It’s officially Developmental Disabilities Month in Kentucky, as per a proclamation signed by Governor Andy Beshear March 12.
Beshear was joined by the Kentucky Developmental Disabilities Network and its partners as he officially declared March Developmental Disabilities Month and stressed the importance of accessibility and inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
“As a person of faith, I believe that every single person is a child of God, deserving of the same opportunities and a chance at a full, meaningful life,” Beshear said. “Those with developmental disabilities deserve equal opportunities in health care, education, housing, and more, and for folks that interact with the world a little differently, we need to take that extra step to make things like public spaces accessible.”
He added that was why he’d taken actions such as signing an executive order declaring Kentucky an Employment First state in 2020, expanding access to health insurance and waiver services and supporting organizations that provide accessible housing.
“Let’s commit to continuing our work to build a better Kentucky for all of our people,” Beshear said. “Let this be a shining example for what we stand for in Kentucky, looking out for our neighbors and always showing kindness and love.”
The Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities (CCDD) is thankful to Governor Beshear, his staff, individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, advocates, colleagues, and partners for making the proclamation signing such a success!
Austin Nugent, Public Policy Coordinator for CCDD, said things came together thanks to a close connection between the governor’s office and CCDD. “We’re very fortunate that one of the governor’s staff members, Leigh Van Hooser, a parent of a child with a disability, serves on the Council,” Nugent said.
While CCDD still made an official request the same way anyone can request a proclamation, Nugent added that she is grateful someone from our community is on the governor’s team, helping to ensure people with disabilities are not an afterthought.
Johnny Collett, Deputy Executive Director of the Human Development Institute (HDI) at the University of Kentucky, said, “This recognition by the governor of the importance of Kentuckians with developmental disabilities is significant. We always want to ensure that when we talk about our state, we’re talking about all Kentuckians and not just some.”
“Kentuckians with developmental disabilities – Kentuckians with disabilities of all types – are an important part of this commonwealth and a part of our workforce, our economy, and our communities, just like everybody else,” Collett said.
The Kentucky Developmental Disabilities Network, compromised of the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky, and Kentucky Protection and Advocacy, works to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities, their families, and support networks through advocacy, research, and training.
