NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY OUTREACH
TO MINORITIES WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN RURAL
COMMUNITIES ROUNDTABLE REPORT OF FINDINGS
August 4, 1997
Atlanta, Georgia
NCD wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Bobbie
J. Atkins, Ph.D., CRC, in facilitating the Round Table discussion
in Atlanta and in preparing the first draft of this report.
Extensive data point
to demographic shifts occurring in America and projected for the
year 2000 and beyond, including some emerging information about
people with disabilities and ethnic/racial minority group members.
Public policy must seek to effectively meet these demographic shifts
and consequent refocusing of priorities.
People with disabilities have always been excluded
from the bounty of our nation's resources. Minorities with disabilities,
in particular, have been the most disenfranchised of the disenfranchised
in our society.
Hon. Rev. Jesse Jackson
National Rainbow Coalition
Reverend Jackson's words, quoted in the National Council
on Disability's (NCD's) 1993 report, Meeting
the Unique Needs of Minorities with Disabilities, remain
an important challenge as we approach the 21st century. Moreover,
Reverend Jackson's observations regarding minorities with disabilities
also have relevance for people with disabilities living in rural
communities, many of whom are also members of minority groups.
NCD has been advocating for federal policy that meets
the needs of minorities and rural residents with disabilities for
several years. In response to this challenge and the directives
of recent federal legislation, including the 1992 Amendments to
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NCD will continue to identify issues
and develop federal policy that will address the unique needs of
minorities with disabilities and people with disabilities living
in rural communities.
NCD convened a roundtable discussion on Outreach to
Minorities with Disabilities and Persons with Disabilities in Rural
Communities on August 4, 1997, in Atlanta, Georgia.
The participants represented a range of disabilities,
ages, organizations, ethnicities, and geographic environments. Yet,
there was consensus that the needs of minorities with disabilities
and people with disabilities living in rural communities warrant
ongoing corrective attention in all aspects of the fabric of American
public policy.
Effective outreach programs, which are an important
vehicle for communicating public policy to underserved groups and
involving underserved groups in the public policy process, can not
be initiated, implemented and/or sustained without respect, understanding,
and sensitivity toward racial, ethnic and geographic diversity.
It is critical, for example, that any outreach program pay attention
to trust and the degree to which the particular target community
may view outsiders as invasive. Accordingly, it is very important
to utilize natural support systems to make outreach meaningful and
productive. The best outreach programs are doomed to failure if
the agency or entity conducting the outreach is not flexible enough
to be inclusive or examine its existing policies, procedures, and
services to ensure meaningful minority involvement.
The following suggestions highlight some of the major
themes that emerged from the dialogue of the diverse participants.
These suggestions apply to all who have a role in crafting and implementing
public policy that affects people with disabilities, including but
certainly not limited to NCD.
Recommit to the requirements articulated in the
1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, especially
Section 21, and other federal laws, by developing a national agenda
regarding diversity and disability that accounts for local variations
but is consistent, dynamic, and politically viable.
Develop ongoing education and training which includes
all components of federal disability policy and disability civil
rights laws concerning awareness, knowledge, and ability to assert
one's rights among people with disabilities from minority and
rural communities.
Ongoing education and training initiatives must
acknowledge that many federal laws do not apply on Indian Reservations.
Nonetheless, such education and training programs should make
extra efforts to communicate federal policy to people living on
Indian Reservations and to involve such persons in the policy
making process. Likewise, education and training strategies for
American Indians living outside of Reservations should recognize
that many such American Indians still have strong connections
to their reservation culture and language.
Leadership development is needed so that mainstream
disability leadership reflects geographic, racial/ethnic, and
disability diversity with a clear approach to systems change.
Lack of adequate attention to accessibility(1)
issues permeates through all aspects of American society and government
programs including public rehabilitation.
Building alliances within and external to the existing
disability community leadership is necessary.
Technology must be used as a tool to advance the
message and mission of diversity and disability with utilization
of appropriate methods that are focused on specific problem resolution.
Considerable debate occurred regarding the variance
in language used to represent minorities, ethnic/racial groups,
"people of color," and so on. While no consensus emerged on the
preferred term, there was consensus that the needs of diverse people
with disabilities must continue to receive priority treatment at
the national, state, and local levels.
