1. Independent living center are controlled and directed by person with disabilities.
We exist to empower people with people disabilities to advocate and to take control over
their/our lives. The independent living philosophy and the ILCs were established by people with
disabilities that wanted to be able to be active members of the communities in which they live. In
the past, people with severe disabilities were forced to live in institutional or hospital. In 1974, a
group of people with disabilities living in residential or hospital settings decided to insist on the
right to live independently and to work as desired in the community. To assist in that effort, they
found one of the first ILCs, the Boston Center for Independent Living. Today, there are ILCs in
each region of the state and thought the world.
2. Independent living center work with people with all types of disabilities.
As is mandated by the Organizational Articles, ILCs are staffed mainly by people with disabilities.
Though the centers were originally founded by people with physical disabilities, the centers are
run by and for people with wide variety of disabilities. ILCs work people with all disabilities
including traumatic brain injury, cognitive disabilities, ect., but we do not provide intensive day to
day training required by some people. Such consumers can still work with the centers to help gain
the services necessary to become more independent. ILCs can assist people that have rare,
low-incidence, and invisible disabilities that are sometimes over looked by those unfamiliar with
disability. The mission of each center is to help people with disabilities, ourselves as well as other
consumers of our services, to take control over our lives. For that reason, we do not believe it is
advisable to make decisions for others. We expect people to tell us what independent living skills
they wish to improve or what services they need to obtain.
3. ILC staff can go to various sites if the consumer is unable to come to the center.
When people are temporarily restricted to bed or to a hospital, it is helpful to know that ILC staff can go to various sites. Unfortunately, most operating budgets of ILC nonprofit agencies do not allow sufficient staff to immediately visit every caller that requests home visits. If a consumer is able and willing to come to the ILC, it is that much easier to begin working toward the level of independence the consumer wishes to achieve. As meany ILC staff have sever disabilities, it is time-consuming for them to travel to sites. It is more efficient for consumers to come to the ILCs if possible. It also promotes the independent living philosophy tp assume services of their own choosing. ILCs may offer Independent Living needs Assessments for Transitional Living Planes designed to help s