Moving beyond awareness to promoting acceptance and appreciation, and raising expectations New CDC Autism Data Highlights Importance of Long-term Services and Supports, Cultural Competency

March 31, 2016 by Aaron Bishop, Commissioner, Administration on Disabilities

April is Autism Awareness Month, and April 2 is World Autism Day. Nearly one in 68 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that impacts multiple life areas, such as social skills, communication skills and behavior. Individuals with ASD may require individualized services and supports to lead self-determined lives in the community.

Since 1987, March has been designated Developmental Disabilities Month. This is an opportunity for communities to raise awareness of the many ways people with developmental disabilities contribute to our society. The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental disabilities works to advance the concerns and interests of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through an array of programs funded under the Developmental Disabilities Act.

The Administration for Community Living joins President Obama in recognizing American Heart Month.

December 1 is the 26th annual World AIDS Day. While raising awareness of the prevalence of AIDS and HIV, we also need to raise awareness about who is at risk. Unsafe sex is the most common way people contract HIV worldwide. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly assume that older Americans and individuals with a disability are not sexually active and therefore not at risk for HIV infection.

Expect. Employ. Empower. Everyone deserves the opportunity to find and perform meaningful work. This includes older adults and people with even the most significant disabilities.

"How is my child doing?": parents and other caregivers often ask themselves. Several federal projects are underway to support parents and professionals who work with young children in answering this universal question.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter designated the first Sunday after Labor Day, National Grandparents Day. This observance honors the ways grandparents improve the lives of others by sharing their wisdom and life experiences with younger generations. Even as they deal with advancing age, many grandparents continue to take an active role in providing for their family’s needs. In fact, according to the U.S. Census (PDF), more than 2.7 million adults are helping to raise their grandchildren.

This Veterans Day, ACL joins the nation in thanking our brave men and women who have served honorably in the U.S. military (read the proclamation). There are approximately 21 million veterans living today. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, about 9.6 million of these veterans are over the age of 65. In addition, there are nearly four million veterans living with service-connected disabilities.