History of The Arc in Hawaii

The Hawaii Chapter of The Arc was founded in 1954. Over the years, The Arc in Hawaii has advocated for services for both children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

In the 1970s, The Arc in Hawaii was a pioneer in developing community-based homes for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These homes allowed families to take their adult sons and daughters out of the institution and deterred others from entering the institutional system. Thanks to the efforts of community leaders like The Arc in Hawaii, the state closed its only institution, Waimano Training School and Hospital, in June 1999. Hawaii is one of just nine states, including the District of Columbia, to completely close its state-run institution.

The Arc in Hawaii used litigation and legislative advocacy to assure the inclusion of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities into the public school system, the deinstitutionalization of residents of Waimano Training School and Hospital, the enactment of legislation that provided a legal basis for services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the development of high-quality community-based programs. The community-based alternatives also expanded the array of services available to individuals with developmental disabilities in their communities. Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapters 333E and 333F provide the legal basis for services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc in Hawaii advocates for stable funding for community-based services and promotes the complete integration into society of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, The Arc in Hawaii provides coaching and training services to enable constituents to be self-advocates.