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

C O M M I T M E N T T O I N C L U S I O N1986 – 1995“Let the shameful wall of exclusion finallycome tumbling down.”President George H.W. BushOn signing the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990During this decade…Protections for the rights of people with disabilitiescontinue to expand. The federal government amends andextends the Education for All Handicapped Children Actby mandating pre-school programs for 3 to 5-year-oldswith a disability and early intervention services for at-riskinfants and toddlers. During this era, the federalgovernment also passes the Americans with DisabilitiesAct, a groundbreaking piece of legislation establishing instatute the civil rights of people with disabilities, prohibitingdiscrimination in employment, and mandating accessibilityin transportation and other public accommodations.In an act that will have serious negative effects on disabilityservices as well as many other aspects of state governance,the citizens of California vote to impose term limits ontheir legislators. This action begins a process whereby theinstitutional memory of the struggle for the rights of peoplewith disabilities decreases and the power of the lobbyistsand legislative staff to influencelegislation significantly increases.The action also creates a politicalenvironment in which officials becomedistracted from their responsibilitiesto their constituents by the need toidentify and prepare a campaign fortheir next office.Historical highlights…The effort to de-populate stateinstitutions is advanced greatly as theresult of an out of court settlement inCoffelt v. DDS et al. The settlementresults in an agreement that callsfor movement of 2,000 residents,approximately 40 percent of thecurrent institutional population, intothe community within five years andprevention of future inappropriateadmissions.1986 Amendments (PL 99-457) to the Education forAll Handicapped Children Act mandate pre-schoolprograms for 3 to 5-year-olds with disabilities andplanning for early intervention programs for at-riskinfants and toddlers with disabilities and theirfamilies.18