About the DD Act
The purpose of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act) is to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families have access to community services, individualized supports, and other forms of assistance that promote:
- Integration and inclusion
The DD Act also aims to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the design of these services, supports, and assistance.
See History of the DD Act for detailed information on how the DD Act and its programs have changed over time.
Evolution of the DD Act
1960s: First Legislation
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy’s Panel on Mental Retardation investigated the major issues that people with developmental disabilities faced, such as exclusion from schools, community activities, and other areas of public and private life. The panel published its findings in “A Proposed Program for National Action to Combat Mental Retardation.”
After the plan was released, President Kennedy made recommendations to Congress, some of which were enacted as the Maternal and Child Health and Mental Retardation Planning Act and the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963.
The Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act established University Affiliated Facilities, which later became the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs).
1970s: Early DD Act
In 1970 Congress passed the DD Act, or the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Amendments, which amended the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963. Although several related pieces of legislation precede the 1970 DD Act, this is the first version that introduced the term “developmental disability.”
The 1970 Act expanded the target population covered under the law. It also required states to establish a State Planning and Advisory Council, known today as DD Councils.
In 1975 Congress passed the Developmentally Disabled Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, revising the definition of developmental disability to include autism and dyslexia and establishing the Protection and Advocacy System (P&A).
In 1978 Congress again revised the definition of developmental disability. It raised the age of onset to 22 and switched from a list of specific conditions to a more generalized approach focused on a functional definition of a developmental disability as a “severe, chronic disability…attributable to a physical or mental impairment…likely to continue indefinitely” and resulting in substantial functional limitations in three or more areas of major life activity.
1980s: New Priorities and Goals
The amendments in 1984 added new priorities and values, and also articulated goals for services for people with developmental disabilities “to achieve their maximum potential through increased independence, productivity, and integration into the community…” In addition, People First Language was first used throughout the Act in 1984.
In 1987 Congress created amendments focusing on the capabilities, competencies, preferences and needs of people with developmental disabilities, and recognizing the important role of families and community members in the lives of people with developmental disabilities.
1990s: New Values and Emphasis on Cultural Diversity
The amendments of 1990 added the values of inclusion and interdependence, and in 1994 the DD Act was reorganized and simplified. The 1994 amendments added the Projects of National Significance (PNS) initiative and revised integration and inclusion as a key principle. The amendments also placed increased emphasis on cultural diversity, cultural competence, individual dignity, and personal preferences in providing services and supports.
2000s: Current DD Act
In 2000 the DD Act was extended and reauthorized through 2007. The definition of self-determination was added, and the definition of developmental disability was clarified for children up to age 9. The act also added new requirements for State Councils, including requiring at least 60 percent of the Council to be comprised of individuals with developmental disabilities or their family members.
The DD Act is currently awaiting reauthorization.
Gettings, Robert M. Forging a Federal-State Partnership: A History of State and Federal Developmental Disabilities Policy, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2011.
National Council on Disability. Exploring New Paradigms for the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act: Supplement to the 2011 NCD publication Rising Expectations: The Developmental Disabilities Act Revisited, April 2012.
National Council on Disability. Rising Expectations: The Developmental Disabilities Act Revisited, February 2011.