The National Survey on Health and Disability is Open!
The National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) is one of the largest national surveys asking people with disabilities about their experiences with health care access, housing, transportation, health insurance, community participation, and other life experiences.
This is the seventh time the NSHD has been conducted since 2018. Noelle Kurth and Dr. Kelsey Goddard from the Institute on Disability Policy Studies at the University of Kansas are the current investigators for this research.
The survey is open to anyone age 18 or older with a physical, mental, emotional, or health condition – including people who may not identify as having a disability.
"Hello! I am Sasha. I am super interested in academia and am an undergraduate student at the University of Montana. I am majoring in General Physics and World History. I am also minoring in Central and Southwest Asian Studies and Mathematics. Finally, I am pursuing a certificate in the History of Religions. I love to talk about academia and research, but I also have other hobbies. I enjoy socializing, reading, and playing (video or otherwise) games as well as doing "outdoorsy" stuff! I am also into fashion as a facet of self-expression/freedom of identity. At RTC: Rural, I am a research assistant working with and under Krys Standley. My responsibilities are mostly data management and outreach, though I have a few secondary tasks as well."
New Publications!
Something for Everyone: Rural Communication Strategies, Disability, and the Role of Public Libraries
Jeff Gutierrez and Andrew Myers examine how rural libraries serve as hubs for community information and resources in this Public Library Quarterly article. Through semi-structured interviews with rural librarians, we examine new and existing local communication strategies, including informal networks and word-of-mouth, to explore the evolving role of public libraries in disability inclusion. While this research illustrates ample opportunities for partnership between rural libraries and people with disabilities, questions remain about how to promote communication and collaboration between these groups.
Recruiting Research Participants with Community Research Partners
In this fact sheet, Will Hoard, Krys Standley, and Catherine Ipsen examine recruitment experiences from the Rural Health Pathways Project. This is a community-based research initiative that partners with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to deliver health promotion programming for people with disabilities in rural communities. Through interviews with staff from seven participating CILs, the project identified key factors and barriers that influenced recruitment success and challenges. The findings illustrate the critical role of community research partners in participant recruitment and offer practical strategies for strengthening recruitment efforts in future community-based research.
Opening Doors with Data and Stories: Communicating the Impact of Housing Programs
Lillie Greiman | Sunday 10/25 | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This interactive workshop will help CIL staff strengthen their ability to measure and communicate the impact of housing, home modification, and independent living programs. Participants will learn core program evaluation concepts, explore practical tools and templates, and begin developing a simple evaluation plan that can be adapted for their own organizations. The session will also showcase how consumer stories and short-form videos can be used to highlight program outcomes, support outreach efforts, and demonstrate real-world impact. Presenters will share practical strategies for identifying compelling stories, creating accessible video content, and using low-cost technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, to streamline the process. Through peer discussion and hands-on activities, attendees will leave with evaluation and storytelling tools they can use at their centers.
The Transportation Voucher Toolkit
Luke Santore | Sunday 10/25 | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
The transportation voucher workshop will provide an overview of the transportation voucher pilot sites and the rural transportation voucher toolkit. This will act as a refresher for our repeat attendees and an introduction to the concept for CILs unfamiliar with voucher programs. We will then provide an update on the continued development of the Rural Transportation Voucher Program Toolkit, the launch of the voucher program pilot sites, and our next steps. We will finally spend a large portion of the session working through a "Plan a Voucher Program" activity.
The Intersections of CILs and Rural Libraries
Jeff Gutierrez | Sunday, 10/25 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Have you ever wanted to work with the rural libraries in your service area, but you do not know where to start? In this session, you will learn about rural libraries, how to identify partnership opportunities, and the steps to take to develop collaborative relationships and programming. We will provide concrete examples of partnered programming to improve your presence and impact in rural communities and explore the possibilities of what could be done. This session will provide information and best practices, as well as a space for connection and interaction with presenters and your peers as we explore how CILs and libraries can support each other and their communities.
RTC:Rural is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) grant number 90RTCP0007 to improve the ability of people with disabilities to engage in rural community living.
RIIC, The Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, 32 Campus Drive, 244 Corbin Hall, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
