Abstract:

Most disabled citizens living in rural areas do not want to move to an urban environment and leave their familiar surroundings and culture. Yet, by remaining in rural areas they have far fewer opportunities to receive health care and independent living (IL) services than do their counterparts in urban areas. Services are often sparse in rural America. Few hospitals, schools, or law enforcement agencies have access to a sign language interpreter, the nearest place to buy or repair a wheelchair is often several hundred miles away, and no public transportation system exists - accessible or otherwise. Similarly, few public facilities are accessible. An increasing number of IL service options are being created in rural areas. All serve adults with a variety of disabilities and offer a wide range of services. These community-based IL and service delivery programs located in rural areas are in particular need of technical assistance. The Innovations in Rural Independent Living Project was initiated October 1, 1990. This project involves a collaborative effort by the University of Kansas, the Research and Training Center on Rural Rehabilitation Services (RTC:Rural), and the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL). The project was designed to identify exemplary rural IL programs that have successfully assembled unique resources to increase disabled citizens' potential to live independently; verify the effectiveness of these programs and develop strategies to replicate these practices in other areas for similar groups; and disseminate information from this nationwide project to other rural IL programs.