The report on hospital conditions showed that Faribault, one of the largest state hospitals, was more than 60 percent over capacity. The Cambridge facility was grappling with a similar problem, housing twice as many residents as allowed.
By 1954, the waiting list – which had alarmed Governor Hubbard in 1883 when it had 59 children on it – had exploded to include 884 children. Projections indicated that another 400 would be added over the next three years.
Drastic change was needed. Simply expanding the current system was unacceptable.
Some facilities routinely operated at 60% over capacity.
Two visionaries – John Holahan and Jerry Walsh – came forward with a plan to redesign the way the state cared for people with developmental disabilities. They created a blueprint for a new service system and how it should work.
In May of 1957, the state office of Minnesota Arc opened with Jerry Walsh as its first executive director.
Visionaries Holahan (top middle) and Walsh (bottom) created a blueprint for a new system.
Initiating an aggressive information campaign, Miriam Karlins and others at the Department of Public Welfare published a series of booklets for parents describing its services, guardianship and individual planning options available through county welfare departments.
Miriam Karlins initiated an aggressive parent information campaign.