Anatomy of Change: The Need for Effective Disability Policy Change Agents

Silverstein R. Anatomy of change: the need for effective disability policy change agents. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2010;91:173-7. The 2009 Coulter Lecture highlights the need for effective disability policy change agents to advocate for health care policy and research that focuses on optimizing the health and function of individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions not only on their full restoration/cure. The lecture describes the "grotesque" historical treatment of persons with disabilities under the old policy framework, the treatment of people with disabilities under the new/emerging disability policy framework, and the critical role played by coalitions in bringing about progressive, sustainable change on behalf of individuals with disabilities.