Implications of a Disability Justice Model for Diversity Training in Professional Psychology (1 CE)
Presenters: Megan Carlos, Ph.D., Erin Liebich, Psy.D., Alette Coble-Temple, Psy.D.
While individuals with disabilities constitute the largest minority group in the United States (US Department of Labor, 2018), many authors have documented that disability issues are underemphasized within diversity training in clinical psychology programs (Artman & Daniels, 2010; Khubchandani, 2016; Olkin, 1999; 2002). A recent survey of student experiences of multicultural training conducted by Gregson et al. (2019) suggested that students in clinical psychology programs would like to see an increase scope in discussions of diversity beyond race and ethnicity. We argue appreciating the intersectionality of systems of oppression (e.g., racism, ableism, sexism) should be an integral part of any diversity training within clinical psychology. The disability justice movement, which has been conceptualized as a second wave within the disability rights movement, contends ableism and able-bodied supremacy within American culture has allowed for the development of other systems of oppression, including white supremacy (Berne, 2020; Lewis, 2020). Essentially, ableism is a system of oppression that dictates the value of some types of human bodies over others. In light of the racial pandemic within the United States, defining ableism and calling out its role in promoting white supremacy and other types of systematic oppression should be an essential component of diversity training. The purpose of this CE presentation is to review the major tenants of a disability justice perspective and to describe how these tenets can be utilized in diversity training within clinical psychology programs. This presentation will begin by discussing the history of the disability rights movement in the United States. Next, the proposed presentation will describe the emergence of the disability justice movement, and the major tenets of this movement. Interaction between ableism, white supremacy, and other systems of oppression will be described. Discussion will also highlight how these principles impact the field of psychology. Suggestions for integrating tenets of the disability justice movement into diversity training will be discussed.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
1. Articulate the major tenets of a disability justice perspective and the importance of their inclusion in diversity coursework.
2. Examine ableism within the context of education, training, and practice and identify ways to facilitate non-ableist training models.
3. Describe the interaction between ableism, white supremacy, and other forms of oppression and their impact on the experiences of students, clients, and society.
4. Identify ways to infuse the disability justice model into diversity training and approaches to education, clinical training, and practice.