Every March we celebrate National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month(NDDAM). This nationwide event raises awareness about the inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities and addresses the barriers they face in finding employment and being included in our community.
Individuals with disabilities have a history of being secluded from our society. The largest milestone was passing the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibited discrimination towards individuals with disabilities.
We've made much progress since then, enhancing the quality of life for individuals with IDD. We now strive towards full community integration. This means individuals with IDD have the same opportunities as those without disabilities to find employment, and be involved in the community.
At Ability Works, we provide as many community based services as we can. Our employment department supports individuals as they find and transition into a job, helping them become independent in that role and no longer needing staff support. Our Day Service programs find many opportunities to take individuals out into the community to volunteer, and have fun.
The more we find ways for individuals with IDD to be involved within the community, the more awareness we raise. There are still many people that have not interacted with an individual with IDD, and many who do not understand that individuals with IDD can still do all the same things those without a disability can.
