Showing 1 – 10 of 10 results.
Self-published
Increasing Labor Force Participation for People with B/LV: Interviews (ICPSR 246744)
Released/updated on: 2026-07-30
Geographic coverage: United States
The purpose of this study was to gather information directly from the target population (adults with B/LV who are not in the labor force) about the factors that influenced their non-participation in employment. We wanted to learn how government policies and programs, assistive technology skills, economic circumstances, and health influenced participation in employment. We also investigated whether self-employment and mentoring were potential facilitators of labor force participation. Research questions included:
- What do people with B/LV who are out of the labor force perceive as employment barriers? What would help them overcome those barriers?
- How do people with B/LV who are out of the labor force perceive their (a) technology skills, (b) need for additional training, (c) access to technology, (d) health, and (e) economic status?
- Have self-employment or mentoring been offered to, and considered by, people with B/LV who are out of the labor force?
Self-published
Student and Family Perspective on Engaging Youth and Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions in Pre-Employment Transition Services ("Pre-ETS") (ICPSR 250117)
Released/updated on: 2026-06-22
Geographic coverage: Massachusetts, United States
Time period: 2023-01-02--2023-12-31
The proposed project aims to acquire knowledge on the barriers and facilitators to providing Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to students with serious mental health conditions, as well as the extent to which they access and utilize these services. This project seeks to understand the perspective and experiences of family members whose student is currently receiving or has received Pre-ETS in Massachusetts. This project conducted focus groups with this stakeholder group to gain a deeper understanding of the Pre-ETS program rollout in Massachusetts under WIOA.
Self-published
Culturally Appropriate Research in American Indian Employment Programs (CARE) (ICPSR 242361)
Released/updated on: 2026-01-03
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2020-09-01--2025-08-31
The Culturally Appropriate Research in American Indian Employment Programs (CARE) project addresses the issue of high rates of unemployment of American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) people or individuals with disabilities.The research addressed the research question: What are the practices and policies, and the associated characteristics, used by American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) programs, including those that are culturally appropriate? The Culturally Appropriate Research in American Indian Employment (CARE) project was led by the Institute for Human Development and funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). It was carried out between September 1, 2020, and August 31, 2025, and focused on Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR) programs, which help Tribal members with disabilities prepare for, get, and keep jobs. Unlike state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs, TVR programs focus on the Tribal cultures of the people they serve. This includes offering Cultural Services to each participant that may help them reach their employment goal. Because there is little research on how TVR programs work, CARE used a community-based participatory research approach, which involves community members in planning and conducting the research. A council of advisors from American Indian/Alaska Native TVR programs helped shape the project’s goals and research design. Later, TVR staff helped improve the design, create a visual diagram, and analyze data. The project’s goal was to identify the practices and policies that support people with disabilities in achieving their employment goals through TVR, particularly those that focus on being responsive to and respectful of Tribal cultures. Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Personalized Approach to Traditional Holistics (TVR PATH) is a tool designed to support the provision of Cultural Services within Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR) programs. At its core, TVR PATH features a diagram describing key elements that directly and indirectly help program participants receive Cultural Services. These include any services provided to a participant that reflect their cultural background and are necessary for their successful employment.The name of this tool emphasizes the personalized nature of supporting TVR program participants and the holistic approach to working with them. Program participants aren’t simply placed in a job; they are served and supported as whole people and members of their communities, with all the complexities of their intertwined strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and choices. Recognizing these interconnections, TVR PATH promotes a holistic approach to service delivery.TVR PATH was developed through an inclusive, community-driven process that involved interviews, focus groups, and feedback from TVR directors, counselors, and other Tribal partners. Each element of the diagram reflects a shared understanding of the conditions that support meaningful employment outcomes for Tribal members with disabilities.This resource is intended for both new and seasoned TVR directors, counselors, and program teams. It serves as a guide for those who want to improve planning, training, and services in ways that respect Tribal culture. TVR program directors have suggested using it to support new staff training, strategic planning, and community engagement.Importantly, TVR PATH is not a rule book or list of regulations. It does not replace important resources such as AIVRTTAC’s TVR Journey Guide or decision-making tools based on the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Rather, it adds to these resources by offering a wider, big-picture view shaped by Tribal community knowledge and experience.Because each TVR program is unique, TVR PATH is meant to be a starting point. While it could be used “as is”, programs are encouraged to personalize it by changing the wording, layout, or images to reflect their culture and community. This website includes background information on how TVR PATH was created, an explanation of how the tool works, and two guides for personalizing it: one focused on visual design and another for adjusting the content so the final version fits your specific TVR program.The TVR PATH description and guidance can be found at this URL: https://legacy.nau.edu/ihd/tvr-path/
Self-published
Rural Self-Employment (ICPSR 225101)
Released/updated on: 2025-04-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2018-01-01--2023-12-31
The overarching goal of this project was to enhance the capacity of VR (Vocational Rehabilitation) and AIVRS (American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services) counselors to support consumers interested in self-employment. To achieve this, we utilized the Context, Input, Process, and Product Evaluation Model (CIPP; Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, 2007) to evaluate the VR Self-Employment Guide within both VR and AIVRS settings. This evaluation aimed to refine the materials to ensure they are responsive, appropriate, useful, and prepared for future intervention efficacy research. We conducted interviews with key agency informants to gather insights on self-employment procedures and strategies for improving outcomes. These discussions also focused on identifying the most suitable placement for the VR Self-Employment Guide within the VR delivery process. Following the initial interviews, we followed up with informants to assess how they had utilized the new resource.
