RTC:Rural eNews
The RTC:Rural eNewsletter is sent via email monthly, and includes new resources, upcoming events, and news in the fields of disability, rural studies, vocational rehabilitation and employment, independent living, and health and wellness.
A note about links: Links within the content will open in a new tab. Because this is a newsletter archive, some links may no longer be available, as websites change over time.
Table of Contents
October 2026
Take the NSHD Survey, meet Sasha Moe, and check out new publications and APRIL Conference presentations!
View the October 2026 Web Version →
The National Survey on Health and Disability is Open!
The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) is one of the largest national surveys asking people with disabilities about their experiences with health care access, housing, transportation, health insurance, community participation, and other life experiences.
This is the seventh time the NSHD has been conducted since 2018. Noelle Kurth and Dr. Kelsey Goddard from the Institute on Disability Policy Studies at the University of Kansas are the current investigators for this research.
The survey is open to anyone age 18 or older with a physical, mental, emotional, or health condition – including people who may not identify as having a disability.
Welcome, Sasha Moe!
RTC:Rural has a new Research Assistant!
"Hello! I am Sasha. I am super interested in academia and am an undergraduate student at the University of Montana. I am majoring in General Physics and World History. I am also minoring in Central and Southwest Asian Studies and Mathematics. Finally, I am pursuing a certificate in the History of Religions. I love to talk about academia and research, but I also have other hobbies. I enjoy socializing, reading, and playing (video or otherwise) games as well as doing "outdoorsy" stuff! I am also into fashion as a facet of self-expression/freedom of identity. At RTC: Rural, I am a research assistant working with and under Krys Standley. My responsibilities are mostly data management and outreach, though I have a few secondary tasks as well."
New Publications!
Something for Everyone: Rural Communication Strategies, Disability, and the Role of Public Libraries
Jeff Gutierrez and Andrew Myers examine how rural libraries serve as hubs for community information and resources in this Public Library Quarterly article. Through semi-structured interviews with rural librarians, we examine new and existing local communication strategies, including informal networks and word-of-mouth, to explore the evolving role of public libraries in disability inclusion. While this research illustrates ample opportunities for partnership between rural libraries and people with disabilities, questions remain about how to promote communication and collaboration between these groups.
Recruiting Research Participants with Community Research Partners
In this fact sheet, Will Hoard, Krys Standley, and Catherine Ipsen examine recruitment experiences from the Rural Health Pathways Project. This is a community-based research initiative that partners with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to deliver health promotion programming for people with disabilities in rural communities. Through interviews with staff from seven participating CILs, the project identified key factors and barriers that influenced recruitment success and challenges. The findings illustrate the critical role of community research partners in participant recruitment and offer practical strategies for strengthening recruitment efforts in future community-based research.
FALL into APRIL: Facilitate • Advocate • Learn • Lead: 2026 APRIL Conference
10/23-10/25 | Niagara Falls, NY
We hope to see you at the 2026 Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) Conference! Please stop by our table to chat or join us in our sessions:
Opening Doors with Data and Stories: Communicating the Impact of Housing Programs
Lillie Greiman | Sunday 10/25 | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This interactive workshop will help CIL staff strengthen their ability to measure and communicate the impact of housing, home modification, and independent living programs. Participants will learn core program evaluation concepts, explore practical tools and templates, and begin developing a simple evaluation plan that can be adapted for their own organizations. The session will also showcase how consumer stories and short-form videos can be used to highlight program outcomes, support outreach efforts, and demonstrate real-world impact. Presenters will share practical strategies for identifying compelling stories, creating accessible video content, and using low-cost technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, to streamline the process. Through peer discussion and hands-on activities, attendees will leave with evaluation and storytelling tools they can use at their centers.
The Transportation Voucher Toolkit
Luke Santore | Sunday 10/25 | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
The transportation voucher workshop will provide an overview of the transportation voucher pilot sites and the rural transportation voucher toolkit. This will act as a refresher for our repeat attendees and an introduction to the concept for CILs unfamiliar with voucher programs. We will then provide an update on the continued development of the Rural Transportation Voucher Program Toolkit, the launch of the voucher program pilot sites, and our next steps. We will finally spend a large portion of the session working through a "Plan a Voucher Program" activity.
The Intersections of CILs and Rural Libraries
Jeff Gutierrez | Sunday, 10/25 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Have you ever wanted to work with the rural libraries in your service area, but you do not know where to start? In this session, you will learn about rural libraries, how to identify partnership opportunities, and the steps to take to develop collaborative relationships and programming. We will provide concrete examples of partnered programming to improve your presence and impact in rural communities and explore the possibilities of what could be done. This session will provide information and best practices, as well as a space for connection and interaction with presenters and your peers as we explore how CILs and libraries can support each other and their communities.
September 2026
RE4ALL training, new publications, and fall conferences.
View the September 2026 Web Version →
Research Ethics for All (RE4All) Training
Research Ethics for All is now available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program. Research Ethics for All is an accessible online course designed for community research partners with developmental disabilities who collaborate on social and behavioral research.
RTC:Rural researchers Krys Standley, Catherine Ipsen, and Will Hoard adapted this training to equip Centers for Independent Living (CIL) staff with tailored human subjects research ethics education. While the original training was designed for partners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), this adapted version includes all types of disabilities. This corresponds with CIL staffing and makes it accessible to any trainees without research backgrounds, including those with IDD.
In July 2025, we published a fact sheet demonstrating how accessible ethics training can strengthen Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) by centering disability perspectives and bridging gaps between academic requirements and community expertise.
New Publications:
Vocational Rehabilitation Fact Sheets
Catherine Ipsen teamed up with researchers from George Washington University and the University of Chicago to examine employment and vocational rehabilitation (VR). We created two fact sheets summarizing parts of this research.
Data-Driven Decision-Making Capacity of State VR Agencies
Federal agencies are required to use data to support policy and program decisions. This fact sheet explores VR agencies' capacity to use their data to shape decision-making and develop return on investment (ROI) models.
Data-Driven Decision-Making Capacity of State VR Agencies Fact Sheet
A Rationale for Social Return on Investment
This fact sheet looks at the utility of two different return on investment (ROI) models for assessing the value of VR services. The research team compares data from the Virginia VR program to demonstrate differences between the social and taxpayer ROI models and makes a case for using social ROI to assess VR services.
A Rationale for Social Return on Investment Fact Sheet
Fall 2026 Conferences
The RTC:Rural team is participating in several upcoming conferences to spread the word about our current projects. These conferences are also our best opportunity to meet people face-to-face and build connections and ideas. Please join us if you are attending, and we will share what we have learned after we recover from the jet lag.
Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference: "Rooted in Community"
9/16/26–9/19/26 | Montgomery, AL
The Project CARE Development Team is heading south for the 2026 Association for Rural and Small Rural Libraries (ARSL) Conference. RTC:Rural researchers and our CIL partners will mingle with librarians to share our exciting work on Project CARE and learn about the amazing things happening in our small and rural libraries.
