Accessibility
Accessible
Design/Universal Design Resources
Explains the seven principles of Universal Design and provides
guidelines and resources to implement home adaptations.
Accessible Playground
Equipment
Listing of manufacturers providing accessible playground products.
Accessible Survey
Instruments
Checklists to help determine if your facility is accessible.
Americans with
Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG)
Accessibility guidelines for building and facilities, as amended through
January 1998.
Architectural Barriers
Act of 1968, as amended
Laws requiring buildings or facilities financed with certain federal
funds to be accessible.
Center for Inclusive Design & Environmental Access
Information about
making your environment usable and accessible. Offers Universal Design
Information.
Home Plan Network
Online sources for
house plans with accessibility features.
Housing Information
Provides useful
information such as accessible housing considerations for specific
disabilities, fair housing accessibility requirements, and low cost/low tech
solutions for home modifications.
Microsoft Accessibility
Resources for web site managers and developers about accessible web site
design.
National Organization on Disability (NOD)
Promotes inclusion
for people with disabilities, in all aspects of life. Information on
how to make your congregation accessible.
The Ramp Project
"How to" strategies
and plans for building modular wooden ramps and stairs. Provides
information about
Tax
Credits and Tax Deductions
Facts about disability-related tax provisions.
The Internal Revenue Code has three disability-related provisions of
particular interest to businesses as well as people with disabilities.
Tax Incentives
The Job Accommodation Network
(JAN) has compiled a list of resources to assist in the search for tax
incentive information.
Title III of ADA of 1990
Regulations on
Public Accommodations and Services operated by private entities.
Title III of ADA of 1990
Technical Assistance Manual.
Uniform Federal
Assistive Standards (UFAS)
Sets the standards
for facility accessibility by mobility impaired persons for Federal and
Federally-funded facilities.
Uniform Federal
Assistive Standards (UFAS) Accessibility Checklist
Survey buildings
for compliance with UFAS.
Universal Design and Home Accessibility
Explains the
principles of universal design and provides suggestions for home assessment
or home modifications and repair.
RETURN TO TOP
ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY (AIDS)
Area 7 Agency on Aging and Disabled
Phone: 812-238-1561
Service: HIV/AIDS Care coordination
services include housing support, drug assistance and insurance
programs, care coordination, and emergency financial assistance.
RETURN TO TOP
ALCOHOLISM
(AL-ANON,
ALA-TEEN, Alcoholics Anonymous, Discovery Recovery, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Network and The Lamb Center)
ALANON
Phone: 812-234-0827
Service: Provides a support
group for individuals who have been affected by someone else's alcohol
or drug problem. Members learn to cope with their problems
through group discussions, individual support, and social events.
ALA-TEEN (TEEN ALCOHOLIC SUPPORT GROUP)
Phone: 812-234-0827
Service: Provides a support group for
young people 12 and over who have an alcoholic parent. Members
learn to cope with their problems through group discussions, individual
support, and social events.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
Phone: 812-234-0827
Service: Provides a support group for
alcoholics. Members learn to cope with their problems through
group discussions, individual support, and social events.
DISCOVERY RECOVERY, L.L.C.
Phone: 812-234-9911
Service: Intensive outpatient service
- 10 week program.
FETAL ALCOHOL
SYNDROME NETWORK
Phone: 765-737-6430
Service: Provides information and
education about fetal alcohol syndrome and networks new parents of
children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (F.A.S.) or Fetal Alcohol Effect (F.A.E.)
with parents who have had more experience. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Network is a grassroots organization of people who care for or have an
interest in persons who have F.A.S. or F.A.E.
THE LAMB CENTER -
TERRE HAUTE REGIONAL HOSPITAL
Phone: 812-232-0021 RETURN TO TOP
American Cancer Society
705 Putnam Street, Terre Haute, IN 47802
Phone: 812-232-2679 or 800-227-2345
Contact: Dawn Clinkenbeard,
Executive Director
Service: Works to eliminate cancer
as a major health problem through prevention and to diminish suffering
from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service.
Provides rehabilitation programs, wigs, and durable medical equipment on
a case-by-case basis. Also offers support groups and visitation
programs for individuals with cancer and their loved ones. RETURN TO TOP
American Diabetes
Association
7363 East 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46219
Phone: (317) 352-9226
Contact: Elaine McClane, Director of
Programs
Service: Works to prevent and cure
diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.
Provides programs of research, public awareness, patient and
professional education, youth services, and Camp John Warvel for
children with insulin dependent disabilities.
