Genera�ng Systems Change for Asian Americans with Disabili�esthrough Voca�onal Rehabilita�on in Illinois

Proposal Iden�fica�on Number : 322-p

Co-Presenter(s) and Co-Authors : Samuel B. Kim, MPH�, Alireza Karduni, MUPP�, and Rooshey Hasnain,EdD�Co-Authors only : John Capua�, Ashmeet Oberoi,PhD�, and Fredrik Langi�

Co-Partners : Francisco Alvarado, MD,MS�, Jamie Taradash�, and Jing Zhang, PhD�

�University of Illinois at Chicago and ADOPT, Chicago, IL, USA�Department of Human Services - Division of Rehabilita�on Services, Chicago, IL, USA�Chinese Mutual Aid Associa�on, Chicago, IL, USA�Asian Human Services, Chicago, IL, USA

Illinois Department of Human ServicesASIAN SERVICES HUMAN

Asians Americans with Disabili�es (AAWD):A Diverse and Underserved Community

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. They comprise 5.25% of the overall popula�on, and 5.8% of them live in the greater Chicago area, many of whom (approximately 15%) have disabili�es (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).

Li�le research has been done on the needs and capaci�es of AAWDs and employment from a VR perspec�ve. Even less is known of the numbers of AAWDs and the impact their disabili�es have on their immigra�on experience.

To address these issues, ADOPT has partnered with over 50 local mul�-cultural agencies, minority businesses, and key city-based stakeholders to create a unique outreach framework.

ADOPT is an outreach project that is based in communi�es, collabora�ve, and informed by research. Its mission is to connect working-age Asians, immigrants, and refugees who have disabili�es to culturally and linguis�cally appropriate VR supports and services so that they can gain access to gainful employment.

Barriers to VR and Employment

Recent demographic reports indicate that Asian Americans with disabili�es (AAWDs) in Illinois are increasing in number and diversity, thus posing new cultural and language challenges for the state VR system.

There is alarming evidence that AAWDs do not use public services and supports effec�vely, especially VR services.

Compared to other ethnic and racial minori�es with disabili�es, AAWDs are underrepresented in the public and federal VR system.

Methods for Iden�fying Effec�ve Strategies for Outreach

Illinois Employment/VR Disparity

In Illinois in June 2012, only 33.2% of working-age people with disabili�es were working, while 76.7% of non-disabled adults were employed.

Impact of Geographic Informa�on Systems (GIS ) Mapping

Ethnic/Racial VR Trends Analysis

Percent of Last Case Visits Among Total Asians

Percent of Last Case Visits for AsianPer Year in Total Popula�on

A Success Story For 18 years, a Bhutanese refugee with a significant hearing impairment lived in

a refugee camp in Nepal. In August of 2009, she rese�led in Chicago with her brothers. ADOPT connected with her, discovering that she was not aware of DRS or of the op�on of working in this country.

Through ADOPT's outreach efforts, she was connected to a VR office and counselor who worked with her, her family, and a community agency. As a result, a major hotel gave her a job-training evalua�on, and she is now looking for a job and learning about transporta�on op�ons with the help of ADOPT and an Asian-oriented job-placement agency.

Percent of Last Case Visits Among Each Race Total

These charts show the breakdown of ethnic/racial characteris�cs and the increase in new VR clients from diverse cultural and linguis�c backgrounds from 2004 to 2012. ADOPT's outreach efforts have resulted in an overall increase across all ethnic and racial groups, including Asians.

Aim

A detailed literature review was conducted on outreach strategies and models to improve VR access.

We developed an outreach framework comprised of 10 broad based approaches that individually and collec�vely improve access to VR services and employment.

This framework helps us to bridge the gap between Asian American communi�es and the state VR system through process-oriented outreach ac�vi�es, strategies, and capacity-building.

0.99%

Geographic informa�on system ( G I S ) maps he lp to h igh l ight the ethn ic , rac ia l , and language d ivers i ty o f var ious ne ighborhoods in Ch icago

Illinois

New Office

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

Persian:

Gujarati:

Hindi:

Urdu:

Other Indic languages:

Chinese:

Japanese:

Korean:

Mon-Khmer, Cambodian:

Hmong:

Thai:

Laotian:

Vietnamese:

Other Asian languages:

Tagalog:

Other Pacific Island languages:

Arabic:

Chicago city, Illinois % LEP Cook County, Illinois % LEP Illinois % LEP

Race/Ethnicity Percent

American Indian/Alaskan Native 0.2

Asian 0.99

Black/African American 30.64

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.12

Hispanic/Latino 7.72

Multiracial 1.51

White 58.83

Percent of Asian Speakers who are Limited in English Proficiency

Only 0.99% of AAWDs are served by the state VR system. These numbers are alarmingly low, given that as many as about 4% of working-age Asians in Illinois have disabili�es (ACS, 2012).

Building Community Collabora�on and

Partnerships

Strengthening Language and

Linguis�c Capaci�es

Ethnic Media Outreach

Data Collec�on, Research, and

Evalua�on

Promo�ng Advocacy/

Empowerment

Incorporate Cultural and Linguis�c Service

Delivery

Develop Grassroots Leadership

Mobilize Coali�ons and

Task Forces

Recruitment and Workforce Diversity

Cultural Brokering Training/

Professional Development

Disability-Friendly EmployersWithin Chicago Neighborhoods

English Proficiency of Asian LanguageSpeakers within Chicago Neighborhoods