Our presentation, Building Bridges: Partnering with Centers for Independent Living for Rural Community Access, provides project information to encourage collaborations between CILs and libraries. We are also participating in the poster session to publicize our work and involve more rural libraries in improving disability services.
Virtual KT Conference: "Evolution in Knowledge Translation"
10/19, 10/20, 10/22 | Virtual
Jeff Gutierrez will present Purposeful Understanding in Community Collaborations: Practical Guidance for Participatory Curriculum Development at the 2026 Virtual KT Conference with the Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability & Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR). This presentation will focus on the Participatory Curriculum Development (PCD) process of Project CARE, which brought together a team of CIL staff and librarians to improve supports and opportunities for rural people with disabilities.
2026 APRIL Conference: "FALL into APRIL: Facilitate • Advocate • Learn • Lead"
10/23–10/25 | Niagara Falls, NY
A team of RTC:Rural researchers will be attending the 2026 Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) Conference to share and learn. In addition to our exhibitor table, we will have three presentations:
Opening Doors with Data and Stories: Communicating the Impact of Housing Programs
Lillie Greiman | Sunday 10/25 | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
How do you measure and showcase the impact of your housing programs? This interactive session will give CIL staff practical tools for evaluating programs and telling compelling stories about their impact. Explore simple evaluation strategies, consumer storytelling, accessible video, and low-cost tech, including AI tools, you can put to work right away. Come ready to learn, share, and leave with tools you can use at your center!
The Transportation Voucher Toolkit
Luke Santore | Sunday 10/25 | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Whether you're new to transportation vouchers or looking for a refresher, this session will explore the Rural Transportation Voucher Toolkit. Learn what's happening at pilot sites, hear about the latest toolkit developments, and get a look at what's next. Then, roll up your sleeves for a hands-on “Plan a Voucher Program” activity to start thinking about how this approach could work in your own community.
The Intersections of CILs and Rural Libraries
Jeff Gutierrez | Sunday, 10/25 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Want to connect with rural libraries in your service area but aren't sure where to begin? This session explores how CILs and libraries can partner to expand their reach and strengthen support in rural communities. Learn how to identify partnership opportunities and build collaborative relationships and programming. Through real-world examples, best practices, and peer connection, we'll explore how CILs and libraries can work together.
July 2026
Project recruitment, Summit recap, new publications, and IL T&TA trainings.
View the July 2026 Web Version →
Coming Soon - Project CARE and RILL Network Recruitment
Rural libraries are anchor institutions that can provide valuable help with outreach and leveraging local resources. Are you interested in partnering with public libraries in your rural community? Consider joining the Project CARE Implementation Team or the Rural Independent Living and Libraries (RILL) Network!
For the past year, we have been working with a team of CILs on Project CARE and will be expanding the group this fall to implement our CIL/library resource. The RILL Network is a peer-supported component of our work exploring collaborative programming between CILs and their local libraries to improve disability services. The Implementation Team and the RILL Network will go live this October. Be on the lookout for more information in a future RTC:Rural enews.
Contact Jeff Gutierrez to find out more.
APRIL Roundtables Factsheet
In October 2025, RTC:Rural staff hosted a roundtable session in Portland, OR, at the annual APRIL Conference. The session, Collaborating for Rural Outreach and Assessing the Resource and Training Needs of Rural CIL Staff and Consumers, provided participants with the opportunity to inform future research, training, and development projects and build partnerships for future collaborations. We created a factsheet that summarizes the roundtable discussions into categorized topics.
Check out the APRIL Roundtable Factsheet
Research, Policy, and Practice Summit Recap
In May, RTC:Rural hosted a research, policy, and practice summit examining the critical personal assistance workforce shortage in rural communities. Through a presentation by RTC:Rural researchers and a panel discussion with experts, we explored ways to strengthen rural home health care through coordinated investment in the direct care workforce. We wrote a factsheet with key points, a synopsis of the presentation, and snapshots of our panelists’ perspectives on the personal assistance workforce.
Read More About the Research, Policy, and Practice Summit
Does who is counted matter? Comparing disability measures and self-rated health.
Are you into data? RTC:Rural researcher Andrew Myers' recent publication examines different measures of disability to determine their accuracy and likelihood of improving health equity for individuals with disability. Differences in disability measurement can result in inaccurate information about health risks experienced by the disabled population, missing millions of disabled Americans' health risks and leading to less effective policies. Accurate data matters!
Network News:
IL T&TA Center Trainings
Our partners at the IL T&TA Center have a full calendar of trainings to advance the work of CILs and SILCs. Some of their upcoming trainings include:
Ask Anything: Your IL Resource Group Learn & Share
- 2nd Thursday of the month
- 3:00 to 4:00 PM ET
Emotional Wellness & Elevated Engagement Cohort
- Wednesdays, September 2nd, 9th, and 16th
- 3:00 to 4:30 PM ET
Learn and Share: Outreach Strategies: Reaching the Deaf Community
- Tuesday, July 26th, 2026
- 3:00 to 4:00 PM ET
Take a look at other upcoming trainings from the IL T&TA Center.
Scholarship Opportunity! Parent to Parent USA Doctoral Research Award
Our partners at Montana Family to Family work with Parent to Parent USA to provide parent support to families with children with disabilities. They have just announced the P2P USA Doctoral Research Award, which will provide two $5,000 awards to doctoral students researching peer support for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities or special health care needs.
They are welcoming proposals from doctoral students across disciplines, including social work, psychology, public health, education, disability studies, family studies, and related fields.
The application deadline is December 4.
Learn More About the Doctoral Research Award
Seeking Disabled Adults to Participate in a Research Study About Sex Education Experiences
Arya Boris, a doctoral candidate at Widener University in the Human Sexuality program, is seeking participants for her study about what sexuality education disabled people were taught before they became adults. Arya does this research to see how disabled people feel about the sexuality education they got, and to give all disabled people the chance to be a part of making learning better for disabled students.
You can be a part of this study if you are a disabled adult and became disabled before you turned 19. You must have grown up in the United States. You cannot have been homeschooled for more than half of your learning. You must have been born in 1990 or later.
May 2026
Register now for the Policy & Practice Summit.
View the May 2026 Web Version →
Register Now! 2026 Policy and Practice Summit
Protecting Access to Rural Community Living for People with Disabilities
When: May 20, 1:00-3:00 MST
Do you want to learn how to help people with disabilities live in their
communities? Are you interested in learning about how to strengthen the direct care workforce?
Please join RTC:Rural and our expert panel at this free virtual summit! Together, we will explore the intersecting forces shaping the future of home health care.
Drawing on data, research, and boots-on-the-ground experience, we’ll examine challenges such as inconsistent funding, barriers to rural delivery, and shifting labor protections, while also highlighting strategies for growth and resilience.
