See the Potential.
In 1987 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed March as
"Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month." In the early 1970s, the
public became more aware of a need for significant social change and the
deinstitutionalization movement gained ground. Americans were encouraged by the
presidential proclamation that people with developmental disabilities should
not be kept from "realizing their full potential in school, at work or at
home, as members of their families and of their communities."
It's been nearly 30 years
since the proclamation, many steps have been taken, but there is still much to
do.
Within our own agency, in just the past few
years we've seen some big changes to some of our programs. A highlight of these
challenges and changes is seen in our Supported Employment Program.
There have been many changes to laws and
regulations regarding supported employment in the past few years. This has
changed some of what we have been able to offer, but also given us
opportunities to branch out and seek different options and ideas.
Supported Employment has seen a dream come true recently in the opening
of the Snack Shack. Run by the supported employment program, the little shop of
snacks and treats has been embraced as a great addition to the Arnold Gregory
Complex. They have water, soda, coffee, and other hot beverages, lots of
goodies such as chips, candy, breakfast sandwiches, fruit, and grab and go
lunch items too!
Facts about Developmental
Disabilities:
"Developmental disabilities are a group
of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior
areas. These conditions begin during the developmental period, may impact
day-to-day functioning, and usually last throughout a person's lifetime.
A child's growth and development are followed
through a partnership between parents and health care professionals. At each
well-child visit, the doctor looks for developmental delays or problems and
talks with the parents about any concerns the parents might have. This is
called developmental monitoring. Any problems noticed during developmental
monitoring should be followed up with developmental screening. Developmental
screening is a short test to tell if a child is learning basic skills when he
or she should, or if there are delays. If a child has a developmental delay, it
is important to get help as soon as possible. Early identification and
intervention can have a significant impact on a child's ability to learn new
skills, as well as reduce the need for costly interventions over time.
Developmental disabilities begin anytime
during the developmental period and usually last throughout a person's
lifetime. Most developmental disabilities begin before a baby is born, but some
can happen after birth because of injury, infection, or other factors.
Developmental disabilities occur among all
racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Recent estimates in the United States
show that about one in six, or about 15%, of children aged 3 through 17 years
have a one or more developmental disabilities, such as ADHD, autism spectrum
disorder, cerebral palsy, hearing loss,
intellectual
disability, learning disability, vision impairment,
and other developmental delays."
From the Center for Disease Control, a federal agency under
the Department of Health and Human Services. Click here for more information and links to further
resources.
