Arc of Washington County Inc

Founded in 1952 by a group of local parents seeking services and more complete lives for their disabled children, The Arc of Washington County is a nonprofit local chapter of The Arc of Maryland and The Arc of the United States, the largest volunteer organization in the world devoted exclusively to improving the quality of life for all persons with disabilities.  Today, The Arc of Washington County is a large and diverse agency with an operating budget of nearly $26 million that provides support to more than 900 people with developmental disabilities in Western Maryland, including Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties.  Community integration and individual choice are evident in the vast array of opportunities our unique programs provide.  Our caring, dedicated staff of over 600 employees strives to support the individuals we serve to live their lives with dignity and respect. 

The Arc of Washington County is committed to providing support to all individuals with disabilities in our service area, including the most medically and behaviorally challenging.  Individuals aged six years through senior citizens are served by The Arc and supports provided range from a few hours of
outreach per week to around-the-clock supervision.  Disabilities they have include autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, traumatic brain injury, blindness or severe visual impairment, mental health disorders, deafness or severe hearing impairment, epilepsy or other seizure disorder, speech and language impairment, specific learning disability, spina bifida, and
other neurological impairments.

As a statewide leader in providing quality supports for individuals with disabilities, specific goals to advance our mission include empowering disabled individuals to achieve personal growth and develop their natural gifts; providing innovative services and opportunities to meet the changing needs of each individual and the community; and increasing awareness of disabilities through education, community outreach, and partnerships.