WAYNE, Pa., March 12, 2020 – The Columbus Organization, a leading provider of care coordination services for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, today announced its participation in National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each March. March has been recognized as Developmental Disability Awareness Month since 1987 when President Ronald Reagan issued a public proclamation urging Americans to provide individuals with developmental disabilities “the encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”

Developmental Disability Awareness Month is an opportunity to promote respect for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and to educate others about the abilities people with I/DD 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 visibly apparent (cognitive impairments that affect the way a person speaks, learns, or interacts with others).

The Columbus Organization is an unrelenting advocate for individuals living with intellectual and or developmental disabilities (I/DD), and strongly believes this population can make a positive difference in their communities, if given the opportunity to live their most meaningful lives.

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

Reflecting this year’s theme, throughout the month, The Columbus Organization will be engaging in a variety of activities to educate its employees and individuals they support on disability awareness issues. These efforts include sharing resources and articles about Developmental Disability Awareness Month, highlighting individuals with disabilities, sharing advocacy materials on the internet and social media, and spreading the word in our offices and communities.

“The Columbus Organization is proud to be a part of this year’s National Developmental Disability Awareness Month,” said Carlos Hernandez, Senior Vice President. “We want to spread the important message that the intellectual and developmental disability community has valuable contributions to make and important perspectives to share. Many don’t realize the abilities of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). By showing examples of people with developmental disabilities thriving alongside people without, we can help end negative stereotypes.”

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-columbus-organization-joins-broad-effort-to-celebrate-developmental-disabilities-awareness-month-301022014.html?tc=eml_cleartime