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CROR’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Home and Community Based-Services (HCBS) is funded by a 5-year, $4,375,000 grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research. The Center is now in its fourth year.
The Center is conducting three research projects, all of which support improving the delivery of person-centered services in HCBS: 1) develop and test measures of person-centered, non-medical outcomes and effectiveness of supports for those who receive HCBS; 2) identify best practices and supports for the workforce to support person-centered HCBS delivery, and 3) create training materials for HCBS providers designed to support person-centered care delivery and coordination. Each of these three projects has made significant progress in the last several months. Additional projects focus on translating knowledge about HCBS to users, providers, and policy makers.
Project 1
The research team created a set of questions designed to measure person-centered, non-medical outcomes and effectiveness of supports for those who receive HCBS. These questions address nine topics: choice and control over diet and nutrition, money, how time is spent, personal expression, meaningful relationships, living arrangements and health care as well as dignity of risk and community engagement. The topic areas were identified with input from an advisory council of people who use HCBS. After creating these questions, the research team tested them through cognitive interviews, to assess the clarity of the questions and response options. The research team will begin pilot testing of the questions, to assess their validity and reliability, as well as the feasibility and utility of data collection. Pilot testing will include 400 HCBS users answering the questions 2-3 times to capture changes on responses across time. HCBS users will be recruited from a wide range of geographic locations and will represent diverse disability populations.
Project 2
RRTC researchers are also working on a case studies project to highlight organizations that do an exceptional job of providing person-centered HCBS. The case study adopts a strengths-based approach to the study, highlighting what is going well in person-centered practice, and supporting organizations trying to improve their person-centered services. Researchers identified organizations through a campaign asking for nominations. In the next few months, the researchers will interview leaders, providers and users of HCBS at organizations identified during the nomination process and draft case studies based on those interviews.
Project 3
Development of the content and curriculum for the person-centered HCBS training is underway. Along with collaborators from Support Development Associates, experts in developing and providing person-centered trainings both nationally and internationally, the CROR team is developing training that combines Motivational Interviewing with Person-Centered thinking. The team received feedback on their project from two advisory committees and will be recruiting three organizations that provide HCBS to undergo the training for free and provide feedback on the materials starting spring 2024.
If you are interested in testing the HCBS measure set, nominating an organization, or receiving the training, email hcbs@sralab.org.