WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.000 music 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:08.000 I am the operations coordinator for 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.000 the state independent living council; I've been working for them since 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:20.000 about the state independent living council. I know that 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.000 the most important thing is for you to hear about the services, because 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.000 that's what you're going to school to learn to engage with, 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.000 and less about our council but I'll give you just a thumbnail sketch. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:36.000 So the state independent living council is an independent, consumer-directed 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:40.000 planning and coordinating body for the independent living program. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:44.000 The majority of the members 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.000 have to be people with disabilities who are not employees of 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.000 centers for independent living or state agencies. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:56.000 To receive federal funds under title seven of the rehabilitation 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:60.000 act, which is the independent living program, you have 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:04.000 to have a state independent living council, and you have to have an 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:08.000 approved state plan for independent living. So these are things 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:12.000 that the council works on a lot, the state plan. 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:16.000 I won't go into all the details about that, but 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:20.000 it includes listening to consumers across the state, 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:24.000 gathering that input, and then helping 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:28.000 work with the centers for independent living to develop the state plan. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:32.000 Just to let you know ,we'll be talking a little bit about some of the definitions around 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:36.000 the program. We'll talk a little bit about the IL movement, 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:40.000 how it got started - IL stands for independent living, of course - 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:44.000 and the program philosophy, and then service 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:48.000 delivery methods and providers, and also potential uses 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:52.000 of IL services in the VR system. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:56.000 I'd like to hear from you a little bit, if someone simply 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:60.000 asked you, what is independent living, what would you say? 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:04.000 Don't worry; I'm not testing, 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:08.000 there's no grading of this, so you can say whatever you'd like. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:12.000 Any ideas? 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:16.000 To be an adult 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:20.000 and live without assistance. That's a really good 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:24.000 way to describe it, although we all do use assistance even 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:28.000 as adults, right? Yes. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:36.000 The amount of assistance we need from person to person. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:40.000 And we want to try to do things as independently as possible. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.000 Good. Yes. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:48.000 Very good, you could come to work for the council right now. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:52.000 Yeah, making choices 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:56.000 about the kinds of assistance you get. How things are done. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:60.000 Having that kind of autonomy is definitely part of independent living. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:08.000 Here are some phrases that are common definitions 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.000 of independent living. Enjoying the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.000 The right to make decisions about your own life. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.000 Freedom to take risks and make mistakes. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:24.000 And that's something that, often, people with disabilities, people want to 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:28.000 protect people with disabilities from having that same experience that everyone 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.000 else has, and what goes along with that, though, 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:36.000 when you make your choices and perhaps make mistakes, 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.000 you take some risks, is accepting the consequences for 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:44.000 those actions. Then there are some other definitions. Independent living 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:48.000 research utilization - ILRU - have any of you heard of them? 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.000 Okay. They're connected with 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:56.000 a university in 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:60.000 a teaching hospital in Texas, 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:04.000 and they do a lot of training in the independent living program. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.000 Some of their materials say that, essentially, it is living just like everyone else, 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:12.000 having opportunities to make decisions that affect one's life, 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:16.000 able to pursue activities of one's own choosing - limited only in 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:20.000 the same ways that one's non-disabled are limited. Independent living 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.000 has to do with self-determination. It is having the right and the 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.000 opportunity to pursue a course of action. And, it is having the freedom to 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:32.000 fail and learn from one's failures, just as non-disabled people do. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:36.000 And in some of our council materials, we say that independent 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:40.000 living means that people with disabilities have the opportunity to 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:44.000 make decisions about their lives and pursue activities of their choosing. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:48.000 Measures of true independent living are the opportunity and ability of a person 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:52.000 with a disability to direct and personalize services to meet individual situations. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:56.000 So, has anyone any 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:60.000 idea what you all have to do with the start of the independent living 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:04.000 movement? Let me tell you. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:08.000 You're students. The independent living movement was a student movement. