March proclaimed 'Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month'

On March 5, the Board of Clallam County Commissioners proclaimed March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in Clallam County.

Established in 1987 by Presidential Proclamation, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month raises awareness and fosters inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all areas of community life.

Each March, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities partners with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, the National Disability Rights Network, cities, counties, states and other organizations to create a month of awareness and a social media campaign that highlights the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities.

The campaign seeks to raise awareness concerning the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in all areas of community life, as well as an awareness that people with developmental disabilities continue to face barriers in fully connecting with the community in which they live.

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month highlights three main areas of daily life: education, employment and community living.

See Facebook pages for Clallam County Developmental Disabilities (www.facebook.com/Clallam CountyDD) and Clallam Mosaic (www.facebook.com/Clallam Mosaic) for more information.

"People with developmental disabilities share with all citizens the desire to achieve personal success through education, meaningful work, and family and community ties," county commissioners said in a proclamation announcing Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, adding, "We respect, value and salute the daily accomplishments of all our citizens with or without developmental disabilities, and … the citizens of Clallam County recognize that their community can grow closer through education, awareness and understanding by recognizing individual abilities, commonalities and differences."