RETURN TO TOP
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION
1400 E. Pugh Drive, Suite 10, Terre Haute, IN
47802
Phone: 812- 232-7381 or
800-586-4872
Contact: Audrey Ferguson, Executive Director
Service: Works to prevent lung disease and to
promote lung health through education, advocacy, community service, and
research. Provides information, literature, and support groups
that help chronic lung disease patients and their families learn more
about and cope with the disease. Also offers smoking cessation
programs, maintains a film library, and maintains a speakers' bureau in
order to promote lung health. RETURN TO TOP
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Indiana, State of
ADA Indiana State Steering
Committee
Promotes implementation of
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Great Lakes ADA Center
Provides technical
assistance and training to both businesses and people with disabilities
regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
National
The Access
Board a.k.a. U. S. Architectural & Transportation Barriers
Compliance Board
This website provides
information on legislative issues, technical assistance and other
accessibility issues.
The ADA and City Governments:
Common Problems
Reviews common problems,
why a problem needs to be addressed, and what the requirement is.
ADA Document Center
Websites to find statutes,
regulations, technical assistance manuals and other documents, relating to
ADA.
ADA Guide for Small Business
Informal guidance to assist
with understanding the ADA and the Department of Justice's regulations.
ADA Guide for Small Towns
A guide for small local
governments, including towns, townships, and rural areas.
ADA and the Responsibilities of
an Employer
Explains the section about
prohibiting job discrimination.
ADA Technical Assistance Manuals
User-friendly source for
specifics on ADA regulations.
Common ADA Error and Omission in
New Construction and Alterations
Discusses common
accessibility errors, or omissions, and what the requirement actually is for
compliance with ADA standards.
Construction ADA resources
Essential information for
the architect, designer or builder needing to comply with the requirements
of the ADA. Most commercial projects are affected by this law.
DBTAC: Disability & Business Technical Assistance Centers
Ten regional DBTAC's
promote public awareness of ADA; in addition, answers technical questions
and disseminates federally-approved information and materials.
Small Employers and Reasonable
Accommodation
This website has
information about changes you can make to prevent workplace barriers.
Title I of ADA of 1990
Regulations on employment.
Title I of ADA of 1990
Employment technical assistance manual.
Title I of ADA of 1990
How to file a Title I
complaint.
Title II of ADA of 1990
Regulations on Public
Services
Title II of ADA of 1990
State and Local Government
technical assistance manual.
Title II of ADA of 1990
How to file a Title II
complaint.
Title III of ADA of 1990
Regulations on Public
Accommodations.
Title III of ADA of 1990
Public Accommodations and
Services provided by private entities technical assistance manual.
Title III of ADA of 1990
How to file a Title III
complaint.
Title IV of ADA of 1990
Regulations on
Telecommunications.
Title V of ADA of 1990
Regulations on
Miscellaneous Provisions.
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
ADA Home Page
Provides information on
DOJ's enforcement activities, certification of State and local building
codes, and other ADA related information.
U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
ADA Regulations and Technical Assistance Materials
Listing of free ADA
materials and how to order. RETURN TO TOP
Indiana
Assistive Technology Through Action in Indiana, Inc. (ATTAIN)
Strives to assist us to maintain our independence through
assistive technology.
Breaking New Ground
Internationally recognized as the primary source for
information and resources on rehabilitation technology for persons
working in agriculture.
Indiana Equipment Exchange (no link available)
Facilitates low-cost transfer of used medical equipment to
people in need. For further information, please contact:
Indiana Equipment Exchange
615 N. Alabama St., Ste. 332
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Telephone: 1.317.335.4269 Toll-Free: 1.800.821.6708
Partnership for Assistive Technology with Indiana Schools ( PATINS)
Works with Indiana schools to provide training and access to
assistive technology to maximize the student’s learning capabilities. RETURN TO TOP
National
AbilityHub: Assistive Technology Solutions
This website is a starting point for finding information concerning AT.
If you find a computer difficult to operate, visit this website for
problem-solving ideas.
Adapting Motor Vehicles
This brochure explains how to evaluate your needs, selecting the right
vehicle and more.
Center for Rehabilitation Technology
Devoted to applications of technology to alleviate problems of human
need.
Funding of Assistive Technology
Use Social Security Work Incentives to fund AT and make work a reality.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
Provides information about job accommodations and employment solutions
for people with disabilities.
Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)
Association of people with a common interest of technology and
disability. A listing of AT practitioners and suppliers can
be found here.
Tech Connections
Search a database for specific AT information.