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:12.000 Some of the things that 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:16.000 led to the independent living movement 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:20.000 were the civil rights struggle during the 1950s and 60s, 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:24.000 the concepts that the living movement has taken from that 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.000 were dignity and equality. And then, 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:32.000 there was the consumer movement of the 1960s through the mid 80s. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:36.000 Have you heard of Ralph Nader? 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:40.000 He was a name that was always associated with 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:44.000 the consumer movement. And empowerment and informed choice 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.000 came from that movement, and also self-help. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:52.000 And then the student movement. 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:56.000 The reason why the student movement 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:60.000 has anything to do with this is because it really came from students trying 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:04.000 to get access to classes at UC Berkley. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:08.000 They kept being turned down. Ed Roberts was the 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:12.000 name that is mostly used as the father of the independent living movement. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:16.000 He had to hang around campus 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:20.000 a lot for about a year or more, and 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:24.000 prove to people that he could get around campus before they 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:28.000 finally agreed, okay, we'll let you come to school. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:32.000 But he used an iron lung, 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:36.000 and the only place they said that they could house that was in the 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:40.000 infirmary. So he lived in the infirmary, and then they 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:44.000 decided as they started letting other students with disabilities come to school, 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.000 we'll just put them all together. So all the students 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:52.000 had to live in the infirmary, and you can imagine 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:56.000 what that would be like. They called themselves 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:60.000 the Rolling Quads and they became 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:04.000 a team that helped each other. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:08.000 They also became a team that began helping people in the community. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:12.000 Eventually they grew so big they got kicked off campus, 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:16.000 and they started the first center for independent living 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:20.000 in the community, and started helping with all kinds of 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:24.000 things around the community. Advocating for 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:28.000 curb cuts and access to buildings, but also just helping people 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:32.000 with everyday things that they were struggling with, barriers in their life. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.000 So there were some foundational 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:40.000 pieces of the philosophy that formed as the movement 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:44.000 got started. The first one 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:48.000 was that individuals are unique; we're all different 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:52.000 with different strengths and limitations. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:56.000 And people with disabilities are the experts. They know the most about their own 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:60.000 needs and issues. None of us like someone else telling us 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:04.000 what we should do in our lives and how we should manage them, or 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:08.000 what's best for us. And cross-disability 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:12.000 is another key philosophy: the best way 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:16.000 to serve people with disabilities in the mind of the 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:20.000 independent living movement is holistically, because people are not just 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:24.000 defined by a single disability, or segmenting people 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.000 by disability type really is limiting. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.000 So inclusion and deinstitutionalization 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.000 are another piece of the philosophy. Not segmenting 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:40.000 people with disabilities into 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:44.000 certain areas, taking populations and having them 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:48.000 all live in the infirmary together. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:52.000 Because inclusion, obviously, benefits 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:56.000 all of us. If we experienced everybody that 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:60.000 looked the same and acted the same, we would be less well-rounded. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.000 Less understanding of other people's needs. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:08.000 Not as informed. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:12.000 And then, consumer choice and demedicalization, and 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:16.000 that has to do with the idea that, once up on a time 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:20.000 you went to a doctor's office and they told you what to do and you 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.000 just nodded your head and said yes. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.000 Now if you go to the doctor's office, you have a lot more 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:32.000 empowerment to tell them what you'd like to do, what 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:36.000 you would like to see. 'No, I don't want to do that cancer treatment. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:40.000 Or 'I'd like to do this this way. That used to be the way things were 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:44.000 when you went to see a professional. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:48.000 So in the eyes of the independent living movement, the professionals 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:52.000 are giving information, but they're not making 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:56.000 your decisions for you. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:60.000 An individual needed Gurban Dejan 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.000 wrote this paradigm to show a shift from 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:08.000 the medical model to the independent living model. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:12.000 I've altered it just a little bit so it can all fit on one page, but 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:16.000 you can see the differences between how 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:20.000 each model would look at a situation. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.000 How the problem is defined. The medical model would say 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:28.000 it's the person's disability or what they lack, and the 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.000 independent living movement would talk about, the problem is the environment, 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:36.000 the problem is that I drive a motorcycle and there's no motorcycle parking places 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:40.000 or I drive an RV and I can't come into your 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:44.000 store because there's no place I can park. