At their meeting on Thursday, the County Commissioners declared March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in Scioto County.
Part of the language of the resolution includes: “…[W]e urge all citizens to take time to get to know someone with a disability and ask ‘What’s Your Story’. Every person’s story holds a promise to educate and inspire others.”
“We appreciate the countywide recognition of DD Awareness Month in Scioto County by our commissioners, and would like to thank the community for the continued support of their friends, neighbors, co-workers, and acquaintances with developmental disabilities,” said Julie Monroe, superintendent of the Scioto County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Since 1987, the month of March has been nationally recognized as a time to celebrate the contributions people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have made and continue to make in our society. It is a time to recognize abilities.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the creation of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities in Ohio. Ohio’s County Boards system, including the Scioto County Board of Developmental Disabilities, was the result of grassroots efforts led by families to create community supports for individuals with developmental disabilities.
The Scioto County Board of Developmental Disabilities serves approximately 700 individuals, affecting the lives of the individuals, their families, and everyone they come in contact with through a lifetime of supports such as Early Intervention and Early Childhood Services, Vern Riffe School, Service & Support Administration, STAR Inc., and the Community Employment Program at Vocation Station.