RETURN TO TOP
BLIND - INDIANA DEAF BLIND SERVICES PROJECT
Blumberg Center, 502 School of Education
Building, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809
Phone: 812-237-2380
Contact: Karen Goehl,
Project Director
Service: Works to improve the
quality of educational services available to infants, toddlers, and
children with dual sensory impairments. Provides technical
assistance, training, and support services to services providers and
families of children with dual sensory impairments. Project
activities include site-based and child-focused consultations, a mentor
teacher-training project, family retreat weekends, a newsletter, a
resource library for parents and professionals, and usher syndrome
screening project, and a statewide census of students aged 0-21 who are
deafblind.
INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
7725 North College Avenue, Indianapolis, IN
46240
Phone: 317-253-1481
Contact: James Durst,
Principal
Service: Offers pre-school
through high school programs, free of charge on a residential or day
school basis, to the young people of Indiana who are blind and visually
impaired. Provides instruction in the same coursework required of
all school-aged children in Indiana. Specialized classes include
orientation and mobility, adaptive physical education, independent
living skills, vocational education, music instruction, braille and
specially adapted computer technology. Also available are
opportunities to participate in recreational activities, band, chorus,
piano, scouting, creative dance, radio, speech, track and field,
wrestling, cheerleading, and swimming. Also offers outreach
services to school districts and sponsors conferences.
LEADER DOGS FOR THE BLIND
Phone: 812-234-4002
(Lions Club)
Contact: Robert
Williams
Service: Provides leader dogs
for blind individuals of all ages. Free canes are provided to
individuals of all ages that are blind or visually impaired.
RETURN TO TOP
BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF INDIANA
5506 E. 16th Street, Suite B5, Indianapolis,
IN 46218
Phone: 317-356-7722
or 800-407-4246
Contact: Joanne
Lincaster
Service: Provides support and
information for individuals helping individuals with an acquired or a
traumatic brain injury. Information is available on temporary and
permanent physical, emotional, and cognitive changes. Works to
increase awareness about brain injury.
RETURN TO TOP
Centers for Independent Living
Indiana Centers for Independent Living
ATTIC
-
Assistive Technology Training & Information
Center
1721 Washington Avenue, Vincennes, IN 47591
Phone: voice/TTY: 812-886-0575 or 877-962-8842
Fax: 812-886-1128
e-mail: inattic1@aol.com
website: www.theattic.org
Counties served: Daviess, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin,
Pike, and Sullivan
ECCIL -
Everybody Counts Center for Independent Living
9111 Broadway, Suite A, Merrillville, IN 46410
Phone:
voice: 219-769-5055 or 888-769-3636
Fax:
219-769-5325
email:
ecounts@netnitco.net
website:
www.everybodycounts.org
Counties
served: Lake and Porter
Future Choices,
Inc.
309 N. High Street,
Muncie, IN 47305
Phone: voice
765-741-8332
Fax:
765-741-8333
email:
futurechoicesinc@aol.com
Counties
Served: Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Howard, Madison and Randolph
ILCEIN
- Independent Living Center of Eastern Indiana
201
South 5th Street, Richmond, IN 47374
Phone: voice:
765-939-9226 or 877-939-9226
Fax/TTY:
765-935-2215
email:
tomc@ilcein.org
Counties
served: Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Rush, Union, and Wayne
IRCIL
-
Indianapolis Resource Center for
Independent Living
1426 West 29th Street,
Indianapolis, IN 46208
Phone: voice:
317-926-1660
Fax: 317-926-1687
email: ircil@netdirect.net
Counties served:
Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan,
and Shelby
League for the
Blind & Disabled
5821 South Anthony
Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46816
Phone:
voice/TTY: 219-441-0551 or 800-889-3443
Fax:
260-441-7760
email:
theleague@verizon.net
website: www.the-league.org
Counties
served: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Jay, Kosciusko, LaGrange,
Noble, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley
SICIL
-
Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living, Inc.
Stone City Plaza,
651 X Street, Bedford, IN 47421
Phone:
voice/TTY: 812-277-9626 or 800-845-6914
Fax:
812-277-9628
email: sicildir@msn.com
Counties served:
Crawford, Jackson, Lawrence, Monroe, Orange, and Washington
The Wabash
Independent Living & Learning Center, Inc. (The WILL Center)
4312 S. Seventh
Street, Terre Haute, IN 47802
Phone:
812-298-9455 or 877-915-9455
Fax:
812-299-9061
email: info@thewillcenter.org
website: www.thewillcenter.org
Counties served:
Clay, Parke, Putnam, Vermillion and Vigo
RETURN TO TOP
CIVIL RIGHTS & CIVIL LIBERTIES
Indiana
Indiana Civil Liberties Union
Dedicated to protecting
freedoms guaranteed to Indiana residents and businesses.
