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Disability looks different for every individual and family

Understanding Disability and Mental Health

Disability is more common than you may think. More than 1 in 4 Americans have a disability. Yet outdated stereotypes and misinformation about disability often lead to discrimination in employment, education, and healthcare.

How Understanding Mental Health and Disability Leads to Acceptance

The more we understand about disability and how it impacts every individual differently, the better we can support each other. Mental health is closely connected to disability, caregiving, and access to support, yet stigma still prevents many people from getting the care they need.

How Do I Know if I Need Mental Health Support?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or unsure where to start, you’re not alone. Mental health support is critical for disabled people and caregivers.

Our Mental Health Screening Tool is a free, confidential way to check in on how you’re feeling and explore next steps as a starting point, not a diagnosis. 

Mental health support looks different for every person

Try Our Free Mental Health Screening

Easterseals offers a free, accessible mental health screening tool to help individuals take the first step toward support.

Listen | Everything You Know about Disability is Wrong Podcast on Mental Health

Read | Community Stories and Personal Experiences on Mental Health

These blogs feature firsthand stories of navigating mental health and disability. 

Mental Health, Lived Experience

Mental health support looks different in different lives.

For veterans, service and transition experiences can deeply affect mental health and well‑being. Zac shares his story and why access to support matters. 

Caregiving and Mental Health

Understanding Autism & Neurodiversity

Mental health is closely connected to how we experience the world, including how we think, communicate, and process information.

One way to better understand this connection is by learning about the autism spectrum. Autism is a common developmental disability, and autistic people experience mental health and well‑being in unique, individual ways. 

Dani Bowman from Netflix's "Love on the Spectrum" partnered with Easterseals to help show what “the spectrum” really means!

Dani Bowman proudly holding her Emmy award. She has fuchsia hair and glasses.

Listen to Dani Bowman Talk About Autism Acceptance

On our podcast, "Everything You Know About Disability is Wrong," Autistic animator Dani Bowman discusses autism acceptance, neurodiversity, self-advocacy, and creating career pathways through DaniMation Entertainment, plus her experience on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum.

Discover New Perspectives: Learn from Autistic People

The best path to understanding is learning from autistic people's experiences. Explore our collection of blogs and podcast episodes featuring autistic creators, leaders, authors, and professionals. 

Shoshana wearing a hat

If one only sees the world through their own place in society and their own observations, they might understand something on a cerebral level but never truly connect with what they’ve learned.

— Shoshana Kessock

Want More? Know the Facts About Disability!

Misinformation can lead to discrimination in all areas of life, including education and employment. For example, when there’s an assumption that an autistic person can’t perform at the same level as someone who is not autistic, there are fewer employment opportunities available.

Join our Know the Facts campaign to support disability services!