How Open is the Meeting? Attending AA in a Wheelchair

Abstract

Nearly 2 million Canadians have a recognized disability, and of these, 200,000 have identified mobility issues. The rate of substance dependency among Canadians with ability issues is greater than the national average, but because of attitudinal, programming, and environmental barriers, this population accesses professional services at a lesser rate. The use of self-help resources by this group is unknown. A case study highlights the barriers faced by one individual in her attempt to attend her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting as a component of her social work education. The potential and importance for group work are discussed in the context of reaching out to this underserviced population to better engage them in their recovery process.

KEYWORDS:

• accessibility
• disability
• mobility
• self-help groups
• case study
• addiction
• Canada