title: Using the Americans with Disabilities Act to the advantage of persons with severe and persistent mental illness: what rehabilitation counselors need to know.
abstract: This article explains central constructs and definitions underlying the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and discusses their implications for persons with severe and persistent mental illness, as well as for rehabilitation counselors working with this population. Focus is placed upon Title I of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination in employment. The article provides a brief review of legislative history relevant to the integration of people with mental illness into public life. It proceeds with a discussion of definitions under Title I of the ADA. Considerations in applying the ADA to assist persons with severe and persistent mental illness in employment are addressed throughout and are discussed in detail in the final section of the article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology and Rehabilitation Services, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-3110, USA. lmc11@psu.edu
authors.forename: Liza M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Conyers
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahrens
mesh_terms: D004651:Employment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D014481:United States; D014830:Vocational Guidance