ARC of Dallas - Arc Board

Arc Contact Information

Phone 214-634-9810 E-mail info@arcdallas.org

Sherry Wacasey, Media Relations

Arc Relocates and Expands Service Area

Need Background

The Arc of Dallas new address is 12700 Hillcrest Road, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75230. Previously, The Arc was been located at 2114 Anson Road since the 1970’s. For those people who have come to know The Arc since that time and who also visit the facility, the organization’s identity has become tied to the facility and the location.

Because of current market trends, financial considerations, and demographic indicators, The Arc’s leadership has determined it is in the best interest of the organization to sell the current facilities, invest the proceeds and relocate to offices that will enable us to better serve our clients. It is agreed that the best interest of the client is always at the forefront of decision-making.

Most of The Arc’s publics are somewhat aware of The Arc’s difficult financial challenges, and the perception may be that these conditions are the driving factors in the move. While the funding trend was one of the catalysts for opening the discussion about the current facility, it was definitely not the leading factor in the committee’s decision to relocate. It is the Ad Hoc committee’s desire that the message is clear to all stakeholders that the move is not driven by or related to financial need. In addition, it is assumed that clients and other stake holders may feel insecurity and possibly grief over the sale of the building, and sentiment of The Arc may be closely tied to the current facility. These facts combined with the display of a “for sale” sign on the property indicates the need for a structured and well-thought out communication plan to be constructed and implemented as soon as possible. Our goals are to avoid undue alarm, needless rumors, and misunderstanding of The Arc’s decision to relocate. In addition, we want our stakeholders to understand the positive nature of the move, and the added convenience it will bring as we step out into the community with more services in more neighborhoods.

Opportunity

While the potential exists for negative perceptions regarding “the move," the opportunity exists to better serve our clients in a number of ways. A new location can be more compatible with our current staff and program needs. In addition, a move will better serve our current demographic and potentially assist in fund-raising as new relationships are formed, and old relationships are strengthened. The largest advantage to stakeholders will be expanded services and more services in more communities and neighborhoods.

Also, there exists an opportunity to increase The Arc’s visibility and deliver a fresh image. A new location, a new look in our publications, and mounting excitement about new opportunities all create positive energy and a fresh look at the future.

Arc Speaks Out on Supreme Court Ruling

The Arc of Dallas Applauds the Supreme Court’s Decision To Abolish the Death Penalty for Convicted Offenders with Mental Retardation

“We are both happy and relieved about the Supreme Court’s decision today to declare it unconstitutional to impose the death penalty on convicted offenders with mental retardation,” said Kathy Hurt, Executive Director of The Arc of Dallas. The Arc, a national advocacy organization for people with mental retardation, has fought for 20 years to help legislators and society understand why it is cruel and unusual punishment to impose the most extreme penalty on any individual with this disability.

It is The Arc’s position that the effects of mental retardation in the areas of cognitive impairment, moral reasoning, control of impulses, and understanding of cause and effect make it highly improbable that persons with mental retardation can meet the extraordinary personal and moral blameworthiness standards established by the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution and reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Our legal system is in place to carry out justice. Our highest court has done just that by abolishing an unjust and inhumane punishment for a group of people who cannot effectively interact with the very system that determines their fate, said Hurt.

“While we firmly believe all people should be held accountable for their actions, there are many reasons why we consider the death penalty a cruel and unusual punishment,” added Hurt.

Statistics show that most people with mental retardation cannot:

Assist effectively in their own defense
Comprehend the adversarial nature of the police relationship when being arrested
Understand the cause and effect relationship
Effectively communicate timelines, details or concepts
Understand Miranda warnings as typically related

On the other hand, many people with mental retardation:

Are anxious to please and will act accordingly
Can have poor impulse control
Have a tendency to hide their disability for as long as possible
Have a variety of communication barriers

Opponents of the court’s decision have stated their fear that many offenders will feign mental retardation to escape the ultimate punishment. “What is generally not realized is that mental retardation, which is a legal and medical diagnosis, on-sets prior to age 18, and is determined through a three-fold professional assessment:

·        IQ rating scale        (intelligence assessment)
·        Adaptive behavior (self-care, personal safety, level of independence, etc.)
·        Historical evidence (witnesses, school records, medical records, etc.)

It would be very rare for a person to be able to fake this disability in such a way to be diagnosed. The historical evidence from childhood alone would prevent a person from deceiving the system,” said Hurt.

Two years ago, The Arc of Dallas received a grant from the governor’s office to establish a program that trains justice professionals (including police officers, attorneys, judges, etc.) and people with mental retardation on how to interact more effectively. “If a professional doesn’t readily recognize a person’s disability, such as mental retardation, it is easy for that person’s rights to be violated at initial contact,” said Lilli Hallam, Director of The Arc’s Justice Information Initiative. “The response by justice professionals has been overwhelmingly positive, as they recognize the need for more information on this disability.”

Robert Perske, Criminal Justice Worker, Author and Journalist will be the guest speaker at two Justice Information Symposiums hosted by Jeanette Drescher Green, Chief Public Defender of Dallas County, and The Arc. A noon event for justice professionals will be held on Wednesday, June 26 and an evening event for the general public will be held that same evening. For more information, or to RSVP, please contact The Arc, 214-634-9810.

Copy of the AP Release on the Supreme Courts Decision (Adobe Acrobat PDF format)