Disability Awareness Month: Why Disability Policy and Advocacy Matter in North Dakota

Governor Armstrong Meets with Disability Advocates at the State Capitol

March is Disability Awareness Month, a time to recognize the contributions, experiences, and rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our communities. But awareness alone is not enough. If we truly want people with disabilities to be fully included in our communities, we must focus on the policies, systems, and supports that make inclusion possible.

At The Arc of North Dakota, our work is grounded in one core belief: people with disabilities deserve the same rights, opportunities, and expectations as everyone else. For more than 65 years, The Arc has advocated for policies that ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live in their communities, attend neighborhood schools, access meaningful employment, and participate fully in civic life.

Disability rights did not happen by chance. The opportunities that people with disabilities have today are the result of decades of advocacy and strong public policy. Federal laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and community-based services through Medicaid have made it possible for people with disabilities to live, learn, and work in their communities rather than being separated or institutionalized. These policies reflect a simple but powerful principle: people with disabilities belong in the community.

However, policy decisions continue to shape the daily lives of people with disabilities and their families.

Across North Dakota, families and individuals with disabilities continue to face significant challenges that require thoughtful policy solutions and sustained advocacy. Access to home and community-based services allows people with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in their communities. At the same time, the ongoing shortage of direct support professionals continues to impact the availability of services and supports across the state. Inclusive education remains essential so students with disabilities can learn alongside their peers and be prepared for life after school. Many families also carry the responsibility of providing care and advocacy for their loved ones while navigating complex service systems. Protecting the civil and human rights of people with disabilities must remain a priority in public policy discussions.

These issues are not abstract policy debates. They affect real people, real families, and communities across North Dakota.

Advocacy is how progress happens. When individuals with disabilities, families, and community partners raise their voices, policymakers listen. At The Arc of North Dakota, advocacy means working alongside self-advocates and families to ensure their experiences inform public policy. It means educating policymakers about the realities people with disabilities face and pushing for policies that support independence, dignity, and inclusion.

Disability policy should never be created without the voices of the people it affects most.

Disability Awareness Month should encourage all of us to move beyond awareness and toward action. Inclusion happens when communities invest in accessible services, when schools are equipped to support every student, and when policies reflect the value and dignity of every person. It happens when people with disabilities are recognized not for their limitations, but for their contributions as neighbors, employees, leaders, and advocates.

For more than six decades, The Arc of North Dakota has worked to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are included in every aspect of community life. That work continues today through advocacy, education, and partnerships across the state.

Disability Awareness Month reminds us that awareness is only the beginning. Real change happens when awareness leads to policy, advocacy, and meaningful inclusion.

Kirsten Dvorak, Executive Director, The Arc of North Dakota