Rand Alsaman
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Christopher Samp
Research Mentor School/College/Department: City of Detroit – Office of Disability Affairs / NonUM
Program:
Authors: Rand Alsaman, Christopher Samp, Jacqueline Thompson
Session: Session 5: 2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
Poster: 1
Abstract
A study was conducted to explore the struggles the disability community faces and its impact on their mental health. Past data shows that people with disabilities experience more mental distress compared to people without disabilities so researching this issue along with the resources available to them can help identify necessary changes that can be made to improve their quality of life. To explore this topic, I have interviewed three mental health professionals in the Detroit area who all have experience working with adults with disabilities. The interview contained seven questions regarding their own experiences working with their patients and the trends they have seen. My data concludes a significant barrier adults with disabilities seeking mental health treatment face is a lack of case managers. Case managers are crucial in supporting adults with disabilities so this shortage has been observed to have negative consequences on the disability community including causing delays in their progress and reducing their ability to live as independently as possible. The interviewees further discussed how a lack of transportation, good support system, and community integration, along with the limitations of Medicaid have played a role in their mental health. These results can open up possibilities for more research on the importance of case management as a resource and lead to solutions like creating incentives encouraging people to take on this field and stay in it. This data can additionally open up room for reviewing the programs put in place (such as Medicaid and transportation) as well as possibly creating projects that focus on building the disability community’s support starting with educating those without disabilities. Solving these barriers can help give those with disabilities the life they deserve by improving their overall health making these crucial problems worth solving.
