Section I: Obtaining Approval for Research Support

 

For any research grant proposal that CSAVR is asked to endorse and/or participate in beyond a survey of members, a summary/abstract of the grant proposal must be submitted to CSAVR no later than two weeks prior to submission of the grant in order to allow adequate time for CSAVR to respond.

Individuals seeking the support of CSAVR should submit a written inquiry including;

1. Project overview (an abstract if available);

2. Primary research questions/hypotheses to be addressed by the research; and

3.  Benefits the research will have for CSAVR members.

 

Recognizing that research proposals may be at various stages of development when seeking CSAVR support, the following information, if known, is requested to assist in our decision:

4. Study participants and sample size (i.e., counselors, consumers, etc.);

5. Proposed methods of research

a. Estimated time requirements for VR staff

b. Roles and responsibilities of CSAVR

c. Proposed compensation to study participants and/or CSAVR;

6. Anticipated outcomes, including any products to be produced; and,

7. Strategies for dissemination of research and knowledge transfer to practice.

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Submit the written inquiry and information on your research to:
John Connelly at jconnelly@csavr.org

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The following criteria will be used to evaluate the request for support:

• Overall purpose or goal(s) of grant;

• Consistency of the grant with CSAVR’s mission;

• Length of grant and total dollar amount;

• Grant participants and their projected ability to deliver products;

• Tasks, if any, to be performed by CSAVR and/or state VR programs, estimated person-hours per year to perform, and availability of needed resources;

• Annual revenue, if any, CSAVR will receive per life of grant; and,

• Product(s) to be produced by the research grant and their benefit to the public VR Program and our customers.

The CSAVR Research Committee will review the grant proposal request for support and make a recommendation. Researchers will be notified as soon as possible once a decision has been made.

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Section II. Obtaining Approval to Survey CSAVR Membership

 

State VR Programs receive many requests to participate in a variety of surveys each year. The approval process has been established to enhance the likelihood of state VR program participation in your survey through the endorsement of CSAVR.  Requests for letters of support or CSAVR participation in research beyond a survey should follow the requirements of Section I Obtaining Approval for Research Support.

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Researchers proposing to survey CSAVR members, including state VR Agencies, must complete the Survey Approval Form and submit the form to the Rehabilitation Research Committee for review and approval. The Committee will review the information provided and notify individuals of approval or denial within 10 working days after the request is received.

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Surveys receiving the endorsement of CSAVR will be listed under the CSAVR Approved Research and Endorsed Surveys section of this website. We strongly recommend that you look at the section prior to submitting a request to ensure that your survey is not duplicative of research that has already been or is being conducted.

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All survey results are expected to be shared with VR agencies as a condition of approval by CSAVR.

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Section III. CSAVR Approved Research and Endorsed Surveys

 

Research Grants by Category of CSAVR Support: 

 

CSAVR Status: Active Partner

Name of Project

Brief Description

CSAVR Role: Funding provided for collaboration, and coordination of state VR program involvement

 

CSAVR Status: Supporting

Name of Project

Brief Description

CSAVR Role: Letter of support only

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Section IV. List of Other Related Rehabilitation Research

(for informational purposes)

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If you would like to list your research project on this website, please contact John Connelly at jconnelly@csavr.org

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Links to Other Research Sites:

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RSA

https://rsa.ed.gov/index.cfm

The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) oversees grant programs that help individuals with physical or mental disabilities to obtain employment and live more independently by providing such supports as counseling, medical and psychological services, job training, and other individualized services.

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NIDRR

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/index.html

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), a component of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), is the main federal agency that supports applied research, training, and development to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.

 

Employer Practices -RRTC

www.employerpracticesrrtc.org

The Rehabilitation and Research & Training Center on Employer Practices Related to Employment Outcomes among Individuals with Disabilities.

 

NARIC 

http://naric.com/

The National Rehabilitation Information Center is the library of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR.). We collect, catalog, and disseminate the articles, reports, curricula, guides, and other publications and products of the research projects funded by NIDRR. NIDRR funds more than 250 projects each year that conduct research on a wide range of issues including technology, health and function, independent living, and capacity building.

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Section V. High-Priority Topic Areas for Rehabilitation Research

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CSAVR periodically surveys its members to identify research areas that VR State Programs might benefit from if additional research were conducted. The information below is from a survey of VR State Agencies conducted in May 2012.

 

Q1. What are the top three issues your agency faces in the next four years for which you think additional research might help you better serve consumers and employers?

 

(The following is a list of issues identified by states and are not prioritized)

 

Transition

• Managing staffing resources to accommodate the growing number of transition

• aged youth.

• Predictors of vocational success for transition-aged youth.

• Effective VR intervention models related to Transition with an emphasis on early intervention.

 

Human Resources

• Employee retention & succession planning (trends & solutions), strategies that work.

• Not enough skilled staff among providers (need to teach behavioral management to clients).

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Client Services

• Using social media to communicate with clients. What are the privacy and confidentiality issues?

• Changes in the workplace i.e. skills needed, tech jobs, etc.

• Evidence-based employment strategies for SEP cases.

• VR models for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

• Emerging communication technology for the Deaf population.

 

Return on Investment

• Longitudinal studies on return on investment, and value of services over time.

• Clear cost-benefit data.

• Success rates for emerging populations (ie Vets, Autism & TBI).

 

Other

• Productivity of employees with disabilities.

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Section VI. Contact Information for State VR Programs

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The following information is provided to help researchers identify liaisons for research and/or data within State VR Agencies. The information provided is the contact information for the central office or Agency Director. It is highly recommended that research being conducted in more than one state be coordinated with CSAVR for approval and support. Researchers should always contact the VR Director of an agency prior to surveying counselors or other staff.

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State VR Agency Directors

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