Senate panel considers dropping ‘mental retardation’ from agency name

Several Boone County residents attended a Senate committee hearing Tuesday on whether the words “mental retardation” should be removed from the name of a state division that provides services for people with disabilities.

Sen. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, presented Senate Bill 621 to the Seniors, Families and Public Health Committee at the Capitol. He wants the words stricken from the name of the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, saying it’s offensive to people with mental disabilities.

“The word ‘retard’ is now a derogatory term used in society,” Engler said.

Several parents, group representatives and people with disabilities spoke in favor of the bill. Four members of Boone County’s People First attended.

People First member Greg Griffin of Columbia has supported the name change since it was first proposed in 1998. He handed the committee a letter singed by 17 fellow members. It said the name change is “long past due” and asked that the committee “please help Missouri get with the times and remove MR from MRDD.”

All but 13 states have removed the term from the names of their state agencies. Four of those, including Missouri, are considering bills to follow suit.

Lobbyist Jerry Ford, of Cape Girardeau, however, opposed the bill. He said he represents several groups that are fine with the term.

“The majority of people with MR are incapable of expressing their opinion,” Ford said. ”So I am speaking on their behalf.”

Bernie Simmons, director of the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, spoke in support of the bill.

“Changing the name of the division,” he said, “would not change the mission of the division, those eligible for services or those receiving services from the division or contract providers.”

The committee is tentatively scheduled to decide next week whether to move the bill forward.

Several people from the hearing will be addressing other disabilities issues and concerns during Disability Rights Legislative Day 2007 today. They include Columbia residents Max Lewis, Bob Pund and Cathy Enfield, who will talk about accessibility, affordable health care and Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities. Sens. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, and Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, and Reps. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, and Charles Portwood, R-Ballwin, will also speak at the rally.