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.000 The focus of the problem in the medical model 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:52.000 is more fixing or curing the individual. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:56.000 In the independent living model, it's more about fixing the society. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:60.000 Taking down the barriers, looking at what are the 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:04.000 political, cultural, physical, and environmental issues that are causing 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:08.000 the problem for someone to be able to participate. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:12.000 The solution for the problem in the 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.000 medical model would be professional interventions or treatments. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:20.000 In the independent living model, it would be doing advocacy 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.000 to make change, removing barriers. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:28.000 Having options that you can choose from in the 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:32.000 services that you receive. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:36.000 Having peers that can model for you or have 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:40.000 leadership. Self-help, and 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:44.000 all of that leading to an equitable 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:48.000 socio-economic, cultural, and political 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:52.000 option. And then the social role of the person in the medical 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:56.000 model is more that they're a patient, they're a client, they're 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:60.000 someone who is receiving charity. In the independent living 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:04.000 model, they're a consumer; so that's the term that's used 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:08.000 in the independent living program: consumers. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:12.000 Or they're a customer, or they're a user of a service, so they're just a member 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:16.000 of the community or a family. And then the controlling 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:20.000 person in the medical model is the professional, and in the independent 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:24.000 living model it's the person with the disability, or someone they designate as 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:28.000 they're personal representative. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:32.000 And the outcome you're looking for in the medical model: to maximize self-care 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:36.000 ADL's, or sometimes gainful employment. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:40.000 In the VR program at one point 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:44.000 that would be the total focus. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:48.000 The VR program is changing over time 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:52.000 and looking at things a little differently. The independent living model 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.000 outcome would be the person's independence. They're able to 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:60.000 have control of acceptable options 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:04.000 for living in an integrated community, having pride 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:08.000 in their unique talents and not just thinking of themselves 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:12.000 in terms of their disability. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:16.000 And then, also, having just 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:20.000 a positive disability identity. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.000 Core services. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:28.000 We just had a fifth core service 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:32.000 added in 2014 when the rehabilitation act was 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:36.000 reauthorized. So, information and referral, providing 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:40.000 independent skills training, peer counseling in terms 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.000 of being able to talk to someone about how I feel about my disability, 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:48.000 how I communicate things about my disability to other people, 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.000 and then advocacy, both 'I have a particular 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.000 problem that I need to solve,' or there's a systemic 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:60.000 or societal problem that needs to be worked on. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:04.000 And then transition. That includes 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:08.000 both dealing with people who are 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:12.000 needing to leave institutions, or are 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:16.000 at risk of entering some kind of institution. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:18.000 And also youth that are transitioning to adult life. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.000 And also youth that are transitioning to adult life. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:24.000 They've left high school, now what? 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.000 And then there are also lots of other independent living 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:32.000 services and each community 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:36.000 and each individual may have certain needs, and in different areas 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:40.000 there are different kinds of services. Some of them, 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:44.000 the added services that might be available are transportation 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:48.000 services, sometimes it's a 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:52.000 help with social security 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:56.000 paperwork. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:60.000 You name it. Anything that will help someone with independence could 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:04.000 be something that would be provided in a particular area. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:08.000 Now, the person on the left is Tina Treasure; she's our 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:12.000 executive director, and she is here 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:16.000 basically saying goodbye to one of our council chairpersons, Martha Simpson. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:20.000 The reason I wanted to have this picture 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:24.000 is because when Tina comes and does these, she loves to tell her story. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:28.000 And her story really helps you understand a little bit about 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:32.000 what centers for 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:36.000 independent living, our service providers, what they do 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.000 and how they get started. So I'll tell you a little bit 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:44.000 about her. Tina, when she was eighteen, she had been married 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:48.000 for a very, very short period of time and had an auto 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:52.000 accident. As a result of that, 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:56.000 and some of the treatments she received, she ended up with a severe 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:60.000 spinal cord injury and quadriplegia. