An estimated one in four--around 61 million--U.S. adults report having at least one disability. Alongside experiences of disability, intersectional experiences of race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, and age exist and can often magnify barriers. 

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Across all age groups, disabled people are much less likely to be employed than those with no disability, and the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is about twice as high as the rate for people without a disability. Additionally, nearly 19% of undergrad and 12% of graduate students report having at least one disability. 

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Currently, disability status is not measured as a demographic in the U.S. social work workforce. However, the British Association of Social Work reports nearly one in 10--9.5%--of its social work workforce report having a disability.  

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These statistics highlight the importance of disability justice and the participation and inclusion of people with disabilities within social work. 

 

Resources 

• DisabilityInSocialWork.com Resource Library: This searchable collection of resources includes links to groups, books, research, presentations, and more. The website also has many additional resources such as a student scholarship and information for Disability Pride Month (July) and National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October).  

 

• CSWE Council on Disability and Persons With Disabilities: The CSWE Council develops disability-related social work education resources, facilitates the full participation of people with disabilities in social work education, and advocates to include social, political, and economic matters related to disability in the framework of social work education. The group manages an annual award that recognizes disability scholarship and has developed disability-focused curricular guidance and other resources. 

 

• Social Work Practice and Disability Communities: An Intersectional Anti-Oppressive Approach: This textbook “encourages practitioners to draw on intersectionality theory, the critical cultural competence framework and anti-oppressive practice approaches to contend with the concerns facing disabled people today. These issues include parenting, mass incarceration, ableism, aging, and employment, among others.” 

 

• Choosing Words for Talking About Disability: The American Psychological Association offers this reference page for guidance on talking about disability, highlighting that both person-first and identity-first language can be preferred. 

 

• “This Is What Disabled Looks Like:” The Sometimes Hard-To-See Line between Visible and Invisible Disabilities: This article by Zipporah Arielle (2019) discusses the false dichotomy between “visible” and “invisible” disabilities. 

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• APA Poll Finds Younger Workers Feel Stressed, Lonely, and Undervalued: A 2024 American Psychological Association poll found that "people with disabilities reported experiencing a lack of psychological safety at work at an alarming rate, which could be linked to the negative impacts of ableism or unequal access to opportunities due to bias.” The survey report also shares other disability-related results.
   

• Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin Signs Series of Bills Aimed at Improving Services for Developmentally Disabled: August 4, 2024: Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed 18 new bipartisan bills for Virginians with developmental disabilities to boost inclusivity and accessibility in field such as law enforcement, education, recreation, and "transitional services."
  

Join the NASW Virginia and Metro DC Disability Council (DisC) 

The NASW Virginia and Metro DC Disability Council (DisC) is a joint, member-led group to address topics relevant to both social workers who identify as disabled (a person with disabilities, neurodivergent, etc.) and to disability advocates within the social work profession and society.  

The group defines disability broadly, and all chapter members are welcome and encouraged to participate. Virtual meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at 5:15 p.m. ET.  
 

Examples of recent projects include the following:  

• speaking at the NASW Virginia and Metro DC chapters’ joint Annual Conference,  
   

• advocating for the state Board of Social Work to implement a policy around licensure accommodations, and  
   

• collaborating on a research article. 
   

NASW Virginia and Metro DC members can request to join DisC via this interest form. Any social workers who is not yet a member of NASW can learn more here about its many benefits--including council, special interest group, and section membership. 

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For NASW members in other states, the NASW Massachusetts Chapter and the NASW California Chapter also have disability-focused groups for their members.