March Is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month – Here’s Why That Matters for Your Family
Every March, something important happens.
Not a holiday, exactly.
Not a celebration in the traditional sense.
But something that matters deeply to families like yours.
March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month – a time set aside since 1987 to shine a light on the lives, contributions, and potential of people living with developmental disabilities.
The campaign is led nationally by the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD).
Alongside partners like the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the National Disability Rights Network.
And honestly? It’s about so much more than “awareness.”
What This Month Is Really About
If you’re a parent or family caregiver for someone with a developmental disability – autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, or any of the many conditions that fall under this umbrella – you don’t need a month on the calendar to be aware.
You live it every single day.
So what’s the point?
For the rest of the world, this month is a chance to learn.
To see the person behind the diagnosis.
To understand that your son who loves cooking is more than his IEP.
That your daughter who lights up a room with her smile isn’t defined by the therapies on her schedule.
For families, though, this month is something different.
It’s permission to celebrate out loud.
To feel proud, not in spite of your loved one’s disability, but including every part of who they are.
It’s a reminder that you’re part of a community that stretches across the country, filled with families who get it.
The NACDD’s 2025 theme was “We’re Here All Year” – a powerful reminder that the contributions of people with developmental disabilities don’t start and stop with March.
They’re working, volunteering, learning, and showing up in their communities 365 days a year.
Whatever the 2026 theme turns out to be, the message remains the same: inclusion is not seasonal.
The Bigger Picture
Sometimes numbers help put things in perspective.
According to the CDC, more than one in four adults in the United States – roughly 70 million people – live with some form of disability.
The CDC estimates that about 1 in 6 children experience a developmental disability.
These aren’t rare conditions affecting a handful of families.
This is a significant part of our population.
Here in Virginia, the disability community is especially visible in the ongoing work around waiver services.
There are currently about 17,000 people receiving developmental disability waivers in the state, with another 15,500 families waiting.
That waitlist tells a story on its own – a story of demand that far outpaces available resources.
Awareness months like this one help keep that story in the public conversation, which is exactly where it needs to be.
Three Pillars: Education, Employment, and Community Living
The national DD Awareness campaign focuses on three core areas, and each one hits close to home for families here in Hampton Roads.
Education. Every child deserves access to learning that meets them where they are.
For families navigating IEPs, school accommodations, and the transition from school to adulthood, DD Awareness Month is a chance to advocate for better resources and greater understanding within our schools.
Employment. The journey doesn’t end at graduation.
Adults with developmental disabilities have skills, passions, and contributions to make in the workforce.
This month highlights the importance of supported employment programs and inclusive hiring practices that give people real opportunities, not token gestures.
Community Living. This is where CDS lives and breathes every day. Helping individuals with disabilities live in their communities, in their homes, with dignity and choice and real support.
It’s the core of what Virginia’s waiver system was designed to do, and it’s the work our team shows up for every morning.
How Your Family Can Get Involved
You don’t need to organize a rally or write a letter to Congress (though you certainly can).
Here are some simple, meaningful ways to participate this March:
Share your story. Post a photo of your loved one doing what they love – cooking, painting, spending time with friends, and talk about who they are beyond their diagnosis.
The NACDD encourages submissions and uses hashtags like #DDAwareness and #InvolveUs to connect stories nationally.
Educate one person. Sometimes the most powerful advocacy happens over coffee. Invite a friend or neighbor into your world. Help them see what you see.
Check your resources. Use this month as a prompt to review your loved one’s care plan, explore waiver options, or connect with local advocacy organizations like The Arc of Virginia or the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities.
Celebrate the wins. Did your loved one try something new this year? Master a skill? Make a friend?
These moments deserve a spotlight. DD Awareness Month is the perfect time to recognize them.
What We’re Doing at CDS This March
Throughout March, we’ll be sharing stories from our community, the people we serve, the families we support, and the team members who make this work possible.
We’ll also be publishing resources on topics that matter most to you, from navigating Virginia’s waiver system to finding the right support services for your family.
Because at CDS, we don’t just believe in awareness.
We believe in action.
We believe in seeing the person first. And we believe that every individual we serve deserves a life defined by possibility, not limitation.
That’s been our mission for nearly 20 years.
It doesn’t change when the calendar flips to April.
Want to learn more about our services or connect with our team?
Call us at (757) 965-4899 or visit communitydirectservices.com
Sources
NACDD, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month — Official Campaign Page: nacdd.org
NACDD, 2025 DD Awareness Month: “We’re Here All Year”: nacdd.org
Administration for Community Living (ACL), DD Awareness Month: acl.gov
CDC, Disability and Health Data System (2022 BRFSS data on disability prevalence): cdc.gov
VPM News, “Federal Cuts Could Inhibit Progress on Developmental Disability Care” (March 2025): vpm.org
Virginia DMAS, Developmental Disability (DD) Waivers: dmas.virginia.gov
The Arc of Virginia, Developmental Disabilities Waiver Information: thearcofva.org
