On February 15, 1974, Judge Earl Larson issued a 23-page opinion favoring Welsch. The judge wrote, "The evidence is overwhelming and convincing that a program of habilitation can work to improve the lives of Cambridge residents. Everyone, no matter the degree or severity of mental retardation, is capable of growth and development if given adequate and suitable treatment." As a result of Judge resident populations were reduced, staffing ratios Larson’s ruling, increased and programming improved. The case lasted until 1989. Click the arrow button on the screen to hear Eleanor Welsch, wife of Richard Welsch, describe their experience. Section 504 Rehab Act 1973 – In the 1970s, parents and other disability rights activists continued to pressure elected officials for equal rights legislation at the state and federal levels. In 1972, Senator Hubert Humphrey proposed an amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that would add people with disabilities as a protected class. While this effort was unsuccessful, he worked with Congressional staff to incorporate a single sentence on antidiscrimination protections into the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This sentence reads: individual with handicaps in the United States . . . shall, solely by “No otherwise qualified reason of her or his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance....” Usually referred to simply as this single sentence provides the first civil “Section 504,” rights protection against discrimination based on disability. Because the provision was added late in the process, there were no hearings and no Congressional record. Section 504 Sit-ins The US Department of Health, Education and Welfare failed to issue regulations for Section 504. After a four year delay, activists held demonstrations to bring attention to the issue. In Washington D.C., 300 protesters occupied Secretary Califano’s office. The to Washington. Similar protests took place in 10 cities, protests weren’t confined including San Francisco where more than 150 people occupied HEW offices for 28 days. This protest became the longest occupation of a federal building in US history.
On February 15, 1974, Judge Earl Larson issued a 23-page opinion favoring Welsch. The judge wrote, "The evidence is overwhelming and convincing that a program of habilitation can work to improve the lives of Cambridge residents. Everyone, no matter the degree or severity of mental retardation, is capable of growth and development if given adequate and suitable treatment." As a result of Judge Larson’s ruling, resident populations were reduced, staffing ratios increased and programming improved. The case lasted until 1989. Click the arrow button on the screen to hear Eleanor Welsch, wife of Richard Welsch, describe their experience. Section 504 – Rehab Act 1973 In the 1970s, parents and other disability rights activists continued to pressure elected officials for equal rights legislation at the state and federal levels. In 1972, Senator Hubert Humphrey proposed an amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that would add people with disabilities as a protected class. While this effort was unsuccessful, he worked with Congressional staff to incorporate a single sentence on antidiscrimination protections into the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This sentence reads: “No otherwise qualified individual with handicaps in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance....” Usually referred to simply as “Section 504,” this single sentence provides the first civil rights protection against discrimination based on disability. Because the provision was added late in the process, there were no hearings and no Congressional record. Section 504 Sit-ins The US Department of Health, Education and Welfare failed to issue regulations for Section 504. After a four year delay, activists held demonstrations to bring attention to the issue. In Washington D.C., 300 protesters occupied Secretary Califano’s office. The protests weren’t confined to Washington. Similar protests took place in 10 cities, including San Francisco where more than 150 people occupied HEW offices for 28 days. This protest became the longest occupation of a federal building in US history.