The ARC of the United States is the nation's leading national organization on mental retardation. The ARC represents over seven million children and adults with mental retardation and their families. The ARC has over 140,000 members within approximately 1,000 state and local chapters nationwide.
The ARC provides organizational support to affiliated chapters, and represents the membership on advocacy and programmatic issues pertaining to mental retardation, including membership in the United States International Council on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
Many executives of state and local chapters of the ARC are also members of the National Conference of Executives of the ARC, an organization that provides opportunities for personal and professional support and development.