The month of March is many things; it is the first month of spring in the northern hemisphere, much of the U.S. set their clocks forward for daylight saving time, and St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated. It is also Developmental Disability Awareness Month, named as such by President Ronald Reagan to “increase public awareness of the needs and potential of Americans with developmental disabilities” − in 1987, following major disability rights movement events in the seventies and eighties.
In particular, the deinstitutionalization movement sought to give rights to patients with severe mental illnesses and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and to help them live independently, rather than separated from the general population in the often appalling conditions of mental institutions of the time.
What are developmental disabilities?
Intellectual and developmental disabilities encompass a wide range of conditions, including down syndrome, cerebral palsy, language and speech disorders, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and more. Often present at birth, developmental disabilities can uniquely affect an individual’s physical, emotional, and/or intellectual development.
The rights and treatment of people with developmental disabilities have come a long way since Reagan’s proclamation, but they still face many barriers and discrimination. Developmental Disability Awareness Month was originally meant to raise awareness about these conditions themselves and their effects on people. Nowadays, its focus is on acceptance, sparking conversations about the inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in all facets of community life, and about the barriers that many people with disabilities still face.
Developmental Disability Awareness Month
Developmental Disability Awareness Month is a collaboration between the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), and National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), who all work together in a campaign to highlight the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities. Each March, people are encouraged to share their stories and resources to further discussion about inclusion and accessibility.
As NACDD explains on their website, this year’s theme is Worlds Imagined, referencing how our world continues to change throughout the pandemic, how we examine intersectionality in the meantime, and how we can imagine new opportunities and possibilities as we move past the pandemic.
The NACDD’s 2022 Resource Guide offers advice for holding and advertising events, social media posts, educational texts, participation opportunities, and more. This March, take some time to read up on stories from people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, utilize resources to learn more, or get involved in Developmental Disability Awareness Month events online or near you.
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