REAL Opportunities Study

Project Description

This project represents past work of the UNH Institute on Disability and is no longer active.

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People living with disabilities are disproportionately represented in the population of Americans living below the poverty line, and have significant challenges in accruing financial assets for the long-term. Disability policy historically requires significant limitations on income and assets, although contemporary disability policy is incrementally changing this standard.

The REAL Opportunities Study, a two year grant from the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), investigates whether personalized coaching improves financial outcomes of customers accessing services from Vocational Rehabilitation.

This is a randomized study, and half of all eligible research participants receive comprehensive money coaching, while the other half of participants experience services as usual.  Outcomes between the two groups will be compared to find out if significant differences occur between those that receive the services and those that experience services as usual.

Planned project outcomes include peer-reviewed journal articles, contribution to theory, and utility of money coaching in rehabilitation practice.