Below is a list of the RTC's currently active projects . For more information, see the contact person(s) for each project.

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This quasi-experimental study will assess the relationship between customization strategies and outcomes and validate a training and mentorship approach for improving the skills of DSPs who serve as employment consultants or job developers in two states.

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Active Support (AS) is an organizational intervention to enable direct support professionals (DSPs) in community settings to effectively support the participation of persons with ID/DD in everyday activities. Research in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia shows that AS results in greater participation by people with ID/DD in domestic, community and social activities, as well as leading to increased functional skills and reduced depression and challenging behavior. This study will be the first US and the largest controlled study of AS ever undertaken.

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This study involves state data collection; analyses of Medicaid administrative data, and interviews of key state officials to maintain national and state-by-state statistics and policy-related information on the status, trends and innovations in Medicaid financing of residential employment and other community services and support for persons with ID/DD (approximately 85% of all service expenditures for persons with ID/DD).

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The College of Direct Support (CDS) is a computer-assisted, competency-based, interactive multimedia training curriculum for direct support professionals in community settings.

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This activity will study access people with ID/DD and their families have to consumer directed community supports (CDCS). It will use a participatory action research model with people using CDCS to learn about their needs and challenges; how staffing needs are addressed and how this compares to staffing patterns in traditional services. Methods will also include: 1) a national survey of state DD Directors, 2) a survey of a sample County Directors of disability services in Minnesota, 3) review of extant data sets in Minnesota, 4) a series of 6-8 individual case studies to gather information about the experiences of CDCS participants; 5) a series of 3-6 focus groups to explore CDCS support and staffing issues that emerged in the case studies; and 6) surveys/interviews with 100-150 sample members to gather information from consumers or family members who direct the supports.

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This project assists Thomson Healthcare in supporting the legislatively-mandated development and implementation of an annual survey of service recipients with the goals of assisting in determining the quality and outcomes of the services and supports provided under the DHS Disability Services Division’s Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs. Funded by a subcontract from Thompson Healthcare Inc.

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Previous research suggests that a number of ecological characteristics including organizational climate, policies and regulations, and the skills, attitudes, and knowledge of DSPs have a significant influence on the self-determination of adults with ID/DD. To date, there are no interventions in this area that meet the criteria for evidence-based practice. This investigation will be the first large scale study of the effects of a self-determination training intervention designed to support the self-determination of persons with ID/DD who have intensive support needs, utilizing a randomized control trial (RCT) design.

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This project will apply Wilderness Inquiry’s (WI) Universal Program Participation Model to support whole families with young adult members with MR/DD as an alternative to respite support. It will a) assess outcomes in family-efficacy, family empowerment, family cohesion, family and individual’s future participation in outdoor activities, links with other families and community resources, b) identify indicators of high quality, socially integrated family outdoor recreation; c) identify support and training needed by families to use other community recreation resources; and d) identify new ways to improve training and other outdoor and wilderness organizations in supporting families with members with MR/DD.

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This study provides comprehensive identification, review and assessment measures related to participation and community living and will create a compendium of the most valid, reliable, useful and widely used measures, instruments and outcome measurement programs.

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This study will examine the effectiveness of two different approaches to supporting community participation, those based in human services agencies versus direct involvement of community members. Social inclusion outcomes will be compared for individuals randomly assigned to: (a) no intervention; (b) training methods for residential services staff, and (c) direct engagement of civic organizations, faith communities, chambers of commerce, and other community organizations.

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This project investigates the effect on offender recidivism of adjudication for offenders with mental health diagnoses in the Hennepin County (Minnesota) Mental Health Court, in contrast with adjudication in the regular county court. Findings from this study will be combined with those of three other mental health court studies being conducted by researchers around the country and the data made available nationwide by Policy Research Associates. A collaborative project with Policy Research Associates. Funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

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This project assists Thomson Healthcare to prepare reports for the Minnesota Department of Human Services through assisting with collection of qualitative and quantitative data from the Department of Human Services and other key stakeholders, and writing draft sections of the State Long-Term Care Profile Tool regarding supports for people with developmental disabilities and people with brain injuries. Funded by a subcontract from Thompson Healthcare Inc.

