• Research Associate
Email
hall1964@umn.edu
Phone
+1 612-624-4847
Address
Institute On Community Integration
Masonic Inst For The Developing Brain [map]
2025 E River Pkwy
Annex 2-509c
Minneapolis, MN 55414-3604

Sarah Hall, PhD, is involved in research about the social inclusion of older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) transitioning to retirement in order to identify trends, individual perspectives, and supports. Hall is also involved in research projects about the recruitment, retention, and competencies of direct support providers (i.e., staff who work for people with IDD) and their supervisors through customized support and training. 

Hall has published research about the social inclusion of young adults with intellectual disabilities, siblings of adults with IDD, and ways to include people with IDD in research. Her main research interests include the social inclusion of people with IDD, which comprises friendships/social relationships, community participation, and a sense of belonging. As a sibling of a brother with multiple disabilities, she is also interested in family relationships and supports. She values the interconnectedness of families as well as the self-determination of people with IDD that is achieved through person-centered practices.   

Hall is a Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and serves on the Executive Committee of their Religion and Spirituality Division. She also served on the Board of Directors for Ohio SIBS (Special Initiatives by Brothers and Sisters) for eight years and co-coordinated a transition retreat for high school students with IDD and their siblings. 

Hall received her PhD from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her dissertation focused on the social inclusion of young adults with intellectual disabilities, earning her the University Libraries Influence Award. She became an associate professor at Ashland University and taught special education courses in transition, collaboration, behavior management, assessment, and educational intervention. She also has experience as a high school special education teacher, group home staff, youth fencing coach, and leader of a Friendship Ministries program for people with and without disabilities.

Curriculum Vitae (pdf)

Projects

Project

NY OPWDD Direct Support Workforce Investments Evaluation

ICI is conducting formative and summative evaluations of several DSP Workforce development program initiatives funded by OPWDD. Formative evaluation will track and report on program implementation …

Project

Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC-CL)

Conducts a wide range of research, training, and technical assistance and dissemination projects related to community supports under its center grant and related project funding. The RTC-CL is …

Project

Direct Support Workforce Solutions

Direct Support Workforce Solutions is a national consulting group addressing the workforce needs of organizations providing community-based supports for individuals with disabilities. Drawing on …

Project

Self-Directed Supports with Independent Support Services

Evaluated a New York approach to self-directed supports and analyzed national trends in self-directed supports. The project examined how families navigate a self-directed approach when the primary …

Products

National Research Goals for Social Inclusion of Persons With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities

As more individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities are physically included in community life, in schools, neighborhoods, jobs, recreation, and congregations, the challenge of going …

Published: 2015

Exploring the participation of people with developmental disabilities in self-advocacy groups in Korea: “I like it because I can share my story in front of others with my friends!”

This study investigated the experiences of people with developmental disabilities in self-advocacy groups to better understand the self-advocacy movement, which is currently in its developing …

Published: 2020-09-10

2020 Evaluation of Experiences with Self Direction in New York State: A Focus on Sustainability

In 2020, people participating in New York State’s self-direction plan were surveyed about their experiences with self-direction. The primary goal of the survey was to examine the sustainability of …

Published: 2021

Direct Support Professional and Frontline Supervisor Perspectives on Work-Life in a Pandemic 

Direct support professionals (DSPs) and frontline supervisors (FLSs) play an invaluable role in delivering home and community-based services to people with intellectual and developmental disabiliti…

Published: 12/1/2022

Plans for Sustaining Self-Direction

In 2020, people participating in New York State’s self-direction plan were surveyed to examine the sustainability of self-directed services: how families plan to navigate a self-directed model …

Published: 2023

Transition to Retirement: A Guide to Inclusive Practice: Adaptations for the Current U.S. Context

The Transition to Retirement (TTR) book/eBook and video (Stancliffe et al., 2013; hereafter the TTR manual ) is an evidence-based Australian manual describing how to successfully implement the TTR …

Published: September 2023

Transition to Retirement: The Lived Experiences of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Background : Adults with intellectual disabilities are living longer and experiencing retirement. However, research about retirement experiences is limited. Method : This qualitative study used …

Published: 2023

Social Inclusion of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Toward Belonging

Social inclusion and exclusion are important to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We examine contemporary understanding of social inclusion, including sense of belonging, …

Published: 2023

Impact: Feature Issue on Siblings of People with Intellectual, Developmental, and Other Disabilities

An issue in the Impact series that focuses on the brothers and sisters of children, teens, and adults with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities (IDD) – what we know about them, …

Published: Spring 2020

Policy Research Brief: Representation of Direct Support Workers in Popular Media

Mainstream media does not use consistent language to talk about the role of direct support workers. This inconsistency makes it difficult to communicate the value and complexity of the direct …

Published: September 2023

Self-Directed Services: Challenges and Training Needs

In 2020, people participating in New York State’s self-direction plan were surveyed about their experiences with self-direction, including challenges people experience with self-direction, and …

Published: 2023

Training Topics to Support Self-Directed Services

In 2020, people participating in New York State’s self-direction plan were surveyed about their experiences with self-direction, including a question about training topics that they would like …

Published: 2023

Concerns about the Sustainability of Self-Direction

In 2020, people participating in New York State’s self-direction plan were surveyed about their experiences with self-direction. One of the goals of the survey was to learn about the concerns …

Published: 2023

Parent and Sibling Roles in Decision Making with Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

The family has long played an important role in decision making among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Historically, such roles included guardianship or conservat…

Published: 1/19/2022

Perspectives about adult sibling relationships: A dyadic analysis of siblings with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities

Most siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) report positive sibling relationships. However, extant research often only examines the perspective of the …

Published: 2019-11-01

Topics

  • Direct support workforce
    • Retention and recruitment
    • Workforce development strategies
    • Training
  • Community life
    • Aging and retirement
    • Community supports and services
    • Friendships and social relationships
    • Person-centered planning and practices
    • Social inclusion
  • Specific life stage
    • Adults
    • Seniors
  • Culture and diversity
    • International initiatives
  • Specific disability
    • Intellectual/developmental disability (IDD)
  • International initiatives
    • Inclusive education