Self-published
Improving Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes for Justice- and/or Foster- Involved Youth with Disabilities (ICPSR 209221)
Released/updated on: 2024-09-20
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2021-09-01--2024-08-30
Cornell University conducted research on how state governments can improve job services to help youth and young adults who are involved in the justice system and/or foster care system achieve employment. This research looks to include youth, family, and professional perspectives on how state vocational rehabilitation agencies can more successfully outreach to youth who have been involved in foster care or juvenile justice. Vocational rehabilitation agencies are government agencies and community service providers who help people with disabilities overcome barriers to working and earning an income. The goal of this research is to provide guidance to professionals in these agencies and others so they can better reach youth who are involved in foster care or juvenile justice. This data set was part of a mixed methods research study, where Phase 1 was qualitative focus group interviews with two participant groups: (1) service provider professionals working within youth-serving agencies that serve justice and/or foster involved youth with disabilities; and (2) individuals who have experienced one or both of those systems and their families. During Phase 2 of the study, core themes identified through qualitative data analysis in Phase 1 were converted into survey items for a follow up survey with the same participant populations (including some who took part in the focus groups and some new participants). The target sample size was n = 400, evenly split between the different participant groups. Tab 1 of the uploaded file is the service provider professional responses, Tab 2 is the individuals with lived experience responses. Of note here is that this data set was used to confirm themes from Phase 1 qualitative research, as such, there were no attempts at making generalizable inferences and the data is not appropriate for such purposes. Rather, the follow-up survey was intended to increase the transferability of qualitative findings and increase confidence in making practitioner-oriented recommendations in a final toolkit deliverable for the project. This research was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), Grant #90IFRE0048. This publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the NIDILRR or the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of tradenames, commercial products or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Self-published
Vocational Rehabilitation service receipt, service expenditures, and ruralness (ICPSR 203706)
Released/updated on: 2024-05-23
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2022-01-01--2022-12-31
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs in the United States help individuals with disabilities find, maintain, or advance their employment outcomes. Vocational Rehabilitation programs vary across states and can offer services such as vocational assessment, counseling, training, job placement, and support. However, disparities exist in how services are provided to consumers, particularly concerning demographic factors and geographical location. This study analyzed data from the 2015 Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911), which contains detailed information on demographics, disability types, VR services, and employment status for cases closed during the fiscal year 2015. Approximately 86% of all cases were included in the final study sample after data cleaning procedures, ensuring a comprehensive and complete analysis of the data. The analysis examined how distance from urban centers influences the receipt of VR services, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Results revealed that factors like race, age, education level, and proximity to metro areas significantly impact the likelihood of consumers to receive certain services and the overall levels of purchases of those services. For instance, individuals living further from urban centers were more likely to receive VR services directly from the VR agency itself, rather than services obtained through external VR providers. Moreover, disparities in how services are provided, or delivered, to consumers highlight the need for policies and procedures to address sociodemographic differences to ensure equitable access to VR services for all individuals.
Curated
Partially restricted
Justice in the Delivery of Government Services [United States]: Decision Norms of Street-Level Bureaucrats in Select Southwest and Midwest U.S. Cities, 1996-1999 (ICPSR 3324)
Released/updated on: 2006-01-18
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1996-01-01--1999-12-31
This study examined the various factors involved in the decision norms of street-level bureaucrats. The principal investigators explored how police officers, school teachers, and vocational rehabilitation counselors decided what was fair and right in individual cases and how this assessment affected the delivery of governmental services. The data in this collection consist of street-level work stories or narratives, semi-structured entry and exit interviews, and a structured questionnaire. Participants from the aforementioned job categories were drawn from select southwest and midwest United States cities over a period of three years (1996-1999). Part 1 includes the quantitative data from the structured questionnaire. Part 2 includes transcripts of the narratives and interviews. The entry interview was designed to gather background information on the participants and to explain and schedule the story collection process. Participants were queried about their work history, current job, and relations with citizen-clients, coworkers, and supervisors. They were asked to describe their various personal, professional, and group identities and how their social identities related to those of the citizens with whom they interacted. They were also asked to describe any critical incidents in the history of their agency, such as a public scandal or change of administration, that influenced their work environment. At the conclusion of the entry interview, the participants were given instructions and materials for the narratives. The participants were asked to write down a rough outline of two or three different stories describing situations that took place within their agency. These stories were to focus on instances when the participants' perception of "fairness or unfairness" impacted their decision-making in encounters with citizen-clients or with the agency. The narratives were collected during a scheduled meeting between the researcher and participant. The researcher asked the participant to tell his or her stories, which were tape-recorded. During the initial storytelling, the researchers interrupted as little as possible, asking questions at the conclusion to encourage the story teller to fill in missing or unelaborated details. The tape-recorded stories were transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were lightly edited for clarity and to introduce the observations added in response to researcher probes. The exit interview involved a structured questionnaire and a brief open-ended interview. The questionnaire data were not intended to allow for statistical inference but to describe the participants. The questionnaire asked direct questions about discretion and justice as well as a series of standard questions on task authority, task variety, the frequency of work expectations, the applicability and clarity of rules, and the percentage of time spent working directly with citizen-clients. Participants were queried about the adequacy of resources, work load, job satisfaction, and perceptions of fairness at work. They were also asked questions on ideology and political orientation, as well as hypothetical questions regarding the distribution of rules. The exit interview involved three open-ended questions: What the word "justice" meant to participants, whether participants felt there were groups in America that were treated unfairly, and if any of the rules or procedures at work struck participants as unfair.
