The Arc of the US

Peter Berns. Peter V. Berns is a nationally recognized nonprofit sector leader and public interest lawyer. He is the Chief Executive Officer of The Arc, the world’s largest community-based organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Berns has been at the helm of The Arc since July, 2008. Under his leadership, the organization has charted an ambitious course of… See full bio.

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Story: The Arc has a rich history spanning 60 years and marked by accomplishment. We continue to carry out the mission and vision of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as their parents and siblings. In 1950, a small group of parents and other concerned individuals came together to act as voices for change. At the time, little was known about the condition of intellectual disabilities (at the time referred to as ‘mental retardation’) or its causes. There were virtually no programs and activities in communities to assist in the development and care of children and adults with intellectual disabilities or to support families. It was common at that time for doctors to tell parents that the best place for their child was in an institution. Emboldened by their collective desire to raise their children in the home and their stubborn refusal to accept that institutionalization was the only option, The Arc’s founders fought even harder. Like every parent of any child, they wanted more for their children. They wanted their children to lead fulfilling lives out in the community and not shuttered away in dark institutions. It was in that spirit that The Arc was born.

Evidence of Impact Summary:

The Arc has, since 1950, advocated for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The Arc provides national, state and local advocacy support for people with disabilities. They have not only changed the way the public views people with intellectual disabilities, but they have also helped promote the passage of disability legislation. They focus on quality of life, advocacy, criminal justice, human & civil rights, and self-advocacy. Their work has given people with disabilities the opportunity to become more socially connected, better educated and more successfully employed.
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Organization Strengths Summary:

The Arc has been praised for its great reach, strong advocacy work, and its talented leadership. The Arc leads by articulating a future for people with intellectual disabilities and catalyzes both public and private support through the active role it takes from a grassroots to national levels.
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Areas for Improvement Summary:

Experts in the field believe the Arc's programs could be improved. According to experts, the Arc needs to focus more on adults with disabilities and realistic solutions for happy living. Community based socialization programs is an important area where the Arc can expand.
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Peter V. Berns is a nationally recognized nonprofit sector leader and public interest lawyer. He is the Chief Executive Officer of The Arc, the world’s largest community-based organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Berns has been at the helm of The Arc since July, 2008. Under his leadership, the organization has charted an ambitious course of progress, innovation and change with the development of a Strategic Framework for the Future of The Arc. As the leading provider of vital services and support for families and individuals, The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. The Arc works daily on behalf of the more than 140,000 members and in concert with a nationwide network of more than 730 state and local chapters across the nation. Before joining The Arc, Berns was the Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, a post he held for 16 years. In that capacity, he built the Association from a start-up to a position of prominence in the nonprofit community, nationally, with nearly 2,000 members of all sizes, all sectors and from all regions of the state. In addition, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the Standards for Excellence Institute since its inception in 2004. Berns came to The Arc with a track record of success in the areas of nonprofit management, governmental relations and advocacy. As a public policy advocate, he was critical to reforming state and federal Medicaid regulations improving life for persons with disabilities and their families. He was named to the Nonprofit Times Power and Influence Top 50 list in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. His previously held positions include Deputy Chief of Consumer Protection in the Maryland Attorney General’s Office as well as Assistant Attorney General and, earlier in his career, Staff Attorney/Fellow at the Institute for Public Representation at the Georgetown University Law Center. In May 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Berns to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, which will provide advice and assistance to President Obama and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on a broad range of topics that impact people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Berns received his JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School and has an LLM in advocacy from Georgetown University Law Center. He received his BA in psychology, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Melissa Zieve, reside in Baltimore, MD with their four children.

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