The emphasis of Service for Independent Living’s Community Services is primarily to provide information to professionals and other members of the community to improve service delivery, increase access, and address physical, attitudinal, legislative, and systemic barriers to community living.
ADA and Accessibility:
Staff are trained to conduct ADA surveys and provide accessibility assessments/surveys to community businesses, programs, and other stakeholders. The outcome of the assessment is a report outlining recommendations in order to make their businesses and programming accessible for persons with disabilities. SIL is a contacted by the Ohio Department of Medicaid to coordinate the Temporary Ramp Program. Priority for this program is given to participants of the HOME Choice program which is Ohio’s Money-Follows-the-Person project who are transitioning from a facility to the community.
Advocacy and Systems Change:
SIL works with individuals with disabilities to gain self-advocacy skills so they are equipped to deal effectively with barriers to community living. Staff also advocate on behalf of a single individual to ensure their needs are being met. In addition, staff are involved with system change efforts on local, state and national levels in order to increase choice and community based options and to address barriers to community living.
Community Education:
SIL provides opportunities for professionals, individuals with disabilities, families and other community members to learn about and gain skills to address barriers faced by the disability community. SIL sponsors small and large workshops and forums throughout the year. Staff are often called upon to present and train on local, state and national levels.
Information and Referral:
SIL staff provide crucial, up-to-date information on a variety of disability related topics and community living issues. Staff help problem solve and provide access to accurate information and community resources. Examples include information on adaptive equipment, transportation, accessible housing, benefit maintenance, and community resources.