Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) are at the heart of delivering employment and day services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Every day, CRPs help individuals build skills, find meaningful employment, and engage fully in their communities. Yet, despite their critical role, there is limited, up-to-date information about how CRPs operate and the challenges they face in today’s evolving service landscape.
To fill this gap, the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston, in partnership with ANCOR, will launch the 2026 National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers later this summer. This national effort will collect timely and comprehensive data directly from providers across the country, offering a clearer picture of the field as it exists today.
The survey complements ANCOR’s ongoing State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis data collection effort, which specifically tracks how CRPs are navigating staffing challenges. While ANCOR’s research provides a critical “deep dive” into the workforce crisis, the 2026 National CRP Survey will offer a broader perspective. By using a nationally representative sample that includes both ANCOR members and non-members, we aim to understand the full operational and service landscape of I/DD employment and day providers across the country.
To ensure the results are representative, ICI, with support from ANCOR and ICI’s State Employment Leadership Network (SELN), has compiled a comprehensive list of CRPs delivering employment and day services to people with I/DD nationwide. From this list, we will randomly select and invite provider organizations to participate in the survey. This process will create a sample that reflects the range of CRPs across the U.S., including different service models and organizational sizes.
The survey will collect detailed information about provider operations and experiences, including organizational size, structure, and service offerings; employment and non-work models; and the use of technology such as remote and virtual services. A key focus is workforce capacity, with particular emphasis on staffing roles, recruitment and retention challenges, and anticipated future needs.
The findings from the 2026 National CRP Survey will serve as a valuable resource for the field. By elevating the voices of I/DD employment and day services providers from across the country, the survey will help identify workforce and funding challenges, highlight national trends, and equip agency leaders and policymakers with the data they need to make informed decisions.
If your organization is invited to participate, please complete the survey promptly. As the survey progresses, ANCOR will share updates and members will have early access to key findings.
Donna Martin is the Vice President of State Partnerships & Innovation at ANCOR.
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