Developmental Disability Awareness Month

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month and the Muskingum County Board of Developmental Disabilities is celebrating inclusion with the Muskingum County Commissioners.

The board wants to help those with developmental disabilities to not only have jobs in the area but to be included in other activities. Community Network Coordinator for the Muskingum County Board of Developmental Disabilities Missy Hartley said they want people to have lives just like everyone else.

“We want people to be working in the community, if that’s what they want and also if they’re working also being a part of the community with volunteering or just being included in their current community and it could be in a variety of ways.”

The Muskingum County Board of Developmental Disabilities have programs such as Friends, Allies, and Neighbors that helps enhance the lives of people with a developmental disability. There are local churches that are very involved with the board and volunteers continuing to support what they do.

“Right now we have around 70 people that are employed here in Muskingum County. So they’re already getting to know their co-workers and doing different things with co-workers as well,” Hartley said. “Muskingum County is ranked 11th in the State of Ohio out of 88 Counties, so we’re very proud of that.”

Hartley said for years people with disabilities have been sheltered but now we know that they need to be out there in the community living life. There is an inclusion lunch on Tuesday, March 19th at the Zane State/OUZ campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.