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IMPACT is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Our activities, structure, philosophy, and focus are driven by a rich history of advocacy, self help, peer support, and civil rights, portions of which are included in the federal Rehabilitation Act, Title VII. We are identified in federal and state law as a Center for Independent Living (CIL).
IMPACT developed and is organized and focused in accordance with the rich history of disability rights and independent living. CILs are organized in local communities by people with disabilities who have experienced exclusion, prejudice, and discrimination. And, even more importantly, they would not tolerate the treatment and second class citizenship forced upon them. People with various types of disabilities, possible including those who use wheelchairs, those who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hearing impaired, those with amputations, cognitive disabilities, developmental disabilities, mental illness, and numerous other significant disabilities. A very diverse group, unique to each community, with many differences in history, culture, and type of disability. However, what causes them to forge a coalition are the two critical factors, they have experienced discrimination and they fought back. These individuals are the core of CILs, they become the board members and staff of CILs. No other organizations develop with such consumer influence and control.
To maintain control, CILs are structured so that they must be directed and managed by people with disabilities. By federal and state law, CILs must have a Board of Directors that is made up of more than 50% persons with disabilities. The same is true of staff, including management and service staff. No other organizations are structured to vest power in the hands of persons with disabilities.
CILs also focus their staff time, energies, and dollars in ways that are very different from traditional social service models. CILs focus on creating welcoming, open, and accessible communities. Direct services to individuals are not more important than changing the political, educational, communication, transportation, economic, social, business, and religious structures and systems so that they welcome full participation of persons with disabilities in a variety of social roles. The Americans with Disabilities Act and other civil rights laws were major forces in undoing centuries of exclusion and segregation in the above systems. The primary responsibility of CILs is to hold their communities and the various covered entities accountable for complying with ADA and other civil rights laws. Methods of promoting civil rights compliance and integration of persons with disabilities might include advocacy, technical assistance, disability awareness, establishing persons in high profile community roles, use of media, and outreach.
The CIL service model also differs greatly from traditional service agencies. It mirrors the following scenario. When a person becomes disabled, whether from accident, disease, birth, war injury, or other, they often learn of somebody a few blocks or miles away who has been through what they are going through. Maybe they've been managing a few years longer and have learned from their personal experiences ways of dealing with the disability. It is the most logical call in the world for a person to make to get help, support, and information. That is the CIL service model. CILs should be attracting as employees those individuals who have achieved high levels of independence in their own lives that they can share with newly disabled individuals. Being qualified to work in a CIL has nothing to do with advanced degrees or social service experience. It has everything to do with your life experiences with successfully managing life with a disability, and, being your own advocate. No other organizations seek to attract people who have been there, and that is the highest qualification.
The core philosophy of CILs believes that we cannot just stick people with disabilities into the existing world. That has never worked. Witness a 70% unemployment rate amongst persons with disabilities who are between the ages of 16-64. The world must bend and accommodate people with disabilities. It is the most cost effective method that offers access to the American dream for 54,000,000 citizens with disabilities. To devalue and exclude citizens with disabilities is unpatriotic, costly, unnecessary, and, now more than ever before, illegal.
To visit the Websites of other Illinois CILs, visit Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living.
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