Exploring Access to Independent Living Services for People With Disabilities Through a Transportation Network Analysis

Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are nonresidential, nonprofit agencies that provide independent living services to people with disabilities across the nation. The services CILs provide are invaluable to people with disabilities living independently in the community. Accessing CIL services can be challenging for people with disabilities, particularly for individuals in rural areas. A geographic analysis called a transportation network analysis is one method for assessing access to CIL services. We draw on the distribution of CILs across the country and in two rural states (Montana and Arkansas) to assess levels of geographic access using travel distance along national and local road networks. Incorporating data from the American Community Survey allowed us to estimate the number of people with disabilities living within certain distance thresholds from CILs. We saw increased access in urban areas where there is a higher concentration of CILs, suggesting that people with disabilities in rural areas have limited access to CIL services. We explore how partnering with Area Agencies on Aging has the potential to expand access to services for people with disabilities in rural areas, highlighting the utility of geographic analysis in social service provision.