Library: News Releases
OKLAHOMA CAPITOL --- Governor Brad Henry has declared March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Hundreds of people with developmental disabilities and their families, advocates and providers are expected to rally at the state capitol March 12 to kick off the awareness month. Several legislators, state officials, advocacy groups and self-advocates are scheduled to speak to the crowd that will gather on the south steps of the Oklahoma Capitol Building.
James Nicholson, Oklahoma Department of Human Services Developmental Disabilities Services Division director said, “During this time of declining state revenue, it is vital that people with developmental disabilities educate their legislators and the public about the programs and services the state funds that enable people to live and work as independently as possible in their communities.
“We know how valuable people with disabilities are to their families and communities. Our goal during this month is to help people understand when they see someone with a developmental disability, to realize that there’s more there than meets the eye. Instead of focusing on what a person with a developmental disability cannot do, we want to encourage everyone to focus on abilities and talents.”
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is celebrated in March around the nation. The theme for Oklahoma’s awareness month is “Accessing the American Dream.” Examples of developmental disabilities include: mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and Down Syndrome.
Two major events are planned this month:
- March 12 — Developmental Disabilities Awareness Rally at the Oklahoma Capitol. Opening remarks begin at 11:30 a.m. on the Capitol, south steps. A “Rally for Work” begins at 12:15 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda, fourth floor. Legislators and other speakers are scheduled for both times.
- March 31--April 1 — The Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities, Cox Convention Center, downtown Oklahoma City. Governor Brad Henry will be present to open the conference at 9 a.m. on March 31.
EDITORSNEWS DIRECTORS NOTE: OKDHSDDSD Community and Provider Relations staff can assist you in arranging local interviews on developmental disabilities. Please contact Sheree Powell, at (405) 521-4972.
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OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Developmental Disabilities Services Division
P.O. Box 25352Oklahoma City, OK 73125
(405) 521-3571
Dear Media Representative:
Governor Brad Henry has declared March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. We estimate that there are approximately 50,000 people with developmental disabilities in this state. The OKDHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division serves nearly 8,000 of those individuals who need help living and working in their communities.
As you know, the state’s current budget shortfalls have forced many state agencies to cutback or reduce services. There have been recent news stories about the Department’s need to reduce some services to persons with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.
The theme for this awareness month is “Accessing the American Dream.” We hope to use this time to educate the public about people with developmental disabilities, their needs, and the vital programs and services that enable them to live and work outside of nursing facilities and institutions.
There will be two major events planned during this month:
- March 12th there will be a Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day Rally at the State Capitol beginning at 11 a.m. on the south steps. Several hundred people with disabilities, their families, providers and advocacy organizations are expected to participate.
- March 31st – April 1st the Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities will be held at the Cox Convention Center, downtown OKC. Governor Brad Henry will be present to open the conference.
If you would like to focus local news stories or articles on this subject, we would be happy to assist you in arranging local interviews. We are in contact with people throughout the state who have developmental disabilities that include mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome and epilepsy. We also have professionals who work in the field that can answer questions and explain the available services and supports to people with developmental disabilities.
Enclosed in this packet are a news release and some fact sheets about developmental disabilities. If you have questions regarding any of this material or if you would like assistance with local story development, call Sheree Powell, director of Community Relations, at (405) 521-4972.
Sincerely,
James M. Nicholson,
Director OKDHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division
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Think “People First”
Tips on talking and writing about people with disabilities
Language is a reflection of how people see each other. That’s why the words we use can hurt.
It’s also why responsible communicators are now choosing language that reflects the dignity of people with disabilities—words that put the person first, rather than the disability. Read on for some tips on using language that empowers.
- Think people first. Say “a woman who has mental retardation” rather than “a mentally retarded woman.”
- Avoid words like “unfortunate,” “afflicted” and “victim.” Also, try to avoid casting a person with a disability as a superhuman model of courage. People with disabilities are just people, not tragic figures or demigods.
- A developmental disability is not a disease. Do not mention “symptoms,” “patients,” or “treatment,” unless the person you are describing has an illness as well as a disability.
- Use common sense. Avoid terms with obvious negative or judgmental connotations, such as “crippled,” “deaf and dumb,” “lame,” and “defective.” If you aren’t sure how to refer to a person’s condition, just ask. And, if the disability is not relevant to your conversation or story, why mention it at all?
- Never refer to a person as “confined to a wheelchair.” Wheelchairs enable people to escape confinement. A person with a mobility impairment “uses” a wheelchair.
- Try to describe people without disabilities as “typical” rather than “normal.” People in the disability community often jokingly refer to those without disabilities as the “temporarily-abled” because most of us, at some point in our lives, will be faced with a disability.
What's the Difference?
| Mental Retardation | Mental Illness |
|---|---|
| 1. Mental retardation* refers to sub-average intellectual functioning, which lasts a lifetime. | 1. Mental illness has nothing to do with intelligence. Mental illness is that, an illness. It can be controlled with appropriate treatment and/or medication. Many people recover completely from mental illness. |
| 2. Mental retardation refers to impairment in social skills or adaptation | 2. A person with a mental illness may be very competent socially, but may have a character disorder or other aberration. |
| 3. National incidence: 3 percent of the general population | 3. National incidence: 16 to 20 percent of the general population |
| 4. Mental retardation is present at birth or occurs during the period of development. Mental retardation can also be the result of a brain injury. | 4. Mental illness may occur at any age. |
| 5. In mental retardation, some degree of intellectual impairment can be permanent. | 5. Mental illness is often temporary, and in many cases, the condition is reversible. |
| 6. A person with mental retardation can be expected to behave rationally at his/her functional level. | 6. A person with mental illness may vacillate between normal and irrational behavior. |
| 7. People with mental retardation can also experience different types of mental illness with symptoms such as hallucinations or severe depression, secondary to the condition of mental retardation. | 7. The term mental illness covers a wide variety of symptoms that may indicate that someone is in emotional trouble, including: belligerence, excessive moodiness, suspicion and mistrust or poor emotional control. |
*Mental retardation is a developmental disability. People with developmental disabilities may experience difficulty in such areas as self-care, language, mobility, learning, self-direction, independent living or self-sufficiency. Some common developmental disabilities in addition to mental retardation are epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, Down and Tourette syndromes.
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