Social Work and Disability Management Policy:

Abstract

Although social work has traditionally been involved with persons with disabilities, our position in the area of disability policy has been less evident. This article presents a brief review of the history of policy toward those with disabilities along with a summary of some philosophical perspectives which undergird those policies. A Disability Systems Case Manager is proposed as a solution to the morass of conflicting rules and regulations currently applied by numerous governmental, vocational, and welfare agencies. This manager would operate from the Structural Paradigm which recommends an initial examination of a client's environment for impediments to successful functioning before focusing on the client's potential vulnerabilities or problems.

Social Inclusion of Disabled Persons: Role of a Professional Social Worker in Pakistan

“…Due to exclusion, disabled persons have to be dependent on charity to meet their necessities for livelihood (Mackelprang, 2010). Although social work is contributing to persons with disabilities for a long time, "Americans with Disabilities Act" brought an opportunity for the social work profession to get significance in the area of disability (Quinn, 1995). Trevillion (2006) has discussed that developed countries have renewed the concept of social work with disability because there was destruction in accordance to give welfare to a person with disabilities.…”

Pity or pedestal?: perceptions and practices of chronic disease and disability in hospital social work

“…The medical or individual model views disability in terms of "diagnosis and solution in medical knowledge" (Barnes, Mercer, & Shakespeare, 1999, p. 21). Since the medical profession normally deals with people who are ill, the sick role has traditionally been given to people with disabilities, even if they are only interacting with the medical profession to obtain proof of disability in order to receive financial benefits (Quinn, 1995). Bracht (1990) points out that people with chronic diseases or disabilities are not always in poor health, but will likely have episodes of poor health during which time treatment is required.…”

“…In hospital work, the medical model is an important perspective for professionals to use during acute care, such as immediately after an accident or diagnosis (Quinn, 1995). It allows the person to regain as much physical function as possible and acknowledges that most people do not want to lose functional ability.…”

“…As such, this model fits into the structural views described by Mullaly (2010). Quinn (1995) suggests that social workers who work with people who have disabilities should consider adopting a structural framework that looks at solutions within environments and systems first and individual deficiencies only if the problem persists.…”

“…Since the 1960s, this movement has advanced disability theories and studies significantly (Mackelprang & Salsgiver, 2009) with the goal in the United States of equal access that has been nominally obtained for people of different ethnic backgrounds (Quinn, 1995). However, Quinn points out that some people prefer not to use the disability label because it may put them in a dependent position that they do not identify with.…”