Working Together to Improve Rural Community Living
The Research & Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC:Rural) is part of the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities at the University of Montana. We are funded by National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
As leaders in rural disability research, we collaborate with disability community members to shape research projects and ensure the relevance of our work. Together, we work to improve the ability of people with disabilities to engage in rural community living.
Learn More
Learn more about RTC: Rural, our staff and history by checking out our About Page. Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Sign up for our Newsletter to stay up-to-date on our work.
COVID-19 and Rural People with Disabilities
RTC:Rural has been working to share relevant research and information about how the COVID-19 pandemic is, and will continue, to impact people with disabilities. Find a curated list of our COVID-19 posts here:
Resources
Visit our Resources page to find links to toolkits, programs, maps, and other resources we’ve created to support people with disabilities, their families, service providers, policy makers, and advocates.
Recent News
People with disabilities living in the path of Hurricane Laura
Understanding the needs of a community is imperative in order to effectively organize natural disaster emergency response. As people begin to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Laura, national, state and local community emergency planners and response teams are working to provide support for thousands of people who have evacuated or have sustained damage to their homes. People with disabilities are one of many vulnerable groups especially at risk during natural disasters.
Continue reading about People with disabilities living in the path of Hurricane LauraRTC:Rural recognized in federal informational bulletin on rural housing and accessibility
On August 19, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a joint Informational Bulletin titled: “Living at Home in Rural America: Improving Accessibility for Older Adults and People with a Disability”.
The bulletin shares information about federally-funded resources that can help people with disabilities and older adults, especially those living in rural areas, to remain in their homes and communities. The bulletin shares these resources with state Medicaid agencies, state and local housing agencies, state and local public health agencies, and other health and housing entities.
RTC:Rural’s rural independent living and community participation research is mentioned on page 11 in the section about the Administration for Community Living (ACL). For over 30 years, we have been funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Continue reading about RTC:Rural recognized in federal informational bulletin on rural housing and accessibility