LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - Understanding the abilities of individuals with disabilities was the message shared at the Center for Peace and Reconciliation.
Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Renee Kohler and Assistant Superintendent Melissa Ricker spoke about individuals with disabilities overcoming barriers and stigmas, as well as the emergence of more inclusive practices today.
Kohler and Ricker discussed historical context, noting that many people with disabilities were not served in their home schools and were often institutionalized in the 1960s. Through advocacy over the years, the formation of boards of developmental disabilities, and a shift toward community inclusion and away from institutionalization, more opportunities have opened for people of all abilities to work, live and play.
"It's really important for the Board of DD to make sure that the individuals that we're serving are living lives that they want to live, and so, that's us sitting at the table with them, listening to those that we serve, asking them what they want for their lives and then helping to advocate to make that happen," says Melissa Ricker, Assistant Superintendent, Allen County Board of DD.
March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which was established in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan.
