March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

In 1987 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed March "Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month." The deinstitutionalization movement of the seventies and early eighties had laid the foundation for significant social change, and the presidential proclamation called upon Americans to provide the "encouragement and opportunities" necessary for people with developmental disabilities to reach their potential.

For more information on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, visit http://nacdd.org/ddam

DID YOU KNOW?

State of Illinois Offering New Identification Cards For The Disabled

People with developmental disabilities can get wallet cards from the state of Illinois that might be useful if they find themselves in stressful situations with police.

The "Person With A Disability Identification Card" was designed to help de-escalate potentially tense encounters with police or other first-responders, according to state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego), who sponsored legislation to create the cards.

"The basic idea of the card is a parent with children, or even young adults, or adults in general who are on the autism spectrum disorder can react differently to stressful situations than you and I," she said. "It's just an easy, simple way to draw attention to the fact that somebody might need to be approached in a different manner."

For more information, please visit the source listed below.

Source: CBS News, Chicago Affiliate

KIDS ROCK THE BLOCK!

Kid of the Month: Mark Riley

Mark Riley is like most 11 year-olds. He has lots of friends, he enjoys playing sports, and he doesn't like doing homework. Mark was born with cerebral palsy; the kind of CP that Mark has means that he does not walk and he speaks a little differently. Although he has never walked, Mark is quick to explain, "I get around pretty well in my cruiser!" In the script "New Friends" Mark shows his new acquaintance Melody how he swims, and how he rides a horse at Camp. Mark enjoys playing on a basketball team, and he wants to write about sports when he is older.

DIRECTOR'S CORNER

The phrase "exceptional children's month" is somewhat a misnomer. Kids on the Block is a program that is all about treating others with respect. However, our puppet characters who have disabilities (like Mark Riley) seek to be treated like their non-disabled peers. In the words of a former puppeteer: " see the person, not the disability".

These puppet characters do not portray themselves as "exceptional" (any more than their non-disabled peers); for instance, in the show "New Friends", Mark Riley demonstrates how he performs everyday tasks such as getting dressed, going to school, and playing sports. The term "exceptional" contextually seeks to display the personal traits, talent, and integrity of individuals who have a disability. There is a tendency to treat these individuals as "special" or to assume that these individuals need help doing everyday tasks. Kids on the Block sets a strong directive to teach children about "Person First Language". Person First Language emphasizes that a person has a disability, illness, or condition; in other words, someone is not defined by a disability. For example, someone is not labeled schizophrenic or bipolar-- a person is more than a disability or illness.

Therefore, refer to someone who has schizophrenia, or explain that I have bipolar disorder, rather than saying "I'm bipolar".

The point of having an "Exceptional Children's Month" is to emphasize that although some kids have disabilities, we all have more in common than not. The principal takeaway from these scripts is that all individuals have feelings, and those feelings can be hurt. And while these puppet characters explain the different ways that they go about everyday tasks, they emphasize that we have more in common with each other.

What Kids Are Saying:

"My favorite part of the show was that Mark Riley can accomplish anything, and he never lets anyone get him down."

-Fifth Grader, Cobb County

"I thought that the show was funny. I liked how Mark explained how he coped with his disability,"

-Sixth-Grader, Cobb County

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To schedule a Kids on the Block performance, please contact Lorie at lorie@mhageorgia.org

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

Kids on the Block is only one of many programs offered by MHA of Georgia to further our mission of enhancing the mental health of Georgians through education, outreach and advocacy.

Click here to learn more about our programs. Your support will help us continue our work educating Georgians about mental illness, working to eliminate stigma and advocating on behalf of people with mental illness in our state. Click here to support MHA of Georgia.

24/7 Georgia Crisis and Access Line

If you or someone you know are in need of immediate assistance please contact the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at:

                          1-800-715-4225
                         