Center for Capacity Building on Minorities with Disabilities Research Director: Fabricio Balcazar, Ph.D. Associate Director: Yolanda Suarez, Ph.D. Department of Disability and Human Development And Department of Occupational Therapy University of Illinois at Chicago

CENTER TEAM

Participatory Research Methods Organizational Capacity Building Figure 2 Conceptual Framework of the Research and Training Activities Participatory Research Methods Projects A & F Culturally Competent Rehabilitation Research & Services Organizational Capacity Building Project A Cultural Competente Projects B, C, D, E & F

PRIORITY THEME 1: Develop and implement a research partnership plan focused on research infrastructure and capacity building

RESEARCH PROJECT A: A participatory process for building agency capacity for conducting program evaluation and improve consumer services (20 sites). PI: Yolanda Suárez University of Illinois at Chicago

Developing logic model (3) Figure 3. A Framework for the Process of Participatory Evaluation of Community Services and Programs Developing logic model (3) Identifying evaluation questions & methods (4) Documenting impact of programs & services (5) Interpret/ report data (6) Framing the problem/goal (2) Using data to improve services (7) Participatory identification of needs/concerns (1)

TRAINING ACTIVITIES: 1. Training the regional coordinators on how to develop and implement the collaborations necessary to build agency capacity for participatory evaluation and research 2. Training VR agencies and CBOs to conduct participatory evaluations of programs and services

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: 1. Researchers’ guide for conducting effective participatory program evaluations with agencies serving minority populations 2. Service providers’ guide for conducting effective participatory program evaluations with minority populations 3. Presentations at relevant conferences and meetings 4. Presentations at national state-of-the-science conference sponsored by the center 5. Publications in the conference proceedings 6. Research publications 7. Center’s web site for dissemination of instructional materials and project findings using an interactive portal 8. Articles published in the Centers´ Electronic newsletter

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 1. Assistance to research practitioners, VR agencies, and CBOs regarding the implementation of participatory program evaluation to agencies serving minority populations 2. Online opportunities to allow participating agencies to address common concerns and e-publish their findings and contributions. 3. Smart newsgroup for questions and answers in a “frequently asked questions” database. 4. Telephone consultation (TTY too) to address questions from current and potential users

PRIORITY THEME 2 2. Research, develop, and evaluate strategies to assess the efficacy of existing research theories, methodologies, and measures for studying and describing underrepresented individuals with disabilities from minority racial and ethnic populations and their needs

Research Project B: Racial identity and cultural mistrust as psycho-cultural correlates of rehabilitation success for minorities with disabilities. PI: Dr. Reginald Alston, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research Project C: Is Disability Identity a White Preoccupation? Investigating the Intersection of Disability and Race in Self Views of Latinos and African Americans with Disabilities. PI: Carol Gill, University of Illinois at Chicago;

TRAINING ACTIVITIES: 3. Training VR counselors, CIL and other CBO´s staff on best practices regarding racial identity issues and cultural mistrust with minorities with disabilities. 4. Training CBOs’ staff about issues of disability and cultural identity among minorities with physical disabilities

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: 9. Service providers guide to providing culturally appropriate services to minorities with disabilities Same as # 3, through 8

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 5. Assistance to VR agencies regarding their service delivery to minorities with disabilities. 6. Assistance to CILs and other CBOs regarding their service delivery to minorities with disabilities. 7. Assistance to VR agencies and CBOs regarding issues of disability identity among minorities with physical disabilities.

PRIORITY THEME 3 Research, identify and modify or develop, and evaluate scientifically valid measurement strategies and methodologies for research

Research Project D: Disability determination and provision of vocational rehabilitation services: How good are the tools that are used? PI: Brigida Hernandez, DePaul University

TRAINING ACTIVITIES: 5. Training VR counselors regarding state-of-the-science diagnostic procedures and instruments

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: 10. A practitioners guide for culturally appropriate diagnosis of minority individuals with disabilities Same as # 3, through 8

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 8. Assistance to VR agencies regarding the adequacy of their diagnostic instruments

PRIORITY THEME 4 Develop and evaluate research principles or standards for culturally appropriate and linguistically competent disability and rehabilitation research, and disseminate guidelines.

Research Project E: Standards for culturally competent and linguistically appropriate research. PI: Glen Fujiura University of Illinois at Chicago

Model for the Development of Culturally Competent Rehabilitation Figure 1: Model for the Development of Culturally Competent Rehabilitation Researchers and Service Providers Cultural Competence (4) Better Rehabilitation Research & Services Cultural Awareness (1) Culturally Sensitivity (3) Cultural Knowledge (2)

TRAINING ACTIVITIES: 6. Training researchers and practitioners in the field of disability and rehabilitation research on how to develop cultural competency services?? Programs??

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: 11. This project will generate several practitioners’ and researchers’ guides with the standards for culturally competent disability and rehabilitation research. Topics may include: getting entry, sampling, data collection, research designs, data collection methodologies, Same as # 3, through 8

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 9. Assistance to researchers and practitioners interested in using the standards for culturally competent research via phone or e-mail

PRIORITY THEME 5 Develop, implement, and evaluate approaches for disseminating research findings, information about best practices for research involving underrepresented minority race and ethnic populations, and information about research collaboration

Research Project F: Strategies for disseminating research findings and information regarding best practices for culturally competent research. PI: Fabricio Balcazar, University of Illinois at Chicago

TRAINING ACTIVITIES: 7. Training VR counselors and CBO´s staff on effective strategies for outreaching to minority individuals with disabilities

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: 12. Researchers’ and practitioners´ guide for effective outreach and dissemination of relevant information to minority consumers with disabilities Same as # 3,through 8

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 10. Assistance to research practitioners and service providers on how to disseminate research findings and other relevant information via phone or e-mail