Celebrating Disability Pride Month: Empowering Independence

July is Disability Pride Month, dedicated to celebrating the diversity, resilience and independence of individuals with disabilities. This yearly celebration aims to raise awareness and understanding about disabilities while highlighting the achievements, experiences and challenges within the disability community. July also commemorates the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. At PICS, we stand in solidarity and join the global community in recognizing the diverse lived experiences and contributions of individuals with disabilities.

Disability Pride Month 2024: ‘We Want a Life Like Yours’

This year’s Disability Pride Month theme — "We want a life like yours” — comes from The Arc's National Council of Self-Advocates. It reflects the disability community’s dreams for life experiences that are all too often denied. 

Here are some ways you can celebrate and support the disability community:

1. Educate yourself: Take the time to learn about the history of disability rights and the accomplishments of individuals with disabilities. Understanding is the first step toward fostering empathy and inclusion.
2. Advocate for accessibility: Advocate for accessibility in your workplace, schools, public spaces and online platforms. Accessibility benefits everyone and ensures equal opportunities for everyone.
3. Support disability-owned businesses: Support disability-owned businesses by purchasing their products and services. By doing so, you contribute to economic empowerment within the disability community.
4. Hire people with disabilities: Promote inclusive hiring practices within your organization by actively seeking out and hiring individuals with disabilities. Embrace diversity in the workplace and provide accommodations as needed to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all employees. 
5. Teach your children about disabilities: Educate your children about disabilities in an age-appropriate manner. Teach them that differences in abilities are natural and that everyone deserves respect and inclusion. Encourage empathy and kindness toward individuals with disabilities, fostering a future generation that values diversity and embraces inclusivity. 
6. Take action: Get involved in advocacy efforts for disability rights and inclusion. Whether you contact lawmakers, support disability organizations or volunteer your time, every action counts toward creating positive change.

PICS Commitment to Empowering Independence

At PICS, we strive to uphold the spirit of Disability Pride Month year-round through our services for individuals with disabilities. We are helping break down the barriers to success for our Participants and their families by providing services that offer choice.

PICS supports individuals with disabilities in living empowered lives as a Financial Management Services (FMS) provider for self-directed services. We believe you know your needs best, and you should be able to choose the services and support that best meet them. Our current self-direction programs are Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) and Consumer Support Grant (CSG). Soon, Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) will replace CSG to offer even more choice and control in care. 

Another program we provide that fosters independence is Individualized Home Supports (IHS), a 245D licensed service that offers supervision and assistance for individuals in their homes and communities. IHS provides a range of customized supports and services that are unique to each person’s needs to promote independence in a safe and caring environment.

To get learn more and get started, fill out our Enrollment form and we will be in touch soon.