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:04.000 So she spent a year in the hospital, 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:08.000 and she moved in with her family, she and her husband, 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:12.000 and basically as she tells the story, they 'took care' 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:16.000 of her. And she says that 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:20.000 she spent seven years existing, 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:24.000 and not living. Then this man 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.000 who worked on her wheelchair came by the house. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:32.000 He told her, 'you know, you really need to come to this support group. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.000 So she was resistant, but one day she had to go to a shop, 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:44.000 to get something done, and I think the guy was a 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:48.000 genius, actually. He said, 'hey, the support group 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:52.000 is meeting in the back room. You ought to go back there and just listen to them. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:56.000 Maybe they just need someone to take notes 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:60.000 for them or something. You don't even have to talk or anything. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.000 So she went on back and she began listening, and she said they were talking 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.000 about the curb cuts in their community. She lived in Klamath Falls, Oregon. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:12.000 Some of the problems they had getting around, and 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:16.000 going to work, and she said nothing else mattered 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:20.000 but she was saying, 'people like me go to work?' 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:24.000 She just couldn't get over that concept. 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:28.000 So she eventually started working wth them, and 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:32.000 getting involved as an advocate in the community, 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:36.000 and doing a little research. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:40.000 She found out about a thing called the Center for Independent Living and she 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:44.000 said, 'well, how many people live there?' 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:48.000 And then she found out that it wasn't residential, and 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:52.000 she said, 'you know what, guys, 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:56.000 we ought to start something like that here. We're kind of doing it anyway. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:60.000 We're helping each other. And that's what 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:04.000 centers for independent living are about. So she started the Center for 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:08.000 Independent Living called Spokesman Limited in Klamath Falls. It still exists today. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:12.000 Let's talk a little bit more about what centers for independent living are. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:16.000 They're consumer-controlled, community-based, 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:20.000 cross-disability, nonresidential private nonprofit 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:24.000 agencies. That's a mouthful. But they're designed and operated 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:28.000 within local communities, and they're 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:32.000 run by individuals with disabilities. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:36.000 They provide an array of services; we talked about the core services. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.000 But they provide many more. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:44.000 And the people who work in them are people 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:48.000 that have been successful in being independent in their own lives with a disability. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:52.000 But they key for centers for independent living is consumer control. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:56.000 What that means for them is that the center gets its power 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:60.000 and authority from the individuals with disabilities. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:04.000 The board members who make the policies 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:08.000 and set the tone for the center and the people that work in them; people with disabilities. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:16.000 So let's talk about who they serve. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:20.000 Does this picture give you any ideas? 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.000 So, you're talking about different age ranges. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:28.000 Yes? 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:32.000 Such a broad 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:36.000 group of people that they serve. There's no age limit. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:40.000 In fact, Tina Treasure would say that we serve people 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.000 pre-birts to grave, because there are parents 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:48.000 who come in expecting a child, and they know the child has a disability, 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:52.000 and they come in sometimes for information. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:60.000 So, people who have sensory and vision issues, mobility issues, 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.000 emotional issues, brain injury, 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:08.000 learning and developmental disabilities...you name it. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:12.000 Centers for Independent living also provide 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:16.000 technical assistance, information, and referrals for 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:20.000 other non-profit agencies, for business, for local, state, 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:24.000 and federal agencies or schools, and for family 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:28.000 members and friends. The other comprehensive services 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:32.000 that they provide are 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:36.000 provided through an independent living plan. 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:40.000 The method that centers for independent living 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:44.000 use is all built upon the role of the peer. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:48.000 In terms of what they mean 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:52.000 by 'peer' in the center for independent living is not necessarily someone with the exact same 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:56.000 disability, but it is somebody who has had 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:60.000 a disability, who's a role model, and who can be a support person 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:04.000 to the consumer. Peer support and 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:08.000 personal choice are key elements in the services 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:12.000 that the centers provide, and in the independent living 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:16.000 model, an experienced peer sort of becomes the 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:20.000 professional, even though the person 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:24.000 with the disability is still the one in the driver's seat. