Lunn advocates division name change in Jefferson City

Owen Lunn is a former client of the Nevada Habilitation Center and is presently a client of Skills Unlimited. He is also a member of the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities. Appointed by Gov. Mel Carnahan, Lunn participates in the council on a regular basis.

Recently Lunn spoke to the nine members on the Seniors, Families and Public Health Committee of the Missouri Senate. Lunn presented testimony in support of a name change for the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to the Division of Developmental Disabilities.

The legislation Lunn supported is Senate Bill 756, introduced by Senator Kevin Engler who serves the counties of Carter, Iron, Reynolds, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Washington and part of Jefferson County. The bill would also address other issues of language in the bill; changing from his to the patient or to his/or her, and other modernization of phrasing.

"Madam Chairperson, members of the committee. Thank you for allowing me to speak today about this important issue.

"My name is Owen Lunn. I am an appointed member of the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities and am here today representing them.

"I am from Nevada, Mo. I have a developmental disability; I have CP and mild mental retardation. I live in an ISL in Nevada, Mo., -- so I receive services from the Division. I am learning to cook, clean, do my laundry, to be more independent and be on my own. I do things in the community, I go out to eat and to Wal-Mart. I go to grocery shop to pick out my own food.

"I work at the workshop in Nevada. I clean offices, bathrooms and I do jobs for 3M.

"We strongly think the name needs to be changed this year without argument. The words mental retardation hurt people's feelings. I think it's cruel and very disrespectful. It labels people.

"I strongly feel that the 10 states that still use the words mental retardation should change too.

"Thank you for this opportunity. Please do not hesitate to contact our office for more information."

Mike Hutchens works with Lunn and said that he is very personable and outgoing and enjoys working with the council.

"Owen is a very sociable person," Hutchens said. "He enjoys working with the council and going on trips to the meetings."

Cathy Brown, program specialist, said that 17 people spoke on behalf of the name change and four spoke against it. Brown said Lunn's testimony impressed the committee members.

"Owen was approached by the bill's sponsor after the meeting and said he had been very impressed by his testimony," Brown said.

The committee Lunn serves on is composed of clients of the division, their families and a variety of state agency employees.