Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 105 Part 1.djvu/1000

 105 STAT. 972 PUBLIC LAW 102-146—(XTT. 28, 1991 Public Law 102-146 102d Congress Joint Resolution Oct. 28, 1991 [S.J. Res. 131] Designating October 1991 as "National Down Sjmdrome Awareness Month". Whereas a more enlightened attitude has emerged during the past 15 years in the care and training of the developmentally disabled; Whereas one disability which has undergone considerable reevaluation is Down s3nidrome; Whereas approximately 4,000 babies are born with Down syndrome annually in the United States; Whereas, until recently, Down syndrome was stigmatized as a mentally and physically retarding condition that required institutionalization and restricted its victims to lives of passivity; Whereas remaining ignorance, prejudices, myths, and stereotypes regarding Down syndrome can be overcome only through increased awareness and education; Whereas, through the efforts of concerned physicians, teachers, and parent groups, such as the National Down Syndrome Congress and the National Down Syndrome Society, programs are being put into place to educate the parents of babies with Down syndrome, to develop special education classes for individuals with Down syndrome within mainstreamed school programs, to provide vocational training for individuals with Down syndrome in preparation for entering the workforce, and to prepare young adults with Down syndrome for independent living in the community; Whereas the television medium has greatly augmented such efforts by casting actors with Down sjnidrome and offering programming that demonstrates to hundreds of thousands of viewers in a positive and educational manner the everyday, personal, and family effects of living with Down syndrome; Whereas the cost of programs designed to help individuals with Down syndrome enter their rightful place in society as productive citizens is a small fraction of the cost of institutionalization; Whereas advancements in genetic research are also offering a brighter outlook for individuals born with Down syndrome; and Whereas the many children with Down syndrome who attend regular schools, play on Little League teams, and enjoy basketball and golf demonstrate daily the success that people with Down syndrome are able to achieve: Now, therefore, be it 59-139 0-91 (146)

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