John Smith, M.S.W.
Project Director
John is a Project Coordinator and researcher for RTC/CL. He has a strong professional and personal interest in programs and initiatives directed to the development of the capacities related to self-determination and self-advocacy among persons with disabilities, and also the social inclusion of persons with disabilities. Among his responsibilities is providing TA and support to People First of Minnesota, a state-wide self-advocacy network developed and coordinated by persons who have ID/DD. John has also managed several research and program evaluation projects related to the development of self-determination and self-advocacy. John is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program with an emphasis in Evaluation Studies. John is has long been active in a wide variety of community organizations and activities, including as a Board Member for the Minnesota Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, a course instructor for Minneapolis Community Education, and a trip leader for Wilderness Inquiry, Inc.
Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living
E-mail: (smith144@umn.edu)

• Developing Exemplary Practices to Support Self-Determination
  Numerous approaches have been developed to enhance the self-determination of persons with ID/DD. The majority of these have been t... (More)
  
  
• Evaluating the Impact of Environmental Interventions on the Self-Determination of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
  The purpose of this project is to learn about the exercise of self-determination among adults with intellectual and/or development... (More)
  
  
• Evaluation of Project FIT, and Gateway to Adventure/Wilderness Inquiry
  This project will apply Wilderness Inquiry’s (WI) Universal Program Participation Model to support whole families with young adult... (More)
  
  
• The Impact of Environment on the Self-Determination of Adults with ID/DD
  Over the past several years, many important systemic and environmental interventions intended to increase the self-determination o... (More)
  
  
• QualityMall.org
  Quality Mall is a web site that gathers and disseminates information related to or useful in promoting the quality of life for per... (More)
  
  
• Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of a Model Community Quality Assurance System Designed, Managed and Staffed by Community Members
  Beginning in 1996, a group of community “stakeholders” in SE Minnesota began to explore community initiatives to improve services.... (More)
  
  
• Self-Advocacy Online: Research and Development to Bridge the “Digital Divide”
  This research and development project will employ systematic analysis of specific web-based technology and learning strategies to ... (More)
  
  

•

An Independent Assessment of the Region 10 Quality Assurance Commission (PDF) - Beginning in 1995, a group of community stakeholders in Southeast Minnesota began to explore community initiatives to improve services. One of these initiatives received Legislative authority and funding to plan, design, and implement a new outcome-based quality assurance system for community services. This plan created and granted the “Region 10 Quality Assurance Commission” the authority to serve as the regional quality assurance and licensing entity for Region 10 counties wishing to implement a program of outcome-based quality assessment. This independent evaluation was initiated by The Commission and conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC/CL). (2008); File Size: 1.81 MB

•	Quality Mall - 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.

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

NOTE: To view/download PDF files, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader® installed on your computer. You can download a copy of the Reader here

  Journal Articles

• Lakin, K. C., Prouty, R., Polister, B., & Smith, J. (2002). Indicators of change in service for persons with intellectual disabilities: Decade ending June 30, 2002. Mental Retardation, 40(1), 90-96.
  
  
• Lakin, K. C., Smith, J., Prouty, R., & Polister, B. (2001). State institutions during the 1990s: Changes in the number of facilities, average daily populations, and expenditures between Fiscal Years 1991 and 2000. Mental Retardation, 39 (1), 72-75.
  
  
• Smith, J., Prouty, R., Polister, B., Kwak, N., & Lakin, K. C., (2001). Large state residential facilities: Status and trends in population characteristics as of June 30, 2000. Mental Retardation, 39 (4), 334-337.
  
  
• Stancliffe, R., Abery, B., & Smith, J. (2000). Personal control and the ecology of community living settings: Beyond living unit size and type. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 105(6), 431-454.
  
  

  Technical Reports

• Abery, B., Smith, J., Elkin, S., Springborg, H., & Lewis, M. (2001). The Minnesota self-determination scales: Staff and consumer editions. Minneapolis, MN: RRTC/CL on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Hewitt, A., O'Nell, S., Smith, J., Bast, J., Larson, S., & Lakin, K. C. (1998). An evaluation of alternative methods to assure and enhance the quality of long-term care services for persons with developmental disabilities through performance based contracts. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living/Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Smith, J. G., McBride, M., Hayden, M. F., & Lakin, K. C. (1999). Summary of focus group meetings: Person-directed supports in Dakota County, Minnesota. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Center on Community Living.
  
  

  Products

• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000a). Minnesota self-determination scales: Decision-making preference scale. Residential staff edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000i). Minnesota self-determination scales: Self-determination skills, attitudes, and knowledge scale. Self-report edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000a). Minnesota self-determination scales: Decision-making preference scale. Residential staff edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000d). Minnesota self-determination scales: Exercise of control scale. Self-report edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000h). Minnesota self-determination scales: Self-determination skills, attitudes, and knowledge scale. Residential staff edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000g). Minnesota self-determination scales: Self-determination environment scale. Residential staff edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000f). Minnesota self-determination scales: Importance scale. Self-report edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000e). Minnesota self-determination scales: Importance scale. Residential staff edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B.H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000c). Minnesota self-determination scales: Exercise of control scale. Residential staff edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B.H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Springborg, H. L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2000b). Minnesota self-determination scales: Decision-making preference scale. Self-report edition. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  

  Training Curricula

• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Stancliffe, R. J. & Lewis, M. (2002). Enhancing Self-Determination of Adults with Mental Retardation: A Training Program for Support Staff. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration, Rehabilitation and Training Center on Community Living.
  
  
• Abery, B. H., Elkin, S. V., Smith, J. G., Stancliffe, R. J. & Lewis, M. (2002). Enhancing Self-Determination of Adults with Mental Retardation: A Training Program for Support Staff. Minneapolis MN: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration, Rehabilitation and Training Center on Community Living.
  
  
• Abery, B., Smith, J., Elkin, S., Springborg, H., & Lewis, M. (2001). The Minnesota self-determination training curriculum for direct-service staff. Minneapolis, MN: RRTC/CL on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration.
  
  
• Abery, B., Smith., J., Gutman, S., Springborg, H., & Stancliffe, R. (1999). Supporting the self-determination of adults with developmental disabilities in community-based residential settings: A staff training curriculum. Minneapolis, MN: Institute on Community Integration.