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Investigates cases of
discrimination in education, employment, credit, public accommodations,
housing, and real estate.
Indiana Housing Finance Authority
Prohibits housing
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability,
familial status, and national origin.
Indiana Rural Development
Committed to the future of
rural communities.
National
Air Carrier Access Act
Common questions and answers
about air travel for wheelchair users.
Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 (ADA)
This act prohibits
discrimination on the basis of disability.
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Clarifies and amends the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 regarding intentional employment discrimination.
Civil Rights of Institutionalized
Persons
Authorizes the U.S.
Attorney General to investigate conditions of any state or local government
institutions, such as jails or nursing homes, that jeopardize the health and
safety of the residents of institutions.
Commonly Asked Questions About
Child Care Centers and the ADA
Answers to your questions
about ADA compliance of child care centers.
Consumer's Guide to Disability
Laws
Overview of Federal Civil
Rights law that ensures equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
Fair Housing--It's Your Right
Publication by U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, explains how this law protects
you and what to do if you feel you have been discriminated against.
Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act Amendments of 1997
Requires public schools to
make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate
public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their
individual needs.
New Horizons
Publication by the U.S.
Department of Transportation, provides information for the air traveler with
a disability.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended through 1998
Promotes employment of
individuals with disabilities and independent living.
Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act
of 1973
Any program that receives
federal funding will not discriminate against a qualified person with
disabilities from employment.
Voter Accessibility Act
Law to improve access for
qualified individuals to registration facilities and polling places for
Federal elections.
CYSTIC
FIBROSIS FOUNDATION, INDIANA CHAPTER
1261 W. 86th Street, Suite E2, Indianapolis, IN
46240
Phone: 317- 202-9210 or
800- 622-4826
Contact: Linda Moritz, Executive
Director
Service: Provides information to the
public and professionals through films, speakers, and literature.
Support cystic fibrosis clinic at Riley Hospital that provides
comprehensive care for infants, children, and adults. Also
supports cystic fibrosis research. RETURN TO TOP
DEAF & HARD OF HEARING SERVICES
Indiana
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services
This state agency serves and advocates equal access to
Hoosiers who are deaf or hearing impaired.
National
Captioned Media Program
Borrow open-captioned material of general educational
interest or submit material for CMP to caption and loan.
National Deaf Education Network & Clearinghouse
Review the steps to become an interpreter. This website is
maintained by Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
With its inception at Ball State University in
Muncie, Indiana circa 1964, RID certifies and trains interpreters. Many of
our listed interpreters are RID certified.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Indiana
Indiana Business Research Center
Statistics on the economy
and population.
Indiana Profiles
Statistical information by
state or county.
Indiana State Data Center Program
Statistical data by subject.
National
Statistics on
Work and Disability in the United
States
Statistics on work and
disabilities in the United States.
Americans with Disabilities
Statistics
Provided by the U. S.
Census Bureau, shows statistics about people with disabilities.
Consumer Choice and Control:
Personal Attendant Services and Supports in America, August 1999
Collective viewpoints and
recommendations to implement and promote consumer-directed, community-based
programs addressing in-home supportive services.
Federal Statistics
Seventy agencies produce
statistics of interest to the public.
Independence and Transition to
Community Living: The Role of the Independent Living Center
Part 1: Explains the
barriers that force individuals with significant disabilities to live in
nursing homes instead of living independently in their community.
Independence and Transition to
Community Living: The Role of the Independent Living Center
Part 2: Continues to
explain the barriers that force individuals with significant disabilities to
live in nursing homes instead of living independently in their community.
In-Home Supportive Services for the Elderly and
Disabled: A Comparison of Client-Directed and Professional Management
Models of Service Directory, April 1999
Full Report Executive Summary
This report presents the
findings of a study which compares alternative approaches to delivering
in-home supportive services to the elderly and disabled.
National Organization on Disability
Promotes inclusion for
people with disabilities, in all aspects of life. Site of the New
Harris Report which shows support of Americans with Disabilities Act.
National Voter Independence
Report
Results of the survey done during the November 1998
Congressional elections conducted by persons with disabilities. RETURN TO TOP
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES & LAWS
Resources for students and parents of students in Indiana,
including Northeast Indiana resources.
Information on federal programs, laws and organizations.
Indiana
Fetch Me a Job!
