New Research
Grants Awarded for Supporting Transitions of Youth with Disabilities to
Adulthood
Below are highlights of some of the various projects set to
begin:
- The
Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation
Research and Training Center (RRTC) -- Awarded to the University of Massachusetts
Medical School ($875,000 a year for a period of five years) to develop
and share new knowledge about core concepts, interventions, and
policies to improve the transition to employment for youth and young
adults with serious mental health conditions. Activities will (1)
further the evidence base for interventions that build skills and
abilities that contribute to lifelong sustainable living wages; (2)
explore factors that contribute to successful transitions to
employment in vulnerable subgroups of youth and young adults with
serious mental health concerns; (3) provide national statistics on how
these youths and their vulnerable subgroups are faring in education
and employment; and (4) explore barriers and facilitators to accessing
legally-mandated services for students with disabilities and Career
and Technical Education. Through state of the science knowledge
translation processes, the RRTC will speed capacity-building for
service providers, the movement of findings into practice and policy,
and prepare the future research workforce in this area.
- Minority Youth and Centers for Independent Living
(MY-CIL) -- Awarded to Hunter College ($1,293,390 a year
for a period of five years in a grant co-funded by ACL's NIDILRR and
the Office for Independent Living) for generating and sharing new
knowledge that empowers centers for independent living (CILs) to improve
transition outcomes of out-of-school youth from minority backgrounds.
All research and knowledge translation activities will be developed
with input from CILs and other stakeholders. These activities and
objectives include a survey of CILs, qualitative interviews with CILs,
pilot testing practices and services with CILs, developing and testing
a manualized randomized control trial (RCT) intervention designed to
improve outcomes for the target population, learning collaboratives,
and technical assistance related to outreach, data analysis,
collaboration, and other practices that show promise for improving
outcomes for out-of-school youth with disabilities from minority
backgrounds.
- A
Professional Development and Case Management (PDCM) Model for Seamless
Transition Planning: Improving Postschool Outcomes -- Awarded to Kent State University ($475,000 a
year for a period of five years) in partnership with the State of Ohio
to explore a proof of concept for the goal of seamless transition
planning for youth identified as having intellectual disabilities,
multiple disabilities, traumatic brain injury, and autism who are
typically categorized as having cognitive disabilities. Anticipated
outcomes include: (a) joint and evidence-based individualized planning
by special educators and vocational rehabilitation (VR) providers; (b)
seamless transition services between school and postschool; and (c)
30-60% improved postschool outcomes for the participating cohort. The
products of this project will include: (a) materials to develop joint
professional development for vocational rehabilitation
counselors and special educators; (b) materials to coach VR-special
education teams in developing joint and evidence-based individualized
plans; (c) dissemination materials for diverse transition
stakeholders; and (d) proof of the efficacy the model in promoting
improved employment outcomes for youth with cognitive disabilities.
- Promoting
Entrepreneurship Among Low Income Youth with Disabilities -- Awarded to The Board of Trustees of the University
of Illinois ($475,000 a year for a period of five years) to
develop and conduct formative and summative evaluations of a
school-based model intended to promote employment and/or
entrepreneurship outcomes among transition-aged minority youth with
disabilities from low-income communities. The project will be
implemented in collaboration with a school for dropouts called “Youth
Connection Charter School” (YCCS) and with the Illinois Division of
Rehabilitation Services (DRS). Expected outcomes include:
identification of best practices, supports, and skills, as well as
barriers to transition to employment and/or entrepreneurship to be
incorporated in the intervention models. The resulting product will be
a school-based model intended to promote best practices for promoting
employment and/or entrepreneurship outcomes for low-income minority
transition-aged youth with disabilities.
Within ACL, NIDILRR works to generate new knowledge and
promote its effective use to improve the abilities of individuals with
disabilities to perform activities of their choice in the community; and to
expand society's capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations
for people with disabilities. NIDILRR conducts its work through grants that
support research and development.
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