MORC History

The following are key years in MORC’s history:

1972
MORC began operations as a State of Michigan agency under the Department of Mental Health/Community Health.

1973
MORC received a three-year, $400,000 grant from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The grant called for an innovative idea — place people with developmental disabilities, with complicated physical and behavioral challenges, out of institutions and back into their native communities of Macomb and Oakland counties. MORC took full advantage of the grant, and the agency’s successes surpassed all expectations.

1974
Because of its early success with community placement, MORC became recognized internationally as one of the first to place a large number of people out of institutions and nursing homes and into the community. Many prominent visitors from around the world began to visit MORC to learn more about community placement.

1977 to 1989
MORC’s successes did not come without trials and tribulations. When MORC began placing people out of institutions and into residential neighborhoods, community opposition raised its ugly head. MORC homes were sued over 30 times. Some homes were set on fire; one had bullets flying through its front window. The television show 60 Minutes ran a segment on MORC and the neighborhood controversy. A number of rallies to the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan, attended by MORC consumers, parents, and providers, drew the attention of the news media and the support of legislators towards community placement.

1996
The state MORC closed. Through contracts with local community mental health boards and authorities, MORC was authorized to continue services as a nonprofit agency.

2000
Programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities were transferred from the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority to MORC.

History Summary
Over the years, MORC has helped thousands of children and adults around the world leave institutions and nursing homes to live once again in the community. Within Michigan, MORC helped to close 10 institutions and 10 nursing homes.

If MORC stood out from other human services agencies, it was because of its fervent belief in community placement. Many agencies would have given up in the face of so much opposition. MORC’s attitude was one of almost defiance — people with developmental disabilities have every right to live in the community. The opponents were simply wrong, and MORC was right. MORC did prevail; but several times during the struggle, it looked like the opposition would be successful in shutting community placement down.

Not only did MORC win the fight for community placement, the agency grew over the years. Today, MORC is a nonprofit agency, which assists more than 4,000 children and adults with a variety of disabilities. Many people are receiving supports from MORC while living in their family home.

MORC’s philosophy has also evolved over the years, from making decisions for consumers to utilizing a Person-Centered Planning process, promoting consumer choice and Self-Determination.