Employment service
providing resources for the job seeker.
Indiana Department of Labor
Promotes the welfare of
Indiana’s workforce.
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Provides services and
support to job seekers and employers looking to hire.
Office of Vocational
Rehabilitation (OVR)
Assists people with disabilities to retain or obtain employment.
Locations of Indiana VR Offices
Listing of Indiana’s VR
offices.
VR Policy and Procedure Manual
Policies and procedures
pertaining to individuals with disabilities.
National
1998 Chartbook on Work and
Disability in the U.S.
Statistics on work and
disabilities in the United States population, by topic.
America’s Job Bank
On-line job listings and
job resume’.
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) of 1990 - Title I
Law ensuring equality for
people with disabilities in employment.
Employment Assistance Referral Network (EARN)
Free nationwide employer service to assist with locating
and recruiting qualified workers with disabilities.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (E.E.O.C.)
Website for employees to
learn more about E.E.O.C. as well as the laws enforced by the agency.
Family Medical Leave Act
Entitles eligible employees
to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period
for specific family and medical reasons.
Federal Laws Prohibiting Job
Discrimination
Questions and answers
explain the laws prohibiting job discrimination, specifically addresses
practices of discrimination.
A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment
Answers your questions
about employment rights.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
Provides information about
job accommodations and the employability of people with disabilities.
Job Access
Assists job-hunters with disabilities find that job!
JobOptions.com
American Association of
People with Disabilities (AAPD) formed a partnership with JobOptions to help
companies recruit people with disabilities. Employment opportunities are
found here, as well.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973- Section 501
Requires affirmative action
and non-discrimination in employment, by federal agencies of the executive
branch.
Small Business & Self-Employment Service
Resources related to
self-employment and small business options for people with disabilities.
Social Security Employment Support Programs
Programs available to
assist a qualified individual during transition in the workforce until
independent.
State Vocational and Rehabilitation Agencies
Find your State’s Vocational Rehabilitation in this
national listing of agencies. RETURN TO TOP
Indiana Epilepsy Services
1606 N. 7th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47804
Phone: 812-238-7417
Contact: Lori Wilson, R.N.,
Coordinator
Service: Provides information and referrals
for individuals and families with epilepsy or seizure disorders.
Provides education on seizure disorders for family, friends, caregivers,
teachers, and the community as a whole. Offers monthly
support groups, advocacy, and a speaker's bureau. RETURN
TO TOP
HEARING
IMPAIRED SUPPORT GROUP
Silent Stars
The "Silent Stars" Hearing Impaired Support Group was established for adults
over the age of 18. Meetings are the last Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at
the Vigo County Public Library, Main Branch, unless otherwise scheduled.
Mission: To facilitate a support group for the hearing impaired to
ensure that the hearing impaired enjoys worthwhile interaction with each other
and experiences full accessibility within the community.
The "Silent Stars" Hearing Impaired Support Group is sponsored by The Wabash
Independent Living and Learning Center, Inc. (The WILL Center), a not for profit
organization, whose mission is to empower individuals with disabilities to
ensure that they have full and complete access to community resources to promote
their independence.
For additional information please contact The WILL Center, 4312 South 7th
Street, Terre Haute, IN 47802, telephone TTY: 812-298-9455.
VISUALLY
IMPAIRED SUPPORT GROUP OF CLAY COUNTY
The Clay County support group meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month in
Brazil, Indiana. The visually Impaired Support Group is sponsored by The Wabash
Independent Living and Learning Center, Inc. (The WILL Center), a not for profit
organization, whose mission is to empower people with disabilities to ensure
that they have full and complete access to community resources to promote their
independence.
For more information contact:
Danny Wayne
4312 South Seventh Street
Terre Haute, IN 47802
812-298-9455
Toll Free 1-877-945-9455
Email:
dannywayne@thewillcenter.org RETURN TO TOP
LOCAL HOSPITALS
Healthsouth
Rehabilitation Hospital
501 E. Saint Anthony Drive, Terre Haute, IN
47802
Phone: 812-235-5656
Contact: Emily Olsen
Shriner's
Hospitals for Children
Zorah Temple, 420 North 7th Street, Terre Haute, IN
47807
Phone: 812-232-8232
Contact: Hospital
Transportation Committee
Service: Transports children age birth
to 18 to the orthopedic hospital in Saint Louis, the cleft palate center
in Chicago, and the burn center in Cincinnati. Interested
individuals should call the Zorah Temple to have an application
mailed. RETURN TO TOP
Indiana State
University Psychology Clinic
Root Hall, 450 N. 7th Street, I.S.U., Terre Haute, IN
47809
Phone: 812- 237-3317
Contact: Jan Wright, Program Coordinator
Service: Provides psychological services to individuals,
families, groups, and organizations. A wide variety of services is
available, including individual and group psychotherapy, marital and family
therapy designed specifically for children, as well as psychological
assessment and consultation. Psychological assessments offered include
intelligence, personality, achievement, educational, marital, behavioral,
and neuropsychological. RETURN TO TOP
INDEPENDENT LIVING PHILOSOPHY
WHAT DOES INDEPENDENT LIVING MEAN?
