The Research and Training Center on Measurement and Interdependence in Community Living (RTC/MICL) mission is to increase and enhance the interdependence and full participation in the community of people with disabilities through the use of scientifically sound, theoretically-driven, sustainable interventions and measures that lead to effective community living solutions and policy change.
To accomplish this, the RTC/MICIL began developing and adapting measures of community participation for people with varying disabilities in 2006. These measures will be used in baseline and post intervention conditions to determine the amount of participation change in the community for identified disability populations. In addition to community-based interventions to foster and sustain enhanced participation, the RTC/MICL also will evaluate the effectiveness of the state-by-state implementation of Olmstead v. L.C. (527 U.S. 581) and its economic utility.
The following research studies in progress are in response to the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research research requests:
- Measurement Systems of Person x Environment Interactions (R-1) will further develop and refine a system of measurement that examines the person and environment factors that function as either as barriers of facilitators to community participation of people with disabilities.
- Measurement of Economic Utility (R-2) will provide foundational materials for measuring the costs and benefits of policies and practices that maximize independence and participation for individuals with disabilities.
- HCBS Waiver: Economic Utility and Related Health Outcomes (R-3) will create and use a measure to better understand the effect and cost use of HCBS waivers on healthcare use and spending for individuals with physical disabilities. It also will measure and explore the relationship between community participation and healthcare use and spending among HCBS beneficiaries.
- CIL Services Effect on Community Participation (R-5) will assess the effects of different center for independent living service examples. In particular, centers that offer basic services will be compared to centers that specifically help consumers more fully participate in the community.
- Enhancing Community Participation (R-4) will measure a new personal assistance training program used at several sites that affects community participation of people with disabilities.
- Community Engagement Evaluation Project (R-6) will use a grassroots approach to make needed environmental changes, including programs, practices, and policies to increase community participation.