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:28.000 So now let's talk about the important part. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:32.000 The really important part for you, and that is 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:36.000 what are the kind of wrap-around services that centers for 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:40.000 independent living can provide to VR consumers? 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:44.000 Let's look at some of these examples. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:48.000 Maybe you can think about things from 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:52.000 employment readiness or barriers 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:56.000 to employment, that would have to do with 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:60.000 information that someone needs, or 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:04.000 another service from a different kind of an organization. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:08.000 What might those be? Can you think of any? 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:12.000 Obviously, you have a list here. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:16.000 Yes? -There's so much beyond just getting hired 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:20.000 at a job that you need to be able to 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:24.000 even be looking for a job. -Exactly. There are all kinds of things we need 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:28.000 before we can go to work each day. We have to have a way to get to work, 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:32.000 we have to have the ability to get dressed, 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:36.000 get our meal, get our food, 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:40.000 and we need to have medical 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.000 care so that we can be healthy enough to get to work. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:48.000 We need to have, of course, the education 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:52.000 piece, and VR definitely helps 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:56.000 with the education piece, but there's more than just saying 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:60.000 you can go get an education. Like Ed Roberts found out, there 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:04.000 are some barriers that he had to deal with in order to actually get into 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:08.000 the classroom, and use the educational services. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:12.000 Those are things that independent living centers can help with. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:14.000 They can refer. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.000 They can refer. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:20.000 They know a lot of resources in the community, so they can help 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:24.000 if somebody's looking for some kind of assistance or certain types of information, 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:28.000 or they don't know what 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:32.000 agency provides a certain service; they don't even know that one exists, 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.000 that provides a service that they need. Centers for independent living can 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:40.000 be contracted by VR 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:44.000 to provide some of those services through their 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:48.000 employment plan. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:56.000 That includes making referrals to entities where there will be aids to 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:60.000 daily living, a personal support 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:04.000 worker, or something like that. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:08.000 And then peer counseling. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:12.000 When you're going to work for the first time 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:16.000 and you run into problems at work, 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:20.000 who do you go to? Can you really go back to your VR 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.000 counselor after you've been in that job for two or three years, 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:28.000 and have a chat? 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:32.000 Centers for independent living can help with that. They can help with all that 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:36.000 along the way. They really can help 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:40.000 model; sometimes talking to somebody else, who's 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:44.000 been there and done that can help 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:48.000 you understand how they overcame some of the barriers 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:52.000 when they went to work. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:56.000 I handed out 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:60.000 copies of these particular slides to 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.000 each of you so that you will have some idea of the kinds of things that centers for 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:08.000 independent living can do and be contracted 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:12.000 with, through VR, to do. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:16.000 There are some things that centers for independent living 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:20.000 would be doing; sometimes it's not always 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:24.000 employment-related. I imagine you'll come across things, if you're working with 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:28.000 consumers, that are not directly employment-related, but you 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:32.000 see, boy, this person has a need. So you can definitely 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:36.000 then refer them to a center for independent living even though it's not a 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:40.000 contracted service, because it's not something in their employment plan. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.000 You can refer them out, and they can get assistance with those other 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:48.000 kinds of things that will help stabilize their independence. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:52.000 Sometimes this even includes working with the consumer's family. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:56.000 Families, sometimes, are really 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:60.000 reluctant, and they don't know how to support someone going through 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:04.000 this for the first time. Tina's family, certainly. When she 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:08.000 went to work, I'm sure that they were a little bit 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:12.000 apprehensive about things. Centers for independent living can provide them 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:16.000 information and sometimes just give a lot of confidence, 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:20.000 and help them understand just how to be the best kind of support 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:24.000 for someone. Some centers for independent living 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:28.000 provide facilitative person-centered planning 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:32.000 so that someone can come in. Have you all 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:36.000 talked about person-centered planning in the program at all yet? 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:40.000 I see some nodding. Okay. