Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, directs the Social Determinants of Health and Disability Outcomes Research Laboratory within Kessler Foundation's Center for Outcomes and Assessment Research, where she is associate director. Lab researchers are dedicated to evaluating and improving community living conditions and understanding how the environment contributes to barriers for individuals with disability. The team addresses gaps for a number of populations, including adults with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and children with special healthcare needs.

Deciphering the complex relationship between an individual's environment and their disability experience is one of the Lab's primary objectives. Using national data, Dr. Botticello and team analyze geographic disparities, economic disadvantage, and the physical characteristics of community construction. They also examine infrastructure, transit access, and societal attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. Scientists prepare methodological reports by applying their expertise in survey research, advanced biostatistics, ecological momentary assessment, and mixed methods research. This knowledge will serve as a compass for ongoing policy initiatives to create more accessible public spaces, improve the general public's understanding and attitudes toward people with disabilities, and foster inclusivity, enabling everyone to thrive.

The Lab also explores factors related to the special healthcare needs of children and young adults with disabilities, particularly their ability to return to school and cope with ongoing medical conditions. Understanding the outcomes for these children is crucial, particularly for determining the support required from nursing staff, social workers, and schools, and for identifying gaps in these services.

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
Craig H. Neilsen Foundation
New Jersey Governor’s Council on Autism Research