Services

Advocacy is a process that increases the consumer’s ability to act on their own to achieve independent living goals or to improve their current status.

Advocacy generally takes the approach of educating consumers about their civil and human rights, providing options regarding services and benefits to which they are entitled.

WCICIL emphasizes independent living skill development in areas that focus on the individualized needs of persons with disabilities.  Examples: Skill development on individual health care needs, financial benefits counseling, job development skills, household management, personal/interpersonal skills, and self care skills that assist people with disabilities to manage daily living tasks in ways that are safe and effective.

Based on both one-on-one and group interactions with peers, we cover areas of advocacy and self-help that lead to ultimate achievement of independent living goals. Peer counselors are individuals with disabilities who have been selected on the basis of their communication skills and ability to help an individual to identify and to clarify independent living goals.

These services help transition individuals with significant disabilities from a nursing home or other institution to home and community-based living, and for youth assist in transitioning from school to postsecondary life.

WCICIL has the capacity of providing material in large print and Braille for individuals, institutions and businesses. We can also make referrals for other blind services, such as, Talking Books, Para Transit, and visual assistive devices (on a loan basis from another agency).

We train Personal Assistants to provide home services to an individual with a disability who requires assistance to remain living at home. WCICIL will also train persons with disabilities to manage the employment of their Personal Assistants.

The Youth Services Program at WCICIL provides parents of children with disabilities services to ensure that they receive the most appropriate and least restrictive education possible.

Advocacy at school conferences to assist parents and students to better understand their options and educational rights. Training to assist parents in becoming advocates for their children. Transitional services to assist students with a disability to generalize their skills into daily living after leaving school or entertaining post-secondary training.