Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Proclaims 'Abilities First'

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- In an effort to broaden knowledge about state’s nearly 50,000 Oklahomans with developmental disabilities, Gov. Brad Henry has declared March “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.”
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services’ Developmental Disabilities Services Division serves nearly 8,000 of those individuals who need assistance living and working in their communities -- another 3,800 people currently on a waiting list for DDSD’s services.

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month’s theme is “Abilities First.” The emphasis of the month highlights organizations around the state that serve people with developmental disabilities and focuses on educational efforts about the vital programs and services that enable Oklahomans with disabilities to live and work outside of nursing facilities and institutions. There will be four major events held during March. They include:

• March 17 – “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day Rally” begins at 11:30 a.m. March 17 on the south steps at the State Capitol. Gov. Brad Henry and several legislators have been invited to speak, along with people with disabilities. Several hundred people with disabilities, their families, providers and advocacy organizations are expected to participate.
• March 17-18 – the Oklahoma Association of Persons in Supported Employment Conference will be held at the Cox Business Services Convention Center, downtown Oklahoma City.
• March 29 – the “Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities” will be held at the Metro Technology Center Springlake Campus in Oklahoma City. Gov. Brad Henry will open the conference.
• March 30 – The “Statewide Disability Caucus” will be held at the Metro Technology Center at the Springlake Campus in Oklahoma City. It is sponsored by the Statewide Independent Living Centers.

* Editor’s Note: 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 who are living and working in their communities. Attached are 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, DDSD Community Relations, OKDHS, at (405) 521-4972.

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 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 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 and Down’s and Tourette's syndromes.

###