Media Contact: Karen Addis, APR, karen@addispr.com , 301-787-2394
Alexandria, Va. (August 6, 2025) — People with disabilities often struggle to find licensed professional counselors who have the training needed to help them navigate their unique challenges and circumstances. Black people with disabilties — whose conditions are compounded by race and other intersecting identities — often struggle to an even greater degree.
In a newly released special issue of the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development , a journal of the American Counseling Association (ACA), counseling researchers focus on what professional counselors can do to more effectively serve the counseling needs of African Americans with disabilities.
In an introduction to the special issue, guest editor and rehabilitation counseling scholar Keith B. Wilson, PhD, of the University of Kentucky in Lexington emphasizes the importance of solutions and culturally responsive services and interventions and notes the need for further advocacy and research to improve outcomes for Black people with disabilities.
Articles in the special issue highlight the strengths, dignity and humanity of African Americans while exploring innovative solutions in rehabilitation counseling and vocational rehabilitation services — a specialized type of counseling and career services that focus on individuals with disabilities — including employment and job training, that effectively address the needs of Black clients. A sampling of articles include the following:
“This special issue is significant in our field because rarely, if at all, do counselor education publications address the unique experiences of clients, particularly adults, with disabilities, and virtually none address the impact of race and/or Blackness in the lives and services received by African American men, women and children with disabilities,” said Carla Adkison-Johnson, PhD, the journal’s editor-in-chief and professor emeritus at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.
“This special issue showcases innovative thinking and research in rehabilitation counseling, offering important insights into current thought and practice regarding the counseling needs of Black Americans with disabilities,” added Adkison-Johnson.
Click here to view the special issue.
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with members of the research teams, please contact Karen Addis at karen@addispr.com or news@counseling.org .
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About the American Counseling Association
Founded in 1952, the American Counseling Association (ACA) is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. ACA represents more than 60,000 members and is the world’s largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings. Driven by the belief that all people can benefit from the power of counseling, ACA’s mission is to promote the professional development of counselors, advocate for counselors, and ensure that ethical, culturally inclusive practices protect our members’ clients and all people who seek counseling services. For more information, visit the ACA website and follow them on Facebook , LinkedIn , Instagram and YouTube .
Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development
Data/statistical analysis
People
Special Issue: Black Americans With Disabilities: A Focus on Solutions and Culturally Responsive Services and Interventions
1-Jul-2025