Disabilities: Perception, Access, and Ableism

"Disability is natural. We must stop believing that disabilities keep a person from doing something. Because that's not true... Having a disability doesn't stop me from doing anything." Benjamin Snow, 8th Grade

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Historically, people who were disabled were often thought of as having no intrinsic value to society.  They have been marginalized and abused in many societies through many different time periods.  Many experienced being institutionalized, abandoned, stigmatized, restrained, excluded and even killed for being born with a physical or intellectual disability.  In the United States, nearly 61 million adults live with a disability.  Texas has the second largest number of individuals with disabilities of all states.  The percentage of individuals with disabilities in Texas is 11.7% and has remained stable over the past four years.  Currently, 51% of individuals under guardianship in Texas have some type of intellectual or developmental disability.  According to the American Community Survey conducted by the local authorities, 13.7% or 183,209 individuals living in Bexar County, report that they are living with one or more types of disabilities.  Efforts must continue to establish partnerships with agencies to promote community awareness and change public perception of what it means to have a disability.  

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Throughout the United States, significant effort has been placed on the issue of disability rights for all Americans.  Disabled people often face negative social stigma and unfair labeling.  Many have long-term, early onset health related issues that put individuals at a greater risk without adequate healthcare and most lack additional insurance for medical costs not covered by Medicaid.  For those that are able to work, many find that there is a  lack of services in obtaining or maintaining employment.  Many individuals do not have proper identification or state ID’s due to economic or transportation issues.  In addition, they may face serious discriminatory practices by employers who exploit their vulnerability.  With limited economic resources, which includes social security, many individuals must rely on disabled public housing.  Currently in the San Antonio metropolitan area, there is a waiting list for disabled housing.  The San Antonio Housing Authority estimates that it takes at least four to six years to come up for available housing.  When speaking with community stakeholder, “M”, who is herself a member of the disabled community, she stated “I want to stand on my own two feet, I just sometimes need a little help.”

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Here in San Antonio, disabled individuals are eligible for services through what is known as the local intellectual and developmental disabilities authority (LIDDA).  The San Antonio LIDDA is contained under the Alamo Area Council of Governments or AACOG.  Services are funded through state and federal monies and are designed to be utilized to ensure that the needs of individuals are properly met. In addition, many local agencies, such as The ARC or Disability SA, work in conjunction with the LIDDA to not only provide necessary services, but to assist individuals with meeting personal outcome measures.  All of these agencies welcome community participation and are an integral part in establishing the disability movement’s yearly legislative agenda.  These agencies want to be reflective of the voice of all disabled Texans, their families, and the community.  If you can’t join an agency board, there are many other ways to offer support to include financial donations, volunteering, or being active in community events that draw awareness and focus on including the disabled population.  In October of 2018, the City of San Antonio launched its first annual “abilitySTRONGparade.” This event was launched from “AccessAbility Fest, which offers resources, opportunities, and recreation for individuals facing barriers to their maximum level of independence due to a physical, developmental, sensory, or mental health challenge.  As social workers, we must continue ongoing advocacy and community dialogue with lawmakers who allocate funding for the disabled population, so that it is used in a manner that provides greater access to many of these programs.  Disability funding needs to be considered outside of the scope of budget reductions. We must promote community awareness and partnership with agencies to change public perception of what it means to have a disability.  

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In San Antonio, the disabled community is very unified and willing to assist families and individuals in obtaining services.  Agencies, families, and community stakeholders work hard to promote an environment of access and inclusion.  Many organizations pool their resources to further the disability rights movement, on a legislative level, by retaining political lobbyist to focus on a defined yearly agenda.  On a local level, agencies that are disability specific, such as the Down-syndrome Association or the Autism Treatment Center, provide focused disability services to meet the needs of that particular population.  However, each center works in partnership with agencies and individuals who have differing diagnoses so that anyone with disabilities can be referred to an appropriate agency.  One thing that stood out to me when interviewing “I” about his community, was the incredible smile that came across his face when he spoke about successfully completing the rank of Eagle Scout after 8 years of work.  “I” said he wanted everyone to know that his disability did not stop him from doing everything the scouts required.  “I” received incredible support from the Boy Scouts of America, who launched a program to extend the age for individuals with disabilities to 21.  This accommodation allows individuals extra time to achieve the highly regarded rank of Eagle Scout.  San Antonio is one of the few areas in which special needs scouts can be a part of a troop that has trained leaders who specialize in mentoring disabled individuals.  As social workers, we must continue to advocate for self determination when dealing with clients who are disabled.  By practicing from a strengths based perspective,  encouraging person first language, and practicing trauma informed care, we can continue to uplift and support individuals with disabilities.  

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Access can be defined in many different ways.  For individuals with a physical disability, it can be as simple as being able to access viable transportation resources or being able to locate wheelchair accessible bathrooms. For others, the question of access is more singularly defined by personal accomplishment, like pursuing an education or obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout.  However, when we speak about access from a global context, we need to understand what that means.  Access should be thought of as creating an environment that all people can use, including those with disabilities.  True access will involve considering many different types of disabilities and how we can change our environment to make everyone feel welcome.  We can begin by changing our attitudes and assumptions about disabilities and changing the way we communicate with others. We can also change our physical environment and any barriers it may create.  The goal is to give equitable access to everyone so that individuals can also equally benefit from a system.