The summit will include an RTC:Rural presentation of existing research and a
panel discussion on factors affecting the rural direct care workforce. Panelists will include:
- Stephen McCall is the Director of Research & Evaluation at PHI, where he leads the organization’s applied research to improve the quality of direct care jobs and long-term services for older adults and people with
disabilities. - Janessa Mosley is the State Director for Consumer Direct Care Network Montana | South Dakota, where she oversees their large, self-directed in- home care program.
- Shyla Patera is the Policy Peer Program Coordinator at North Central
Independent Living Services, Inc. (NCILS), a nonprofit Center for
Independent Living that serves four counties in Montana, including
operating a self-directed personal assistance program. - Jana Walker Hall is the Community First Choice Services (CFCS) Program Manager and Independent Living Specialist at North Central Independent Living Services, Inc. (NCILS).
- Lillie Greiman is a Project Director with RTC:Rural. Her research has
explored the geographical distribution of resources across the US,
including the ratio of personal assistants to those needing home care.
Join us as we discuss advocacy, coalition-building, and innovative care models that can strengthen and sustain this essential workforce. CART and ASL will be provided.
Register for the Upcoming Summit!
January 2026
Upcoming Policy & Practice Summit, most popular publications, Amy on "Tea with Lisa."
View the January 2026 Web Version →
Save the Date! 2026 Virtual Policy and Practice Summit: Protecting Access to Rural Community Living for People with Disabilities
Wednesday, May 20, 1:00-3:00 pm
Please mark your calendars to join us for an informative, engaging discussion. More details and registration are coming soon!
Most Popular Publications of 2025
We like to know which of our publications people are reading. So, our Knowledge Translation team compiled a list of our most downloaded recent publications to see what our readers were interested in last year.
If you haven’t read them yet, check out the most popular RTC:Rural publications of 2025:
- Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Rural and Urban People with Disabilities
- Outcome Measurement Toolkit: A Resource for Centers for Independent Living
- Veterans in Focus: Disability and Veterans in Rural America
- America at a Glance: Occupational Injuries Among Rural Workers
- The Geography of Disability in America: On Rural-Urban Differences in Impairment Rates
Most Popular Publication EVER!
Honorable mention goes to A Guide to Writing Letters to the Editor: Expressing Your Opinion to the Public Effectively. This valuable guide has been downloaded almost 8,900 times since we created our digital library in 2014.
We take this to mean that people with disabilities and disability advocates continue to seek guidance on how to express themselves in print. In response, we will create an updated version with links to helpful resources and advice on digital media.
Look for it in summer 2026!
Amy’s Interview on Tea with Lisa
Our training coordinator, Amy Lariviere, recently sat down with Lisa Sistare-Harkins, an Independent Living Advocate at Walton Options in Augusta, GA, to chat about Healthy Community Living! They discuss how to thrive in your community and how the Healthy Community Living Workshops can help you set and achieve your personal goals!
Head to Walton Options’ Facebook page to check it out!
November 2025
Transportation Voucher recruitment, thank you APRIL, new publications on Tribal VR Self-Employment Training, HCWs, and VR Agency capacity.
View the November 2025 Web Version →
Recruiting Transportation Voucher Pilot Sites!
RTC:Rural is creating a Transportation Voucher Toolkit to guide rural CILs through the process of creating and managing their own transportation voucher program. This project is meant to provide committed CILs with tools and resources to engage and succeed in this process. Transportation voucher programs are a crucial strategy for improving rural transportation options.
We are recruiting two CILs that have both the capacity and interest to pilot test using the toolkit to create their own rural transportation voucher program.
“Being stuck in four walls for so many years, you know, it's very frustrating. I now have the freedom to do what I want, when I want, like anybody else.” - Rider
“I didn’t have access to transportation for at least 15 to 20 years… It was hard, it just sucked. When I became a quad I was only 22 and I had two and three year old girls. When they were in school I couldn't go to their performances. Now I can go see my grandkids.” - Rider
To apply, you must have:
- Rural counties in your service region.
- No existing transportation voucher programs at your CIL.
Interested? Contact luke.santore@mso.umt.edu with questions or click the button to apply.
Learn more or apply for the Transportation Voucher Pilot Program here!
APRIL Conference Thank You and Recap
The 2025 APRIL Conference is in our rearview mirror as quickly as it came up, and it was another spectacular event. Thank you to all the CILs, advocates, researchers, and individuals who made the trip to Portland to learn and share about Independent Living. Special thanks to our rural librarian friends from Project CARE who attended to learn more about IL and the great work CILs are doing nationwide.
We are working to synthesize the feedback from our sessions and will share the information as soon as possible. Please stay tuned!
New Publications!
Our team has been hard at work, and we're excited to share our latest research with you. Dive in to explore some of our findings!
TVR-SET Publication
In this report, Catherine Ipsen and Luke Santore examine the impact of pilot training on the use of the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit (TVR-SET), developed to support American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) programs.
Self-employment is a vital pathway in reservation communities, promoting economic independence and cultural preservation. However, AIVRS programs face challenges in staff training and resources. The TVR-SET and its accompanying training address these gaps, enhancing counselors’ capacity to guide consumers in self-employment exploration and business development.
New Research Report: Home Care Workers, Immigration, and an Aging Population
The size of the Home Care Worker (HCW) workforce has not kept pace with demand, and inadequate compensation and benefits have historically contributed to poor HCW recruitment and retention. Demographic trends put further strain on the workforce, with immigrants, naturalized citizens, and Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) individuals currently making up the majority of the HCW workforce. Policy changes, cuts to benefits, and immigration crackdowns threaten to further weaken the supply of HCWs while the demand continues to rise. In this report, Catherine Ipsen and Luke Santore provide analysis and strategies to support HCWs and strengthen the Personal Assistance Services system through proactive policy solutions.
Assessing Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Capacity to Engage in Evidence-Based Decision Making
The Evidence-based Policy-Making Act of 2018 requires that Federal agencies use their data to develop statistical evidence to support policy and programmatic decisions. But how well are agencies using this data to inform decision-making? Catherine Ipsen teamed up with researchers from George Washington University to participate in their grant looking at VR return on investment. This manuscript assesses the capacity of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies to use data to improve services and potential solutions to capacity deficits.
The button below provides a preview of the manuscript, including the abstract.
If you'd like a full copy, please contact catherine.ipsen@mso.umt.edu.
View a preview of the manuscript!
September 2025
New RCLD publication, collaborative research report with the Urban Institute, upcoming presentations at APRIL and KTDRR.
View the September 2025 Web Version →
Recent Publications
Stay up to date with the latest research and findings from our team with our recent collabroative publications!
