Title: Thirty Years After the ADA: The Perplexity of Disability Accommodations
Presenters:
Angela Kuemmel, Ph.D., ABPP (Rp) - Louis Stokes VAMC Cleveland Ohio
Rebecca Wilbur, Psy.D. - Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center Portland Oregon
Abstract:
Almost 30 years after the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA), establishing disability accommodations in psychology training remains a challenge (Wilbur, Kuemmel, & Lackner, 2019; Pearlstein & Soyster, 2019; Lund, Andrews, Bouchard, & Holt, 2019). Disability accommodations for psychology trainees with disabilities was one of the first topics in disability issues in psychology training addressed in psychology literature after the passing of the ADA (Crewe, 1994; Vande Kemp, Chen, Erickson, Friesen, 2003). Yet recognizing the importance of asking all trainees if they need disability accommodations, the supervisor’s role in establishing accommodations, and helping trainees utilize accommodations remain difficult. This presentation will address the challenges trainees with disabilities face in establishing and utilizing accommodations and how supervisors can be advocates for students with disabilities. In addition, we will illustrate three challenging scenarios involving disability accommodations based on actual cases. Trainees with disabilities face complex barriers to establish and utilize accommodations. Wilbur et al. documented supervisors’ confusion at their role and responsibility in establishing accommodations (2019); which is particularly salient. Lund et al. (2019) reported only 19.5% of their sample reported accommodations as helpful and 36.6% of their sample reported utilizing no helpful resources during training; indicating possibly a lack of resources or a high burden to access resources including accommodations ultimately leading trainees with disabilities to forgo assistance rather than be labeled as a trainee with a disability. In addition, trainees tend to underutilize accommodations in an effort to avoid being seen as less competent in comparison to peers (Olkin, 2010). Other recent research describes the possible implications of peer perceptions that affect students with disabilities who receive accommodations as different; creating attitudinal barriers based on incorrect assumptions (Deckoff-Jones & Duell, 2018). Additional challenges include changing training environments and changing disability causes changing abilities. To illustrate how training programs can overcome these barriers, we will use three challenging accommodation scenarios including an intern who has difficulty hearing group therapy sessions and is facing a remediation plan, an intern who has difficulty breathing in her training environment and requests to be accommodated, and accommodating a deaf intern applicant for an interview. We will discuss strategies and resources to help solve these challenges. An important part of establishing disability accommodations involves the supervisor taking an active role as supervisor-advocates who actively advocate for the rights and inclusion of trainees with disabilities and promote disability-affirmative training environments. This involves promoting disability-affirmative, supervisor-advocate behavior by doing things like addressing ableism in one’s colleagues, recognizing and responding to one’s own internalized ableism, addressing systematic barriers in one’s training environment, and recognizing and addressing anxiety and discomfort associated with adopting a super-advocate role. Next year(2020) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. While there has been much progress in breaking down barriers for students with disabilities in psychology training; significant challenges remain; many of which could be remediated through supervisor education and advocacy.
Learning Objectives:
- To describe challenges of establishing and utilizing disability accommodations
- List strategies for establishing disability accommodations
- Describes ways supervisors can be advocates for trainees with disabilities