About Us

Our History

RCM of Washington has provided services and supports in the District of Columbia since 1998 to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities with a positive pathway toward Revitalizing Community Membership empowering independence and integration to their community.

Our unique approach provides those we support with the critical services they need to set attainable goals and develop action plans toward maintaining stable, safe and affordable housing, gaining sustainable employment and living the lives they want, within their community.

Our Guiding Principles

We believe that a pervasive “culture shift” in thinking and action must take place within our organization and in society, at large, to ensure that:

• DIVERSITY is honored and celebrated, with the realization that each person is unique, and that “normal” is a subjective word.
• LIFELONG LEARNING is respected and fostered in our staff and in the people we support, as we build knowledge, skills, practice and relationships based on reciprocal teaching and learning.
• CREATIVITY is encouraged in thinking and in taking chances and risks—sometimes “failing fast”—to achieve positive outcomes.
• ADVOCACY is utilized to empower the persons we serve to achieve their desires.
• A SENSE OF FAMILY AND BELONGING permeates the relationships among the staff of RCM and with and among the persons we serve.
• MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION is realized, as all persons receive individualized supports to become valued members of their community. 

Our Mission

Therefore, acting with the strength of these guiding principles:

We strive to provide positive living, working, and learning environments that acknowledge the uniqueness of each person and foster their contributions as valued members of the community.

Community Advocacy

RCM is a leader in District advocacy efforts for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. We are active partners with our government agencies (www.dds.dc.gov) (www.dhcf.dc.gov) in policy development, demonstration projects and system reforms. We actively partner with George Washington University and their Hospital, Georgetown University, member of the Department of Disability Services (DDS) Advisory Board, the Medical Care Advisory Committee (MCAC), APSE, the DC Coalition of Disabilities Service Providers Board of Directors and a nationally the ANCOR Board of Representatives. 

RCM actively supports the Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities and DC Project Action a self-advocacy organization. RCM works with self-advocates who provide training, legislative support and community education.

We regularly hold events where we honor self-advocates, and advocates from RCM for the empowerment they have provided towards inclusion and becoming community stakeholders.