“Mental Retardation’ is dropped from MHMR’s title

West Texas Centers for MHMR is following the lead of many agencies nationwide by removing the words ‘mental retardation’ from its title and everyday language. A West Texas Centers official, Rodney Jones, says the term was once used for a medical diagnosis, but society has turned it into a word that stigmatizes others. The mental health and intellectual and developmental disabilities agency which serves 23 rural counties in West Texas will now be known simply as West Texas Centers. The name change actually became effective September 1^st, the start of a new budget year.