Definition: The right of people with disabilities to
control and direct their own lives and to participate actively in society.
To control and direct one's life means making cultural and life style
choices among options that minimize reliance on others in decision-making
and in performance of everyday activities, limited only in the same ways
that people without disabilities are limited. It means exercising the
greatest possible degree of choice about where you live, with whom to live,
how to live, and how to use time. This includes taking risks and having the
right to succeed or fail. It also includes taking responsibility for one's
decisions and actions.
To participate actively in society means having
opportunities to fulfill a range of social roles. These include working,
owning a home, raising a family, engaging in leisure and recreational
activities, and participating to the extent one chooses in all aspects of
community life. This includes asserting one's rights and fulfilling one's
responsibilities as a citizen.
INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS
OR CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING
Definition: Centers are consumer controlled,
community based, cross-disability, non-residential, private non-profit
agencies that are designed and operated within local communities by
individuals with disabilities and provide an array of independent living
services. Their primary mission is to empower people with all types of
disabilities to live more independently and have control over their lives.
They constitute the primary advocacy and service delivery system for the
Independent Living movement.
Consumer Controlled means that the organization's
governing board includes a majority of people with severe disabilities, the
Center staff and decision makers includes a majority of members who have
disabilities, and that consumers served by the Center control service
delivery systems and decisions.
Community development services are provided by CILs
to increase local options available to people with disabilities. Services
include community needs assessment, interagency coordination, systems
advocacy for needed community change (especially the development of needed
services resources), technical assistance, public information and education,
outreach, and community initiatives.
Direct Consumer services are provided by CILs to
empower people with disabilities to increase their self-determination,
achieve personal goals, and become more effective members of their families
and communities. Included are the core services of information and referral,
peer consultation, individual advocacy, and skills training, as well as
other services determined to be locally appropriate.
Cross-disability means that the CILs advocate on
behalf of, and offer their services to, all persons with severe disabilities
regardless of diagnostic categories.
Primary service delivery system means that the CILs
are the primary agents that represent and promote the IL movement and its
philosophy.
CILs have evolved several characteristics that
separate them from more traditional service delivery programs. The Center
for Resource Management (1988) identifies these unique characteristics as:
- consumer control at the policy level of a center's
operations - Board of Directors comprised of a majority of persons with
disabilities;
- majority representation of persons with disabilities at
the administrative and staff level;
- emphasis on services to a cross-disability consumer
population;
- emphasis on consumer control of service objectives and on
peer role modeling; and;
- provision of such core services as information and
referral, peer counseling, independent living skills training,
individual advocacy and community advocacy.
Today, over
300 programs nationwide offer a range of services to facilitate consumer
goal achievement. All CILs offer the core services of advocacy, peer
support, information and referral and independent living skills training.
Other services provided by CILs, as determined by local needs, include
housing, attendant care, transportation, equipment, social/recreational
activities and a wide range of other services. CILs do not have a single
goal or measure of success. Rather, they respond to a wide range of
community based needs and goals ranging from peer counseling to accessible
transportation through individual and direct services, referral to other
resources and activities targeted towards community change (physical and
attitudinal).
CENTERS FOR
INDEPENDENT LIVING CORE SERVICES
Centers are
required to provide four core services under Title VII Part C of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1992. These services include
information & referral, advocacy, peer counseling or support, and
independent living skills training. They were described as follows by The
Center for Resource Management in collaboration with the National Council on
Independent Living in the publication, The Independent Living Services Model
(Center for Resource Management and National Council, 1988):
1. Information and Referral
Access to
information and referral services is essential for people with disabilities.
In addition to varied types of direct services, individuals need information
on options, resources, and the issues that influence their abilities to
achieve independent lives. Referral assistance is also essential since
achieving independence most often requires involvement of a variety of
agencies and community organizations.
Information
and referral services are also provided to other service providers and the
community at large. This assistance is instrumental in increasing public
awareness of disability issues and knowledge of the service options and
resources available to people with disabilities from the center and the
community.
