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Impacts of CIL Youth Transition Services in Northern Florida: A case study of Ability 1st

The transition from high school into adulthood can be challenging, especially for youth with disabilities in rural areas, who face additional transportation, education, and housing barriers. RTC:Rural researchers Lillie Greiman and Rayna Sage teamed up with Chris Carlberg, director of Ability 1st, to look at the valuable impact of a CIL’s transition services. Check out this research report to learn about peer support provided through Ability 1^st’s High School High Tech Program and what participants shared through Photovoice evaluation of their transition program.

Examining the Equity of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Rural Americans

The federal government has prioritized equitable access to government-funded services for underserved groups, including rural populations. To better understand how Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies serve diverse populations, RTC:Rural director Catherine Ipsen examined VR case services data through two data studies. The findings highlight continued disparities in the delivery of VR services for rural people with disabilities and the need for a more inclusive and accessible VR system.

America at a Glance: Travel Patterns by Disability and Rurality

Transportation is a necessity for meaningful participation in society, but transportation behaviors differ in rural areas and among people with disabilities. To delve further into these travel patterns, RTC:Rural researchers Luke Santore and Andrew Myers use 2022 National Household Transportation Survey (NHTS) data to assess differences in travel behavior across disability status and rurality.

Recruitment for Transportation Voucher Interviews

We want to talk to you about transportation! We would like to interview people with disabilities who use transportation vouchers to help make these programs better for users.

Want to learn more or sign up for an interview? Please contact Luke Santore by email at luke.santore@mso.umt.edu or by phone at (406) 243-4585.

A Research Roadmap Toward Improved Measures of Disability

RTC:Rural researchers Catherine Ipsen and Andrew Myers were lucky enough to join a team of esteemed researchers to coauthor this article in Health Affairs articulating the pervasive problem of defining and measuring disability, and the consequences of incomplete or inaccurate data. The timely, valuable article presents the need for collaboration between government agencies and the disability community and provides a plan that includes immediate, mid-range, and long-range goals and rationale for improving disability measures.

MontCOMM 2024

On August 9, our friends at MonTECH are hosting MontCOMM, their 6^th annual conference focused solely on AAC*. This year’s theme is Connection, Communication, and Checking Your Assumptions. Join them and their AAC expert presenters for an incredible day of learning.

*AAC – Augmentative and Alternative Communication: using apps, devices, gestures, vocalizations, and other methods when someone is unable to speak or struggles to speak.

Success Story – “Turn tragedy into triumph as much as you can.”

Our friends at the Missouri Disability and Health Program shared with us the wonderful story of Don Pokorny, who used the skills he learned through his participation in Living Well in the Community to journey to Denmark to watch his daughter play professional soccer.  Don’s story is a testament to setting goals, overcoming obstacles, and never giving up.

San Francisco Disability Cultural Center

Sometimes we just like to share cool stuff happening in the disability community, and this certainly qualifies. The first municipally funded disability cultural center in the country recently opened in San Francisco as a partnership between Haven of Hope and The Longmore Institute on Disability.

Their mission: By providing educational, artistic, and social networking opportunities, the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center brings diverse people with disabilities together to access resources, advance social justice, and foster disability culture, community, and pride.

© 2024 RTC:Rural, All rights reserved

The Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC:Rural) conducts research on disability as part of the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities at the University of Montana.

RTC:Rural is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) grant number 90RTCP0008 to improve the ability of people with disabilities to engage in rural community living.