title: Beyond terminology: the policy impact of a grassroots movement.
abstract: This article discusses the history of the grassroots movement led by self-advocates and their families to replace the stigmatizing term "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" in federal statute. It also describes recent and pending changes in federal regulations and policy to adopt the new terminology for Social Security and Medicaid.
authors.affiliation: Public Policy Office, The Arc, 1825 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA. ford@thearc.org
authors.forename: Marty
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
mesh_terms: D003254:Consumer Advocacy / Q000266:history*; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D033161:Government Regulation; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000266:history; D008484:Medicaid / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011640:Public Policy / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012943:Social Security / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014481:United States