Better Together: Rural Community Collaboration in North Carolina’s Cape Fear Region
In this final publication of the Rural Community Living and Development (RCLD) program, RTC:Rural researchers Luke Santore, Lillie Greiman, and Rayna Sage explore the community role of the disAbility Resource Center of North Carolina (dRC). Staff of the dRC facilitate trusted relationships between informal rural support networks and a network of public and nonprofit service providers. By being embedded in their rural region, dRC illustrates how to build trust between people and communities to reach those who are too often invisible to larger agencies.
Read the final RCLD publication
Understanding the Experience of Disabled Americans in Rural Communities Through Data
In this collaborative research report, RTC:Rural researchers teamed up with the Urban Institute to delve into “the data we have, the data we’re missing, and how to close the gap.” For individuals, service providers, and policymakers, good data is a vital component to improving services and support systems for disabled people in rural areas. This report shows how leaders, funders, and community members can support people with disabilities and strengthen rural communities.
Read the collaborative research report
Conferences and Presentations
Our team is sharing their work at several upcoming conferences! Read more to learn more about these exciting presentations.
Early Engagement of Community Partners in Research: Tailoring an IRB-Approved Training for Effective Knowledge Translation
On October 21 from 3:00 - 4:00 pm Eastern Time, Krys Standley and Will Hoard will be presenting at the 2025 KTDRR Conference! They and their partners will explore the customization of the Research Ethics for All training program. This training was tailored for CIL staff members, with content adapted to be inclusive and directly applicable to their roles while maintaining the program's core principles. The event is free to attend. Conference registration information is below.
Register for the 2025 KTDRR Conference
APRIL Conference
The 2025 APRIL Conference will be held in Portland, OR from October 17-19. Our staff is looking forward to reconnecting with friends and to full days of sharing, conversation, and mutual empowerment. RTC:Rural will be well-represented with four presentations:
- Rayna Sage, Jeff Gutierrez, and IL T&TA Center - Partnering with Rural Libraries, Rural CIL needs assessment
- Catherine Ipsen– Building CIL Capacity to Support Self-Employment
- Luke Santore – Rural Transportation Voucher Toolkit: An Update
- Krys Standley, Will Hoard – Centering Disability in Research Ethics: Lessons from RE4ALL & CIL Partnerships
Check out the conference website below for more information, or to register if you haven’t yet. We hope to see you there!
Check out the APRIL Conference website
July 2025
National Survey on Health and Disability, new publications, and facilitator training.
View the July 2025 Web Version →
Urgent Action Needed! Take the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD)
Do you have a physical, mental, emotional, or health condition? If you answered ‘yes,’ please share your knowledge and experience through the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) by July 31st! Administered by our friends at the Institute for Health and Disability Policy—the results will be used to develop resources and policy recommendations to address issues that affect the health, employment, and lives of Americans with disabilities!
Learn more and complete the survey!
Publications
Check out recent RTC:Rural publications on independent living, transportation vouchers, and research ethics!
Disability Pride and Community Connection in Eastern Virginia: The disability Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc.
The latest in our Rural Community Living Development (RCLD) series, RTC:Rural researchers Luke Santore, Lillie Greiman, and Rayna Sage look at the disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc (dRC), a CIL that provides services that promote independence, advocacy, and leadership among the people with disabilities they serve. dRC focuses on disability-led services and programs to meet consumers' needs, with an extraordinary level of peer support that shows the dedication of their staff, many of whom were formerly consumers.
“I now have the freedom to do what I want, when I want, like anybody else”: The Impact, Creation, and Management of Transportation Voucher Programs
Rural people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to poor transportation access and the resulting negative life outcomes. Transportation voucher programs are an effective but underutilized resource that addresses transportation for rural people with disabilities. In this fact sheet, RTC:Rural researchers Luke Santore and Andrew Myers explore how Center for Independent Living (CIL) staff establish and manage transportation voucher programs, and illustrate how vouchers have affected the people with disabilities who have used them.
Check out the transportation voucher fact sheet!
Adapting Research Ethics for All: Training Centers for Independent Living in Community-Based Research
In this fact sheet, RTC:Rural’s Will Hoard, Krys Standley, and Catherine Ipsen explore how Research Ethics for All (RE4ALL), an accessible, plain-language training, was adapted for CIL staff engaged in community-based research. The fact sheet highlights practical strategies for simplifying research ethics training, addressing challenges like informed consent, and ensuring disability perspectives strengthen research partnerships. Discover how tailored training empowers CILs to fully participate in research.
Read the Adapting RE4ALL fact sheet
Empower Others as a Workshop Facilitator!
Gain the skills to lead engaging, goal-oriented workshops that help others improve their independence and quality of life. Choose from the following trainings:
Living Well in the Community Facilitator Training
Each training consists of 8 live virtual sessions.
- Training #1: Twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, August 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, and 28, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (MDT)
- Training #2: Once a week, Tuesdays, September 9, 16, 23, 30, October 7, 14, 21, and 28, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (MDT)
Community Living Skills Facilitator Training
Training consists of 4 live virtual sessions.
- Once a week, Wednesdays, August 6, 13, 20, and 27, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (MDT)
Email amy.lariviere@mso.umt.edu or visit the link below to learn more!
Learn more about upcoming trainings!
June 2025
The importance of NIDILRR funding, a NARRTC award for Catherine Ipsen, and new publications.
View the June 2025 Web Version →
The Importance of NIDILRR Funding
For the last 47 years, NIDILRR funding has supported disability-focused research, training, and dissemination to improve health, employment, and independent living outcomes. RTC:Rural has proudly utilized NIDILRR funding for over 35 years to improve the lives of rural people with disabilities through our research. Please visit our NIDILRR-funded Research webpage or Information Sheet to learn more about the vital work being done at RTC:Rural.
Publications
Check out new RTC:Rural publications on personal care assistance, rural library access, and building home care worker capacity!
"I Figured It Might Be Because We are Rural": A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Opportunities Related to Home-Based Personal Assistance Services
Personal Care Assistance (PCA) provides vital support, so rural disabled people and older adults can live in their communities. In this manuscript, RTC:Rural researchers Rayna Sage, Krys Standley, and Genna Mashinchi analyze the experiences of people living in rural areas who need paid, in-home assistance with activities of daily living to inform a training for rural PAS consumers. Through a series of interviews, participants named three primary barriers to PCA access—and highlighted strong community connections as a vital support.
Read the article to find out more.
Reflections from Lived Experience
Following up on our research on Rural Communication Strategies, RTC:Rural Knowledge Translation Coordinator Jeff Gutierrez led an interactive session at the 2024 APRIL Conference to engage CIL perspectives on emerging research. This fact sheet captures participant input from the session, exploring the role of rural public libraries and how they interact with the disability community based on the experiences of rural CIL staff and consumers.
Collaborative Research Report: Building Home Care Worker Capacity
Over 7.5 million adults require support with daily activities due to disabilities. Many rely on paid home care workers (HCWs) for assistance, and the demand for HCWs is only expected to grow. RTC:Rural researchers teamed up with our partners at PHI to examine the rising demand for home-based care and whether worker-supportive policies like increased wages and healthcare insurance can help recruit and retain home care workers.
