STATE OF THE SCIENCE IN RURAL DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION

Toward a Community Paradigm

State of the Science

• Review the importance of disability in rural America

• Review our approach to research

• Reflect on what we have accomplished

• Consider future directions

Yesterday• The changing nature nature of

rural America • The outline of a new narrative

or rural America• Ideas of a commitment to

place, regionalism, cooperatives, wealth creation, and asset development

• Issues of transportation, community services, and nursing home emancipation.

Personal Responsibility

PrivateCommunity

Responsibility

Public

Self Help

Faith Based

Socially Responsive

Business

Community Infrastructure

Economic Development

Volunteers Social Action

Social Planning

Figure 1: The intersection of personal and community responsibilities with the private and public strategies.

Sanders County Montana – One Rural Story

• Sanders is located in Northwest Montana• Larger than the state of Delaware with 1/10th the population• Population of 11,413 for 4.1 souls per square mile • Shares many themes with other rural areas around the nation.

Community InfrastructureStress

• Economically • Medically • Educationally• Housing

TransportationThe lack of accessible transportation is one of the highest-rated problems experienced by people with disabilities living in rural America those who serve them

Sanders County Rural Transportation

Before abut 2003, Sanders County was one of the 40% or rural counties where there was no public transportation of any kind .

Lessons Learned• Rural communities have

assets and strength to solve local problems.

• Outsiders can help facilitate change through collaboration

• Outsiders can inadvertently disrupt fragile community relationships by imposing decisions

Community and the Ecological Model of Disability

Role for Research and Knowledge Translation

• Identify and document issues • Develop an understanding of the

dynamics of rural communities and the life of people with disabilities

• Develop evidence-based policies and practices to solve problems and enhance participation

• Support the wide-spread dissemination and use of evidence-based practices

Rural Opportunities

• 32,070 communities have less than 10,000 – half less than 1,000

• Their population is roughly equivalent to that of the top 97 cities – about 57 million

• Huge laboratory – small enough for learning about and understanding community

Problems

• Issues of accessible housing

• Issues in accessibility of community infrastructure

• Issues of limited or no services

Outcome Oriented Approach• Ecological view of disability

and of rural communities• Intervention bias• Social validity through PAR• Appropriate and

sustainable solutions • Designed for major system

to increase the likelihood of wide-spread use.

Individual and Economic Benefit

Area Products of Research

Individual Impact Economic Impact

Community Development and Independent Living

Voucher program for rural rides – The Travelers Cheque Program

In one study, 171 of 588 participants secured employment

One project provided 92,587 rides at 39 cents per mile. New Freedom rides of 34,699 in “07 and 52,359 in ’08.

Employment and Economic Development

Citizen led economic development program

N.D. Created 79 businesses with 192 jobs reporting revenues estimated at $7 million annually

The Future Of Disability In Rural America Is Tied To The Future Of Rural

Communities Themselves• What is community? • What is rural community

development? • What is the role of disability and

rehabilitation providers in rural communities?

• What can disability and rehabilitation service providers and rural community developers learn from each other?

Cornelia Flora

• Cornelia Flora Cornelia Flora is the Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University.

Integration

• Questions• Comments• Issues

Some Stray Points

• While cities grow increasingly indistinguishable from one another, small towns and rural areas offer a diversity that still represents the laboratory of community.

• Practices that work in rural also are likely to work in cities , though the converse is not true.

• As cities move to create livable communities, they draw upon many of the principles at heart based in rural community development

• Questions• Comments• Issues

• While cities grow increasingly indistinguishable from one another, small towns and rural areas offer a diversity that still represents the laboratory of community.” I think this is important point to stress in the set up. Then carry through out the webinars. Things that work in rural also are likely to work in cities , though the converse is not true.

• As cities move to neighborhood approaches, livable communities etc, many of the principles are at heart based in rural community strengths. It would be great if Brian (and/or Tom) could set this up the first day -- as the lead in to the following three webinars.