© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Chapter 20 Social Work Practice with People with Disabilities Slides developed by Christine K. Fulmer Cedarville University

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott People with Disabilities Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 –Cultivated growing awareness of disability –More social work literature on topic Phrase “people with disabilities” –Minority group as opposed to isolated people –Focus moved to individual and environmental issues not purely medical

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Defining Disability Impairment – loss or abnormality at the level of the body system or organ Disability – impairment causes restriction Handicap – barriers created between the disability & the environment Barrier People-first language

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Demographics 2000: 47.9 million people in the U.S. live with a disability or a long lasting concern –Sensory –Physical or mental –Self-care –Going outside the home –Employment

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Demographics Older adults are much more likely to experience a disability than younger ones Some correspondence between race, ethnicity, and disability Lower income is associated with higher rates of disability

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Demographics Disability patterns in U.S. –Disability affects a large portion of the population –The medical model can only partially explain the differences across populations –Factors in the social environment must be considered

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Other Risks Children and adults with disabilities are more often targets of abuse Increased rates of substance abuse and chemical dependency Circular interaction pattern between disability and other risks

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Disability & the Minority Model Minority group –Is identifiable –Experiences less access to power –Experiences discriminatory treatment –Sees itself as a separate group People with disabilities meets the criteria of a minority group

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Societal Responses Influenced by perceptions of causality –Early beliefs, focused on spiritual dimensions, led to shunning & sometimes torture –Late 1900’s: genetics was focus, which led to prohibiting marriage & sterilization –Mid-1900’s: medical condition led to medical interventions

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Influenced by potential threat of disability –Example of polio scare of 1940s –Society mobilized for prevention & treatment Influenced by the amounts and kinds of resources available to deal with disability –Example of AIDS epidemic & perceived cause –Interplay with perceived threat & resources Societal Responses

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Social Work Practice All service centers are to provide access for people with disabilities Social workers should not assume: –Someone with a disability is seeking service in relation to that disability Some service systems are designed to address issues specific to disability

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott 5 Areas of Legislation 1.Workers’ compensation 2.Rehabilitation 3.Social Security 4.Education 5.Civil rights In addition, a distinct service system serves veterans with disabilities

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Ecosystems Model Individual –Specific functional limits –Strengths and resources –Adjustment to disability Family –Acceptance of disability –Available resources

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Culture –View of disability –Expected roles Environmental-Structural –Assumption about cause & threat –Legal structures and public programs Ecosystems Model

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Historical –Discrimination –Assumptions of helplessness –Focus on the impairments and medical concerns Ecosystems Model

© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces, Updated 12e Morales, Sheafor, and Scott Emerging Issues Employment rates are low Portability of health insurance and coverage of pre-existing conditions –Insurance often only covers acute care, leaving the costs of chronic conditions uncovered –Specific disorders, such as mental illness, may not be covered at all