2. Advocacy
Many persons
in the independent living movement have described the advocacy services
provided by CILs as the "cornerstone" of all Centers for Independent Living.
It is the service that truly separates centers from other community based
programs for persons with disabilities.
Independent living centers provide advocacy support to
individual consumers, as well as group advocacy. The central themes that run
through the advocacy
assistance
are consumer control and self-reliance. Reflecting such basic tenets as the
right to control one's own life and to make choices, this core service area
involves a process that empowers consumers to act on their own behalf and
resist accepted norms of dependency.
3. Peer Counseling
Emphasizing
the direct involvement of persons with disabilities as role models in the
service process, peer counseling has also been described as a cornerstone of
independent living services to consumers. A basic premise of peer counseling
is that, by virtue of their disability-related experience, people with
disabilities are uniquely qualified to assist their own peers. Through this
core service area, a peer counselor, or peer advocate who has achieved a
desired level of independence and community integration, shares knowledge
and experiences with a consumer. The process facilitates consumer awareness
of independent living options and how to approach certain situations and
seeks to motivate confidence in overcoming external barriers that inhibit
independence.
4. Independent Living Skills Training
Skills development is an important feature of achieving or
enhancing an independent life. The national evaluation study determined that
almost all Part C funded independent living centers offer some type of
skills training, but variation
exists in
who conducts the training, range of skill areas covered, where training
occurs, and the extent to which the training is formalized.
Some centers
view skill development as a key element of other core services, such as peer
counseling and advocacy, rather than as a discrete service component. In
centers where skills training is a separate service, it may be provided on a
one-to-one basis, through groups to address the common needs of consumers,
or both.
There is a
trend for centers that offer structured types of skills training to develop
formal written curricula or training sequences, especially if they offer
training to groups.
Examples of skill areas offered are:
- Managing personal assistance services
- Carrying out personal care and daily living activities
- Using message relay services
- Managing personal finances
Other than
the core services, there are many other services that CILs can provide in
response to needs as defined by consumers. A few examples include:
- Attendant Care
- Adaptive Technology Services
- Independent Living Aids
- Mobility Training
- Transportation Assistance RETURN TO TOP
LEGAL SERVICES
LEGAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION OF
INDIANAPOLIS
151 North Delaware Street, Suite 1800, Indianapolis,
IN 46204
Phone: 317-631-9410 or
800-869-0212
Contact: L.S.O. Intake Operator
Service: Provides legal services to
low income individuals for civil matters, but not for criminal matters.
Civil cases accepted include housing (eviction, foreclosure, and
landlord/tenant), public benefits (food stamps, S.S.I., unemployment,
poor relief, A.F.D.C., T.A.N.F.), health (Medicaid and Medicare),
divorce and child custody cases where there is child abuse or spouse
abuse, child in need of services (C.H.I.N.S.), consumer (collections and
repossessions), education (vocational rehabilitation and expulsion and
access to special education services), and access to justice (denial of
a court-appointed attorney in certain civil cases).
NATIONAL LEGAL
CENTER FOR THE MEDICALLY DEPENDENT AND DISABLED, INC.
7 South 6th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47807
Phone: 812-238-0769
Contact: General Counsel
Service: Provides legal services for
low-income individuals. Specialization is "right to live/right to
die" cases involving individuals with critical illnesses.
LEGAL SERVICES
ORGANIZATION OF INDIANA
151 North Delaware Street, Suite 1800, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-631-9410 or
800-869-0212
Contact: L.S.O. Intake Operator
Service: Provides legal services to low income individuals for
civil matters, but not for criminal matters. Civil cases accepted
include housing (eviction, foreclosure, and landlord/tenant), public
benefits (food stamps, S.S.I., unemployment, poor relief, A.F.D.C.,
T.A.N.F.), health (Medicaid and Medicare), divorce and child custody
cases where there is child abuse or spouse abuse, child in need of
services (C.H.I.N.S.), consumer (collections and repossessions),
education (vocational rehabilitation and expulsion and access to special
education services), and access to justice (denial of a court-appointed
attorney in certain civil cases).
RETURN TO TOP
LEGISLATIVE LINKS
Indiana
Council of Volunteers and
Organizations for Hoosiers with Disabilities (COVOH)
Advocates, statewide,
regional, local organizations or individuals of Indiana, work together to
assure individual choice for persons with disabilities.
Indiana General Assembly
Searchable state
legislative web site, providing information on bills, public laws, or other
topics.
