Editor, Gazette-Journal:

On Oct. 6, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law Rosa’s Law. Rosa’s Law will change references in federal law from "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability," and references to a "mentally retarded individual" to an "individual with an intellectual disability." The General Assembly of Virginia took a similar step two years ago, after advocacy groups and individuals with disabilities themselves called for the removal of the "R" word from the Code of Virginia.

Before the federal or state government acted, the Middle Peninsula Northern Neck Community Services Board’s Mental Retardation Division changed its named to the Division of Community Options. The division was one of the first in the state to make this name change. The Division of Community Options has multiple programs and services that assist citizens of our community that have intellectual disabilities.

As one advoca...