Disability Resources: Home

According to the legal definition set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.
However, this definition doesn’t really offer a full picture of disability. It’s important to recognize the diversity of disability. Disabilities can be visible or invisible, something a person is born with or acquired at any point in life. Many people simply envision a wheelchair when thinking about disability, but there are so many types of disabilities beyond mobility disabilities. When we talk about disability, we must remember that this includes, but is in no way limited to, mental health disabilities, chronic illnesses, intellectual disabilities, and hearing and vision disabilities. (Source: Disability & Philanthropy Forum)

This Facts for Features provides a demographic snapshot of the U.S. population with a disability and examines various services available to them. The statistics come from various U.S. Census Bureau censuses and surveys, covering different periods of time.

Approximately 786,000 Kentuckians, 17.9% of the state population, live with a disability. This is the second highest rate in the country. (Source: United States Census Bureau)

1 in 4 adults live with a disability in the United States; that's 61 million people. (Source: CDC)

About 15% of the world's population live with a disability. This includes about 93 million children and 720 million adults with significant difficulties in functioning. (Source: World Health Organization)

At completion, Disability in the Modern World will include 150,000 pages of primary sources, supporting materials, and archives, along with 125 hours of video. The content is essential for teaching and research—not only in the growing disciplines of disability history and disability studies, but also in history, media, the arts, political science, education, and other areas where the contributions of the disability community are typically overlooked.

Disability Services is here to help students with disabilities have equal access to all areas of an Ashland Community & Technical College education. Our services are based on individual needs. Click the link for more information.

Many of these organizations work to address the unique needs associated with different disabilities, including but not limited to physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, and mental illness. Others focus on issues such as access to housing and legal assistance based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The focus of this directory is to provide a searchable database of available resources, and to provide contact information to apply for resources and/or locate additional information.

This office exists to help Kentuckians with disabilities achieve suitable employment and independence. Whatever your disability, we work with you on an individual basis to assist you in reaching your goals. It all starts with a one-on-one meeting with you to determine whether you are eligible for our services.

Disability Determination Services makes disability determinations on behalf of the commissioner of Social Security for residents of Kentucky. The program uses federal regulations to determine disability for both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). The program also adheres to federal regulations for performance accuracy and processing time standards.

Many people with disabilities fear that if they go to work, they'll lose needed health care and other disability benefits. DB101 helps people with disabilities and service providers understand the connections between work and benefits. DB101 will help you make informed choices and show you how you can make work part of your plan.

A STABLE Account is an investment account available to eligible individuals with disabilities. STABLE Accounts are made possible by the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience (“ABLE”) Act. STABLE Accounts allow individuals with disabilities to save and invest money without losing eligibility for certain public benefits programs, like Medicaid or SSI. Earnings in your STABLE Account are not subject to federal income taxes, so long as you spend them on “Qualified Disability Expenses”

Information from the Kentucky Department of Education.

Articles, law and regulations, and tips about how to get quality services in an IEP. Learn how to use tactics and strategies to negotiate with the school. This page includes IEP cases, recommended books, and free publications about IEPs.

Articles, questions and answers, case law, 504 plans, accommodations, and modifications, and more.

Explore options for post secondary education and employment at Kentucky Works. Includes information about transitioning from high school to college and programs for students with disabilities.

This page contains information and resources which may prove helpful as districts and parents work together to develop meaningful transition plans for students with severe disabilities.

Think College is a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disability. Think College creates and curates a variety of resources on topics related to postsecondary education for people with intellectual disability.