Indiana Parent Information
Network (IPIN)
Not-for-profit organization
providing information, peer support, and education to those caring for
children with disabilities.
Indiana Resource Center for
Families with Special Needs (INSOURCE)
Provides information and
training to caretakers and service providers to ensure a quality education
for children and young adults.
Partners in Policymaking Project
Director
Mike Foddrill
Governor's Planning Council for People with
Disabilities
150 W. Market, Suite 628
Indianapolis, IN 46204-1484
phone: 317-232-7771
fax: 317-233-3712
e-mail:
pip@gpcpd.org
National
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund Inc. (DREDF)
National law and policy
center dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with
disabilities and parents of children with disabilities.
National Senior Citizens Law
Center
Provides a consumer
directory of attorneys.
Partners in Policymaking Homepage
This program provides
leadership training for adults with developmental disabilities and parents
of young children with disabilities.
Partners in Policymaking State
Coordinators
Locate a coordinator for
your state.
Thomas
Searchable federal
legislative web site providing information on bills, public laws, or other
topics.
Your Link to Congress
Locate your representative by zip code. RETURN TO TOP
Local Support Agencies
AREA 7 AGENCY ON AGING AND DISABLED
Phone: 812-238-1561 or 800-489-1561
Contact: Bette Lindley, Communications
Coordinator
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
OF TERRE HAUTE
Phone: 812-232-1447
Contact: John Etling, Executive Director
FIRST STEPS FOR
FAMILIES - HAMILTON CENTER, INC.
620 Eighth Avenue, Terre Haute, IN 47804
Phone: 812-231-8323
Contact: Bill Nunn, Ph.D.,
Access Center Coordinator
Service: Provides information and
referral, learning opportunities, and family support to families and
providers of persons with disabilities and special health care needs.
INDIANA
FAMILY HELPLINE
Phone: 317-233-1230 or 800-433-0746
Contact: Mary Bisbecos, M.S.; Supervisor
UNITED
CEREBRAL PALSY OF THE WABASH VALLEY, INC.
Phone: 812-232-6305 or 800-872-5827
Contact: Jacquie Denehie, Executive Director
UNITED WAY OF
THE WABASH VALLEY
Phone: 812-235-6287
Contact: Bob Menge, Executive Director
VIGO
COUNTY LIFELINE
Phone: 812-238-2620 or 812-235-8333
Contact: Michelle Swiger, Executive Director RETURN TO TOP
MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS/SERVICES
Indiana
Mental Health Association
Affiliate of the National
Mental Health Association.
Mental Health Services
State agency helps to provide access to appropriate
mental health and addiction services to promote self-sufficiency.
National
Mental Health Parity Act of 1996
Explains mental health
benefits. (This only applies to employers who provide mental health
coverage; it does not mandate coverage.)
Mental Health Parity Publications
and Websites
Listing of sites for
further information on mental illness.
National Alliance for the
Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Searchable site to learn
more about mental illness. RETURN TO TOP
National Multiple
Sclerosis Society of Indiana
7301 Georgetown Road, Suite 112, Indianapolis, IN
46268
Phone: 317-870-2500 or
800-762-1209
Contact: Nancy Cloud, Client
Program Coordinator
Service: Helps individuals with
multiple sclerosis and their loved ones to cope effectively with the
disease and to improve the quality of their daily lives by providing
information, education, and emotional support. Supports research;
works to increase public awareness; does fundraising campaigns, provides
information and seminars; offers self-help groups, short-term
counseling, information and referral, lending library, equipment
assistance, and publications. RETURN TO TOP
SOCIAL SECURITY
Indiana
Indiana Social Security Offices
Locate your local office.
National
Disability Programs
Information related to
disabilities and support, including SSI or SSDI.
Employment Support Programs
Explains programs available
to qualified individuals with disabilities entering the workforce, without
losing benefits, until able to support themselves.
Funding of Assistive Technology
(AT)
Using the Work Incentives
to fund AT and make work a reality.
A Guide for People with
Disabilities Seeking Employment
Answers questions about
your employment rights.
Medicare, Prescription Drug
Assistance Programs
Provides information on
programs that offer discounts or free medication to individuals in need.
Medicare Rights Center
Resource for online
questions and answers about the Medicare program and benefits.
National Medicare Education Program (NMEP)
Provides listing of
National Medicare Education Program Coordinators to answer phone questions
regarding Medicare programs and benefits. Resource for online
questions and answers about the Medicare program and benefits.
Online Publications
Social security documents
available online.
PASS: Plan for Achieving
Self-Support
Plan to help reduce
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