Local board seeks to educate on developmental disabilities

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- March is developmental disabilities awareness month and the Muskingum County Board of Developmental Disabilities is working to educate the community here at home.

The M.C.B.D.D. met with the county commissioners to talk about their plans for awareness month. The community network support specialist said their goal is to continue educating the public on how to appropriately interact with people with disabilities.

“We’re educating on the people first language. We have a people first advocacy group that meet once a month and Ron is our president,” said Sandy Drenten the Community Network Support Specialist. “And we’re educating people to use the right wording instead of saying that people are disabled they are people with disabilities.”

In addition to teaching the correct language to use, the M.C.B.D.D. also talked to the commissioners about the People First group within its agency.

“Our people first is the advocacy group where we educate helping them speak up for themselves, for getting what they want, not being told what to do, but being able to make good decisions,” said Drenten. “This month we’re working on employment and getting good jobs that help them have good lives.”

Drenten said they are looking for employers that have open positions that members of their group can apply for you.