SCARC history

In 1972, an elementary school program was developed.

In 1973, recognizing that providing services to children as young as possible was important to successful outcomes, SCARC developed an Early Intervention Program serving children under the age of three.

Until federal legislation was passed in 1975 requiring public schools to serve children with disabilities, SCARC was the only provider of education for children with developmental disabilities in Sussex County.

In 1980, SCARC opened their first two group homes in Newton and Sparta after families expressed a need for residential options for their adult children.

The SCARC Foundation is a non-profit corporation founded in 1985 to support the efforts of SCARC, Inc. and SCARC Guardianship Services, Inc. in providing services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities.

SCARC of Washington was founded in 1989 by local amateur radio operators, often called "hams". The Stanwood Camano Amateur Radio Club has over 60 members from the area and is growing.

Established in 2003, this endowment fund honors Gloria Romano’s advocacy for people with developmental disabilities in Sussex County, and her passion for raising funds to support SCARC services.

In 2008, the club helped commemorate the opening of the Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island by operating a Special Event radio station with the callsign K7P. Members of the SCARC along with members of the BEARONs club manned the station for a two-day event.

With the creation of the Special Collections and Archives Research Center in 2011, the responsibility for oral history activities at OSU moved firmly into the Valley Library.