Read the collaborative research report!
Catherine Ipsen Receives NARRTC Commendation
RTC:Rural Co-Director Catherine Ipsen received the 2025 Commendation Award from NARRTC! These commendations are awarded for research, teaching, service, or advocacy in the field of disability and recognize important contributions that strategically or creatively advance the field of disability. Congratulations on your award, Catherine!
April 2025
Share your voice in the NSHD Survey, explore upcoming RISE & outreach trainings, and more!
View the April 2025 Web Version →National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD)
Do you have a physical, mental, emotional, or health condition? If you answered ‘yes,’ please share your knowledge and experience through the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD). Administered by our friends at the Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies at Kansas University — the results will be used to develop resources and policy and practice recommendations to address issues that affect the health, employment, and lives of Americans with disabilities!
Learn more and complete the survey!
RTC:Rural Trainings
Are you looking for some spring rejuvenation or a way to jumpstart strategic planning initiatives? RTC:Rural has a host of trainings available to advance your independent living goals or train your team on best practices. Read about a few of our offerings below.
RISE Training
The Rural Independence and Self-Sufficiency Education (RISE) Training program is designed to empower rural consumers who use personal assistance services by addressing the unique challenges they face. RISE training helps rural consumers of personal assistance services build skills for independent living in their communities. It can also be used jointly by consumers and personal assistance workers to improve how you work together.
Rural Outreach Training
Does your organization struggle to reach the most rural parts of your service area? Are you interested in expanding your reach but need a little guidance? We are here to help! We designed the Rural Outreach Training alongside rural CIL staff to provide the resources to assess, plan, initiate, and sustain your rural outreach efforts. If you are curious about the training and would like a taste of what is included, check out this assessment of your strengths and challenges.
You can complete Rural Outreach Training in 4-5 hours, individually or as a collaborative group. Please contact Rayna Sage with any questions or click below to complete the Rural Outreach Training.
Complete the Rural Outreach Training
Healthy Community Living
Healthy Community Living (HCL) is a suite of trainings for organizations and individuals who want to facilitate curriculum-based workshops with community members with disabilities. The workshops explore how health, wellness, and community participation goals can enhance quality of life. Workshop participants learn skills and receive facilitated support to put their goals into action. Upcoming trainings include:
- Living Well in the Community – each Wednesday in May and June from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. MT
- Facilitating Groups Trainings – each Tuesday in May and June from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. MT
- Custom trainings available in July!
To find out more, visit the HCL website below or contact our HCL trainer, Amy Lariviere.
Learn more by visiting the HCL website!
Peer Collective
The Peer Collective is an upcoming, seven-week, independent living skills workshop created to help participants set and work toward a social support goal. When people have social connections in their lives, they are more likely to be happy and healthy. This workshop offers opportunities to connect with others to increase social support.
Participants also learn essential communication skills to help make and maintain social connections. By exploring various types of support and setting personal goals, people can increase their independence and enhance their overall community participation.
Stay tuned for more information!
Check out the Peer Collective website!
February 2025
New publications, Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit, upcoming HCL trainings.
View the February 2025 Web Version →
New Publications!
We've had a busy start to the year and are keeping our momentum going, starting out 2025 with three new publications centered on our participatory research approach and secondary data analyses!
Check them out below!
Western Reserve Independent Living Center: Leaders in Disability Advocacy for Eastern Ohio
RTC:Rural researchers Lillie Greiman, Luke Santore, and Rayna Sage partnered with APRIL and the Western Reserve Independent Living Center (WRILC) on this community-based research project. In this paper, our researchers explore WRILC’s relationship-based community advocacy approach through the Rural Community Living Development project.
Partnering for Research at Your Center for Independent Living: Tips from your peers
In this informative guide, RTC:Rural researchers Rayna Sage and Krys Standley present advice on collaborative and participatory research projects with Centers for Independent Living (CILs), based on our work and feedback from CIL partners.
America at a Glance: Rural Transit Funding Through the COVID-19 Pandemic
Federal transit funds to improve public transportation doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many rural counties received no transit funds from 2018-2022. In this factsheet, RTC:Rural researchers Andrew Myers and Luke Santore explore the differences in transit funds received in urban and rural counties to illustrate transportation barriers for rural people with disabilities.
Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit
RTC:Rural is partnering with the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center (AIVRTTAC) to share the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit (TVR SET). This work is a result of a long-term partnership between RTC:Rural and the Consortium of Administrators of Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR). CANAR saw a need for culturally appropriate self-employment resources for American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Service (AIVRS) counselors and consumers and teamed up with us to develop them (see Building the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit).
Now, we are focusing on strategies to build self-employment capacity using TVR SET materials. This effort has been guided by a group of advisors representing seven regionally diverse AIVRS programs. Identified outreach strategies include regional two-day in-person trainings, a self-employment course for delivery through the Northwest Indian College, and mini-trainings in conjunction with bi-annual CANAR conferences.
Last July, we had our first in-person TVR SET training in Tulsa, OK. Participants reported much higher knowledge and confidence to support self-employment cases at their AIVRS programs. Six-month follow-up focus group discussions highlighted how TVR SET materials have been used.
Focus groups gave feedback about their desires for additional support, like having peer-to-peer follow-up meetings to discuss questions and refresh on the materials. We hope to implement peer Zoom calls after our next regional training in Albuquerque, NM this March.
To learn more about our upcoming TVR SET regional trainings or Northwest Indian College course for CEU credits, contact Catherine Ipsen, RTC:Rural or Rebecca Holland, AIVRTTAC.
Training participant feedback:
“I have a gentleman that I'm helping right now, and I think the toolkit is amazing... About an hour before he gets to my office, I pull everything out, and I'm like, okay, this is this. And he is really enjoying them, and it's making him think good and long and hard about what is ahead of him in this endeavor. He's trying to open a moving business. So, he has really enjoyed it. He has really enjoyed the worksheets... And then he's also working in collaboration with our... Small Business Development Center. And the people over there are like, this is great.”
“Our Colorado DVR counselor, who usually works with the self-employment, goal-oriented people, individuals who we collaboratively serve. She gave a presentation on what she does at Colorado DVR to help somebody, but in the process, I had sent her the link to the tool kit… She said it was perfect… What she really appreciated was that it gave a very realistic view of one how challenging it is to start a business of your own, and how detail oriented it has to be.”
“I do have a client, and he originally came with a one-page business plan. We're like, no, so we get him the resource. And he went home, and he came back with, like, I think maybe 15-16, pages, wow. Yeah, it did take him some time to come back. But, I mean, he did. He went through everything - the worksheets - and committed.”
Upcoming Healthy Community Living Trainings
Living Well in the Community
Twice-a-Week Training Sessions
Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays: March 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (MST)
Community Living Skills
Wednesday Training Sessions
Dates: March 5, 12, 19, 26
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (MST)
For any questions or concerns please reach out to Amy Lariviere at amy.lariviere@mso.umt.edu or (406) 243-4256
December 2024
A new publication and network news and opportunities from outside RTC:Rural.
