Employment, Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Ticket to Work Program: Perspectives of Latinos with Disabilities

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the employment, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and Ticket to Work (TTW) experiences of Latinos with disabilities. Seven focus groups were conducted with 45 working-age Latinos with disabilities, who were either employed or seeking employment. Top barriers to employment included lack of adequate transportation, difficulties with speaking the English language, inadequate levels of formal education, and negative employet attitudes toward workers with disabilities. In addition, participants expressed concerns with the VR system and VR counselors' lack of responsiveness and collaboration. To a lesser degree, participants reported prejudiced attitudes on the basis of ethnic minority status among employers and VR counselors. Although over one-third of the sample reported general awareness of the TTW program, accurate knowledge was sorely limited. Further, two participants attempted to use the Ticket, with no success. Implications of this study include emphasis on addressing the employment needs of Latinos with disabilities in comprehensive and culturally-competent ways.

Payoffs of participatory action research: racial and ethnic minorities with disabilities reflect on their research experiences

“…Ten participants from the ADA Project described in the Hernandez et al (2006) study were recruited to participate in an individual interview. Participants were between the ages of 23 and 45.…”

“…This potential triple jeopardy may have particular impact on the employment and vocational rehabilitation experiences of African Americans and Latinos with disabilities (Hayward & Schmidt-Davis, 2003; Hernandez, Cometa, Rosen, Velcoff, Schober, & Luna, 2006; Hernandez, 2009). Thus, this paper is noteworthy in that it presents a qualitative study that explored the experiences of racial and ethnic minorities with disabilities, who participated in a PAR project that aimed to improve the physical accessibility of their local communities.…”

“…Findings from the Hernandez et al (2006) study suggest that racial and ethnic minorities with disabilities were influential in changing the accessibility of local businesses. Less known is whether participants were impacted (i.e., empowered) by participating in the research.…”

“…Generally defined, empowerment (on an individual level) refers to one’s perceptions of personal control, competence, and power in a given situation; one’s behaviors or efforts to exert control and achieve goals; and one’s critical awareness of the environment (Zimmerman & Warchausky, 1998; Zimmerman, 2000). Thus, the main purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the extent to which participants of the Hernandez et al (2006) study were empowered (affectively, cognitively, and behaviorally) once the research ended.…”

“…Namely, the disability community struggles with achieving equality within housing, education, transportation, and employment (Hernandez et al, 2007; Loprest & Maag, 2001). These struggles may be particularly pronounced for African Americans and Latinos with disabilities (Hayward & Schmidt-Davis, 2003; Hernandez et al, 2006; Hernandez, 2009). Participatory methods may prove fruitful in engaging racial and ethnic minorities when addressing these inequitable social conditions as well.…”