In 1987, President Ronald Reagan declared March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
Reagan’s proclamation noted “the prospect of a brighter future and greater opportunity” for people with developmental disabilities.
“Americans are becoming increasingly aware that such disabilities need not keep individuals from realizing their full potential in school, at work or at home, as members of their families and of their communities,” the proclamation continued. “I urge all Americans to join me in according to our fellow citizens with such disabilities both encouragement and the opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”
While there are many different types of disabilities that can affect many different aspects of a person’s life, developmental disabilities start during childhood and continue through adulthood. These disabilities include everything from ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, blindness, and various developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. People with developmental disabilities often need ongoing support throughout their lives.
Reagan’s proclamation was issued in 1987. Three years later came the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by President George H.W. Bush, a landmark change for people with disabilities in the United States. The ADA protects people with disabilities against discrimination in areas such as employment, state and government services, public transportation, and more.
In 1990, the same year the ADA became law, Congress changed the name of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA), which became law in 1975, to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). According to the Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education, “IDEA is a federal civil rights law to protect the rights of students with disabilities who are eligible for special education services and the rights of their parents.” IDEA is enforced by the Federal Department of Education.
Caregiving is such an important part of the equation when it comes to people with developmental disabilities living the full, productive lives that Reagan mentioned in 1987. In fact, even though he didn’t use the word, when Reagan said that Americans must give “our fellow citizens” both “encouragement” and “opportunities,” he was talking about caretaking.
As a country, we have a history of taking care of one another, especially our most vulnerable people. We understand that the lives of people with disabilities are no less important or less valuable. Independence, dignity, and opportunity are goals of the disability rights community. Public policies are how we strive to meet those goals. Public policies are how we, as a society, take care of each other.
Today, a child born in 1987 would be 39 years old. They will have lived the majority of their lives protected by the ADA and IDEA. While no laws are perfect and the fight for disability rights is an ongoing one, the ADA and IDEA are crucial to protecting children with developmental disabilities and the adults they grow into.
But what about a child with developmental disabilities born in 2024? Will they have the same protections as the generation before them?
As the current administration moves ahead with the dismantling of the Department of Education, the future of how we as a country engage in the collective caretaking of people with developmental disabilities not only feels uncertain, it feels scary for the people and families who need that care. If the Department of Education no longer enforces the civil rights outlined under IDEA, who will?
According to the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACCD), the 2026 theme for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is: “We’re Here: Then, Now, Always,” a theme that underscores the fact that developmental disabilities are part of life. At no point in human history have people with developmental disabilities not existed.
Helping people with developmental disabilities live their best lives is not a partisan issue. Developmental disabilities are not limited to any particular political party, income level, ethnic background, zip code, religion, or family structure. We all know someone with a developmental disability. Taking care of each other is a fundamental part of our humanity and national character. We must never forget that.