Why do we treat disability like it’s unexpected?
One in four Americans lives with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), yet most systems—from health care to disaster response—still act surprised. The real crisis isn’t the disability itself. It’s the lack of support, access, and infrastructure.
In this blog, we will share how support—not ability—determines outcomes, what the current gaps say about our values, and what real change looks like when it begins with inclusionThe practice of creating environments in which any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, res..., not reaction.
The Emergency Is the System, Not the Person
Think about the last time a crisis made headlines. Maybe it was a flood, a heat wave, or another public healthThe science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities, focusing on prev... scare. Now ask yourself: were disabled people included in the response plans? Were shelters equipped with accessible bathrooms? Did public alerts offer ASL translations or screen reader-compatible formats?
Usually, the answer is no.
The gaps are not new. The pandemic exposed them in brutal detail. People with chronic illnesses struggled to access care. High-risk individuals were told to “stay home” while the world moved on. Students with learning differences were left behind by online platforms that weren’t built to accommodate them. This wasn’t caused by their disabilities—it was caused by the systems around them not being ready.
And readiness is everything.
That’s why the people best equipped to support disabled individuals are often the ones trained to see the full picture. Most affordable online counseling degrees offer more than just therapy techniques. They provide training in advocacyThe act of arguing in favor of, supporting, or defending the rights and interests of individuals or ..., accessibilityThe design of products, devices, services, or environments to be usable by people with disabilities.... planning, trauma-informed care, and cultural humility. These programs also teach future counselors how to identify the difference between a personal challenge and a structural one—and how to respond accordingly.
This kind of education helps fill the massive service gaps that leave so many disabled people isolated, misdiagnosed, or simply ignored. And because these programs are online and affordable, they make it easier for people from diverse backgrounds to join the mental health field. That’s critical, especially when trust, representationThe way people with disabilities are depicted in media, culture, and politics, often influencing pub..., and lived experience play such big roles in the effectiveness of care.
The Burden of Constant Adaptation
There’s a dangerous narrative that disabled people are “inspirational” for simply getting through the day. It’s often said with kindness, but it hides the truth: it’s not the disability that’s hard. It’s doing everything with one hand tied behind your back because nothing was built with you in mind.
Public buildings still fail basic ADA checks. Public transportation often leaves wheelchair users stranded. Deaf individuals are still expected to bring their own interpreter to appointments. These aren’t one-offs. They’re patterns.
The emotional weight of navigating these constant barriers is rarely acknowledged. People are forced to become their own advocates, tech support, translators, and crisis managers—just to survive. And they’re expected to do it all with a smile.
When burnout follows, we act surprised.
Support doesn’t mean doing everything for someone. It means creating systems that don’t force people to constantly fight for the bare minimum. It means including disabled voices in planning, funding accessible mental health servicesProfessional services that support individuals in managing mental health conditions, such as therapy..., and making sure that help is more than a hotline or an empty promise.
Inclusion Is Not a Special Request
You don’t need to be a policymaker to make things better. Schools, workplaces, and communities all play a role. The problem is, too many still treat inclusion as something extra. It’s a special accommodationAdjustments or modifications provided to individuals with disabilities to ensure equal access and pa.... A case-by-case exception. A last-minute fix.
But disability is a normal part of human life. It doesn’t need to be hidden or minimized to make others comfortable. It needs to be expected and planned for—just like stairs, doors, and bathrooms.
Start by asking better questions. Does your school curriculum include disability history? Do your event spaces have quiet rooms or ramps? Can your workplace meetings be joined by people who need captions or screen readers?
If the answer is no, it’s not because it’s too hard. It’s because it hasn’t mattered enough.
And that’s the real emergency.
Representation Isn’t Optional
Many decisions affecting disabled communities are still made without them. Leadership teams, boards, advisory groups—they often lack any lived experience with disability. And that shows. You can’t fix what you don’t understand.
When disabled people are in the room from the start, solutions actually work. Technology becomes more intuitive. Policies reflect reality. Care systems prioritize dignity, not just efficiency.
It’s not just about checking a box. It’s about perspective. Someone who’s navigated broken elevators or been denied accessible housing is going to catch things a non-disabled planner won’t. That kind of insight isn’t a bonus—it’s essential.
We Don’t Need More Awareness. We Need Accountability.
By now, most people know what the ADA is. They’ve heard the word “accessibility.” They’ve seen the hashtags, shared the social media posts, and maybe even attended a workshop or two. But awareness alone doesn’t change lives. It doesn’t lower a curb that’s still too high. It doesn’t fix a building with no elevator. It doesn’t give someone the tools they need to participate fully in school, work, or everyday life.
That’s the problem. We’ve been talking about disability rightsThe legal and human rights afforded to individuals with disabilities, often the focus of advocacy an... for decades, but real change happens when awareness turns into action. If your office is still inaccessible, if your website doesn’t work with a screen readerSoftware that reads aloud the text on a computer screen, used by individuals who are blind or visual..., if your emergency plan assumes everyone can walk, speak, and hear without assistance—then you’re still reinforcing the same barriers, just with better vocabulary.
Accountability means going beyond legal compliance. It means treating access like safety: something you maintain every day, not something you check off once. It requires consistent effort and the humility to admit when something isn’t working. It means asking—not assuming—what people need, and responding without defensiveness or delay.
You don’t get credit for caring if nothing changes. Performative inclusion doesn’t create real access. What does? Budgets that fund accommodationsModifications or adjustments in healthcare settings to support patients with disabilities.. Policies that center lived experience. Buildings designed from the start to welcome everyone.
The Future Depends on What We Normalize
Disability is not a tragic exception. It’s a part of human life that touches every family, every community, every industry. The sooner we stop seeing it as something “other,” the sooner we can design a world where it’s just another way of being.
We already know what works. Accessible public transit. Affordable mental health care. Disability-led design. Peer supportA system where individuals with disabilities provide support and share experiences to help each othe... programs. Flexible education models. The tools are there—we just need the will to use them.
The real emergency is pretending we didn’t see this coming.