Curated
National Health Interview Survey On Disability, 1995: Phase II, Child Followback (ICPSR 2577)
Released/updated on: 1999-04-30
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1995-01-01--1995-12-31
The purpose of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is to obtain information about the amount and distribution of illness, its effects in terms of disability and chronic impairments, and the kinds of health services people receive. The National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D), first administered in 1994, was designed to collect data that can be used to understand disability and develop public policy. Another goal of this survey was to find a balance among medical, administrative, and social issues involved in disability measurement. The 1995 NHIS-D was conducted in two phases. Phase I was administered at the same time as the 1995 NHIS core. The Phase I Disability questionnaire elicited information on disability and was used as a screening device for Phase II. Phase II has two parts, a Child file and an Adult file. The Child Followback file includes questions on services needed by the child, the impact of the child's disability on the family, child care, and emotional and psychological adjustment. This file can be linked to the 1995 NHIS core data (ICPSR 2533). In addition, it can be linked to NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY ON DISABILITY, 1995: PHASE I, PERSON AND CONDITION DATA (ICPSR 2562), NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY, 1995: ACCESS TO CARE SUPPLEMENT (ICPSR 2525), and NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY, 1995: HEALTH INSURANCE SUPPLEMENT (ICPSR 2530).
Curated
National Health Interview Survey on Disability, 1995: Phase II, Adult Followback (ICPSR 2578)
Released/updated on: 1999-04-26
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1995-01-01--1995-12-31
The purpose of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is to obtain information about the amount and distribution of illness, its effects in terms of disability and chronic impairments, and the kinds of health services people receive. The National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D), first administered in 1994, was designed to collect data that can be used to understand disability and develop public policy. Another goal of this survey was to find a balance among medical, administrative, and social issues involved in disability measurement. The 1995 NHIS-D was conducted in two phases. Phase I was administered at the same time as the 1995 NHIS core. The Phase I Disability questionnaire elicited information on disability and was used as a screening device for Phase II. Phase II has two parts, a Child file and an Adult file. The Adult Followback file includes questions on housing and long-term care services, transportation, social activity, work history/employment, vocational rehabilitation, assistive devices and technologies, health insurance, assistance with key activities, self-direction, family structure, relationships, living arrangements, conditions and impairments, health opinions and behaviors, community services, and proxy status. This file can be linked to the 1995 NHIS core data (ICPSR 2533). In addition, it can be linked to NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY ON DISABILITY, 1995: PHASE I, PERSON AND CONDITION DATA (ICPSR 2562), NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY, 1995: ACCESS TO CARE SUPPLEMENT (ICPSR 2525), and NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY, 1995: HEALTH INSURANCE SUPPLEMENT (ICPSR 2530).
Curated
National Health Interview Survey on Disability, 1994: Phase II, Adult Followback (ICPSR 2568)
Released/updated on: 1998-12-07
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1994-01-01--1994-12-31
The purpose of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is to obtain information about the amount and distribution of illness, its effects in terms of disability and chronic impairments, and the kinds of health services people receive. The National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D), first administered in 1994, was designed to collect data that can be used to understand disability and develop public policy. Another goal of this survey was to find a balance among medical, administrative, and social issues involved in disability measurement. The 1994 NHIS-D was conducted in two phases. Phase I was administered at the same time as the 1994 NHIS core. The Phase I Disability questionnaire elicited information on disability and was used as a screening device for Phase II. Phase II has two parts, a Child file and an Adult file. The Adult Followback file includes questions on housing and long-term care services, transportation, social activity, work history/employment, vocational rehabilitation, assistive devices and technologies, health insurance, assistance with key activities, other services, self-direction, family structure, relationships, living arrangements, conditions and impairments, health opinions and behaviors, community services, and proxy status. This file can be linked to the 1994 NHIS core data (ICPSR 6724). In addition, it can be linked to NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY ON DISABILITY, 1994: PHASE I, PERSON AND CONDITION DATA (ICPSR 2562), NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY, 1994: ACCESS TO CARE SUPPLEMENT (ICPSR 6874), and NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY, 1994: HEALTH INSURANCE SUPPLEMENT (ICPSR 6873).