Most can take their kids out to do just about anything, but who do you call when you have a kid in a wheelchair or a kid who might scratch or hit the driver? You can’t simply call an Uber.”

IRIS ORTIZ 

Getting a haircut is simple — for most. The steps are as follows: schedule an appointment, go to the salon, get the cut, and pay the tip. But for some, particularly those with disabilities or those who care for children with disabilities, even routine tasks like getting a haircut, going to the dentist, or simply leaving the house can feel impossible. 

Pat Rose of East Providence, the mother of 36-year-old Rachel, recently encountered this challenge when her daughter’s hairstylist retired. Rachel uses a wheelchair, and her stylist’s location had a ramp that made it accessible for her. However, after the stylist retired, Pat found herself searching for alternatives. Fortunately, after scrolling through Facebook, she discovered The Sensory Stylist — a relatively new business offering haircuts at home. 

While mobile services are not new — especially since the pandemic, which has increased the use of delivery services for groceries, medicine, and even Telehealth — there is still a gap in accessible services for people who struggle to reach traditional salons. 

Kristin Schober, owner of The Sensory Stylist, was motivated by the need she saw for people with disabilities to access haircuts without facing significant barriers. However, Schober recently learned that in Rhode Island, it is illegal for her to offer haircuts at home to individuals with disabilities — except for those deemed “homebound” by a licensed medical professional.

What is permitted by law are services for “special occasion” events like proms, weddings, and bar mitzvahs, where only hair styling — not full haircuts — can be provided. 

Joseph Wendelken, a public information officer, clarified the definition of “homebound,” explaining, “ ‘Homebound’ is defined as any person who is considered housebound for the purpose of federal Medicare eligibility.” Wendelken also explained the law’s restrictions: “A special occasion event, such as a wedding or prom, so long as those services are limited to hair styling and makeup, and the health and sanitation standards expected of licensees in licensed shops are followed.” 

This legal limitation has left Schober frustrated, as it prevents her from fully meeting the needs of the people who would benefit most from her services. Rose, whose daughter Rachel recently received her first home haircut from Schober, shared the challenges she faces in taking Rachel to a salon. Aside from needing a wheelchair-accessible ramp, Rose also finds it increasingly difficult to maneuver Rachel’s wheelchair as she ages. 

Small businesses try to fill the need

Rachel was a healthy child until she contracted a virus at age seven. The virus left her permanently disabled, and although she can no longer speak, she communicates in her own way. Rose, who is Rachel’s full-time caregiver, is highly attuned to her daughter's needs. “Rachel is aware of things; you can see it in her face — that she knows what is happening around her,” Rose said. 

When Schober gave Rachel her first haircut, Rose could tell that Rachel was content. “She didn’t move the whole time!” Rose exclaimed. “Typically, when Rachel gets upset, she bobs her head around, but she was completely still, just calm and happy as she cut her hair in the comfort of our home,” she went on to say. Rose said, “I would take any service possible that allows me to avoid leaving home.”

The need for accessible at-home services extends beyond just haircuts, especially for people like Rachel. 

This desire for better accessibility is echoed by Iris Ortiz, who owns With Love Transportation, a service that aims to meet the transportation needs of people with disabilities. Ortiz, a former CNA and Home-Based Therapeutic Services (HBTS) worker, saw firsthand how difficult it was for people with mobility and behavioral challenges to access transportation. “Accessible transportation for those with physical mobility and behavioral challenges was only available for medical appointments,” Ortiz explained. “This is just another service that isn’t available to this population,” she went on to say.

Ortiz described the unique challenges people with disabilities face, stating, “Most can take their kids out to do just about anything, but who do you call when you have a kid in a wheelchair or a kid who might scratch or hit the driver? You can’t simply call an Uber.”

Schober also shared a story of a client who hadn’t had a haircut in over five years due to behavioral challenges. The last time the child visited a barbershop, he became so agitated that he kicked the barber in the stomach, injuring him. “Everyone was traumatized by that experience,” Schober said. But when Schober visited the family’s home and cut the child’s hair — reaching lengths that had grown down to his thighs — the experience was completely different. “The father came home just after I finished, and tears welled in his eyes because his son finally had the haircut he deserved,” Schober recalled. 

Both Ortiz and Schober face legal challenges in running their businesses. Ortiz’s services are not covered by insurance, making it difficult for many of her clients to afford them. “I tried to go to the state offices, but I am just one person. I want to provide these services because they are needed,” she said. “Individuals deserve services that allow them to go out with their family to all places,” Ortiz explained.

Ortiz continues to seek changes in what insurance covers for people with disabilities, while Schober plans to head to state offices on Feb. 10 to advocate for changes that would allow her to provide haircuts to individuals with disabilities in their homes — without restrictions.