| 08/31/2010 |
| Winifred Halderman, a pioneer, helping those that did NOT have a voice @ Pennhurst.... bravery took courage, compeled by a mission that lived in her heart and speak for those that suffered @ Pennhurst. |
| 05/17/2010 |
| Chris Peecho- for visably being the most involved individual in getting the stories of these unknown heros told. He is involved in every pennhurst activity ive seen and even has his own websight to remind the world of whats happened. Your a great guy Chris. |
| 04/04/2010 |
| Terri Lee Halderman, the young woman after whom the famous lawsuit was named. Her mother Winifred Halderman wanted a better life for her daughter, and filed suit to improve Pennhurst. Terri later moved to Woodhaven Center and from there to a community home. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Susan Bauer--Employed at Pennhurst from 1975 to 1985 |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Jim Wilson - PARC President when the fight to change Pennhurt and institutionalization started. Instrumental in the achievement that followed He helped to guide and coordinate the early efforts for change. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Bill West - Executive Director of the Arc of Pennsylvania |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Sandy Thompson - President of YPARC involved in Pilgrimage to Pennhurst. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Nancy Thaler - Deputy Secretary of the Office of Mental Retardation. Also, Nancy is a houseparent for KenCrest and a parent of a Pennhurt plaintiff class member in the Halderman v. Pennhurst litigation. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Vicki Stillman-Toomey - Played a major role in facilitating the implementation of the community-based housing system that replaced Pennhurst and other of its peer institutions. Her work in helping families overcome their misgivings about community living was key. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Staff of the Special Management Unit SMU - The SMU took over the role of the Office of Special Master under the Settlement Agreement that closed Pennhurst. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Jean Searle - As a Pennhurst Plaintiff Class Member, Jean came back to Philadelphia into a group home and a workshop. Jean has now held a job for 15 years, is a member of seven Board of Directors, and travels widely speaking and training. Jean is Co-President of the PMPA. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Dottie Rowe - Completed important work regarding implementation of the community-based housing system that replaced Pennhurst and other of its peer institutions for the Department of Public Welfare. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Marianne Roche Al Hersh - Arc of Pennsylvania advocates who led the effort to create better services for class members in Philadelphia |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Tony Records - Tony Records was appointed Special Master to oversee compliance with Judge Broderick's order of March, 1994, requiring improvements in services to class members in Philadelphia County. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Peter Polloni - Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Arc and later Commissioner of Mental Retardation in the era before the departmental reorganization that elevated the position to the level of a Deputy Secretary. Was MR Commissioner during and/or immediately after the Halderman trial. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Pennsylvania Youth Arc - Organization obtained 150,000 signatures on petitions to demand change in institutions. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Helen OBannon - Secretary of Public Welfare. Mrs. OBannon assured that needed staff resources and capital improvement funds were available to convert Pennhurst from a primarily state-funded facility to a fully licensed ICF/MR facility. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Bob Nelkin - Community Activist from Allegheny County. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Carla Morgan - Assisted the Public Interest Law Center throughout the Halderman v. Pennhust lawsuit years, and became the Courts Special Master for Pennhurst under Judge Raymond Broderick. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| William McKendry - The Independent Neutral Mental Retardation Professional appointed under the Final Settlement Agreement to resolve placement disputes under his auspices, all moved to the community. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Mary Lou Magistri - Developed the Crusade for Change Kit that brought Jr. Club Women in support of institutional change throughout the USA. GFWC has over 100,00 members in over 4,00 clubs. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Henry Lynch - President of Lynch Community Homes, who showed that everyone can be supported to live a full life in the community. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Michael Lottman - Hearing Master for Judge Broderick, accorded fair and dignified hearings to all families who had misgivings about community placement. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| George Kopchick - Director of Pennhurst Center from 1979 through 1987. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Mel Knowlton - Office of Mental Retardation staff member. Mr. Knowlton was responsible for much of the conceptual design of the community living arrangement CLA effort within OMR, initiating one of the first publicly-funded systems of community-based residential services in the nation. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Donald Jolly, MD - Commissioner of Mental Retardation Acting Superintendent of PSSH. Dr. Jolly instituted the change from the medical model of operation at Pennhurst to a developmental model, one that had at its core the belief that every individual could grow and succeed, given the opportunity. