Podcast by and for Native Americans shines light on disability, mental health

LAWRENCE—Miranda Carman could not obtain a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder for her son until he was past his fourth birthday. After years of waiting, she hoped her son’s diagnosis would finally open the door to intervention services.

But Carman, a Muscogee Creek Nation citizen and licensed clinical social worker, soon learned that there was only a single applied behavioral services provider available in her area of Oklahoma, and her insurance would not cover her son’s treatment. To access care, Carman left her job to work for the U.S. Indian Health Service, which offered insurance that would cover her son’s therapy.

It’s sharing stories such as this one that are the foundation of Black Feathers, a new podcast with ties to University of Kansas research that provides a platform for discussions on disability within Tribal Nations...