White systems, black lives: Exposing racial and linguistic barriers to independence and community living for disabled BIPOC in Springfield, MA

This project is funded under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s program, Community Research for Health Equity (CRHE), a community-led research program that seeks to elevate community voices and make the priorities of communities the primary goal of local health system transformation efforts. The goal of this community-based participatory action research study is to expose racist, ableist, and culturally biased systems that lead to poor health outcomes for Black, Indigenous, People of Color with Disabilities (BIPOC-PWD) in Springfield, MA, and that prevent them from living meaningful independent lives in the community of their choice. The grantees will examine whether and how intersecting racism and ableism prevent BIPOC-PWD from accessing home and community-based services and community-based long-term services and supports (C-LTSS), which are critical to enabling people with complex disabilities to live in the community and preserving their independence, dignity, and health. One critical aspect of this study will be to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability of members of this community to access C-LTSS services, and the consequences of any disruption of that access. The grantees will conduct an initial survey of Disabled people in the Springfield area regarding C-LTSS to inform subsequent focus groups and interviews. Deliverables will include a project work plan and annual and final narrative and financial reports. The project team will also produce a public-facing product of their choice to share new knowledge that can address local health care system inequities and/or make recommendations for action toward system improvements. (author abstract)