NOTABLE PROBLEMS
The awareness that minorities with disabilities and
people with disabilities living in rural communities do not access
rehabilitation and other disability-related services and programs
at the rate of their prevalence in the population eligible for services
is well documented (Atkins, 1995; Ayers, 1977; Galea'i, 1995; Walker,
et al., 1995; & Wright, 1988). The participants at the NCD roundtable
identified critical issues that interfere with minorities and rural
residents with disabilities accessing needed services. Some of the
key challenges identified by the participants follow.
RESOURCES
Without adequate resources, inclusion of minorities
with disabilities and people with disabilities living in rural communities
will not occur. The critical lack of resources continues to undermine
the very fabric of equality and has led to serious erosion of the
willingness of minorities and rural residents to participate in
needed public rehabilitation and other programs designed to meet
the needs of all people with disabilities. The specific problems
identified underscore the importance and complexity of resource
issues in relation to disability and diversity.
1. Need to target human, economic, and other resources
to minorities and rural residents in their communities ("nothing
about us, without us").
2. Services tend not to reflect the needs of minority
and rural communities with policies reflecting majority urban
culture and the exclusion of values of particular minority and
rural subgroups.
3. Travel and transportation to services often
precludes involvement of people living in isolated communities
or people with limited resources and limited options for accessible
and affordable public transportation.
4. Lack of technology limits access.
5. Failure to network and build alliances with
resources existing in minority communities.
6. Failure appropriately to involve the community
and family in planning and service delivery strategies.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Communities lacking knowledge and skills needed to
maneuver the complexities of contemporary living are doomed to fall
further and further behind their peers residing in more educationally
advanced settings. It was extremely clear from the Atlanta participants
that lack of knowledge, skill, and adequate information is of epidemic
proportions in many rural and urban communities especially where
the predominance of citizens are members of minority groups and/or
poor. The participants articulated the problem as follows.
7. Knowledge of federal disability policy and programs
is lacking along with knowledge of human/legal rights.
8. Self-esteem development is lacking in service
delivery often resulting in feelings of powerlessness.
9. Diverse cultural definitions of disability are
excluded from most education and training programs.
10. Diversity education is lacking in many of the
ongoing public education and training programs.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
Leaders have the power and the responsibility to
set the tone for organizations and share power, success, and responsibilities.
Disability leaders must be willing to do better than other segments
of society in promoting inclusion as reflected in legislation and
demands of citizens with disabilities. The ability to model diversity
in all aspects of one's operation is the real measure of a leader's
or an organization's success. Leadership of people with disabilities
who are also minorities is the real test of shared leadership and
power equity. The problems that are articulated below reflect critical
areas of need.
11. Leaders tend not to reflect the diversity of
disability communities.
12. Leaders are often more concerned about politics
than people.
13. Leaders often do not model inclusion.
14. Diversity is usually missing from disability
organizations' vision, mission, goals, and strategic plans.
15. Lack of real commitment of leaders to diversity
issues is reflected in all aspects of organizations.
16. Leaders do not promote alternative systems
of service.
ATTITUDES
One of the major hindrances to equity in American
society is the attitude of the majority towards members of minority
racial and ethnic groups and people from rural areas. The world
of disability policy and programs is not immune to this societal
problem. Attitudes impact upon expectations, services provided,
resources employed, and outcomes. If attitudes are not changed for
the positive, substantive lasting change is unlikely to occur. The
unfinished business of race relations in America has devastating
impact on people with disabilities from minority groups. As reflected
in these problem statements, there is a need for ongoing attention
to this often overlooked component of the disability community.
17. Trust is lacking between minority and majority
communities with and without disabilities.
18. Services do not typically demonstrate respect
for different cultural values, beliefs, and treatment/healing
methods.
19. Fear is expressed by minorities with and without
disabilities regarding majority intentions for information/data
collection.
20. Prejudice and bias of majority society toward
minorities and people with disabilities continue to predominate.
21. Patronizing approaches are often used when
dealing with minorities and rural residents who have disabilities.
22. There is a belief that the media image of minorities
often fosters fear.
Far too many of these problems are not new to the
American fabric. Thus, many of the recommendations and solutions
incorporate contemporary insights, experiences, and research in
the area of disability and diversity that can have far reaching
implications on the quality of life for citizens with disabilities
who are also minorities or rural residents. The charge of this diverse
group of participants is for immediate action to resolve the identified
problems.
SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The solutions and recommendations below cut across
all of the areas of disability policy. Many specific recommendations
were made for NCD, and NCD is in the process of addressing those
recommendations. For example, NCD has created a Minority Issues
Subcommittee and has included several minority-related activities
in its FY 1998 workplan. The additional outreach strategies articulated
may have different implications for urban than for rural communities
often lacking resources including transportation and accessible,
integrated programs and services. All other solutions and recommendations
will be grouped according to the issues identified in the problem
section.
These recommendations represent the collective wisdom
of the diverse participants along with the critical factors that
must be adopted to ensure success of diversity as an ongoing value
of public policy. The overarching goal is to develop an articulated
vision and targeted outcomes that include all of the components
of the public to be served by public policy. These findings are
provided to all components of the public disability service
system (federal, state, tribal, local, education/training, Independent
Living Centers, Client Assistance Programs, etc.).
RESOURCES
23. Promote best practices and model programs that
target specific minority and rural communities allowing for unique
tailoring of the practices and models.
24. Facilitate sharing of resources that do not
promote unhealthy competition.
25. Establish mobile outreach programs that can
maximize limited resources and expand geographic impact.
26. Access local newspapers that target selected
minority and rural communities and distribute posters, brochures,
flyers, and so on to places frequented by minority and rural citizens
with disabilities and their families.
27. Include alternative healing/treatment methods
as viable tools to be used.
28. Develop varied strategies for compliance with
federal requirements for funding, reporting, and access to services,
and, where necessary, develop strategies for reaching populations
on Indian Reservations who are explicitly excluded from many federal
civil rights laws and other federal laws.
29. Link transportation needs with technology to
foster access to needed services and information.
30. Utilize all existing educational resources as
tools for learning and sharing regarding diversity and disability.
31. Avoid duplication of services through the promotion
of collaboration and team-work.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
32. Develop model education and training programs
for grass roots organizations with minority and rural membership
and leadership in advocacy, ADA, fundraising, disability information,
and civil rights.
33. Engage churches, employers, tribal organizations,
and other already established/respected minority entities in learning
about disability and infusing disability issues into their ongoing
activities.
34. Promote diversity as the norm in all disability
and mainstream programs.
35. Implement a "train the trainer" model to enlarge
minority participation and leadership in disability and diversity.
36. Establish long term models and programs that
foster systems change and eliminate the "one shot" training approach
to diversity and disability.
37. Work with all education and training components
of rehabilitation and related areas to establish culturally relevant
approaches and outcomes.
38. Expand dissemination mechanisms to include
traditionally under used resources that the minority community
can help identify.
39. Create a "think tank" that is inclusive where
the agenda is set by the participants.
40. Include all human resources in ongoing education
and training with appropriate feedback/evaluation points for correction
and monitoring of progress. Education is everyone's business including
federal, state, and local entities.
41. Build in opportunities for developing computer
literacy in all appropriate education and training programs.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AND SYSTEM CHANGE
42. Need for a change in the typical disability
program ethos regarding leadership, which includes the disability/diversity
connection and systems change.
43. Explore minority communities from an asset
perspective that builds on strengths.
44. Model behaviors, attitudes, and values that
promote inclusion, diversity, empowerment, and choice.
45. Expand network of collaboration to include such
groups as the Conference of Mayors and other leadership groups
which are national, ethnic or tribal specific.
46. Establish accessible leadership development
programs that are culturally relevant and sensitive to models
other than "exclusively" competitive.
47. Establish mutual relations with health, school,
court, employment, and related systems for potential referrals/collaboration.
48. Develop a presence in the minority community
that is positive.
49. Expand service delivery system to include models
that work in minority communities that support cooperation, self-determination,
shared decision-making, shared responsibilities, and cultural/tribal
pride.
50. Advocate for health care in minority communities.
ATTITUDES
51. Promote pride in diversity and focus on assets
not perceived problems and limitations.
52. Learn about the contributions of diverse individuals
and groups nationally and locally.
53. Become involved in self-assessment to determine
biases, prejudices, and racist attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
54. View parents, family, and community as allies
and promote clarification of accurate information.
55. Celebrate difference as a positive and eliminate
the belief that diversity is a problem.
56. Share knowledge to reflect attitude change,
expanded opportunities, and self-determination.
57. Promote employer attitude enhancement that results
in increased employment for people with disabilities who are minorities
and people with disabilities living in rural areas.
CONCLUSION
Despite any differences of opinion regarding strategies
and/or techniques, the vision and goal cannot be compromised: Quality
inclusive services and public policy that meets the needs of all
people.