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This project brings together in one place the nation's premier resources on the topic of Direct Support, with the goal of improving the quality, recruitment, and retention of the Direct Service workforce nationwide. A partnership of the Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC) and The Lewin Group, Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, The Westchester Consulting Group, the Institute for the Future of Aging Services, and The Annapolis Coalition. Funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, regulation, and certification directly and indirectly affects the majority of the long-term care workforce. During FY2003, CMS took on a more prominent leadership role in addressing community-based long-term care workforce shortages through the solicitation of 7 to 10 Direct Service Community Workforce Demonstration projects. The Lewin Group, Institute for the Future of Aging Services (LFAS) and The Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota are performing an “Evaluation of Contract Demonstration to Improve the Direct Service Community Workforce.” This project requires a qualitative assessment of implementation readiness and progress to identify and describe Promising Practices, technical assistance to grantees on local evaluation designs, and the development of a quantitative evaluation design to assess demonstration program effectiveness.

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For over 20 years, the National Residential Information Systems Project has been collecting and disseminating annually, national and state statistics on public and private residential services, Medicaid program utilization, expenditures, etc.

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This project evaluates the Personal Choice Network pilot project of Mt. Olivet Rolling Acres for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. A collaborative project with Mt. Olivet Rolling Acres and the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Funded by Mt. Olivet Rolling Acres.

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Quality Mall is a web site that gathers and disseminates information related to or useful in promoting the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities. It especially focuses on promising person-centered practices and innovations.

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This project provides training to Ramsey County’s Developmental Disability service team, county case managers, contracted vocational and residential providers, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities about the role each can play to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in living health lifestyles (focusing on physical activity and nutrition).

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This project makes recommendations for Minnesota's personal care assistant services on specific component of the PCA program such as service authorization, quality of care, health and safety, compensation,living arrangements, and improvements in program integrity. These recommendations will be used to improve the infrastructure and integrity of the PCA program and inform the state’s home care reform legislation as it moves forward in 2009. Funded by a subcontract from the Lewin Group.

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This project developed a draft of a Report to Congress on the supply and demand of direct support professionals needed to serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The project included reviews of research, data estimates and projections, consultation and interaction with federal government staff, formulation of recommendations and development of an initial draft report. The RTC utilized its expertise in service systems for individuals with ID/DD, current workforce supply and demand and related factors, and data analysis expertise to develop this report in response to a Congressional request.

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This research and development project will employ systematic analysis of specific web-based technology and learning strategies to accommodate relevant impairments to web use associated with ID. It will use ongoing internal and external assessments and refinements to create and refine a model for maximizing website accessibility for persons with ID and related cognitive disabilities (RCD). A model website will be designed and evaluated to establish, field-test, and exemplify features of website design to accommodate ID/RCD. The model will be employed to design and deliver information of high value to persons with ID/RCD by focusing on “self-advocacy.”

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Over the past several years, many important systemic and environmental interventions intended to increase the self-determination of individuals with ID/DD have been implemented. These include: the provision of supports in non-institutional, less tightly regulated settings using the Home and Community-Based (HCBS) waiver; the use of “person-centered” approaches to service planning and delivery; training programs for service staff to enhance their ability to support consumer self-determination, and the use of individualized budgets that allow consumers/family members a voice in deciding on how funding available to support them will be spent. Each of these interventions have particular strengths and drawbacks in supporting self-determination. At this time, however, there is a lack of knowledge as to which of these approaches or combination of approaches best supports self-determination. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodology, this study will evaluate the impact of these each of these for systemic approaches along with a number of micro system level environmental factors on enhancing the self-determination of individuals with ID/DD.

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This project partners with four local disability organizations (Arc Greater Twin Cities, Fraser, St. David's Child Development and Family Services, and Opportunity Partners) to provide advanced leadership training in disability advocacy, policy, and services for a delegation of nine government officials, missionaries, educators, and advocates from Zambia in southern Africa.

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An interactive website is being developed to provide a “clearinghouse” for leisure, recreation and life opportunities for people with ID/DD. This site will be used to link people with activities of interest and with others who share those interests to improve the quality of people’s social lives, opportunities, choices, and satisfaction. To determine the impact of the website, a pre- and post-test comparison will be conducted on the nature and variety of leisure and recreation activities of a sample of persons from participating sites. Data will be collected through site visits to determine the degree of inter-agency sharing of transportation and staff, and community members’ volunteering of time and resources, and implementation challenges.

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