Scott Lindbloom: Advocate and Champion of the Rural Arizona Disability Community
Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the nation. This sprawling metropolis serves as home to the state capitol, corporate headquarters for multiple companies, not to mention an international airport, and is also the primary destination for large advocacy and community organizations representing the interests of countless groups. For rural Arizona, pockets of population tucked between hills, forests and fields are represented and services are delivered by local providers and individual advocates with just as much fervor as the organizations rooted in central Phoenix. One such advocate, Scott Lindbloom, works tirelessly to support the disability community in Show Low and the surrounding region.
Having come a long way from Nebraska where he served on the Developmental Disability Advisory Committee for 14 years, Lindbloom moved to Arizona in 2014 to broaden his role as a champion of the disability community. Unable to work, he decide to dedicate his available time in the service of others, most prominently, individuals with disabilities. His service takes many forms, but the bulk of his work is invested in several councils of which he is a member, including:
- Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
- Statewide Independent Living Council
- Disability Coalition for Navajo County
- Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Council
- Arizona Disability Law Council
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Advisory Council
- Developmental Disability Advisory Committee – District One
Lindbloom also volunteers with the City of Show Low Parks and Recreation Department, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Department of Economic Security (DES).
When asked about the driving force behind his involvement with these different groups, Lindboom said, “the driving force is self-advocacy, speaking up for yourself and what you need in your community.”
Independent living for individuals with disabilities is a top priority for Lindbloom. He tirelessly works to ensure members of the rural community have access to transportation, skills training and employment opportunities. Last month, he flew to the nation’s capital where he was honored with an award for self-advocacy and leadership, as well as his work on the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. He returned to Washington, D.C., later that month to represent the Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council at the national conference, speaking on behalf of the Council’s work in the service of individuals with disability and the promotion of equality, inclusion and choice.
At DES, Lindbloom is currently volunteering with the RSA, which provides a myriad of services for individuals with disabilities to prepare for, gain and retain meaningful work. For ten months, Lindbloom has assisted the RSA office in Show Low by preparing outreach materials about programs for high schools, behavioral health clinics and nearby tribal reservations.
“He will do anything to help somebody,” said Theresa Bukowski, Lindbloom’s supervisor. “That is his joy in life, helping other people be as independent as they can.” Bukowski also described how Lindbloom is working to establish an independent living center in Show Low, similar to the facilities in Metro Phoenix and Tuba City.
Lindbloom is truly a champion of the disability community, helping other members become champions themselves. With his work on the Councils as well as with RSA, he is working hard to ensure individuals in a rural community have as much support and access to resources as do those in the Valley.
By Brett Bezio