LEAP: Doris Brennan: IL History - by Doris Brennan

WHAT IS INDEPENDENT LIVING?

Independent Living means having control of your life.  It means having the ability to participate in the life of your community and family.  Independent Living means having choices of lifestyle, having choices of where you live, and having opportunities for education, employment, transportation, socialization, recreation, and all other aspects of life that other citizens enjoy.

The key words that help define Independent Living are CHOICES and OPPORTUNITIES.  Most people who are not disabled can take these "choices" and "opportunities" for granted.  A person who is disabled cannot.  In order for people with disabilities to fully participate in the life of their communities and to feel as though they are truly a part of that life, there need to be changes in attitudes, increased community support services, and improved access.

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS

The federal government, in an effort to address the need to include people with disabilities in all aspects of society, passed a law in 1978, amending the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to establish Centers for Independent Living to assist people with disabilities to become more independent.  The purpose of these Centers was to provide services and to advocate for change that would enable people with disabilities to participate more fully in all aspects of community life.  The unique thing about these Centers is that they are controlled and directed by people with disabilities.

The first Center for Independent Living was developed in Berkley, California by a group of students with disabilities who wanted to be integrated into campus life as "full-fledged, normal students."  Most of them were very severely disabled and needed a number of support services including attendant services, accessible living space, counseling about their benefits, wheelchair repair, etc.  They developed a community-based Center where these services would be provided to all disabled students on the campus.  They were so successful responding to the needs of students with disabilities that people from the City of Berkley began to request services.  The need was recognized by the State of California, and they established Centers for Independent Living throughout the state.  As a result of the success in Berkely, other states began to follow suit, and, with the passage of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments, Centers were established throughout the country.  There are over 300 Centers for Independent Living in the country, the majority of them funding under the Rehabilitation Act.  In Ohio there are ten Centers for Independent Living.  They are located in Akron, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Dover, Fairfield, Lorain, Toledo and Mansfield.

INDEPENDENT LIVING PHILOSOPHY

Centers for Independent Living (CIL's) share a basic philosophy.  They are based on the belief that people with disabilities, themselves, must be involved in the development of services that are provided to meet their needs.  They believe that the needs of people with disabilities can be met most effectively by comprehensive programs that combine self-help and professional expertise in the provision of services, and that people with disabilities can and should be integrated into their communities.

Centers for Independent Living focus on individuals needs.  The focus in on the person with the disability and making the most of that person's opportunity for participation in society.  Centers have major consumer involvement, which is demonstrated by the staffing and Board membership, which reflects a majority of people with disabilities.  They also focus on advocacy and peer support, working as advocates and role models to develop public awareness of the needs and capabilities of people who are disabled.  Their services are wide ranging and support the integration of people with disabilities into the mainstream.  Unlike many programs aimed at persons with specific disabilities, Centers for Independent Living represent and serve people with various disabilities and their families.

Centers for Independent Living all must provide certain "core" services which include Peer Support, Independent Living Skills Training, Information and Referral and Advocacy.  They may provide other services which enhance a persons ability to live independently.  In Ohio Centers provide housing assistance, personal assistance services referrals, transportation, benefits counseling, Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) technical assistance, community education, guidance on assisted devices, employment and transition services for students, to name a few.  All of these services are geared toward helping people to learn how to live independently in their homes and to be more active as responsible, active community participants.

WHAT CAN AN INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER DO FOR
A CONSUMER WITH A DISABILITY?

Independent Living Centers exist to provide an array of services to assist people with disabilities to achieve their maximum level of independence.  They can go to a Center and discuss their needs and their hopes.  Center staff will help them to develop a plan to achieve their goals.  They also will help consumers to find the resources they will need to carry out their independent living plan.  In some cases, Center staff will ask people with disabilities to helps them.  As we all know, there are many needs that people with disabilities have which are not currently being met.  A few of these are: transportation, personal assistance services, accessible affordable housing, leisure and recreation activities, accessibility in homes or in the community, health care and employment.  In order for these needs to be met there has to be change in the systems that serve us.  Such change can only come about if we all work together to make these needs known and to demand that these needs be met.  In effect, consumers along with Center staff have to become partners and agents for change in our communities, in our state and in the nation.  As Ed Roberts, often referred to as "the Father of Independent Living" said, Centers for Independent Living have three functions, Advocacy, Advocacy, and Advocacy!

THE STATE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL

The State Independent Living Council (SILC) was established by law with the passage of The Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act in 1992.  This Council can be the conduit to the Governor's Office to express the need for change that would benefit people who are disabled.  The State Independent Living Council is an autonomous body made up of representative of organizations representing individuals with disabilities, organizations interested in individuals with disabilities, and consumers with disabilities.  The purpose of the Council is to jointly develop and submit The State Independent Living Plan; to monitor, review, and evaluate the implementation of the State Plan; to coordinate activities that address the needs of specific disability populations and issues under The Rehabilitation Act and other federal laws; and to ensure that all regularly scheduled meetings of the Council are opened to the public with sufficient advance notice.

Ohio's State Independent Living Council was appointed by Governor George Voinovich at the end of 1993 and had their first meeting in December, 1993.  There are eleven Council members appointed by the Governor.  There are also seven exo-officio representatives from State agencies who serve on the State Independent Living Council.  The SILC includes individuals with a diversity of disabilities, representing a broad geographic area and includes a representative from the State Centers for Independent Living.

Members of Council have a responsibility and opportunity to help expand Independent Living Services and to expand the network of Centers for Independent Living throughout the state of Ohio.  Through all our efforts, Ohioans with disabilities will have options to be productive, integrated, independent citizens participating in all aspects of society. 

GET INVOLVED

We welcome your involvement and we encourage you to take an active role in Independent Living, bringing your skills, your talents and your expertise to the forefront to improve life for citizens with disabilities.

- Doris Brennan

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