CENTER FOR ACCESSIBLE LIVING

ACL PROVIDES THE BASIC SERVICES IN THE AREAS OF INDEPENDENT LIVING, SPECIFICALLY THE FIVE CORE SERVICES REQUIRED BY OUR MISSION. ADVOCACY: ADVOCATES WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONSUMERS TO RESOLVE INCIDENTS OF DISCRIMINATION AND DENIAL OF SERVICES THROUGH MEDIATION WITH GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS. ADVOCACY ALSO INCLUDES WORKING FOR SYSTEMS CHANGES THAT REFLECT THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS. INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS HELP CONSUMERS LEARN AND DEVELOP SELF-ADVOCACY SKILLS, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS THAT IMPEDE SERVICE DELIVERY, INVESTIGATE DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS, AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION REGARDING PROGRAM SERVICES. SYSTEMS ADVOCACY HELPS CONSUMERS LEARN TO INTERACT WITH APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SERVICES, TO UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ENCOURAGE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL GOALS, INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT GOALS, IF DESIRED. INFORMATION AND REFERRAL: THE CENTER SERVES AS A RESOURCE CENTER AND A CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION CONCERNING DISABILITY. INFORMATION AND REFERRAL PROVIDES THE KENTUCKIANA AREA WITH INFORMATION ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, OTHER DISABILITY LAWS, AND INDIVIDUAL ACCESS. THE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES APPROPRIATE REFERRALS TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY IN LEARNING ABOUT DISABILITIES AND DISABILITY RELATED ISSUES. THE CENTER MAKES INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE. INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS: CLASSES DEVELOP SKILLS NEEDED TO HELP CONSUMERS LEARN BASIC AND ADVANCED SKILLS TO ACHIEVE SELF-RELIANCE FOR A MORE INDEPENDENT LIFESYTLE. CLASSES INCLUDE CREDIT COUNSELING, ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING, ADAPTIVE COOKING, MOBILITY TRAINING, NUTRITION, HOMEMAKING, EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS AMONG OTHERS. PEER SUPPORT: ONE-ON-ONE OR GROUP SETTINGS, PEER SUPPORT ASSISTS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO HELP EACH OTHER ON A CROSS-DISABILITY BASIS. PEERS PROVIDES ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO INCREASE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL OVERCOME INTERPERSONAL, FAMILY, SOCIAL, FINANCIAL, INTERAGENCY AND OTHER DISABILITY-RELATED CHALLENGES. TRANSITION: SERVICES THAT FACILITATE TRANSITION FROM NURSING HOMES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED RESIDENCES WITH THE NECESSARY SUPPORTS AND SERVICES, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE AT RISK OF ENTERING INSTITUTIONS, AND FACILITATE TRANSITION OF YOUTH TO POSTSECONDARY LIFE. ACL PROPOSES TO AMEND THE EXISTING REGULARATORY DEFINITION OF INDEPENDENT LIVING CORE SERVICES BY ADDING THE NEW FIFTH CORE SERVICE TO THE PREVIOUS DEFINITION. THE FOUR ORIGINAL CORE SERVICES ARE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES; INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING; PEER COUNSELING, INCLUDING CROSS-DISABILITY PEER COUNSELING; INDIVIDUAL AND SYSTEMS ADVOCACY. THE NEW FIFITH CORE SERVICE HAS THREE COMPONENTS, EACH OF WHICH MUST BE MET TO FULFILL THE FIFTH CORE SERVICE. IT REQUIRES CILS TO 1) FACILITATE THE TRANSITION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES FROM NURSING HOMES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENCES, WITH THE REQUISITE SUPPORTS AND SERVICES; 2) PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES WHO ARE AT RISK OF ENTERING INSTITUTIONS SO THAT THE INDIVIDUALS REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY; AND 3) FACILITATE THE TRANSITION OF YOUTH WHO ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES, WHO WERE ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS (IEPS) UNDER SECTION 614(D) OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, AND WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION OR OTHERWISE LEFT SCHOOL TO POSTSECONDARY LIFE.

CHOICES NAVIGATOR, THE WORK INCENTIVES PLANNING AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY SOCIAL SECURITY AND ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE CENTER FOR ACCESSIBLE LIVING TO SERVE THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY. THE CENTER WILL MAKE AVAILABLE A COMMUNITY WORK INCENTIVE COORDINATOR, A KNOWLEDGEABLE ADVOCATE, SSA CERTIFIED, TO HELP BENEFICIARIES AND RECIPIENTS UNDERSTAND COMPLEX WORK INCENTIVE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. THIS PROGRAM HELPS SSI AND SSDI DISABILITY BENEFICIARIES, AGES 14 THROUGH 64, UNDERSTAND THEIR WORK OPTIONS SO THAT THEY MAY MAKE MORE INFORMED CHOICES REGARDING WORK. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL WORK INCENTIVE PROGRAMS AND RELATED ISSUES. AS A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS ALSO RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITHOUT CHARGE.