Since the adoption of the 1992 Amendments to the
Rehabilitation Act and other federal laws mandating special efforts
to ensure participation in federal programs by minorities with disabilities
and people with disabilities living in rural communities, implementation
strategies have been employed. Yet, the challenges inherent in the
need for systems change continue to exist. The refocusing of federal
disability-related legislation on diversity, empowerment, collaboration,
employment, and choice continue to reflect more vision than reality.
The insightful wisdom of Congress to target resources and mandates
to "mobilize the resources of the nation to prepare minorities for
careers in vocational rehabilitation, independent living, and related
services," for example, provides a unique opportunity to craft the
future. Moreover, there is a need for federal disability-related
legislation to be extended to Indian Reservations. Following up
on the findings and recommendations contained in this report, NCD
will continue to promote federal policy that meets the needs of
all people with disabilities.
Nonetheless, the perplexities of diversity and disability
are increased due to the primary and secondary effects of racism.
The primary effect of racism is discrimination/exclusion which usually
leads to inequalities in education, housing, employment, social,
economic, and human services. The combination of the effects of
racism or geographic isolation and disability results in a large
percentage of minorities and rural residents with disabilities being
unable to utilize public programs adequately or to attain their
personal and economic potential.
In the Executive Summary of the National Council
on Disability's 1993 report to the President and the Congress--Meeting
the Unique Needs of Minorities with Disabilities, an important
aspect of the challenge is articulated:
Disability policy and disability politics are like
other areas of domestic policy and politics in our nation-they
are dominated by the culture, values, and biases of the majority
middle class.... The United States consists of a diverse population
and we must make a conscious effort to meet the needs of all our
people (NCD, 1993, p.1)
The roundtable participants are demanding that
more than a conscious effort be made--concerted, consistent,
and culturally competent action must ensure a WIN-WIN outcome
for all.
The challenge for current disability leaders, administrators,
and all employees of organizations who serve the public is to work
in partnership to create an environment which effectively utilizes
human resources, and which includes people from diverse backgrounds
in disability programs and services as consumers, educators, researchers,
administrators, service providers, and others. As minorities with
disabilities and people with disabilities living in rural communities
continue to strive to obtain full participation in American society,
NCD will be an active partner seeking to bring these perspectives
to the national policy process.
No single agency, program, educational institution,
organization, or employer can address the issues raised in this
report by itself. Yet, each is a vital component of the solution.
The concepts of cultural sensitivity and cultural synergism warrant
ongoing attention. The charge is to create an environment for success,
support what works, advocate for needs, and establish partnerships
and linkages within and outside of the disability policy community.
The cited recommendations need to be included in all planning and
decision making in public and private groups that serve people with
disabilities.
Disability leaders and the programs and people who
serve people with disabilities must have the courage to lead by
example and to do better than other segments of the society in developing
leadership and ensuring a diverse and competent workforce.
Through collaboration, empowerment, inclusion, and
systems change, we can enhance the programs designed to serve people
with disabilities to be more responsive, effective, and efficient
for all Americans. Minorities with disabilities and people with
disabilities living in rural communities are a critical link on
the Bridge to the 21st Century.
REFERENCES
Atkins, B. J. (1995). "Diversity: A continuing rehabilitation
challenge and opportunity." In S. Walker, K. A. Turner, M. Haile-Michael,
A. Vincent, & M.D. Miles (Ed.), Disability and diversity:
New leadership for a new era (pp.34-38). Washington, DC: PCEPD
& HURTC.
Ayers, G. E. (1977). Unique problems of handicapped
Black Americans. "The Whitehouse conference on handicapped individuals.
Awareness papers" Washington, DC: Department of Health, Education
and Welfare.
Galea'i, K. E. (1995). Another perspective on diversity
for rehabilitation administration to the Journal of Rehabilitation
Administrators. Journal of Rehabilitation Administration,
19, (2), 157-160.
Wright, T. J. (1988). Enhancing the professional preparation
of rehabilitation counselors for improved services to ethnic minorities
with disabilities. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling,
19, (4), 4-10.
NCD (1993). Meeting
the unique needs of minorities with disabilities. A report to
the President and the Congress. Washington, DC.
1
"Accessibility" or "accessible," as these terms are used in this
report, refer to architectural, transportation, communication, technology,
and environmental access, as well as non-disability related access
issues like language, culture, and geography. |