부산대학교 도서관

Rehabilitation counselors are gatekeepers to services in the state/federal vocational rehabilitation agency. Further, it is safe to state that the majority of these counselors are white, non-Hispanic Americans. Juxtaposed with these twin realities is the growing number of Hispanic/Latino Americans with disabilities, the greatest number of whom are of Mexican origin. Therefore, it becomes necessary for rehabilitation counselors to examine the concepts, history, and results of white privilege. In rehabilitation, white privilege may affect the higher rates of disabilities experienced by Mexican Americans and the fact that once Mexican Americans acquire these disabilities, they experience more secondary conditions and complications (than white, non-Hispanics). Acceptance for services in the state/federal VR system can be influenced by white privilege. Once accepted for services, white privilege can create distance and a power differential between the rehabilitation counselor and the Mexican American client. In addition, biases and inaccurate (and unconscious) perceptions of the counselor may lead to inaccurate assessments and underestimation of the Mexican American client's potential for rehabilitation. Practice recommendations which empower the Mexican American client are presented.