View the December 2024 Web Version →
Elevating Rural Disability Data for Policy Impact
In late 2023, the Research & Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC:Rural) teamed up with the Urban Institute to better understand issues related to using and accessing rural disability data. In September, our discussions and listening sessions culminated in a rural data summit. The full report will be available in early 2025.
Check out the data summit key takeaways!
Network News
In this edition, we wanted to share some happenings outside of RTC:Rural! There are employment, advocacy, and research opportunities currently available. We will share Network News quarterly in our e-newsletter to showcase other groups’ valuable rural disability work and chances for you to get involved.
Network Employment Opportunities
Disability Rights Montana – Executive Assistant
Disability Rights Montana is hiring for an Executive Assistant position. Check it out below.
View the Program Manager job description (PDF)
Explore More Rural IL Opportunities
Check out one of our partners, APRIL, for additional opportunities in rural Independent Living—jobs, advocacy efforts, and events.
Network Advocacy Opportunities
APRIL Transportation Advocacy Committee
In January 2025, our partners at APRIL are starting a new Transportation Advocacy Committee!
For more information, contact Elissa Ellis via email at eellis@april-rural.org. Or, register using the button below
Register for the APRIL Transportation Advocacy Committee!
Network Research Opportunities
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Are you or someone you know a school administrator working in a rural community? Would you like to share information about your experiences and needs related to preparing students with disabilities for employment in your community?
Our colleagues at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are looking for rural administrators to complete an online survey. The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete. The information you share will help the special education and school administration fields understand more about the needs and experiences of rural school districts as it relates to preparing students with disabilities for employment. Further, you will receive payment for your participation as well as a free resource geared toward rural schools to support you and your district in facilitating career development for your students with disabilities.
Have questions? Contact the study's primary investigator, Michele Schutz at maschutz@illinois.edu.
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is recruiting for a study exploring the relevant experiences of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities that prepare them to achieve post-school employment success either through job or entrepreneurial activities.
Target participants for the study are people:
- With intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- 18 years old or above.
- Employed part-time or full-time.
- Working or running a business for at least 6 months or more.
Learn more or register to participate
November 2024
New publications, conferences, data summit, and program recruitment.
View the November 2024 Web Version →
We've been busy!
RTC:Rural researchers have been busy bees, and we have loads to share! We have new publications including some exciting collaborations with wonderful partners and national committees, several presentations at the 2024 APRIL Conference in Chicago, a data summit hosted with The Urban Institute, and are recruiting for some vital programs to help us expand our rural disability research. Keep scrolling to learn more!
New Publications!
Disability and Independence in Rural America White Paper
In August 2023, RTC:Rural staff met with members of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services in Missoula, MT to discuss rural disability. The next month, Dr. Meg Ann Traci participated in the Committee’s meeting in Colorado Springs, CO “to discuss access to and delivery of health care and human services support to rural Americans with a disability.” An overview of the valuable discussions from this meeting was compiled into a white paper, which includes several citations of key RTC:Rural research products
Rural Communication Strategies: Disability and the Role of Public Libraries
How do rural people with disabilities connect with local resources and services and stay in the loop in their communities? To examine one emerging avenue, RTC:Rural Knowledge Translation Coordinator Jeff Gutierrez interviewed staff of small and rural libraries on the expanding role of public libraries and how they reach and tailor programs for rural people with disabilities.
Collaborative Research Report: Personal Assistance Workforce Capacity and Quality Outcomes
The demand for home-based care services is rivaled by a severe shortage of personal care aides (PCAs). How can the PCA workforce keep up with the increasing demand for home and community-based care? RTC:Rural researchers Luke Santore, Catherine Ipsen, and Lillie Greiman teamed up with Lina Stepick from PHI to analyze the relationship between PCA workforce capacity and the quality of consumer-reported care for long-term services and supports.
Check out the Collaborative Research Report
Building an Inclusive Disability Community in Rural Idaho: Stories from the Magic Valley
A host of RTC:Rural researchers partnered with the APRIL and Living Independence Network Corporation (LINC) in Twin Falls, ID on this community-based research project. LINC staff provide a wide range of services for rural consumers across the approximately 30,000 square miles of their service area, a region locally known as the “Magic Valley.” This report highlights both the incredible person-centered work of staff at LINC’s Twin Falls office and the consumer outcomes of this project.
Read the Magic Valley Research Report!
Improving Care and Accessibility for Rural Patients with Disabilities
"In effect, the transportation was inaccessible even though it was built to be accessible. Having healthcare providers be flexible with those things and not penalize people is important." Interviews from “Patiently Waiting”: How do non-driving disabled adults get around in rural America by RTC:Rural researchers Krys Standley and Andrew Myers were featured in a section on transportation barriers to accessing healthcare in the October 2024 edition of The Rural Monitor.
Read the October Edition of the Rural Monitor
Other Happenings
APRIL Recap and Gratitude
Being from Montana, Chicago might be too big to be "our kind of town", but the good folks at APRIL are our kind of people. At the annual conference in October, RTC:Rural staff kept an active vendor table and contributed four sessions on partnering for CIL research, the Rural Outreach Toolkit, and rural communication strategies utilizing partnerships with public libraries. Thank you to APRIL and everyone who attended. And if you took one of our business cards, please contact RTC:Rural! We would love to hear from you!
Data Summit
RTC:Rural teamed up with The Urban Institute to host a summit dedicated to disability data – rural disability data, of course – entitled Elevating Rural Disability Data for Policy Impact. We are working on a recap. Look for it in the December edition of our enewsletter.
A recording of the summit can be found on The Urban Institute's website.
NARIC News & Notes
Join NARIC’s News and Notes from the NIDILRR Community and Beyond newsletter! Free weekly updates of new resources, events, news, and opportunities from researchers like us!
Program Recruitment
Living Well in the Community & Facilitating Groups Training
These two incredible trainings teach you to facilitate the trainings yourself and take place over 8 weekly sessions. Living Well teaches participants to set and achieve quality of life goals while building skills to support health and wellness. Facilitating Groups teaches the foundations of facilitation, building relationships with participants, active listening, asking questions, and sharing your story.
Email amy.lariviere@mso.umt.edu to learn more or register below.
Visit the Healthy Community Living Website to Register
Building Capacity for Home Usability
Join us to expand your CIL’s capacity to evaluate, implement, and improve your home usability and home modification program! We are building a small cohort of CILS to collaboratively design and develop evaluation materials and procedures to better understand and communicate the impacts of their housing programs.
Contact lillie.grieman@umontana.edu for more information or apply below.
