Compensation Model: Addressing People With Disabilities

Growing up in modern society, we already know that having any kind of handicap, physical or mental, limits an individual’s social, economic, and class mobility throughout their life due to a number of factors, including stereotypes and prejudice held by modern society. In my paper I will be arguing that employment assistance for mentally ill persons does not currently provide enough support for the rapidly increasing number of participants on employment and welfare support programs. I will first address the issues faced my mentally disabled persons every day in the workplace and I will dispel the myths commonly held about the mentally ill and their abilities. I will then discuss the different types of employment support currently offered

“The social model of disability sees the issue of "disability" as a socially created problem and a matter of the full integration of individuals into society. In this model, disability is not the problem of the individual, but rather a complex collection of conditions, many of which are created by the social environment. Hence, the management of the problem requires social action and is the collective responsibility of society at large to make the environmental modifications necessary for the full

Today’s society is different in its thinking when dealing with people with disabilities. There had to be many changes made in its labeling, and approach when dealing with people who may have physical/mental differences. The ostracize behavior that people were known to disturb in society has changed a great deal, due to the many federal laws that have been put in place to insure the well-being of people that have disabilities. In 1972, one very well-known case is Mill vs Board of Education of the District of Columbia this case address how the constituted rights of students were not being meet by not providing them with a public education.” Many disabled children had been excluded from public education prior to 1975,24 Congress, through the Act, sought initially to set up a process by which states would find children in need of educational services and bring them into the system”(Kotler, p.491,2014).

Individuals with disability have had a long history of maltreatment in America. From being thought of as possessed individuals in need of exorcism, targeted for heinous experiments, unknowingly sterilized, being labeled imbecile, feeble minded, and retarded, to being shipped off to state schools or mental asylums, those with disabilities were given no consideration as a valuable and able to contribute member of society. In a speech to congress, Frank Bowe, a highly educated deaf-man highlighted this claim by stating, “we are not even second-class citizens, we are third-class citizens” (Bowe, F. 1977--need citation), and Jim Cherry (2001) furthered the ideal in his words, that prior to “1970 we [disabled citizens] had no right to education, to employment, to transportation, to housing, or to voting. There were no civil rights laws for us, no federal advocacy grants. Few people looked beyond our medical needs” (Cherry, J.L, 2001 http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/0701/0701cov.htm). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 attempted to fundamentally change how disabled people were reguarded.

As the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act approaches later this month, it is clear that many of the fears of the business community failed to materialize. In the first five years of the act, there was no wave of business failures tied to compliance; no wave of unqualified applicants whom businesses were forced to hire; no wave of workers suddenly claiming disability due to a bad back; and no wave of lawsuits that inundated businesses with the burden of undue legal costs. (ADA.gov, 1995). In fact, tax subsidies provided in the act helped many businesses afford to make necessary access accommodations as well as to provide other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, and the positive ramifications have been considerable. Up to 45 percent of the disabled population now hold jobs and are contributing to the economy, (Brault, 2012).

In nineteen ninety Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act. This act was established in order to eliminate discrimination of people with disabilities and to break down barriers in society that limits the freedom a disabled person. According to Section 2 Subsection A part one, "some 43,000,000 Americans have one or more physical or mental disabilities, and this number is increasing as the population as a whole is growing older." As the number suggests there are a lot of people that would be classified as disabled making this act very important. This paper will look at the Americans with Disabilities Act as how it pertains to helping people with disabilities based on who is covered, what are their rights, and what legal actions

According to Peter Singer, disabled individuals can not enjoy the same level of well-being as their nondisabled counterparts. In this paper, I will disagree with the notion presented by Peter Singer and prove that disabled people do in fact attain the same level of wellbeing. Firstly, by drawing on Dan Moller’s argument that people have the ability to adapt their circumstances and secondly, draw on Jean Kazez and Harriet Mcbryde Johnson's arguments which refute peter singer's notion.

Developmentally disabled individuals for many years were not assured the basic rights afforded nondisabled people. People with mental disabilities and illnesses were relegated to the status of second-class citizens, and therefore few services were provided to aid in improving their daily lives. Nonetheless, many families of mentally disabled children continued to raise them in their own homes”

I agree with what Campbell claimed in her book. American people often can’t help but be trapped in social assistance if they don’t have the essential skill to survive.

People with disabilities have to face more within the health care system and obtaining access to care. Disability is not the same as poor health, persons with disabilities are less likely to work or have to work less hours and many have to obtain employer-sponsored health insurance. My paper focuses on access to health care for persons with disabilities (for me it is Multiple Sclerosis). In this paper I will discuss utilization and cost of services, and health insurance coverage of persons with disabilities.

The policy topic that I have decided to address is Invisible Disabilities, because this is a huge social problem. In our society a person with a disability is primarily recognized from when you look at someone and you can visibly confirm that they are disabled. Visible disabilities are what most people think of when they think of someone who is disabled: for instance someone in a wheelchair. The truth is, not all disabilities are physically visible, and generates negative attitudes towards persons who suffer from them. Some invisible disabilities include learning disabilities, brain injuries, epilepsy, narcolepsy, and so many more.

All they want is to take part of society as a normal individual. The disability-movement has fought for the disabilities rights throughout the years and has achieved goals such as accommodation of architectural infrastructures to serve better people who are physical impairments. The public policies have been great accomplishments because it has helped people with disabilities to be part of society. The disability-movement points out the healthcare finance policies have taken freedom away from the disability community, “ Health-care financing policies force disabled people into Institutions and nursing homes rather than funding independent living. Income-maintenance and public health-insurance policies include “disincentives” that penalize disabled individuals for trying to work productively.”(p.4). The government has done a great job on protecting disabled individuals’ rights. However, the health-care system has isolated this group even more by restricting the level of productivity that they have within the system, as a result this medical model marginalizes this group of people and this program available for this community does not fully address their issues.

The author does not give any evidence on why the government should provide a free and appropriate to individuals with disabilities. The author did use a lot of Ethos, sections from the law. But the author is definitely lack of logos, and especially no pathos or emotion to if those with disabilities do not get a free appropriate

As I am reading through the paper, I am 100% agree with most of the point discussed by the author. Because, I came from a place where disability is not an issue for the Government. Therefore, no help is available for these people no matter their conditions. Besides, there is no advocates, and no funds available as well to help. Learning about such program is very interesting and challenging.

Finally Nussbaum talks about how even the value of people with disabilities should be enacted. This means that they are capable of being educated and have a rewarding career. According to this approach, their value should constitute to their basic capability and as well as their expansion. However, in many cases people with disabilities are not always included at the beginning of a social contract. This includes education, although the capability approach helps those disabled by illiteracy in developing it still does not justify the fact that they still at the bottom of the threshold. In a philosophical journal by Lorella Terzi she argues that according to egalitarian John Rawls’s principles of justice,” should be applied to the necessary promotion