Integrating disability justice principles into an affirming social work practice model

Presenter(s)

Elspeth Slayter, MSW, MA, PhD

Professor Emeritus
Salem State University
Lisa Johnson, MSW, PhD (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor
Salem State University
Andrea Murray-Lichtman, PhD, MSW, LCSW

Associate Dean of MSW Education Clinical Professor
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Alison B. Wetmur, DSW, LCSW, MSW (she/her/hers)

Visiting Lecturer
University of Kentucky
Esther Son, PhD, MSW

Associate Professor
College of Staten Island - City University of New York

The marginalization of disability communities remains a concern for practitioners who seek to respectfully engage with and support empowerment and affirmation of disabled people across practice areas. We present a new model for practitioners based on disability justice principles, intersectionality theory, the ‘critical cultural competence’ framework, and anti-oppressive practice approaches.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:

Understand how disability justice principles and critical theoretical perspectives can inform affirming social work practice
Apply elements of a practice model for social work with disability communities to exemplar cases that embraces intersectionality, ‘critical cultural competence’ and anti-oppressive practice
Identify elements of the practice model for use within one’s own professional social work context towards the goal of affirming disability communities