George & Flore Hamilton

The Disability Ministry’s goal is to assist churches in its efforts to comply with the North American Division (NAD) and Southern Union Conference Guidelines for People with Disabilities.  We support local churches as they minister to persons with mental or physically impaired by utilizing innovative programs and developing relationships.  The South Central Conference Disability Ministry is the advocate for people with disabilities in its five state conference.  A brief description of the seven (7) disability categories are provided below.

Mental or Psychiatric:
The most frequently occurring mental impairments are affective disorders (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders), personality disorders (obsessive compulsive disorder especially), schizophrenia and identity disorders. Personal psychiatric disorders sometimes interfere with a person’s ability to concentrate. This may be due to primary symptoms of fatigue, limited ability to focus and sustain attention, internal events such as disturbing or obsessive thoughts or side effects from medication.
 
Physical or Mobility:
There are many types of orthopedic or neuromuscular impairments that can impact mobility. These include but are not limited to amputation, paralysis, Cerebral Palsy, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Arthritis, Poliomyelitis, and spinal cord injury. Mobility impairments range from lower body impairments, which may require use of canes, walkers, or wheelchairs, to upper body impairments which may include limited or no use of the upper extremities and hands. 

Hearing:
"Communication" is the interchange of thoughts, ideas, feelings, and facts. Communication is constrained when the content of a message is not understood. People with hearing disabilities will use different ways to communicate by lip reading, hearing aids, sign language, or a combination of all of these.

Speech:
Speech impairment means it is difficult to use the body parts and muscles that make the motions or sounds needed for speech.  Language impairment is different from speech impairment. It is caused by damage to the brain that makes it difficult or even impossible to use or understand words.

Visual:
Only one percent of the total population is classified as visually impaired. These people have a severe vision problem that cannot be corrected with glassed. A visual impairment is the result of a functional loss of vision, rather than a disorder of the eye itself.  There are three (3) classifications of visual impairment which are partial, low vision and legally blind. A person with a visual impairment may use a sighted guide, a cane, or a guide dog. If you want to be of assistance, just ask and pay attention to the instructions given you. Remember that you do not need to try and become a "friend" to be of assistance, only "friendly".

Hidden:
The number of people in the workplace with disabilities, including hidden disabilities, has been rapidly increasing since the early 1990s. Hidden disabilities, for the purpose of this guide, include chronic health, and psychological disabilities. Explanations for the recent increase of hidden disabilities in the workplace are many. First, advances in knowledge and assessment practices in the medical, and psychological sciences have resulted in more diagnoses of hidden disabilities. In addition, due to increased awareness and acceptance of hidden disabilities, people who have struggled with chronic health problems, or psychological disorders all of their lives are being formally diagnosed with a disability.

Cognitive:
Like “Hidden Disabilities”, people with cognitive impairments may or may not show visible signs of their disability.  Explanations for the recent increase of this disability are many. First, advances in knowledge and assessment practices have resulted in more diagnoses of cognitive disabilities. In addition, due to increased awareness and acceptance, people who have struggled with cognitive tasks are being formally diagnosed with a disability.