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:44.000 Anyway, they can come in and facilitate that 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:48.000 section with your support system to help everybody 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:52.000 get on the same page with the direction you want to go in life. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.000 So, some advocacy examples. 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:60.000 Sometimes consumers really don't understand some of the employment-related law. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:04.000 Centers for independent living can help them with that. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:08.000 They can come alongside and even help them advocate. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:12.000 The goal would be for the consumer to do the advocating, but 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:16.000 in some cases, when they ask, someone from the center for independent 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:20.000 living can step in. They may need 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:24.000 help with getting their 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:28.000 aids today; they need adaptive equipment and things like that, 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:32.000 and not be sure how to deal with the forms process or 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:36.000 rejections when they apply. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:40.000 Centers can help advocate for some solutions 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:44.000 for those kinds of things. And, also, when you get into things like 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.000 housing and working with housing and urban development, 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:52.000 dealing with transit districts, 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:56.000 sometimes things don't always work in programs like they're supposed to. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:60.000 Sometimes someone's just not that 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:04.000 bold, wanting to step up, and it really helps to have someone come 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:08.000 alongside and come with them, and help them prep if they 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:12.000 need to go in and do some self-advocacy. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:16.000 I've read some of the stories from people who 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:20.000 learned to be self-advocates, and how that was done 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:24.000 with an IL specialist. It's fun to read. 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:28.000 They can help even meet with that consumer before 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:32.000 they go into meet with a VR counselor, prepare them 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:36.000 for what to expect. What kinds of things might they want to ask? 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:40.000 What do they need to know? 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:44.000 They can help them have an appropriate 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:48.000 relationship with their VR counselor so they don't feel like they just have to come in and nod, 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.000 and that they can actually express themselves and what 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:56.000 they're interested in. And then skills training. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:60.000 Someone might need to learn how to drive a car 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:04.000 if they're going to be employed. Centers for independent living 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:08.000 can help with those sorts of things. Perhaps they have to drive an accessible 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:12.000 vehicle, so they definitely want to 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:16.000 get together with someone like Tina Treasure, who 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:20.000 has been driving one for many years. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:24.000 Learning to go out and shop for the 00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:28.000 clothes you need for a job; those are things that VR counselors 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:32.000 aren't going to be doing, all those kinds of things 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:36.000 typically, with someone. So they can be 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:40.000 sort of a guide on the side. Time management is 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:44.000 a big one. How to use a memory book, if you 00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:48.000 have a memory issue. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:52.000 If you have to select a job 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:56.000 developer, a job coach, how would you do that? 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:60.000 How am I going to manage my money once I 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:04.000 get it, so I don't blow it all and not 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:08.000 have a place to live, and then I lose my job, 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:12.000 and all that stuff. So those are some of those training things. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:16.000 So there are more than six hundred centers for independent living 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:20.000 in the United States, and growing across the world. 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:24.000 There are many countries that are really starting to get involved 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:28.000 in this movement now. There are seven 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:32.000 in Oregon's network. 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:36.000 This map shows where our centers for 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:40.000 independent living are. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:44.000 The white areas of the state are those 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:48.000 where there are not sufficient funding, and also 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:52.000 there hasn't been a grassroots group that came up and said 00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:60.000 have to develop their own resources, and they can also receive 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:04.000 funds from the federal and/or the state government. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:08.000 We have five centers that get federal funds, 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:12.000 and state funds, and then private funds. And then we have 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:16.000 two that only get funds through the state and private resources. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:20.000 When the independent living program started, 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:24.000 the federal government kind of rolled out a little bit of seed money, and what they 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:28.000 thought was that centers would begin providing services through the 00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:32.000 VR system, and the VR system would be purchasing those services 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:36.000 from centers for independent living, and that would be enough to support 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:40.000 centers for independent living. It didn't turn out that way. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:44.000 It's really hard to get people to reach out and 00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:48.000 function with people outside 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:52.000 of their network, outside of who they are. 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:56.000 We found that in the aging system. It's really hard to connect with the 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:60.000 aging system, and get the programs that 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:04.000 serve seniors, to really think about what centers for 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:08.000 independent living could do for them. 