The Biden administration Thursday announced a plan designed to build support for Black disabled Americans. To develop the plan, the administration looked at several factors, including disparities in the workplace, healthcare, schools, and within the home. The plan outlines thirteen steps the administration plans to take to mitigate disparities in government and institutional resources for disabled and elderly Black Americans.

In the workplace, the administration will focus on apprenticeships and the role they play in career development for disabled Black Americans. Specifically, the administration cited the Department of Labor’s initiative to understand the relationships between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their need for apprenticeships.

The administration also vowed to understand the role of disabled Black workers in the economy and expand opportunities for those individuals’ growth. The administration aims to design policies and programs that improve disabled Black workers’ experiences in the workplace.

Listed in the plan regarding healthcare is an improvement of kidney impairment measurement. According to the plan, Black Americans make up approximately 35% of kidney patients, yet up until 2022, the Social Security Administration has used a diagnostic tool that often misdiagnosed kidney impairment as less severe for Black American patients. The Biden administration reported that this policy reform will improve the experiences and livelihood of Black Americans with kidney impairments.

Regarding the educational system, the administration found that Black students comprise only 17.7 percent of students with disabilities who are served by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Conversely, they represent a disproportionate amount of public school suspensions and expulsions. The administration cited two guidance documents from the Department of Education regarding discipline and discriminatory discipline that will be used to address the use of school discipline on Black disabled students.

Among the other steps the Biden administration listed in its plan to support disabled Black Americans are supporting the families of disabled Black children, enforcing the integration of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and combating housing discrimination against Black disabled Americans.