DISABILITY IS NATURAL!

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The Disability Business

A plethora of government-funded services are offered to people with disabilities and their families. Just thinking about the word—services—warms the cockles of many hearts. Recipients of services are often grateful for the help they receive; providers of services may be proud of their efforts to help others. This, however, is a view from afar. Up close, things may look differently.

While presenting at conferences across the country, I have the pleasure of learning from many different people (including people who have been labeled, their families, and people who provide services). I’m chilled by many of the stories I hear which demonstrate a frightening state of affairs: services represent more than benevolent help or legal entitlements. Human services for people with disabilities represent Big (Disability) Business!


Monica has worked for a discount store for three years and still has a full-time, one-on-one job coach, who is employed by a human services agency. Why, after three apparently successful years on the job, does Monica still have a job coach?​ Click here to continue.

Don’t make

other people dependent

on you.

Ed Roberts