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:12.000 The federal government began just rolling out grants specifically 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:16.000 for centers for independent living, but they put them out haphazardly. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:24.000 Okay, it's a bidding war 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:28.000 in the state. Not a bidding war. It's a 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:32.000 proposal war. Whoever was around at the time 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:36.000 and gave the best proposal got that pot of money. 00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:40.000 Next week, 'oh, we have a hundred and fifty thousand dollars this time. 00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:44.000 But that center can't apply for it. They have 00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:48.000 a grant, now somebody new gets a grant but they get a lot 00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:52.000 bigger grant than the other one. So there was no equality in 00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:56.000 the size. Then they just kind of quit giving those grants. 00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:60.000 Hardly anything comes out now. Sometimes really small ones 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:04.000 because some states don't use all their money, so they reallocate it. 00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:08.000 So the two that don't have federal funds 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:12.000 are Lila in Lane county, and EOCIL 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:16.000 in Eastern Oregon, and you see what big territory they have. 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:20.000 Both of them have done a really good job 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:24.000 of partnering and developing resources in their communities 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:28.000 and regions, and going for federal grants. Eastern Oregon 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:32.000 center for independent living has 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:36.000 a grant, the Ryan White 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:40.000 Organization for People with 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:44.000 HIV and AIDS, and they have been doing that for many years. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:48.000 It's quite a huge program; 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:52.000 an award-winning program. 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:56.000 The state also has kicked in 00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:60.000 some significant funds, so that has really helped support each of 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:04.000 them, and helped us kind of level out the funding so that 00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:08.000 Eastern Oregon and Lane County get similar amounts 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:12.000 to the other centers. Independent Living Resources, up in the 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:16.000 tri-county area; they actually merged 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:20.000 a number of organizations together, so they 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:24.000 put those different grants together in a big pot. 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:28.000 They have a higher amount of money than the other 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:32.000 six centers do. The independent living program 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:36.000 is self-disclosure. 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:40.000 You don't have to go through this medical process; 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:44.000 remember, we're not the medical model, so you don't have to go through 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:48.000 that process in order. You just have to verify 00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:52.000 that you need these eligibility requirements. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:56.000 This is true of you. 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:60.000 Then you become eligible. Does anybody know what this is a 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:04.000 picture of? Yes, the signing of the ADA. 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:08.000 George Bush signing. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:12.000 On the East Lawn. Quick story. 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:16.000 Tina Treasure had a big argument with a fed 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:20.000 one time about whether someone was eligible for services, who lived 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:24.000 in an institution and had a very low 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:28.000 level of function. The fed said no, 00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:32.000 you can't serve them through a center for independent living, and she 00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:36.000 fought tooth and nail, and said, doesn't he have the 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:40.000 right to learn how to say that he wants 00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:44.000 the curtains pulled back, or that he doesn't want to 00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:48.000 watch the channel that the person coming into provide care 00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:52.000 for him has turned it to? Doesn't he have a right 00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:56.000 to make those choices and to learn how to express himself, and 00:35:56.000 --> 00:35:60.000 what he wants in the place that he lives in? And the person 00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:04.000 finally agreed with her, that that's right. That's independent living. 00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:08.000 It's not a step by step mechanical program. 00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:12.000 It's a consumer coming in and saying, hey, 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:16.000 I've always wanted to do this in my life, or I'm really frustrated with the people 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:20.000 I'm living with, and this is what I want 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:24.000 my life to be like, and 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:28.000 an independent living specialist saying, let's figure out how to do that. 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:32.000 Let's look at the steps that you'll need to take, 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:36.000 and then I'll help you figure out how to 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:40.000 work on those as much as you need, and we'll touch base and 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:44.000 we'll see how things are going, and we'll work around some of the barriers you're having. 00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:48.000 How does independent living 00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:52.000 function with people who are living in a congregate setting of some 00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:56.000 sort, who have their internal team there working for them? 00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:60.000 How do they learn about us? 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:04.000 The independent living program; Kim mentioned earlier 00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:08.000 that there's not a lot of funding for this program, so it's hard 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:12.000 to get the word out. There are so many people that ask for services 00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:16.000 and so much limitation on 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:20.000 staff in the centers. Also, there's a lot of 00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:24.000 turnover in organizations, so centers for independent living have 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:28.000 to go out over and over and over and over again to tell 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:32.000 who they are and what they do, to the new staff that are coming in. 