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Utilizing Indigenous Volunteers and Paraprofessionals for Disability Advocacy and Service in Rural America

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Disability and Vocational Rehabilitation in Rural Settings

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Abstract

There are disproportionately more people with disabilities in rural and frontier areas of the United States. Newly released data on disability in America show that the prevalence of impairments leading to disability is significantly higher in nonmetropolitan counties than in metropolitan counties. The numbers indicate that while approximately 13.4% of urban population have disabilities, the rate of disability in rural areas amounts to 16.5% of the population (Mattingly, & Stransky, (2009). Rural America and the South have the highest percent of veterans with service-related disabilities. Carsey Institute. Retrieved from http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publications/FS-Mattingly-Military-Disabilities-2009.pdf , RTC Rural. (2014). Map facts: Disability in Rural America. Retrieved from http://rtc.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/_rtcBlog/wp-content/uploads/MapFacts.pdf ). Due to distance from state vocational rehabilitation (VR) offices which are typically located in urban or suburban areas, lack of public transportation services to urban areas, and challenging road and weather conditions, rural people with disabilities do not have the same access to VR services as their metropolitan counterparts. In the same token, rehabilitation counselors are unable to reach or adequately serve rural people with disabilities. Utilization of rural-based volunteers and paraprofessionals is a potentially viable approach to closing the service gap. Those nonprofessionals, indigenous to the rural culture and climate, may be well situated to provide VR services, support, and advocacy for people with disabilities in rural America who are currently significantly underserved.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Collin College, ACCESS Center for Disability Services, Plano, TX, USA

    Benson Kinyanjui

  2. Department of Early Childhood, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Debra A. Harley

Authors
  1. Benson Kinyanjui
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  2. Debra A. Harley
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benson Kinyanjui .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Early Childhood, Special, Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

    Debra A. Harley

  2. College of Health and Human Services, Rehabilitation Services and Rehabilitation Counseling, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USA

    Noel A. Ysasi

  3. Department of Early Childhood, Special, Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

    Malachy L. Bishop

  4. Pennsylvania State University, Rehabilitation and Human Services, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

    Allison R. Fleming

Learning Exercises

Learning Exercises

Self-Check Questions

  1. 1.

    What are advantages of using paraprofessionals and indigenous volunteers in rural, frontier, and territory communities to provide rehabilitation counseling services to people with disabilities?

  2. 2.

    How early were paraprofessionals used in the United States? In which discipline?

  3. 3.

    How have paraprofessionals been used in various parts of the world?

Experiential Exercises

  1. 1.

    Interview a rehabilitation counselor, regional supervisor, or executive director to assess their attitudes and perceptions about using paraprofessional and indigenous volunteers in rural areas to assist in provision of services to people with disabilities.

  2. 2.

    Develop a plan to recruit paraprofessional and indigenous volunteers in a rural, frontier, or territory area.

  3. 3.

    Develop a code of conduct for paraprofessionals and indigenous volunteers.

Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. 1.

    What is the primary reason for utilizing volunteers and paraprofessionals in vocation rehabilitation services in rural area?

    1. (a)

      To save money

    2. (b)

      To serve underserved people with disabilities

    3. (c)

      To obtain interpreter services

    4. (d)

      To provide transportation to clients

  2. 2.

    Which of the following will proper orientation and training allow volunteers and paraprofessionals to perform?

    1. (a)

      All VR counselor case management duties

    2. (b)

      To understand what VR counselors do

    3. (c)

      To handle all cases with caution

    4. (d)

      To reduce the chances of ethical mistakes

  3. 3.

    Which of the following is the most important step in the process of enlisting volunteers and paraprofessionals?

    1. (a)

      Screening

    2. (b)

      Introduction to client

    3. (c)

      Orientation

    4. (d)

      Meeting the supervisor

  4. 4.

    Which of the following is an advantage of utilizing volunteers and paraprofessionals?

    1. (a)

      Know more about the client’s disability

    2. (b)

      More likely to be accepted by the client

    3. (c)

      More likely to be related to the client

    4. (d)

      Can easily travel between the counselor and client

  5. 5.

    Which of the following is the most important reason for considering utilizing nonprofessional volunteers and paraprofessionals?

    1. (a)

      Eventually will replace the VR counselor

    2. (b)

      Bridge the gap between VR counselor and the client

    3. (c)

      Ensure the client is kept busy with vocational activities

    4. (d)

      All of the above

  6. 6.

    Which of the following became a disincentive to employ paraprofessionals in rehabilitation counseling?

    1. (a)

      Economic recovery

    2. (b)

      RCs felt threatened

    3. (c)

      Career ladder procedures

    4. (d)

      All of the above

    5. (e)

      None of the above

  7. 7.

    Which of the following is the definition of paraprofessionals?

    1. (a)

      People who work in a profession in which they have received formal training

    2. (b)

      People who perform emergency duties for a professional organization

    3. (c)

      People who work in a profession in which they have not received training

    4. (d)

      People who work in a profession in which they have not been tested

  8. 8.

    The existence of paraprofessionals and indigenous volunteers is considered which of the following of rural communities?

    1. (a)

      A weakness

    2. (b)

      A challenge

    3. (c)

      A strength

    4. (d)

      A deficit

  9. 9.

    According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, which of the following pertains to volunteers?

    1. (a)

      Are not covered by worker’s compensation

    2. (b)

      Are covered by worker’s compensation

    3. (c)

      Are not covered by a code of ethics

    4. (d)

      Are covered by insurance provided by the organization

  10. 10.

    Which of the following is recommended to prevent legal problems when hiring a volunteer?

    1. (a)

      Always Skype the applicant

    2. (b)

      Have a written application

    3. (c)

      Inquire of local residents

    4. (d)

      Keep a copy of driver’s license on file

Key

  1. 1.

    B

  2. 2.

    D

  3. 3.

    A

  4. 4.

    B

  5. 5.

    B

  6. 6.

    D

  7. 7.

    C

  8. 8.

    C

  9. 9.

    A

  10. 10.

    B

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Kinyanjui, B., Harley, D.A. (2018). Utilizing Indigenous Volunteers and Paraprofessionals for Disability Advocacy and Service in Rural America. In: Harley, D., Ysasi, N., Bishop, M., Fleming, A. (eds) Disability and Vocational Rehabilitation in Rural Settings. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64786-9_37

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64786-9_37

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-64786-9

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