Among them are creating a new initiative to bring together statewide independent living councils and emergency management in every state; creating a disaster response and recovery curriculum for
centers for independent living; developing community efforts to identify people with disabilities who need assistance; and investing in back-up support systems that would enable people with disabilities to maintain access to social and medical services.
Nevertheless, Medstat's process evaluation found that the
Centers for Independent Living faced major challenges in carrying out their mandate.
However, a paucity of information exists on services available and/or being extended to minorities under other titles of the Act, including independent living services and
centers for independent living. Section 704(1) - Outreach, for example, specifically requires centers funded under Title VII of the Act to "set forth steps to be taken regarding outreach to populations that are unserved or underserved...including minority groups, urban and rural populations" (pg.
Martina Schmid, executive director of the Florida Association of
Centers for Independent Living, who lobbied for the bill and will administer the program, explained the legislation's namesake:
At the federal level, funding for
centers for independent living (CILs) has been cut for three straight years.
The bulk of the document is comprised of the manual titled, "Exercising Community Leadership: A Resource and Training Manual for Consumer Controlled Non-profit Boards of Directors Serving People with Disabilities." Following an introduction, this manual contains sections on: (1) the mission of
centers for independent living; (2) legal responsibilities of board members; (3) board organization; (4) planning; (5) personnel responsibilities; (6) financial responsibilities of the board; (7) community relations; and (8) group process and decision making.
In yet another initiative to use the power of consumers to improve service quality, HCFA is inviting
centers for independent living (CIL's), to test a model of consumer-directed durable medical equipment (CD-DME) for Medicare beneficiaries.
Centers for independent living play an important role in developing methods for meeting the peer support and peer recreation needs of persons with SCI.
The letter referred to locating personal care assistants (PCAs) through
centers for independent living (CILs).
Federal funding for what came to be known as "
Centers for Independent Living" enables some agencies serving the blind to formalize separate programs for blind people, including the elderly, who are not pursuing vocational goals.
Section eight reviews
Centers for Independent Living, Therapeutic Recreation, Financial Assistance, Housing and Urban Development, and Community Service Organizations.