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Roland Johnson - Former Pennhurst Resident, eventually moving to a community home, got a job, helped found Speaking for Ourselves, was present for the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and traveled the nation inspiring others with his powerful presence and compelling oratory. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Jaycees of Philadelphia - Promotion of the filming of Suffer the Little Children at both Pennhurst and Polk institutions. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Jennifer Howse, Ph.D. - Deputy Secretary of Mental Retardation during much of the implementation phase of Pennhursts improvement and ultimate closure. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Dennis Haggerty - Arc activist who could not bear the situation at Pennhurst in the late 1960s, and found an attorney who would help Thomas K. Gilhool. Dennis is one of the primary reasons we are all here today. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Tom Gilhool, Frank Laski, and Judith Gran - Three of the lawyers who worked on the Pennhurst case over the years. Their brilliant work as a team led to the overwhelming victory in Judge Brodericks Decision of March 17, 1978, and to later arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on 3 occasions. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| General Federation of Women's Clubs - Organized Crusade for Change-a National Awareness Campaign. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Susan Gant - Special Master reporting on services to Pennhurst plaintiff class members in Philadelphia in the early 90s. Her work was in connection with the Motion for Contempt against Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania for not meeting its duties under the Settlement Agreement that closed Pennhurst. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Mark Friedman - Office of Special Master master implementer in Chester County organizer of Speaking for Ourselves. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Leona Fialkowski - Parent of one of the pioneers of the community movement, one of the courageous parents who refused to accept segregation. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| David Ferleger - Attorney who originally filed the groundbreaking Halderman v. Pennhurst lawsuit. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Eleanor Elkin - Past President of PARC and NARC Eleanor was and is an inspiration to all who have worked with her. Her efforts and leadership have encouraged all. She was an early advocate for change. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Gunnar Dybwad - Professor of Human Development of the Florence Heller Graduate School of Brandies University. Pennsylvania now becomes the first state in the Union to guarantee education and training to all of its retarded children now and in the future. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Jim Conroy, Ph.D. - Directed the Pennhurst Longitudinal Study for the Federal Government. This was the first of many studies showing conclusively that people could have much better, higher quality, more fulfilling lives in regular homes with all needed supports and services. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Pat Clapp - Signed the Right to Education as President of PARC Part of the team that helped to bring about change in institutions. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Marlene Burda - Responsible for the development of the Childhunt Kit. Over 700 copies were distributed to PARC Chapters to help with the implementation of the Right to Education. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Steuart Brown - PARC President during the Right to Treatment Litigation. Part of the team for change. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Judge Raymond Broderick - Lieutenant Governor of Pa from 1967 to 1971, and a candidate for Governor of Pa in 1970. Broderick was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pa. He presided over the Pennhurst v. Halderman litigation at the Distict Court level. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Phil Briscoe - Involved with Special Management Unit during most of the period of implementation of the Settlement Agreement that closed Pennhurst. Implementation included the transfer of Pennhurst residents from the institution into community-based group homes. Advocate and case manager. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Karen Briscoe - Monitored services for Pennhurst plaintiff class members and testified for the Arc during the hearing on the Motion for Contempt against Philadelphia for failing to fulfill its duties under the Settlement Agreement that closed Pennhurst. Karen sacrificed her job for her testimony. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| Bill Baldini - His 1968 expose of conditions for NBC Channel 10 WCAU was the first of its kind. Entitled Suffer the Little Children, his work forever changed the national understanding of duty and responsibility for citizens with intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| The Many Pennhurst Employees - Many, many Pennhurst employees struggled to provide the best life for residents they could in spite of a critically broken system and appalling underfunding by the state. Many considered residents to be family and stayed in touch long after the institution closed. |
| 04/02/2010 |
| The Ten Thousand Six Hundred Residents of the Pennhurst State School and Hospital - These persons, sent to Pennhurst by society, fought to build a life for themselves amid the chaos of the institution. They are truly unsung heroes of change. Each has a story that must be told. |