March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

What is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month?

Every year in March, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) and its Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM). This month, we raise awareness about the services and supports offered by DHS and the Arkansans who benefit from them.

DHS believes that the almost 70,000 Arkansans with developmental disabilities and delays and their families should have choices when selecting services that will help them thrive. That’s why we offer high-quality services in homes and communities as well as in 24-hour residential programs. We believe that our clients should have access to services in the least restrictive settings to meet their needs and that they have the constitutional right to live and learn and experience life just like any other Arkansan.

At DHS, we recognize the value of inclusion. We recognize the importance of supports and services. We recognize that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and delays make our state and our world a better, more diverse place to live.

To that end, DDAM strives to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all areas of community life, as well as awareness to the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting to the communities in which they live.

The core message of our DDAM campaign this year is “We AR 2025.” These Arkansans who may be considered disabled are actually just differently abled, and we want to celebrate and honor the unique and important contributions they make every day.

What are Developmental Disabilities?

Developmental disabilities (DD) 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. Another similar term you might hear is intellectual disability (ID). Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills.

Many people with disabilities want to live independently in the community. And with the right supports and services, that can become a reality! An inclusive community is a place where people with disabilities have freedom, equality, and opportunity to participate fully in their community. Some people with disabilities may need supports so they can fully participate in their communities.

DDS also operates five human development centers (or HDCs) for individuals with profound intellectual and developmental disabilities. These 24-hour residential facilities provide expert care to Arkansans who need more supports than are normally available in their own communities. The HDCs are a part of the continuum of services to individuals with intellectual disabilities in Arkansas and collaborate with community-based programs administering services through the Arkansas Medicaid Waiver Program.

Ways to Help Make Your Community Inclusive and Accessible

Educate – Educate others about the abilities people with developmental disabilities possess. For example, some disabilities are visible (a person who uses a wheelchair or crutches to ambulate), while other disabilities may not be easily recognized or seen by the eye (cognitive impairments that affect the way a person speaks, learns, or interacts with others).

Employ – Competitive, integrated employment is a key part of living a meaningful and inclusive life in the community for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). However, the majority of people with I/DD remain either unemployed or underemployed despite their ability, desire, and willingness to work.

Community Living – Community living and participation means being able to live where and with whom you choose; work and earn a living wage; participate in meaningful community activities based on personal interests; have relationships with friends, family and significant others; be physically and emotionally healthy; be able to worship where and with whom you choose (if desired); have opportunities to learn, grow and make informed choices; and carry out responsibilities of citizenship such as paying taxes and voting.

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