Rural Independence and Self-Sufficiency Education Program
The Rural Independence and Self-Sufficiency Education (RISE) training program is designed to empower rural consumers who use personal assistance services by addressing the unique challenges they face. We are looking for rural consumers of PAS to complete the training and provide us with feedback, and CILs to help us recruit rural consumers.
Learn More About the RISE Training!
GAO Survey on Disability and Healthcare
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency that works for Congress. They would like to hear about how your disability affects your healthcare through a short survey. They will compile the information with other responses into a report to Congress. Any stories shared will not include your name.
August 2024
Rural disability data, Veteran fact sheet and maps, and more.
View the August 2024 Web Version →
Elevating Rural Disability Data for Policy Impact
On September 24, we are digging into the data! RTC:Rural has teamed up with the Urban Institute to host a summit to examine equity, access, and representation in disability data collection. Please plan to join us and our diverse panel of rural data experts for an engaging and informative discussion on improving rural disability data.
Register for the virtual event!
Census Bureau to Meet with Stakeholders on Disability Data Needs
Our voices matter! The Census Bureau has announced plans to meet with disability community stakeholders on September 30 to better understand challenges in disability data availability and access. You may recall that changes to the American Community Survey (ACS) proposed in February 2024 would have resulted in inaccurate disability data, including a severe undercount of Americans with disabilities. In response to over 12,000 public comments on the proposed changes, the Census Bureau has made no changes to the 2025 ACS and will thoroughly engage with the disability community to inform their collection of disability data. RTC:Rural and our partners are proud to have been part of this vital effort to ensure accurate data and meaningful representation of disability community.
New Publication - Veterans in Focus: Disability and Veterans in Rural America
There are an estimated 17 million Veterans living throughout the United States. Relative to the general population, Veterans are more likely to experience disability. Veterans are also disproportionately represented in rural areas across the U.S. As people with disabilities are also disproportionately represented in rural areas, it is valuable to explore the intersection between Veteran status, disability, and rurality. In this factsheet, RTC:Rural researchers Hannah Pepprock and Lillie Greiman use publicly available data from the American Community Survey to examine service-connected disability rating status and the questions on functional ability as they relate to U.S. regions and rurality.
New Veterans Maps
We’re mad about maps at RTC:Rural and have added Veterans with Disabilities to our interactive interface at Disability Counts. Since both Veterans and people with disabilities are disproportionately represented in rural areas, this is valuable data to explore. You can access Veterans maps by state on the Disability Data Dashboard or generate a data table with the Data Lookup Tool. If you need a hand figuring out the site, check out our tutorial before navigating or contact Lillie Greiman.
Welcome Marci Olsen
RTC:Rural is pleased to welcome Marci Olsen to our team. Marci Olsen is joining RTC:Rural as a Research Associate, after obtaining her B.A. in Psychology. Her diverse experience spans roles such as Peer Mentor, Resident Assistant, Housing Navigator, Community Navigator, Prison Education Advisor, as well as Behavioral and SPED Paraeducator. Additionally, her role as a Youth Treatment Technician involved aiding in transitioning teenage boys with mental health diagnoses back into the community. Marci is known for her commitment to fostering personal growth and community well-being. After gaining more research experience with the RIIC, she hopes to explore and advance our understanding of mental health— particularly its intersections with identity, group dynamics, empathy, and prosocial behavior. Marci intends to apply what she's learned to improve the quality of living for individuals and communities. She is grateful for the opportunity to focus on individuals with disabilities in rural areas. In her free time, Marci can be found enjoying the mountains and/or movies. She also volunteers with a local non-profit to bring meditation and mindfulness training to individuals who are incarcerated at the Montana State Prison.
July 2024
New publications, rural transportation interviews, MontCOMM, and more.
View the July 2024 Web Version →
New Publications
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 1st’s High School High Tech Program and what participants shared through Photovoice evaluation of their transition program.
Read the Ability 1st research report
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.
Read the VR services fact sheet
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.
Read the travel patterns fact sheet
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.
Learn more about the Rural Transportation Voucher Interviews
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 6th 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.
Learn more and register for MontCOMM!
*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.
Learn more about the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center
December 2023
Rural Disability Data Summit
RTC:Rural is working with a variety of stakeholders to improve the quality and availability of rural disability data. We kicked off our efforts at the 2023 APRIL Conference, where we held a Rural Disability Roundtable session. Participants shared how they use data at their CIL or organization, and what data would be most impactful if they had access. Themes included questioning the trustworthiness of data, the need for consistent definitions, and how to understand and use data effectively.
We are continuing to explore data with our partners at the Urban Institute through listening sessions and will host a virtual summit in September 2024. The summit will bring stakeholders together to collectively identify data that matters for the rural disability community. We hope these efforts will help set a data-driven rural community living agenda. Stay tuned for more details.
Contact Lillie Greiman to get involved!
Update on ACS Changes
As detailed in our November Special Edition eNews, the U.S. Census Bureau has proposed changing how disability information is collected in the American Community Survey (ACS). The changes will reduce the U.S. disability rate from 13.9% to 9.1%. RTC:Rural, our research partners, and disability advocates have worked to include the voices of the disability community in providing feedback to the Census Bureau. You can learn more about the proposed changes from our partners at the Urban Institute.
If you would like to take direct action, you can submit public comments through the Federal Register up to December 19.
Submit your public comments now!
New RTC Staff!
Hannah Pepprock, Research Associate
Hannah is originally from Montana and grew up on the hi-line (Shelby and Havre). She earned her bachelor’s in Anthropology from UM in 2019 and completed her master’s in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2023. While earning her master's, Hannah began working full-time as a clinical research coordinator with a focus on cancer genetics and prevention. Joining RTC: Rural felt the natural next step, and she is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the inspiring work being done throughout the institute.
Luke Santore, Graduate Research Associate
Originally from NYC, Luke moved to Missoula in 2013, where he worked as a wildland firefighter, then as a service provider for at-risk youth and people experiencing homelessness. He holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Montana and is a semester away from his MA in Sociology with a focus on social justice and inequality. A qualitative and quantitative researcher, his research interests include mental health service use, disability health equity, social connection, and disability stigma.
Will Hoard, KT Coordinator
Originally from Great Falls, MT, Will earned his BA in English Literature with a minor in Theatre from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR. After college, he pursued a certificate in User Experience Research and Design. During his time at Lewis and Clark College, Will worked as a student coordinator for the school's office of accessibility. It was during this time that he became passionate about accessible disability services. After spending a few years working for start-ups, Will was ready for a change. RTC:Rural felt like the next best step!
Publications and Presentations
Recent Publication
Mobility drives community participation. But for the millions of Americans who do not or cannot drive, lack of transportation can be a major barrier. In “'Patiently waiting': How do non-driving disabled adults get around in rural America?”,
RTC:Rural researchers Andrew Myers and Krys Standley explore transportation modes and policy suggestions to address rural transportation challenges.
Read the full article to learn more!
