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Developmental disabilities awareness meeting at GMS
To increase awareness and understanding of the spectrum of developmental disabilities among its staff and student families, Green Meadow School recently hosted a short webinar featuring Tai D. Doram, a certified cognitive behavior specialist from the CNMI Behavior Health Planning Council.
Doram’s presentation covered several topics involved with developmental disabilities, including early signs and screening and risk factors. He also covered the variety of disability categories and the proactive steps necessary in handling a child with developmental disabilities. Some of GMS’ long-time staff members were surprised to learn new disability risk factors that they had not learned about in previous trainings.
GMS principal Milagros Songcuan also brought up the relatively new movement called “Disable the Label,” which works on removing the stigma against people and persons with disabilities through education and outreach and promoting understanding and inclusion.
The month of March is dedicated to increase awareness and understanding of the spectrum of developmental disabilities. It is estimated that there are over 6 million individuals with developmental disabilities that live in the U.S. mainland and its territories. President Ronald Reagan first declared March as Developmental Disabilities Month in 1987.
“We strive to achieve inclusion to accept these individuals with unique strengths into our classrooms, workplaces, houses of worship and communities,” said GMS in a statement yesterday.
The CNMI proclamation and message from the executive director of the CNMI Council of Development Disabilities, which was originally shared on March 1, was also read at the meeting. (PR)
