The Law, Health Policy & Disability Center conducts basic and applied research. Research topics include employment of people with disabilities, civil rights, and federal and state generic and disability policy.

We partner with private, state and federal agencies and receive funding to conduct research from NIDRR in the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Labor, and, through subcontracts with state projects, the Social Security Administration, as well as state and local agencies such as Polk County Health Services in Des Moines.

RRTC on Workforce Investment and Employment Policy for Persons with Disabilities
— funded by NIDRR

A partnership with several centers and universities, the RRTC implements a cross-cutting research agenda that will increase our knowledge and understanding of the impact of workforce development and employment policy on the health, well being, and economic status of Americans with disabilities. At a critical time of on-going major policy reforms regarding education, employment training, welfare, and health care, the RRTC seeks to identify and analyze both policy barriers and facilitators to employment for working-age adults with disabilities. This RRTC frames new questions about the relationships between federal and state policy, employment and access to health care, civil rights, effective and meaningful coordination of services and supports in the emerging new workforce development system, and outcome-based reimbursement strategies for delivery of employment services and individual choice.

IT Works
— funded by NIDRR

IT Works partners with the Information Technology Association of America to examine Information Technology-based employment of people with disabilities. The Center will identify barriers to and facilitators of the hiring, retention, accommodation, and advancement of persons with disabilities; test strategies to improve hiring, retention, and advancement of persons with disabilities; provide training; and disseminate research findings. Surveys and interviews will be conducted with human resource managers at IT and non-IT companies; persons with disabilities working at these companies; persons with disabilities who graduated from federally funded IT training and employment programs; directors of IT training programs; and IT trainers.

Technology for Independence: Community-Based Resource Center
— funded by NIDRR

The TI:CBRC is a partnership with ILRU at TIRR. The project will facilitate the development of real-world, scientifically rigorous knowledge and research on assistive technology and environmental access for persons with disabilities in partnership with disability researchers, disability advocates, community-based organizations, and other disability community members. TI:CBRC provides training and technical assistance to three NIDRR-funded Technology for Independence projects and to community-based and university-based researchers applying participatory action research techniques to studying assistive technology and environmental access and their impact on the independence of people with disabilities.

Asset Accumulation and Tax Policy Project
— funded by NIDRR

AATPP unites organizations serving persons with disabilities with credit unions and other financial institutions to produce groundbreaking research on barriers and opportunities of tax and public policies. The research and accompanying policy recommendations will improve the economic independence, social empowerment, and community integration of persons with disabilities. The Law, Health Policy, and Disability Center (LHPDC) at the University of Iowa College of Law, in collaboration with Southern New Hampshire University School of Community Economic Development, the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, the World Institute on Disability, and the National Cooperative Bank Development Corporation are developing and disseminating a new and comprehensive body of knowledge to multiple target audiences nationwide. AATP examines the potential of tax policy and asset accumulation to improve the economic stability of people with disabilities. The impact of financial education, matched savings accounts, expanded financial services, and increased use of state and federal tax incentives for asset and community economic development is being explored.

Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center (ITTATC)
— funded by NIDRR

In collaboration with Georgia Institute of Technology, this project focuses on research, training and technical assistance with states on Section 508 and 255 compliance. ITTATC has a government and industry liaison officer in Washington, D.C., and identifies best practices at a state level in Section 508 IT accessibility and procurement policies and procedures. It will also offer information, training, and technical assistance to state stakeholders, industry, and the disability community about IT and telecommunications accessibility. To build understanding and knowledge utilization of Section 508 requirements, the Center is collaborating with State AT projects, the RESNA TA Project, and State Chief Information Officers.

Disability Program Navigator and Work Incentive Grantees Technical Assistance
— funded by U.S. Department of Labor/ETA

The Center is implementing a project that assists the DOL central office, the regional Disability Coordinators, the Social Security Administration, and nationwide Disability Program Navigator and Work Incentive Grantees to provide information, training, and technical assistance to improve the effective and meaningful participation of youth and working-age adults with disabilities in the One Stops and comprehensive workforce development system. The Center will help the Grantees understand relevant developments in systems change and capacity building efforts across federal agencies; exchange information on promising systems change activities, identify barriers and effective policy and practice solutions that advance access and effective participation in the Workforce Development System at a local community level.

Job Accommodation Network Survey and Evaluation
— funded by U.S. Department of Labor-ODEP

JAN is a service of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy in collaboration with the Center for Disability Information at West Virginia University and private industry throughout North America. It provides critical information on accommodations to employers and individuals with disabilities. The Center will survey JAN customers on such topics as job accommodations, self-employment, and small business opportunities and assist JAN to assess the information collected. The information will provide additional knowledge about workplace accommodations, employment trends and retention of workers with disabilities.

National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult
— funded by U.S. Department of Labor-ODEP

A collaboration with The Institute for Community Inclusion, the project provides key policy research and analysis on employment challenges for individuals with disabilities as part of this national technical assistance center. The Center provides training and technical assistance to stimulate opportunity for participation in the workforce development system by Americans with disabilities.

One Source
— funded by U.S. Department of Labor-ODEP

In collaboration with Service Source and the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board, will facilitate a strategic planning process to establish and improve collaboration among partners in the workforce development system in both a customized employment and a youth activities grant.

At a Glance