Upcoming Presentation
On December 12 at 1:00 ET, Catherine Ipsen will present at a webinar series sponsored by the Patient Advocacy Network and CVS Specialty. Her presentation, “Addressing the needs of rural communities,” will explore the healthcare access challenges faced by healthcare providers and people living in rural communities and identify key strategies to help address these challenges.
National Survey on Health and Disability
Participate in the 2023 National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) based at the University of Kansas!
The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) gives voice to the concerns of people with disabilities and documents their experiences with a variety of issues. Those include access to health care, insurance coverage, housing, transportation, Long Covid, employment, and more. It also explores aspects of people's sense of belonging and how they matter.
The survey is anonymous and confidential and takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. It can be completed online with a smartphone, tablet, computer, or over the telephone with a project staff person.
Want to learn more? Watch a short video about the survey
October 2023
Five More Years! New RTC8 Projects!
RTC:Rural 2023-2028 is funded! We could not have achieved this without our fabulous partners across the CIL network. We have an excellent slate of new projects and opportunities for you to help ensure our efforts represent disability voices and experiences. These timely new projects include accessing and utilizing data, examining Personal Assistance Services workforce capacity, rural health promotion, rural transportation vouchers, and capacity building in home usability.
Learn more about our RTC8 Projects!
2023 APRIL Conference
Thank you, APRIL! RTC:Rural staff had a blast at the 2023 APRIL Conference in Orange County, CA. Our researchers contributed five presentations and two busy vendor booths to this magical event. We are busy following up on all the great conversations we had with the wonderful group of attendees. If we didn’t get to connect with you at the conference, be sure to reach out!
RDRL Deactivation
The Rural Disability Resource Library is retiring on October 31, 2023. In 2017, we created this valuable resource as a one-stop shop for rural disability information. Unfortunately, we can no longer effectively maintain current information on the platform. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to find an alternative model.
RIIC Executive Director Position
The Rural Institute is seeking a Director! This is an amazing opportunity for the right individual to:
- Lead a dynamic team of researchers, educators, and service providers,
- Promote equal opportunity for people with disabilities,
- Build lasting partnerships,
- Pursue their own research, and
- Live and work in beautiful Missoula, MT.
Does this sound like you, or someone you know? Please share widely with your networks.
National Survey on Health and Disability
The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) is live and needs your help! The NSHD gives voice to the concerns of people with disabilities and documents their experiences with a variety of issues. Those include access to health care, insurance coverage, housing, transportation, Long COVID, employment, and more. It also explores aspects of people's sense of belonging and how they matter.
Want to know more? Watch a short video about the survey
Recent Publications
What environmental factors impacted people with disabilities in the COVID-19 pandemic? Hana Meshesha, Meg Traci, and colleagues from Montana DPHHS, University of Michigan and Drexel University, along with UM doctoral student Kanbi Knippling and WHO ICF experts, co-authored “COVID-19, Disability, and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: A Scoping Review of Early-Stage Pandemic Response.”
Or, if you are interested in disability, rurality, and rural health, you are in luck! Rayna Sage just had an article posted in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Global Public Health. This article, “Disability and Rural Health,” explores the challenges rural disabled people face in maintaining their health and wellbeing and some promising approaches to rural health care and health promotion.
September 2023
RTC8 Funding
RTC:Rural is thrilled to announce that we have received official notice of our grant award for RTC8. This means five more years of timely research on rural disability exploring community living, employment, health, and more!
We will be hard at work to build upon collaborations with our awesome, invaluable partners to:
- Expand the availability and quality of rural data,
- Encourage the direct participation of stakeholders in all phases of projects, and
- Develop interventions appropriate for delivery through existing rural systems
Stay tuned for more details on our upcoming projects! We appreciate all your support and interest and are eager to continue as leaders in rural disability research.
APRIL Conference
The 2023 APRIL Conference: The Magic of IL will be held in person on October 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency in Orange County, CA. RTC:Rural will be well represented at this wonderful event, with presentations from five researchers!
Check out the conference agenda to read about all the excellent workshops, including these RTC offerings:
- Amy Lariviere – Community Living Skills Disability Identity
- Rayna Sage and Lillie Greiman - The Magic of Photos and Web-based Storytelling to Raise Rural IL Awareness
- Lillie Greiman - Disability Counts: An RTC:Rural tool to support accessing and using data for advocacy, reporting, and funding
- Krys Standley, Jeff Gutierrez, and Sandra Breitengross Bitter from ILRU - Introducing the Outcome Measurement Toolkit - A Resource for Centers for Independent Living
- Lillie Greiman and Jeff Gutierrez - RTC:Rural Data Roundtables
- These will take place on Friday, October 13 from 5:30-6:30 and have limited capacity. If you are interested in participating and would like to learn more, please complete this brief application
The Pre-Conference activities and the rewarding Youth Conference will be on October 12, and the APRIL Conference on October 13-14. Check out event details on the APRIL website and be sure to register soon!
Rural Health and Disability
RTC:Rural had a busy end to summer with some extremely valuable meetings, along with quite a few acronyms. In early August, a group from RTC:Rural met with members of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP). We were requested to provide insights on rural disability issues, which is a new focus for these groups.
On September 6-8, we continued the discussion with the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS). Meg Traci represented RTC:Rural in providing to the committee data and research findings on rural disability across the country. Additional presentations were made by the National Council on Disability (NCD) and other local service providers.
The product of this committee meeting will be a policy brief for the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This will include recommendations related to rural disability and health, considerations for coordinating between departments, and future research topics.
Also resulting from the initial meeting, RTC:Rural made an outstanding connection with the Rural Health Information Hub (RHI Hub) about continuing to inform rural disability issues. We look forward to working together more closely to amplify the issues and share vital rural information.
This has been a summer of rural ripple effects and we couldn’t be happier to be make these amazing connections!
Healthy Community Living Training Now Live!
Our Healthy Community Living program (HCL) has transitioned from asynchronous to live facilitator trainings! This change provides participants with an in-person training experience with our incredible Training Coordinator, Amy Lariviere.
We have training courses on Living Well in the Community, Community Living Skills, and Facilitating Groups scheduled from September to January. Check out the website or read the latest newsletter to learn more and sign up!
Healthy Community Living Website
Latest HCL Newsletter
New Publication!
RTC:Rural researchers looked at how CILs adapted services to meet the needs of rural disabled people during the pandemic. They found plenty of challenges, but also resilience, and the benefits of thinking creatively to connect within communities.
“Just trying to adjust to the new reality that seems to be changing every hour”: Lessons learned from nation-wide peer meetings on COVID-19 with rural disability service providers presents an inside look at CILs’ response to a remarkable situation.
Read the paper in Community Development
RTC is Hiring!
Do you want a job that helps support the independence, productivity, and inclusion of people with disabilities? RTC:Rural is seeking two Research Associates to be part of our grant-funded research projects. Check out the job posting for more information and to apply.
View job posting and apply now!