RESEARCH.

SEC. 205. RESEARCH. (a) In General.— Section 204(a) (29 U.S.C. 762(a)) is amended— (1) in the first sentence, by striking “demonstrations,” and all that follows and inserting “demonstration projects, training, and related activities, the purposes of which are to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology, that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities, and improve the effectiveness of services authorized under this Act. In carrying out this section, the Director shall emphasize projects that support the implementation of titles I, III, VI, VII, and VIII.”; and (2) in the last sentence— (A) by inserting after “Such projects” the following: “, as described in the State plans submitted by State agencies,”; (B) by striking “special problems of homebound and institutionalized individuals” and inserting “studies and analysis of special problems of individuals who are home-bound and individuals who are institutionalized”; and (C) by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: “, particularly individuals with disabilities, and individuals with the most severe disabilities, who are members of populations that are unserved or underserved by programs under this Act.”. (b) Research Activities.—Section 204(b) (29 U.S.C. 762(b)) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (16) as paragraphs (5) through (16), respectively; (2) by striking the matter preceding paragraph (1) and all that follows through paragraph (3) and inserting the following: “(b) (1) In addition to carrying out projects under subsection (a), the Director may make grants under this subsection (referred to in this subsection as ‘research grants’) to pay part or all of the cost of the specialized research or demonstration activities described in paragraphs (2) through (16). “(2) (A) Research grants may be used for the establishment and support of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers, for 106 STAT. 4404the purpose of providing an integrated program of research, which Centers shall— “(i) be operated in collaboration with institutions of higher education or providers of rehabilitation services or other appropriate services; and “(ii) serve as centers of national excellence and national or regional resources for providers and individuals with disabilities and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals. “(B) The Centers shall conduct research and training activities by— “(i) conducting coordinated and advanced programs of research in rehabilitation targeted toward the production of new knowledge that will improve rehabilitation methodology and service delivery systems, alleviate or stabilize disabling conditions, and promote maximum social and economic independence of individuals with disabilities; “(ii) providing training (including graduate, preservice, and in-service training) to assist individuals to more effectively provide rehabilitation services; “(iii) providing training (including graduate, preservice, and in-service training) for rehabilitation research personnel and other rehabilitation personnel; and “(iv) serving as an informational and technical assistance resource to providers, individuals with disabilities, and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals, through conferences, workshops, public education programs, in-service training programs, and similar activities. “(C) The research to be carried out at each such Center may include— “(i) basic or applied medical rehabilitation research; “(ii) research regarding the psychological and social aspects of rehabilitation, including disability policy; “(iii) research related to vocational rehabilitation; “(iv) continuation of research that promotes the emotional, social, educational, and functional growth of children who are individuals with disabilities; “(v) continuation of research to develop and evaluate interventions, policies, and services that support families of those children and adults who are individuals with disabilities; and “(vi) continuation of research that will improve services and policies that foster the productivity, independence, and social integration of individuals with disabilities, and enable individuals with disabilities, including individuals with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities, to live in their communities. “(D) Training of students preparing to be rehabilitation personnel shall be an important priority for such a Center. “(E) The Director shall make grants under this paragraph to establish and support both comprehensive centers dealing with multiple disabilities and centers primarily focused on particular disabilities. “(F) Grants made under this paragraph may be used to provide funds for services rendered by such a Center to individuals with disabilities in connection with the research and training activities. 106 STAT. 4405 “(G) Grants made under this paragraph may be used to provide faculty support for teaching— “(i) rehabilitation related courses of study for credit; and “(ii) other courses offered by the Centers, either directly or through another entity. “(H) The research and training activities conducted by such a Center shall be conducted in a manner that is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. “(I) The Director shall encourage the Centers to develop practical applications for the findings of the research of the Centers. “(J) In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Director shall take into consideration the location of any proposed Center and the appropriate geographic and regional allocation of such Centers. “(K) To be eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph, each such institution or provider shall— “(i) be of sufficient size, scope, and quality to effectively carry out the activities in an efficient manner consistent with appropriate State and Federal law; and “(ii) demonstrate the ability to carry out the training activities either directly or through another entity that can provide such training. “(L) The Director shall make grants under this paragraph for periods of 5 years, except that the Director may make a grant for a period of less than 5 years if— “(i) the grant is made to a new recipient; or “(ii) the grant supports new or innovative research. “(M) Grants made under this paragraph shall be made on a competitive basis. To be eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph, a prospective grant recipient shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. “(N) The Director shall establish a system of peer review of applications for grants under this paragraph. The peer review of an application for the renewal of a grant made under this paragraph shall take into account the past performance of the applicant in carrying out the grant and input from individuals with disabilities and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals. “(O) An institution or provider that receives a grant under this paragraph to establish such a Center may not collect more than 15 percent of the amount of the grant received by the Center in indirect cost charges. “(3) (A) Research grants may be used for the establishment and support of Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers, operated by or in collaboration with institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations, to conduct research or demonstration activities, and training activities, regarding rehabilitation technology, including rehabilitation engineering, assistive technology devices, and assistive technology services, for the purposes of enhancing opportunities for better meeting the needs of, and addressing the barriers confronted by, individuals with disabilities in all aspects of their lives. “(B) In order to carry out the purposes set forth in subparagraph (A), such a Center shall carry out the research or demonstration activities by— 106 STAT. 4406 “(i) developing and disseminating innovative methods of applying advanced technology, scientific achievement, and psychological and social knowledge to— “(I) solve rehabilitation problems and remove environmental barriers through planning and conducting research, including cooperative research with public or private agencies and organizations, designed to produce new scientific knowledge, and new or improved methods, equipment, and devices; and “(II) study new or emerging technologies, products, or environments, and the effectiveness and benefits of such