Governor Proclaims Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, Public Law 99-483, enacted by Congress in 1987, designated the month of March as National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month; and

Whereas, North Carolina is home to more than 200,000 people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities living in all 100 counties; and

Whereas, it is the responsibility of all North Carolinians to recognize and acknowledge that it is not disability, but societal barriers and attitudes that can keep individuals from realizing their full potential at school, work, home, and in their chosen communities; and

Whereas, all North Carolinians can contribute to improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities by becoming advocates and supporters of increased independence, capacity, and leadership; and

Whereas, expecting and enabling people with developmental disabilities to function independently and productively within our society to the fullest extent possible strengthens our state in all areas, including public and private sectors; and

Whereas, to fulfill the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Executive Order No. 92, Employment First for North Carolinians with Disabilities, we reaffirm our commitment to full community participation for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by expanding opportunities and equal access to fair wages, fully integrated competitive employment, education, housing, health care and civic engagement; and

Whereas, the State of North Carolina commends the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities, other state agencies, businesses, organizations and individuals throughout our state working to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families through advocacy, capacity building and systems change;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim March 2025, as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this twenty-sixth day of February in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.