Research & Evaluation

Current Grant Funded Research Projects

National Research Consortium on MHIDD

In 2019, the Center for START Services established the National Research Consortium on Mental Health in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NRC-MHIDD). The goal of this collaboration is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals with IDD, their families and communities. Partnering with stakeholders in the prioritization, development and dissemination of best-practice research will uniquely allow us to improve the quality of care delivered to those with IDD across the country. The National Research Consortium on MHIDD is comprised of people with lived experiences (including self-advocates and family members), caregivers, trainees, researchers, policy experts, and clinicians from over 30 organizations across the US including several UCEDDs, medical schools, state health departments, and service providers.  > Learn More about the NRC

START Research Committee

The mission of the Research Committee is to advance research efforts that seek to improve the lives of individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and behavioral health needs and their families.  
> Learn more about the Research Committee

START Information and Reporting System (SIRS)

The START model relies on data to provide feedback to stakeholders and to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of START services. The START Information and Reporting System (SIRS) database captures de-identified health, demographic and service information about START service users across the country and has the ability to provide stakeholders with customized reporting by caseload, region and state. SIRS allows for the analysis of service outcomes for START users and provides valuable information on service effectiveness over time for decision makers. 

MHIDD Resource System Analyses

Analyses designed to assess the effectiveness of a region’s community system of care in addressing the needs of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. Multiple methods are utilized including the review of mental health expenditures, focus groups, online surveys and telephonic family caregiver interviews. Recommendations for improved service effectiveness are offered to the state or region following the analyses.