The Greek philosopher Aristotle is said to have said: “You can judge a nation by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. » In fact, many quotes express similar sentiments. Why then, in times of financial uncertainty, are the services and programs needed to promote and maintain the health and well-being of people with developmental disabilities (DD) as well as other vulnerable populations among the first to face budget cuts or be eliminated altogether? Historically, society has relied heavily on institutions to care for people with disabilities. The idea that people with disabilities could not – and should not – be supported in their communities perpetuated the stigma associated with this population. However, over the past three decades, there have been continued efforts to better serve people with developmental disabilities. Advocates, legislators, and family members have joined forces with people with intellectual disabilities to express the need to develop and institute accessible services that would facilitate exit from institutionalization and that would promote and strengthen inclusion community. The institutionalization of people with intellectual disabilities is easily perceived as a serious act, qualifying it as a social problem according to the claims model (Diehm, 2012a). In an attempt to redress the many perpetual injustices, oppression, and marginalization of people with disabilities, advocates and people with disabilities worked together to champion a social movement that led to the birth of the disability rights movement (Winter , 2003). This movement sought to empower people with disabilities, like us...... middle of paper ...... http://bb.tacoma.uw.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-203387_1Diehm, T. (2012b) . Defining Social Problems [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://bb.tacoma.uw.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-203387_1 Dolgoff, R., and Feldstein, D. (2013). Understanding social welfare: A search for social justice (9th ed.). Boston: Pearson. Hutchison, E.D. (2011a). Dimensions of human behavior: person and environment (fourth edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Hutchison, E.D. (2011b). Dimensions of human behavior: The changing life course (fourth edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. National Association of Social Workers (2008). Code of ethics. Washington, DC: Author. Wallack, S., Sciegaj, M. and Long, L. (2002). Short- and medium-term trends affecting Medicaid policy for people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and special needs. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 12, 4, 236-242.