Independent Living and Vocational Rehabilitation

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Independent Living and Vocational
Rehabilitation

• Tina Treasure, Executive Director Oregon State IL
  Council (SILC)
• Kirt Toombs, Executive Director, Eastern Oregon
  Center for IL (EOCIL)
• Kristi Svendsen, IL Program Manager, Central
  Oregon Center for IL (CORIL)

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Todays Discussion

• Whats in this session for you?
• What is Independent Living?
• How VR and IL work together.
• Who provides IL services?

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Who Are You? What Is IL?

• Your Name
• Where do you work
• Have you used IL Services in your work

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What is Independent Living (IL)?

• How would you define Independent Living?

• Tinas Definition
• The right to make decisions about your own life.
• Living like your non-disabled peers (enjoying all
  of the same rights responsibilities).
• Acceptance of consequences for actions
• Freedom to take risks and make mistakes.

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Other Definitions for IL
From ILRU Essentially it is living just like
everyone else having opportunities to make
decisions that affect ones life able to pursue
activities of ones own choosing limited only
in the same ways that ones non-disabled
neighbors are limited. Independent Living has to
do with self-determination. It is having the
right and the opportunity to pursue a course of
action. And, it is having the freedom to fail and
to learn from ones failures, just as
non-disabled people do.   From the Oregon State
Independent Living Council brochure Independent
Living means that people with disabilities have
the opportunity to make decisions about their
lives and pursue activities of their choosing.
Measures of true Independent Living are the
opportunity and ability of a person with a
disability to direct and personalize services to
meet individual situations.   From SPOKES
Unlimited, Inc. Independent Living is the right
to assume responsibility for directing ones life
and to actively participate in the daily life of
the community. It is living where one chooses and
can afford, and includes managing ones own
affairs, fulfilling many social roles, and making
decisions that lead to less physical and
psychological dependence on others. It is freedom
to take risks and make mistakes.
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Formation of the IL Philosophy

• Each individual is different and unique.
• We people with disabilitiesare the most
  knowledgeable experts about our own needs and
  issues.
• Programs serving people with disabilities should
  be designed to serve all disability groups.

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What is the SILC?

• Acronym for State Independent Living Council
• Established in 1992 by executive order of the
  Governor, as a result of that years amendments
  to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
• A state must have a SILC in order to receive
  federal dollars under Title VII of the
  Rehabilitation Act.

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SILCs Mission

• To promote choice, equal access, and full
  inclusion of people with disabilities, throughout
  the State of Oregon.

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How is the SILC structured?

• Governor appointed council Twenty-one voting
  members
• SILC members work as individuals, on committees,
  as a Council, and through partnerships with CILs
  and other agencies to further its mission.

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Who are the SILC members?

• Current or past consumers of IL services
• Representatives of CILs
• Private business representatives
• Other persons with disabilities
• Parents, guardians and advocates of individuals
  with disabilities
• Representatives of OVRS and Oregon Commission
  for the Blind.

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SILC Activities

• Identifies IL service needs in Oregon Develops
  and implements State Plan for Independent Living
  (SPIL)
• Advises on IL issues in Oregon, including policy
  review
• Reviews and evaluates IL services provided by
  CILs
• Coordinates information with other disability
  organizations
• Surveys consumer satisfaction with existing
  services
• Administers contracts with CILs using state
  general funds, federal funds and special project
  dollars.
• Holds trainings and provides TA to all CILS.

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What is a Center for Independent Living (CIL)?

• What do you already know about CILs?

• From the Rehabilitation Act, Title VII 
  Section 702. Definitions
• The term center for independent living means a
  consumer-controlled, community-based,
  cross-disability,
• nonresidential private nonprofit agency that
• (A)  is designed and operated within a
  local community by individuals with disabilities
  and
• (B)  provides an array of independent
  living services
•  
• From the ILRU brochure
• These organizations, called Independent Living
  Centers, are extraordinary they are run by
  people with
• disabilities who themselves have been successful
  in establishing independent lives. These people
  have both
• the training and the personal experience to know
  exactly what is needed to live independently.
  And, they
• have deep commitment to assisting other people
  with disabilities in becoming more independent.
• KEY is CONSUMER CONTROL-
• The term consumer control means, with respect
  to a center for independent living, that the
  center vests power and authority in individuals
  with disabilities. A majority of both the
  Governing Board and staff are persons with
  disabilities.

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Four Core IL Services

• Information and Referral
• Independent Living Skills Training
• Peer Counseling
• Advocacy
• Addition soon of 5th core service around
  transition deinstitutionalization, youth
  transition, etc.

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Peer Role in IL

• In IL terms, a peer is someone with a disability
  who is a role model and/or support person for
  another person with a disability.
• Peer support and personal choice are key elements
  of Centers for Independent Living.
• In IL, the peer is the professional

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WIN WIN WIN
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Employment Related IL Services

• Enhance the holistic approach of both VR and IL
  services

• So.when is an IL service a employment service

When an Independent Living service necessary to
achieve an employment outcome is identified by
a consumer and his/her rehabilitation counselor,
it is a vocational service, and can be
purchased from a vendor, including a CIL.
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Employment Related Information Referral
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Employment Related Peer Counseling
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Employment Related Skills Training
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Employment Related Advocacy
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Real People Real Benefits
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Real People Real Benefits
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Network of CILs

• There are now more than 600 Centers for
  Independent Living in existence within the US and
  many countries.
• There are 10 CILs in Oregon.

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Oregons CIL Network