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| Home History, Background, Mission What Is Independent Living? Services Assistive Technology |
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| Services The Staten Island Center for Independent Living, Inc., is a non-residential resource center that offers services to individuals with disabilities of all ages, their families, significant others, teachers, employers, businesses, and those who believe that an individual with a disability has the right to take responsibility for his/her own life. |
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| The center is unique in that it is primarily staffed and governed by professionals who have had a personal experience with a disability and believe that disability does not mean inability.? Our services include: | |||||||||||
| Advocacy? ?? Architectural Barrier Consultation? ?? Benefits Advisement? ?? Counseling??? Housing Assistance? ?? Transportation Assistance? ?? Independent Living Skills? ?? Community Education? ?? Transition Services | |||||||||||
| ADVOCACY | |||||||||||
| Directions to SICIL Contact Links |
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| The center has joined other agencies in lobbying for legislation that assists individuals with disabilities.? Some of its successes are:? The Americans with Disabilities Act; Local Law 59 and the Telecommunications Act. | |||||||||||
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| The Work Incentive Act, Guide Dog Regulations, and Handicapped Parking laws have been enacted this year as a result of our advocacy. | |||||||||||
| We are about to join with the New York Consortium of Independent Living Centers in New York City and disability advocates throughout the country to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.? A workshop focusing on transition from school to work for disabled students and a torch ceremony that will include the five boroughs will be two of many celebrations that will occur this year. | |||||||||||
| ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER CONSULTATION | |||||||||||
| The center assists consumers in making their homes and work places accessible.? It has also consulted with Snug Harbor, senior citizens residences, architects, builders, etc. | |||||||||||
| BENEFITS ADVISEMENT | |||||||||||
| The center assists consumers in their attempts to receive Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.? Discounts on utilities, Veterans benefits, etc. | |||||||||||
| This year it was awarded a contract with the Human Resources Administration titled PRIDE 2000 that assists welfare beneficiaries with disabilities in leaving the welfare roles, finding benefits that will assist them in returning to work with the skills that are needed to give them independence and responsibility. | |||||||||||
| COUNSELING | |||||||||||
| The center offers personal, peer, individual, and group counseling.? Currently there are two groups that meet on a weekly basis.? These groups are composed of consumers with a variety of disabilities. | |||||||||||
| HOUSING ASSISTANCE | |||||||||||
| The center attempts to find affordable and accessible housing.? It is a member of the Inter-agency Council for the Aging, Councilman Oddo?s Round Table on Housing Issues and was awarded a contract with the office of Housing Preservation and Development to assist individuals in completing applications; assisting at the Housing Court; advising builders of local laws related to the building code; and testifying at hearings about the housing needs of individuals with disabilities. | |||||||||||
| TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE | |||||||||||
| The center offers limited transportation to the center, other agencies, the Elizabeth Connelly Pool, shopping centers, etc. | |||||||||||
| It also assists consumers in completing applications for Access-A-ride and Half Fare discounts. | |||||||||||
| INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS | |||||||||||
| The center offers training in banking, budgeting, cooking, grooming, health, and nutrition.? Several board members including Jane Milza, (Food Editor of the S.I. Advance), have conducted classes for disabled consumers. | |||||||||||
| COMMUNITY EDUCATION | |||||||||||
| The Executive Director and board members have made presentations to a number of civic organizations, students (with and without disabilities), educators, businessmen and women, and other agency directors. | |||||||||||
| TRANSITION SERVICES | |||||||||||
| The staff of SICIL participate in meetings of the NYC Board of Education Transition Linkage groups that plans and analyzes services offered to students with disabilities who are about to graduate and enter the adult world or work or higher education. | |||||||||||