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:36.000 That's hard. People who are 00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:40.000 the consumer, who's living in that environment, can contact 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:44.000 the center for independent living and ask them to come in. 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:48.000 Or if someone from 00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:52.000 the team were to ask, the center would want 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:56.000 to find out that the consumer wants us there. 00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:60.000 Periodic meetings between providers in areas and regions 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:04.000 so that they can touch base, share information with each other. 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:08.000 Something that some of the centers for independent living do 00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:12.000 that's very helpful. I attended one one time in Tillamook. 00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:16.000 There's no center for independent living there, but it was the first time that 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:20.000 all these service programs had come together and started talking to each other. 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:24.000 So, sometimes, centers for independent living can be a catalyst for that. 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:28.000 Centers for independent living are part of what's called the 00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:32.000 Age and Disability Resource Connection, the federal program 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:36.000 is Aging and Disability Resource Centers. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:40.000 Unfortunately it was sort of funded, 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:44.000 for a period of time, and then a lot of the funding went away. 00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:48.000 But the centers for independent living are part of Oregon's 00:38:48.000 --> 00:38:52.000 Aging and Disability Resource Connection. They partner with 00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:56.000 the Medicaid provider organizations, 00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:60.000 the area agencies on aging. 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:04.000 There are other partners that are supposed to be, and are still, 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:08.000 building into this network. Our veterans, 00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:12.000 developmental disabilities service 00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:16.000 programs, but it's brought the aging and disability communities 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:20.000 together a lot more. It's really just a network. 00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:24.000 It's about no wrong door. If you go into a center for independent living and you 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:28.000 need something from the Medicaid provider, they can help with a 00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:32.000 warm hand-off, and vice versa coming from the Medicaid provider, 00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:36.000 they can do a warm hand-off to a center for independent living for the kinds of 00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:40.000 services someone might need. I don't know if that 00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:44.000 answers your question. They need money, that's what they need! 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:48.000 To tell you the truth. 00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:52.000 To expand and hire more independent living specialists. Yes. 00:39:56.000 --> 00:39:60.000 The difference 00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:04.000 in the attitudes in the independent living program 00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:08.000 around qualifications of their staff, again, 00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:12.000 it's not the medical model. It's not the traditional, 'we want to see all these 00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:16.000 certifications,' because they believe that having lived a life 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:20.000 and having been successful and independent qualifies 00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:24.000 you to help someone else do the same. 00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:28.000 They have, as they become involved in 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:32.000 the...well, let me step back. 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:36.000 These centers are grassroots. If you go back to Tina, and how 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:40.000 they started, those are people who just got together and figured it out. 00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:44.000 They began helping each other. So that's kind of how you 00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:48.000 grow into becoming an independent living specialist. 00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:52.000 Tina's amazing. 00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:56.000 The people in different state programs have 00:40:56.000 --> 00:40:60.000 committees, and when she comes in, she knows so much about so many 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:04.000 different things because of that experience in the independent living center. 00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:08.000 She's highly valued as a member because of that. 00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:12.000 The Aging and Disability Resource Connection, 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:16.000 part of that 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:20.000 network is that they have really encouraged people 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:24.000 who take calls from the community to go through a 00:41:24.000 --> 00:41:28.000 standardized information and referral training. 00:41:28.000 --> 00:41:32.000 The centers for independent living have a lot of staff who have done that 00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:36.000 now, even though they all kind of chuckle and say, 00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:44.000 And they are a great resource for people who need to chat with someone who's 00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:48.000 gone through it. Someone who can understand a little bit what it's like 00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:52.000 to be in their shoes. But it is 00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:56.000 really amazing, how much professional information 00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:60.000 the specialists have. 00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:04.000 It's incredible. About so many programs. 00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:08.000 It's mind-boggling. Alrighty. 00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:12.000 Thank you guys so much, and I hope this is helpful. 00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:16.000 I am ecstatic that you're doing this; that you're thinking about 00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:20.000 serving people this way. It's so important, and 00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:24.000 employment is just huge in a person's life. 00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:28.000 It's not about just helping 00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:32.000 people get social security, 00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:36.000 or that limiting income. It's helping people move 00:42:36.000 --> 00:42:40.000 beyond that. Thank you for the time you're putting into this and investing in it. 00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:41.000 It's great. 00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:48.000 music