Centers for Independent Living

This blog entry was adapted from information provided by the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas (SILCK)

RCIL is one of 13 Centers for Independent Living (CIL) in Kansas. The expenditure for CILs across the state is approximately $2.7M federal and state funds. For over 30 years, CILs have helped thousands of Kansans with disabilities live on their own, find work, raise families and become active, autonomous members of their communities.

The opportunity for disabled people to become independent is the crux of the CILs mission, allowing persons with disabilities to live by themselves, get married, find a job – anything they want to do – in order to be out on their own and make their own choices and live their own lives.

CILs are run almost solely by persons with disabilities showing those they serve exactly what they are capable of is a great example of the peer approach that sets CIL’s apart from other organizations.

CILs give their practical experience on how people with disabilities live their lives, and how they can be independent, make choices, and take control of their life. Too often, people with disabilities when they’re growing up, may have people taking care of them, albeit well-intended, what happens is you raise people who can’t make their own decisions. CILs help people with disabilities figure out how to make their own decisions and how to take charge of their lives.

The Core Services Provided by All Centers for Independent Living are:

• Individual and Systems Advocacy, assistance with individual human rights issues as well as making system changes on a larger scale for people with disabilities as a whole.
• Information and Referral Services, information on specific disability related topics are referred to the appropriate work area of the CIL or another agency.
• Peer Counseling, an individual with a disability mentors, counsels and /or acts as a role model to another individual with a disability about a variety of issues.
• Independent Living Skills Training, basic life skills training such as cooking, budgeting, transportation skills and social skills.

These basic services are provided to any Kansan who walks through the door of any CIL and without cost. This array is truly one stop shopping. In the course of a an average month the 12 centers will see over 9,000 persons at annual cost of $2.7M/(AF) which amounts to $377/person/yr.

The Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL) strives to be a good steward of the federal and state monies we receive to work with individuals with disabilities to become empowered productive members of society. This investment in our local communities and state enriches the lives of not only those in the disability community but our family, friends, neighbors, and businesses.