CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

DESIGNED AND OPERATED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, CENTERS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING (CILS) PROVIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. CILS ARE AT THE CORE OF ACL'S INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMS, WHICH WORK TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY LIVING AND INDEPENDENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS THE NATION BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN LIVE WITH DIGNITY, MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES, AND PARTICIPATE FULLY IN SOCIETY. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTS FOR INTEGRATING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FULLY INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, SELF-DETERMINATION, AND RESPECT.CILS ARE CONSUMER-CONTROLLED, COMMUNITY-BASED, CROSS-DISABILITY, NONRESIDENTIAL PRIVATE NON-PROFIT AGENCIES THAT ARE DESIGNED AND OPERATED WITHIN A LOCAL COMMUNITY BY INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES.THE MISSION OF THE CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING OF CENTRAL PA (CILCP) IS TO ELIMINATE AND PREVENT BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES EXPERIENCE. THIS MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE MANY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE CILCP OFFERS. WE PROMOTE A PHILOSOPHY OF INDEPENDENT LIVING (IL) TO MAXIMIZE THE LEADERSHIP, EMPOWERMENT, INDEPENDENCE, AND PRODUCTIVITY OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.IN 2023, A TOTAL OF 208 PEOPLE RECEIVED OUR CORE SERVICES OF ADVOCACY, SKILLS TRAINING, PEER COUNSELING HOME CARE SERVICES, OR NURSING HOME TRANSITION SERVICES. 288 PEOPLE/BUSINESSES RECEIVED INFORMATION AND REFERRAL. IN ADDITION TO THE CORE SERVICES PROVIDED, CILCP ALSO PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS/SERVICES.NURSING HOME TRANSITION PROGRAM (NHT) THE CILCP'S NURSING HOME TRANSITION PROGRAM IS IN 45 COUNTIES (ADAMS, BEDFORD, BERKS, BLAIR, BRADFORD, BERKS, CAMBRIA, CAMERON, CARBON, CENTRE, CLEARFIELD, CLINTON, COLUMBIA, CUMBERLAND, DAUPHIN, ELK, FRANKLIN, FULTON, HUNTINGDON, INDIANA, JUNIATA, LACKAWANNA, LANCASTER, LEBANON, LEHIGH, LYCOMING, LUZERNE, MIFFLIN, MONROE, MONTOUR, NORTHAMPTON, NORTHUMBERLAND, PERRY, PIKE, POTTER, SCHUYLKILL, SOMERSET, SNYDER, SULLIVAN, SUSQUEHANNA, TIOGA, UNION, WAYNE, WYOMING, YORK). THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES HOUSING SEARCH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, MOVING, AND SERVICE COORDINATION TO CONSUMERS, WHO WISH TO TRANSITION FROM A NURSING HOME.HOME CARE CILCP'S HOME CARE SERVICES PROVIDES IN-HOME, NON-MEDICAL ATTENDANT CARE SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS TO EXPAND THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND ASSIST THEM IN LIVING WELL IN THE COMMUNITY. COUNTIES INCLUDE ADAMS, BEDFORD, BLAIR, CAMBRIA, CUMBERLAND, DAUPHIN, FRANKLIN, FULTON, HUNTINGDON, INDIANA, JUNIATA, LANCASTER, LEBANON, MIFFLIN, MONTOUR, NORTHUMBERLAND, PERRY, SOMERSET, SNYDER, AND YORK.DIRECT CARE WORKER (DCW) TRAININGIN 2023 CILCP'S DCW GRANT PROVIDED FREE TRAINING FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN WORKING AS A DCW IN A HOME CARE AGENCY. TRAINING MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT GOVERN HOME CARE SERVICES AND INCLUDED CORE CONTENT, CLEARANCES, AND REQUIRED TB TESTING, AT NO CHARGE. WHEN THE TRAINING ENDED, TRAINEES WERE REFERRED TO VARIOUS HOMECARE AGENCIES HIRING IN THEIR LOCAL AREA. THIS PROJECT WAS COMPLETED WITH A DCW CONFERENCE IN HERSHEY, PA WITH ALL EXPENSES (OVERNIGHTS AND MEALS) PROVIDED BY THE GRANT. 135 DCW'S ATTENDED AND THERE WERE SPEAKERS TO TRAIN ON ALL ASPECTS OF DCW WORK. THERE WAS ALSO A SPEAKER TO DISCUSS TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF, CHAIR YOGA AND SELF DEFENSE.AGING & DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER (ADRC) CILCP'S SERVES AS THE LINK COORDINATOR FOR DAUPHIN AND PERRY COUNTIES. CILCP STAFF COORDINATE AND RECRUIT COMMUNITY RESOURCES. MONTHLY MEETINGS ARE HELD TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAM CILCP'S WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TEAM-INDIVIDUALS ARE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IF THEY HAVE DISABILITY THAT AFFECTS ALL FOUR OF THEIR LIMBS, BUT MUST BE ABLE TO MANEUVER A RUGBY WHEELCHAIR INDEPENDENTLY. PLAYERS HAVE DESCRIBED IT AS A COMMUNITY, A NETWORK, AND A SUPPORT GROUP. WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER HIATUS WITH THIS PROGRAM AS WE STRIVE TO GET ENOUGH PARTICIPANTS TO FORM A TEAM.THE YOUTH-ADULT WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL CLINIC IS AN EFFORT OF BOTH THE CILCP AND PENN STATE HEALTH. AS A RESULT OF THE CLINIC A YOUTH WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM WAS DEVELOPED CALLED THE PA LIONS. WE HOSTED OUR FIRST TOURNAMENT AT SPOOKY NOOK WITH 6 TEAMS AND AROUND 100 ATHLETES, PARENTS AND CILCP STAFF ATTENDING.TO INCREASE OUTREACH THE CILCP'S MOBILE OFFICE TRAVELED TO ALL FIVE OF OUR CORE COUNTIES: NEWVILLE FOOD BANK, NORTHER DAUPHIN HUMAN SERVICES, PERRY COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL, JUNIATA COUNTY LIBRARY AND LEWISTOWN SQUARE.OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS (ODP)THE CILCP EXPANDED THE ODP PROGRAM BY ADDING NEW CONSUMERS. WE ARE GROWING THIS PROGRAM AND INTEND TO GO INTO OTHER AREAS SUPPORTING ODP IN THE COMING YEAR.THE CILCP BEGAN A CONTRACT WITH US-AGING TO HOST VACCINATION CLINICS THROUGHOUT THE-COMMONWEALTH. WE BEGAN THE PROJECT AT OUR YEARLY TRAINING FOR DIRECT CARE WORKERS. THIS CONTRACT WILL GO THROUGH APRIL 2025. OUR AWARDED AMOUNT WAS $266,000 FOR THE PROJECT.THE GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY GROUP CONTINUED TO MEET MONTHLY FOR ADVOCACY AND FOR SOCIALIZATION.ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES IN 2023 INCLUDED OUR ADA CELEBRATION IN EACH OF THE FIVE COUNTIES WITH THE MOBILE OFFICE, CENTRAL PA'S FIRST DISABILITY PRIDE EVENT, THE PA LIONS YOUTH BASKETBALL TEAM, THE HOLIDAY COOKIE EXCHANGE, AND THE HIGHMARK WALK.