Rural Americans with disabilities want to participate in community life. But to live independently they may need targeted services and local systems advocacy. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) were established to provide such services and to conduct advocacy activities. There are about 400 CILs, with about 700 offices across the country. About 85% of them serve a rural area.
Participation is emerging as the “gold standard” of outcome measurement in disability and rehabilitation. This emphasis on participation is tied to the contextual or ecological model of disability that suggests that level of participation is a product of the interaction between the individual with his or her environment. Unfortunately, while the concept of participation seems to be clear and understandable, very little research has been done to define the concept or measure it.
- Project dates: 1990 – 2001
- Funded by: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Grant No. H133B20002, G0087C00228, H133B70017
- Principal staff: Brad Bernier, Tom Seekins, Ph.D., Craig Ravesloot, Ph.D., Bill Innes, Alexandra Enders
- Related projects:
Links to Publications Available on UMScholarWorks:
Accessible Rural Housing Options: Mobile Homes and Manufactured Housing
Centers for Independent Living: Rural and Urban Distribution
Estimating the Cost for Achieving Universal Access to Centers for Independent Living
Extending the Independent Living Model to Rural Areas Through State and Local Efforts
Rural Independent Living: Model Outreach Strategies
Links to Scholarly Articles and Abstracts:
A Market-Oriented Strategy for Applied Research in Independent Living Rehabilitation
Teaching People with Disabilities to Recruit Help to Attain Personal Goals