Issues in the federal funding of rehabilitation research

An allocation model for funding health research is the framework for highlighting issues concerned with the federal financing of research related to the rehabilitation of handicapped individuals. Discussion focuses upon the policies and practices of the National Institute of Handicapped Research (NIHR) because of its prominent role among the federal agencies that support rehabilitation research. Separate consideration is given to the influence of the 1978 amendments to the Rehabilitation Act, the National Council on the Handicapped, the NIHR long-range plan, the Interagency Committee for Handicapped Research, and procedures for establishing NIHR's annual priorities. NIHR's conduct of peer review is critically reviewed, as is the agency's history of annual appropriations. Reasons are discussed why rehabilitation research has been inadequately funded, and steps are recommended for increasing its federal support.