Self-Stigma Can Be a Barrier to Employment for 
Young Adults with Disabilities

A new study led by Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research director, Allen Heinemann, PhD and Northwestern University post-doctoral fellow Heerak Choi, PhD, highlights how internalized negative beliefs — or self-stigma — toward disability can negatively affect the psychological functioning and career outcomes for young people with disabilities.

On the Podcast: Rebalancing Long-term Services and Supports

Cindy Bentley: A Champion for Person-centered Support

Cindy Bentley is a fierce advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As executive director of People First Wisconsin and a member of 
the Participant Advisory Council for CROR's RRTC on HCBS, Cindy brings her lived experience and powerful voice to 
every conversation.

CROR at the ADvancing States HCBS Conference

CROR research scientist Jacqueline Kish, PhD, OTR/L, presented at the ADvancing States HCBS Conference this past August on research that seeks to identify characteristics of organizations that provide exceptional person-centered HCBS.

CROR researchers are seeking current and former HCBS recipients to test survey questions designed to measure the person-centeredness of their services.

Eligible participants will complete two or more one-hour surveys online or via phone or Zoom to share their experiences with HCBS.

Researchers at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Northwestern University and Indiana University want to learn more about the air travel experiences of people with physical disabilities. We are seeking participants for focus groups, as well as for a study that involves documenting a trip that includes air travel through photographs and interviews.

The CROR Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report Is Here!

Our CROR FY 2025 Annual Report showcases key highlights from the past year — including publications, presentations, major grant achievements, and more. Our RRTC on HCBS is just one of the projects we work on. Take a look to learn about our other grants and activities and to see how our work makes an impact

A curated roundup of recent HCBS-related articles for our readers to enjoy

Redefining Respite for Family Caregivers: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic. Utz RL, Mundinger HL, Thompson A, Towsley GL, Dassel KB, Terrill A, Bristol AA. Frontiers in Health Services. July 2025.

Foreign-Born Workers Made Up Half the Increase in the Direct Care Workforce in Home and Community Settings, 2012-22. Barnes B, Grabowski DC. Health Affairs. Aug. 2025.

Use of Paid Family Care in the Community: National Trends Among Older Adults With Functional Impairment, 2011-22. Reckrey JM, Shen K, Liu Y, Qian Y, Jopson AD, Miller KEM, Fabius CD, Ornstein KA. Journal of the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association. Sept. 2025.

Systematic Documentation of State Variation in Medicaid Home and Community-based Services: The Medicaid Home and Community-based Services Dataset Initiative. Miller KEM, Parrish EM, Thunell J. Innovationsin Aging. May 2025.

The Epidemiology of the Long-term Care Needs and Unmet Needs of Older Veterans in the United States. Garcia-Davis S, Hlaing WM, Vidot DC, Feaster DJ, Hansen J, Brintz BJ, Intrator O, Leykum LK, Bouldin ED, Trivedi RB, Noel PH, Dang S. Journal of Clinical Medicine. June 2025.

HCBS Quality Matters is produced by the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) in the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research (CROR) at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. It is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant 90RTGE0004). The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR.

Subscribe to HCBS Quality Matters.