March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (also called intellectual and developmental disabilities). You may see these written as “IDD” and/or “DD.” The color that represents DD month is orange. Orange symbolizes energy and positivity. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month stands to represent how we can come together with those who have intellectual disabilities and form healthy, happy, safe, and overall conducive communities alongside them.
History
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month was founded in 1987. President Ronald Reagan set aside the entire month of March for its observance. His proclamation was that he wanted Americans with developmental disabilities to have “the encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”
Working with the Developmentally Disabled Community
I’ve been immensely blessed to work very closely with the developmentally disabled community. While I was in Oxford, I worked with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. My job was to help write and ensure the implementation of those on my caseload’s plan of services and support (or their PSS). This position consisted of me conducting their annual recertification meeting and assisting people signed up for the intellectual and developmentally disability (or the IDD) waiver program.
I had a caseload that ranged between roughly 23 and 29 wonderful people. Each person was special and unique in their own way. My caseload was full of people who needed a variety of different supports. Some people needed a home and community support staff while others needed to attend a daytime center to interact with their peers. Within this position, I found myself not only as a professional who would work closely with the people and their families and others who were involved in their PSS, but I was also a listening ear and sometimes, a shoulder to cry on. Oftentimes the people on my caseload and their families helped me a lot more than what they would ever know.
One of my favorite parts of my previous job was going to someone’s home, their daytime center, or going to the supervised living home and seeing the people’s faces light up. These are days that I reminisce of often, and I think of how wonderful this opportunity was all the time.
Get Involved
There are many ways in which you can get involved and support those who have developmental disabilities. Some of these include:
- Support various organizations. There are dozens of organizations throughout the country that support those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There are some here in the state of Mississippi, including the Mississippi Council of Developmental Disabilities and the Mississippi Society for Disabilities.
- Connect with neighbors. Get out of your comfort zone and spark up conversations with your neighbors about developmental disabilities. If you know someone who has a family member who has a developmental disability, reach out to them to see how you can best support them. Let them know that you’re willing to assist in any way you possibly can and that you are there to be a listening ear.
- Treat them as you would anyone else. Always be kind. Remember that they are people with feelings just like anyone else. Smile, introduce yourself, and work on enhancing your communication skills to best accommodate them.
You Can Make a Difference
You don’t have to work as a professional in the IDD/DD industry to make a difference. By simply implementing the above actions, you can spread awareness and connect with the amazing community of people, professionals, and families of those with developmental disabilities
