Stuck in a loop: Individual and system barriers for individuals with disabilities. Career Development Quarterly

fectiveness for job seekers with disabilities. This population frequently experiences employment barriers beyond those of able-bodied job seekers, including significantly lower self-esteem. Service providers need and want information about disability but do not know how to obtain it. Program staff and job seekers with disabilities get stuck in a loop wherein each questions their ability and neither feels empowered to make meaningful changes to improve outcomes. Career counselors may need to expand their role to be more culturally relevant for these clients. The ultimate goal for two of America’s national public assistance programs, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF; Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996) and the Workforce Invest-ment Act of 1998 (WIA), is that their clients become more self-sufficient through employment. Weinrach (2003) recommended that career counselors expand their role beyond traditional notions of career development to include providing culturally relevant support to clients of these major employment programs. For example, a career counselor working in a WIA workforce cente