technologies, products, or environments; “(ii) demonstrating and disseminating— “(I) innovative models for the delivery, to rural and urban areas, of cost-effective rehabilitation technology services that promote utilization of assistive technology devices; and “(II) other scientific research to assist in meeting the employment and independent living needs of individuals with severe disabilities; or “(iii) conducting research or demonstration activities that facilitate service delivery systems change by demonstrating, evaluating, documenting, and disseminating— “(I) consumer responsive and individual and family centered innovative models for the delivery to both rural and urban areas, of innovative cost-effective rehabilitation technology services that promote utilization of rehabilitation technology; and “(II) other scientific research to assist in meeting the employment and independent living needs of, and addressing the barriers confronted by, individuals with disabilities, including individuals with severe disabilities. “(C) To the extent consistent with the nature and type of research or demonstration activities described in subparagraph (B), each Center established or supported through a grant made available under this paragraph shall— “(i) cooperate with programs established under the Technology-Related Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities Act of 1988 (29 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) and other regional and local programs to provide information to individuals with disabilities and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals, to— “(I) increase awareness and understanding of how rehabilitation technology can address their needs; and “(II) increase awareness and understanding of the range of options, programs, services, and resources avail-able, including financing options for the technology and services covered by the area of focus of the Center; “(ii) provide training opportunities to individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to become researchers of rehabilitation technology and practitioners of rehabilitation technology in conjunction with institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations; and “(iii) respond, through research or demonstration activities, to the needs of individuals with all types of disabilities who may benefit from the application of technology within the area of focus of the Center. 106 STAT. 4407 “(D) (i) In establishing Centers to conduct the research or demonstration activities described in subparagraph (B)(iii), the Director may establish one Center in each of the following areas of focus: “(I) Early childhood services, including early intervention and family support. “(II) Education at the elementary and secondary levels, including transition from school to postschool activities. “(III) Employment, including supported employment, and reasonable accommodations and the reduction of environmental barriers as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and title V. “(IV) Independent living, including transition from institutional to community living, maintenance of community living on leaving the work force, self-help skills, and activities of daily living. “(ii) Each Center conducting the research or demonstration activities described in subparagraph (B)(iii) shall have an advisory committee, of which the majority of members are individuals with disabilities who are users of rehabilitation technology, and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of users of rehabilitation technology. “(E) Grants made under this paragraph shall be made on a competitive basis and shall be for a period of 5 years, except that the Director may make a grant for a period of less than 5 years if— “(i) the grant is made to a new recipient; or “(ii) the grant supports new or innovative research. “(F) To be eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph, a prospective grant recipient shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. “(G) Each Center established or supported through a grant made available under this paragraph shall— “(i) cooperate with State agencies and other local, State, regional, and national programs and organizations developing or delivering rehabilitation technology, including State pro-grams funded under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals With Disabilities Act of 1988 (29 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.); and “(ii) prepare and submit to the Director as part of an application for continuation of a grant, or as a final report, a report that documents the outcomes of the program in terms of both short- and long-term impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities, and such other information as may be requested by the Director. “(4) (A) Research grants may be used to conduct a program for spinal cord injury research, including conducting such a program by making grants to public or private agencies and organizations to pay part or all of the costs of special projects and demonstration projects for spinal cord injuries, that will— “(i) ensure widespread dissemination of research findings among all Spinal Cord Injury Centers, to rehabilitation practitioners, individuals with spinal cord injury, the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of such individuals, and organizations receiving financial assistance under this paragraph; 106 STAT. 4408 “(ii) provide encouragement and support for initiatives and new approaches by individual and institutional investigators; and “(iii) establish and maintain close working relationships with other governmental and voluntary institutions and organizations engaged in similar efforts in order to unify and coordinate scientific efforts, encourage joint planning, and promote the interchange of data and reports among spinal cord injury investigations. “(B) Any agency or organization carrying out a project or demonstration project assisted by a grant under this paragraph that provides services to individuals with spinal cord injuries shall— “(i) establish, on an appropriate regional basis, a multidisciplinary system of providing vocational and other rehabilitation services, specifically designed to meet the special needs of individuals with spinal cord injuries, including acute care as well as periodic inpatient or outpatient followup and services; “(ii) demonstrate and evaluate the benefits to individuals with spinal cord injuries served in, and the degree of cost effectiveness of, such a regional system; “(iii) demonstrate and evaluate existing, new, and improved methods and equipment essential to the care, management, and rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injuries; and “(iv) demonstrate and evaluate methods of community outreach for individuals with spinal cord injuries and community education in connection with the problems of such individuals in areas such as housing, transportation, recreation, employment, and community activities. “(C) In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Director shall take into account the location of any proposed Spinal Cord Injury Center and the appropriate geographic and regional allocation of such Centers.”; (3) in paragraphs (5) through (16) (as so redesignated by paragraph (1) of this subsection), by striking “Conduct of” the first place in each such paragraph that the term appears and inserting “Research grants may be used to conduct”; (4) in paragraph (9) (as so redesignated by paragraph (1) of this subsection), to read as follows: “(9) Research grants may be used to conduct a program of research related to the rehabilitation of children, or older individuals, who are individuals with disabilities, including older American Indians who are individuals with disabilities. Such research pro-gram may include projects designed to assist the adjustment of, or maintain as residents in the community, older workers who are individuals with disabilities on leaving the work force.”; (5) in paragraph (12)(A) (as so redesignated by paragraph (1) of this subsection), by inserting “assessment,” after “early intervention,”; and (6) in paragraph (13) (as so redesignated by paragraph (1) of this subsection)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “developing the employment potential” and inserting “addressing the employment needs”; and (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking “potential” and inserting “needs”.