This is Disability Awareness Month

Greensburg Daily News - 3/20/2019

March 20-- Mar. 20--GREENSBURG -- March is Indiana Disability Awareness Month.

Led by the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities, the goal of Disability Awareness Month is to promote the independence, integration, and inclusion of all people with disabilities.

The Council develops a unique theme for this annual event and produces campaign materials that are available free of charge to Hoosiers who want to help make a difference. The theme for this year's statewide campaign is "Be Cool. We Are."

Given that adults and children with disabilities represent slightly more than 19 percent of Indiana's population, disability awareness and inclusion is very important to those in all walks of life.

An article written by Kathy Bernhardt, the managing director for Tangram Business Resourcing, highlights how disability inclusion can be utilized as not only a bottom line strategy in private businesses large and small, but as a invaluable public marketing tool as well.

In her article, Bernhardt provides a few examples why businesses need to tap into this market segment, including:

Indiana Disability Awareness Month is celebrated in many ways. From disability-themed book sales in Huntington, DA themed art exhibits in Indianapolis, DA Fairs in Plainfield, and Disabled Group Home Open Houses, the disabled community and their families and friends celebrate March in many ways designed simply to "share the love," broaden the awareness of folks with 'special' talents, and continue fighting the stigma attached to being disabled.

Jenny Maddox, first a manager for DSI and now a Home Services Coordinator for LEL, recently shared her thoughts regarding her personal life mission.

"Even though we've come a long way in learning how to interact with the disabled, we still have a lot to learn," she said. "I think that emphasizes the fact that people are people. Sometimes I try to even not say 'individuals with disabilities,' because I think that has a stigma as well." Maddox said. "I try, even when I'm out with the people I serve, to remember that these people are my friends, and I try to make sure that my interactions with them are the same as with all the people in my life across the board."

Unfortunately for some people, there still remains a discomfort level in functioning socially with the disabled, either because of the fear of saying something inappropriate or hurting someone's feelings.

"You know, in the last 20 years that I've worked with these people, that is something that has just continually improved. I think one thing people should know is that if you're treating them just like you would anyone else -- not looking at their disability -- then you are leading by example, and that's the best kind of teaching we can do," she said. "Once you get beyond that, looking at the person instead of the disability, you find that discomfort goes away. You learn that you are talking and interacting with them just like anyone else."

Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-663-3111, ext. 7911 or email at bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com.

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