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Thurston County proclaims March developmental-disabilities awareness month and March 31 Transgender Day of Visibility
Summary
The Thurston County Board of Health read and adopted two proclamations March 11 recognizing National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and International Transgender Day of Visibility; presentations accompanied both proclamations, including a county program overview and community testimony about discrimination and supports.
The Thurston County Board of Health adopted two proclamations March 11: one declaring March 2025 as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and another declaring March 31 as International Transgender Day of Visibility.
At the start of the meeting, Mark Moffitt, identified in the agenda as the county social services program manager, and Pam (a client served by county programs) described Thurston County Public Health and Social Services work to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Moffitt described two main programs — supported employment (county-funded agencies provide job coaching) and community inclusion activities such as movie nights, dances and “dinner around the world” events — and highlighted Project Safer, a planned May training to connect first responders with people with IDD to reduce harmful first contacts. Moffitt also flagged state-level Medicaid funding uncertainty and told the board, “We've all heard that Medicaid potential cuts. This isn't just about health care, but we get a 50% match…so if those funds go away or get diminished, that's gonna affect the workforce for our folks.”
The Board then read and adopted a proclamation recognizing Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and called on residents and agencies to increase awareness and inclusion.
Later in the meeting the Board received speakers representing local LGBTQ organizations. A PFLAG Olympia board member described increased contacts from people fleeing states with restrictive policies and urged allies to be visible. A speaker from the New Boys Club, a peer-led support group for adults assigned female at birth who identify as transgender or nonbinary, described concerns about discriminatory federal policy and executive order 14128, saying recent changes “threaten access to gender-affirming health care” and can reduce funding for research and grants that serve LGBTQ+ communities.
County members noted local supports: the speaker thanked Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson for state protections and also noted Olympia's recent proclamation as an LGBTQ+ sanctuary city. The board read and adopted the International Transgender Day of Visibility proclamation and invited additional community engagement and staff follow-up on questions raised by commissioners, such as rules governing hospital and detention visitation for nonfamily support people.
Ending: both proclamations were adopted by the Board of Health as read and the county will post the proclamations and related resources. Staff offered to follow up on the visitation and resources questions raised for future meetings.
