March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
This month we celebrate not only the welcome arrival of spring, but also Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM). This is a special time of year, as it gives us space to reflect on how far we’ve come. Indeed, we as a society have made tremendous strides over the last two hundred years in ensuring individuals with developmental disabilities are treated with love, compassion, and equality. Today more than six million Americans who live with developmental disabilities have access to specialized care, resources, employment opportunities, and recreational pursuits that just a century ago were far beyond reach.
Developmental Disabilities Throughout Recent History
Before the 19th century, those with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome, and other impairments were treated terribly. Cast off from society, individuals with developmental disabilities were frequently abandoned to the streets or locked away in filthy, poorly staffed facilities. Dorothea Dix was a famous social reformer who advocated for an end to these terrible conditions in the mid-1800s. Others, such as Dr. Edouard Seguin, Maria Montessori, and Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe were among those who developed “training schools,” where they employed a variety of teaching and training methods to improve the motor, sensory, social, and academic skills of those with disabilities. The ultimate goal was to allow individuals with individuals to participate more fully in their communities.
How to Recognize DDAM
While there is still much to be done, this month we celebrate the progress that we’ve made. To commemorate this important month now and throughout the year, there are several things you can do:
Go Orange: the official color of DDAM, orange is a fun, bright spring hue that you can wear to show your support!
Share Your Story: Do you have a personal connection to someone with a developmental disability? This is a great time of year to share your story on social media. No special story to share? You can still raise awareness online by sharing facts, resources, and other information about developmental disabilities.
Attend an Event: Around the country and right here in New Jersey, events are taking place to raise funds and awareness.
We can all make a positive difference today!
The Ask: It’s time to tell Congress we need action now. Tell Congress to invest in our community-based supports and services and ensure people with I/DD have the necessary services to succeed!
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) rely upon the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) program to live full and independent lives in the community across their lifespans. Funded primarily through Medicaid, the federal government covers a share of the budget by state, and states set fixed rates that I/DD service providers cannot negotiate.
Decades of underinvestment in the program have caused stagnant wages, resulting in high turnover and vacancy rates among the direct support professionals (DSPs) who provide these critical supports. Simply put, the workforce crisis has now accelerated to the point of closing programs and services, threatening access to HCBS.
Urge Congress to Support our Services and Strengthen Medicaid HCBS!
"One person can make a difference and everyone should try."- JFK
What day in March are you going to wear orange to show your support for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month?