Sunday, October 4, 2009

A Challenge for the Mental Health Profession: Disability History Awareness Month

On October 15th, 2009, at 2 PM at the State House in Boston, the celebration of Disability History Awareness Month will be proclaimed.

Below is the following Law:

AN ACT DESIGNATING DISABILITY HISTORY MONTH.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
D) Chapter 6 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after section 15K the following section:-

Section 15L. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart the month of October as Disability History Month to increase awareness and understanding of the contributions made by persons with disabilities. Appropriate state agencies and cities and towns and public schools, colleges and universities shall establish programs designed to educate and promote these objectives.
E) Approved August 26,


Congrats to the Youth with Disabilities Leadership group who lobbied their legislators to pass this bill.

I now ask how the Social Work and Mental Health fields will promote Disability History Awareness Month in the graduate curriculums on the college and university levels and in our profession.

I have been advocating for years that my training course on "Disability Sensitivity Awareness" for mental health and social work professions be approved for CEUs. I have not had any takers due to being told "there is no interest for this training."

OK, colleagues, what can we do to honor Disability History Awareness Month in our professions?

Please let me know.

Robbin Miller, LMHC
Facilitator
www.robbinmiller.vpweb.com

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