Road
Hawthorne, NY 10532
914.949.9300
info@westchesterarc.org

24-hour
Crisis Intervention:
914.949.8200

Información en Español


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Progress and Persisting Stereotypes

A Parent Perspective:
Susan Walker, Westchester Arc Board of Directors

Attitudes toward people with developmental disabilities have changed in many ways over the past four or five decades. Back then, it was taken for granted that our daughter would have separate schooling and that was often basic, at best. Today, many of these youngsters are included in regular school settings, given special attention and a more challenging curriculum.

And today, after the school years, she and many of her peers are no longer isolated in detached workshops, but have jobs in the community—in small firms and large companies, jobs that offer interaction with the general population.

We still need to work on expanding job opportunities with more vocational training and more help with social skills. We also need to provide more residences so that adults with developmental disabilities can look forward to their own home with others who have similar interests.

Westchester Arc has been instrumental in the progress that has been made over the past half century, and we are hopeful that with greater vocational and educational opportunities will come greater success and even greater acceptance by the community at large.