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With an Eye to the Past
1980s: Recapturing the Vision

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1940s - 50s
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In 1986, the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (Council) published "A New Way of Thinking."

This publication described the move from institution to community and the necessary paradigm shift. According to the Council, the general public needed to view people with developmental disabilities as capable of learning, living, working, and enjoying life in regular environments, with appropriate supports.

It was time to begin looking at people's strengths, not test scores.

Detroit Lakes News Story

Video: Detroit Lakes News Story (1987)

A 1987 early supported employment pilot project, "Project Compete," offered a practical approach to teaching job skills for individuals with developmental disabilities. Training was done onsite at the employer's place of business with supported employment services that could fade over time, and provided by Clay and Becker County Developmental Achievement Centers.

New Way of Thinking

"A New Way of Thinking" asked the public to look at people's strengths, not their test scores.

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©2025 The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Administration Building 50 Sherburne Avenue Room G10
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Phone: 651-296-4018 Toll-free number: 877-348-0505 MN Relay Service: 800-627-3529 OR 711
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The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center, the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2301MNSCDD-02, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

This website is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,120,136.00 with 83 percent funded by ACL/HHS and $222,000.00 and 17 percent funded by non-federal-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.