The purpose of the RRTCs is to achieve the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act through well-designed research, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities in important topical areas as specified by NIDILRR. The purpose of this particular RRTC is to generate new research-based knowledge toward improved community living and participation outcomes among transition age youth with serious mental health conditions who are from disadvantaged or marginalized backgrounds.
Transition age youth (TAY) with a serious mental health condition (SMHC) from disadvantaged, vulnerable, and marginalized backgrounds frequently experience challenges in community living and participation. The COVID pandemic, including the unknown effects of long COVID, may increase those challenges. There is a substantial need for evidence-based and effective interventions to improve their community living and participation.
The RRTC must conduct research or evaluative studies designed to improve the community living and participation outcomes among TAY with serious mental health conditions (SMHC) from disadvantaged, vulnerable or marginalized backgrounds. Evaluative studies conducted by this RRTC will focus on assessing the effectiveness of existing programs or services; research studies will generate new knowledge, generalizable to the relevant target populations.
For the purposes of this priority, transition-age youth are people who are 14 years of age or older, and 26 years of age or younger. For people under the age of 18, SMHC refers to a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that substantially interferes with or limits a child’s role in family, school, or community activities (Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee, 2017). For people 18 and older, SMHC refers to a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that results in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities (Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee, 2017). The term “disadvantaged, vulnerable or marginalized" refers to youth of color; youth who have run away or been turned out of their homes following neglect and/or abuse; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex (LGBTQI+) youth; youth experiencing first episode psychosis; youth living in rural or frontier areas; youth adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality; or youth who are or have been involved in the justice and/or child welfare systems.
For further program details and priorities, see p. 9 of the FOA in Attached Files.
Estimated Total Program Funding:
