What Services Do Independent Living
Centers Provide?
All Independent Living Centers provide
a set of core services geared toward promoting self-help, equal access, peer
role modeling, personal growth, and empowerment. The scope of services is
directed by individual and community needs.
The core services are as follows:
- Peer Counseling is provided
between two or more individuals with disabilities, to share ideas and
experiences about living with a disability, in order to gain greater awareness
and control over ones own life.
- Independent Living Skills Training
teaches everyday life skills and is often provided by people with
disabilities. Training may include budgeting, meal preparation, arranging
transportation, or personal assistance services, job seeking, and
self-advocacy.
- Information and Referral Services
aim to provide individuals with resources and options that may be necessary in
making informed choices about living, learning, and working independently.
- Individual and Systems Advocacy
addresses access to equal opportunities in exercising social, economic,
educational, and legal rights. Independent Living Centers work with
individuals, community organizations, state/national networks; to promote full
inclusion of people with disabilities, and to improve the implementation of
existing laws; federal, State, and local.
Other services that are often provided
by Independent Living Centers include:
- Acquiring and maintaining appropriate
benefits and entitlements
- Architectural and communication barrier
consultation
- Personal counseling that is non-clinical
and short term in nature to address individual goals
- Securing, learning how to use, repair, and
maintain equipment
- Assistance in registering to
vote
- In-service training, workshops/seminars on
disability issues, disability laws and Independent Living
philosophy
- Disability awareness training
- Developing Plans to Achieve Self Support
(PASS) for recipients of public assistance (SSI/SSDI)
- Specialized training and services specific
to certain communities
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