About This Month's Flag 

March | Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Celebrated during March, National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month seeks to increase public awareness of the needs of Americans who live with developmental disabilities. Recognizing the potential of individuals within this population helps provide necessary opportunities for them to live full, vibrant and healthy lives. This annual recognition was established in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, developmental disabilities are defined as impairments in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas, which include Autism spectrum disorders, Cerebral Palsy, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual or learning disabilities, hearing loss, vision impairment, and other developmental delays.

Timeline and History

1963: President John F Kennedy signed the law that would eventually be known as the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act). Originating as an amendment, this bill was the first major piece of legislation to combat mental illness and intellectual disabilities. President Kennedy took particular interest in persons with developmental disabilities and increasing funding for services because of the challenges faced by his sister Rosemary who was born with intellectual disabilities. Due to President Kennedy’s efforts and the commitment of various grassroots groups, public perceptions and attitudes towards persons with disabilities shifted drastically in the subsequent years. 
 
1970: President Kennedy’s amendment was expanded and renamed. It became known as the Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Amendment of 1970, making this the first law to introduce the term “developmental disability.” This allowed for an expansion of the previous law, which had only included individuals with intellectual disabilities, to cover individuals with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and certain other neurological conditions that occur in childhood.
 
1975: This law became the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act in 1975 and was amended several times in the next decade. The 1975 amendment demonstrated a significant shift away from institutionalization and toward independence, as it introduced language requiring “habilitation in the least restrictive setting that maximizes developmental potential” and specified that public funds should not be provided to institutions that don’t meet minimum quality-of-life standards. In 1978, the law was again amended, this time to include definitions of service areas that are necessary in order to support individuals with developmental disabilities. With these changes, the DD Act increasingly stressed independent living within the community over institutionalization.

For more information regarding Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, please visit the following:

• Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
• Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities
• Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities
• National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

Adaptive and Inclusive Programs

Westerville's Parks and Recreation strives to provide access to all through the Adaptive and Inclusive Program. Programming is available for both youth and adults, and is designed for individuals with developmental, physical or invisible disabilities. Westerville Parks and Recreation believes everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in leisure activities to the fullest, increasing their quality of life. Click here to learn more.