The comment is more illuminating than the article!
One Comment
- Mark says:
August 18, 2010 at 6:50
pm<http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/behavioral-health-health-science/2010/08/18/n-j-gets-rid-of-term-%e2%80%9cmental-retardation%e2%80%9d-part-of-a-national-trend/43789/comment-page-1#comment-5507>
In 2007, Article II, Section I, Paragraph 6 of New Jersey's Constitution
was changed to amend: “No idiot or insane person shall enjoy the right of
suffrage.” The change in terminology was long over due.
Sadly, it didn't change the nature, timing, extent and quality of the
services provided to those previously referred to as idiots or insane nor
did it change the outcomes fostered by these services. In fact, two years
later New Jersey's largest psychiatric hospital was the subject of a
scathing US Department of Justice "Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons
Act" investigation
When you can't evidence change in deed evidence it in word. Too many
think both are the same.
N.J. gets rid of term “mental retardation” – part of a national trend
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
*By: Maiken Scott
[email protected]*
Many families and advocates despise it, and call it "The R-Word". Still,
the term "mentally retarded" is often attached to diagnosis, services, and
legislation regarding people with cognitive impairments.
The state of New Jersey just passed legislation to replace the controversial
term with "intellectual or developmental disabilities" – and a national
movement is underway.
New Jersey governor Chris Christie signed legislation this week officially
eliminating the term "Mentally retarded" from laws and regulations. Delaware
made the change in 2001. In Pennsylvania, most state programs and offices
now use "intellectual or developmental disability".
Beth Myers of the Department of Public Welfare says "mental retardation"
does come up occasionally because the term is still used in older federal
legislation:
*Myers: *Mental health and mental retardation comes from the Mental Health
and mental retardation act of 1966 which outlines some of the things that we
as a department are required to do, and then a lot of other times when you
see the MR phrase is actually tied to a specific funding stream that is
called that, but we refrain from referring to people in that fashion
Celia Feinstein from the Center for Disabilities at Temple University says
families and people affected by intellectual disabilities have long been
fighting for these changes:
*Feinstein:* The term mental retardation is a term that people with that
disability find offensive. It's become a word that you hear in playgrounds,
it's become a word that is hurtful
This month, the U.S. Senate passed a similar bill and the House is scheduled
to take up its version next month.
http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/behavioral-health-health-science/2010/08/18/n-j-gets-rid-of-term-%E2%80%9Cmental-retardation%E2%80%9D-part-of-a-national-trend/43789
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