My grandfather had polio. As a child, I remember his constant struggles with mobility: stairs, sidewalks and door handles were daily hassles. He lived in New York City, which even today doesn't have full access to all its subway stations for those who can't navigate stairs. I also remember lining up as kindergartener, waiting anxiously for the vaccine that Jonas Salk and his colleagues created to stop that plague.
Today, polio is mostly eradicated in the Western world, thanks to science. We also have psychology to thank for raising society's awareness of the challenges faced by people who have had polio and other disabilities, be they physical, mental or educational. Psychologists have long played a critical role in advocating for accommodations for these people. Our colleagues from APA Div. 22 (Rehabilitation) and Div. 33 (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) are among those who work hardest to remove stigma, to advocate for effective interventions, and to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to live full lives free of constraint.
This year, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, a longtime friend of APA's advocacy efforts in health care, authored the original bill. He delivered part of his introductory speech in sign language, so his deaf brother could understand. The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It requires eligible employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and mandates that public areas adhere to accessibility requirements. The law ushered in an era of responsiveness to the needs of those less able to navigate the challenges of our society and an era of hope. As a clinical child and adolescent psychologist, I see the effects of the ADA every day.
After completing my postdoctoral training at Boston Children's Hospital, I was part of a team that evaluated preschoolers who had disabilities. The team was led by a pediatric neurologist and included me, an occupational therapist, physical therapist, social worker, speech and language therapist and a community social services representative. Once we all finished our evaluations, we met to create a treatment plan based on all the evidence. We then met with the parents and school representatives and made referrals to facilitate the treatment plan. Little did I know then that we were providing integrated care. Today, my practice includes evaluations for learning-disabled children. Just as we did 40 years ago, we work as a team to determine the accommodations each child needs to maximize his or her educational opportunities and fully participate in society, no matter each child's physical and psychological challenges.
What are the next steps we as psychologists can take to support people with disabilities? What will be the roles and responsibilities we psychologists can and must play to take us there? Within APA, we must be committed to raising the visibility of people with disabilities and encourage their participation in all aspects of our association. We must enhance opportunities for people with disabilities in training, convention programming, public education and the governance of every division and state and territorial psychological association.
In society at large, we must protect people with disabilities from harm: Research suggests that this population is at substantially greater risk for violence compared with the general population. In addition, research finds that people with disabilities may be reluctant to report violence due to several factors, including a fear of losing personal assistance services.
Unless we recognize these challenges and advocate more strongly on behalf of people with disabilities, there will always be obstacles that prevent them from living life to the fullest.
We must continue to partner with persons with disabilities to raise the volume of their voices and increase the pressure on policymakers and health-care providers.
Let's celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ADA, understanding that there is much more that needs to be done. Eradicating barriers that people with disabilities face is as important as eradicating polio, and will be just as transformative. My grandfather's life would have benefited significantly with ADA legislation and increased social awareness.
