40th History Brochure-r2 - Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center

1975 Congress passes the widely heralded Education forAll Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142). This lawmandates a “free and appropriate public education”in the “least restrictive environment” for all children,regardless of the severity of the child’s disability. Italso mandates Individualized Education Programs(IEPs) with special education and related servicesdesigned to meet the unique needs of each child.The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Billof Rights Act (PL 94-103) mandates a bill of rights forpersons with developmental disabilities and requireseach state to establish a protection and advocacysystem. Within three years, California establishesProtection and Advocacy, Inc. to ensure the rightsof California residents with disabilities.The 1975-76 budget for 20 regional centers is$47,980,527. They serve 33,833 clients at anaverage cost of $1,418 per person.Approximately 10,200 persons with developmentaldisabilities reside in state hospitals in California.“For the parent of a retarded child, therewere only two options. One you kept the childhome, or two you would institutionalize thechild. There was nothing in between.”JEROME R. WALDIEJerome R. Waldie served California as an Assemblyman from1959 through 1966. For six of those years he was the majorityleader. And in 1965, along with Assemblymen Leroy Greene,Frank Lanterman, Alfred Alquist, Clair Burgener, Nicholas Petrisand Charles Warren, he introduced AB 691, the landmark billestablishing regional centers.He was subsequently elected to Congress in 1966 where heserved until 1975. During that time he was a member of theHouse Judiciary Impeachment Committee. He later workedfor the Carter Administration as executive director of the WhiteHouse Conference on Aging, and as chair of the Federal Mine,Safety, and Health Review Commission.He was also a member of the California Agricultural LaborRelations Board and president of the National Senior CitizensLaw Center. He currently serves as a member of the TahoeRegional Planning Agency, and has remained active in localDemocratic politics.In 2002, Mr. Waldie received the Community ImperativeLanterman Pioneer Award, given to leaders who helped laythe foundation for the California community service system bysecuring passage of the Lanterman Developmental DisabilitiesServices Act.P I O N E E R P R O F I L E11