History of The Arc of the Ozarks

The Arc of the Ozarks was formed and incorporated as a
not-for-profit organization in 1963. An early accomplishment was a pre-school program for children with mental retardation. The association was also involved with the first State School for the developmentally disabled individuals in Missouri, which is now Greene Valley State School for the Severely Handicapped.

The Arc was instrumental in obtaining a Regional Diagnostic Center for Southwest Missouri, now the Springfield Regional Center, a part of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, which provides and procures services for individuals with disabilities in any needed areas of their lives.

This hardworking group of volunteers also brought about significant changes in the community's attitudes toward individuals with developmental disabilities and their needs. They provided monthly community-wide public information forums for parent and sibling support groups, and helped with the passage of Senate Bill 40 in Missouri, an advanced and innovative program allowing Greene County to provide assistance for group homes and workshops.

The Arc now provides a wide array of services ranging from residential, employment, community integration, day programming and recreation services. Now an agency serving 500 individuals in nine Southwest Missouri Counties, it is positioned for the to support the next generation.