INDIVIDUAL SERVICES | PROGRAMS FOR CONSUMERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
| COMMUNITY SERVICES | CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Independent Living Center Programs and Services

We now offer our programs in several areas of concern: individual services, programs for consumers with developmental disabilities, mental health services, support services and community services.

INDIVIDUAL SERVICES

Help consumers to take control of their lives and maximize their individual opportunities.

Peer Counseling assists participants in smoothing the transition to independence, whether it is in a group setting, with the family or one-on-one. It includes counseling, teaching, information giving and sharing, and similar kinds of contact provided by other individuals with disabilities.

Individual Advocacy is available to consumers who have experienced disability-based discrimination, or who need assistance in accessing benefits, services and programs to which they may be entitled. It can involve cooperative work with public interest legal organizations. Also, our Disability Rights Advocate works for enactment and enforcement of laws and regulations.

Benefits Advisement informs consumers with disabilities of the various programs available from government and other sources, and provides instruction in securing and/or maintaining assistance. The WIBA (Work Incentives and Benefits Advisement) program provides Information and advice for Social Security beneficiaries on how work affects their benefits and incentives available for the working disabled. Training and materials on SSDI and SSI work incentives for beneficiaries and family members is also available.

Independent Living Skills is instruction to develop skills in areas such as personal care, coping skills, use of assistive technology, financial management, social skills, and household management, including education and training necessary for living in the community and participating in community activities.

Information & Referral provides information regarding community resources and programs, civil rights, employment, accessibility, transportation, and assistive technology.

Housing Assistance provides information, advice, and assistance related to securing housing or shelter, including existing accessible housing. It includes assistance with reviewing and evaluating newspaper ads, advice on communication with landlords, provision of lists of available accessible housing and housing application information and assistance.

Home Modification Consultation identifies physical barriers in the home, provides information on home access, and recommends suitable adaptations.

Transportation is available on a first come-first serve basis for consumer to appointments and activities at ILNC. Transportation can also be provided to certain appointments such as Social Security Administration, Social Services, Housing Authority, etc. when the consumer has no other transportation.

Voter Registration is offered through ILNC, as it is an official New York State Agency-Based Voter Registration Site.

Native American Independent Living Services (NAILS) provides Independent living services for Native Americans throughout Western New York. The NAILS independent living specialist sees consumers by appointment at ILNC. For more information, call 284-4131 extension 16 or click here.

PROGRAMS FOR CONSUMERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Medicaid Service Coordination (MSC) in which an advocate assists developmentally disabled individuals in securing appropriate services that can aid a person’s efforts to live independently in the community. Among these are: housing, financial assistance, work programs, medical services, personal care attendants, adaptive devices, daily living skills instruction, and so forth.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Open to anyone who wants to learn about disability issues and/or provide total access.

Information and Referral provides a wide array of material for study, including:

1. Disability laws and the regulations that define them, and Federal and State codes relating to disability issues;
2. Instructional videos on sign language interpretation and a variety of other independent living topics;

Reference material that can assist interested individuals in identifying outside services, programs, adaptive devices and other information.

Benefits Advisement, training and materials on SSDI and SSI work incentives for beneficiaries, family members and supporting agencies are also available.

Brailing Service for blind consumers expediently converts up to five pages of printed material into Braille without charge. Payment arrangements can be made for institutional requests and larger quantities.

24-Hour Information Phone Lines offer timely recordings to anyone with a touch-tone telephone: Alerts are vital issues of local, state or national concern; What’s Happening at the ILP lists events, new programs and activities of interest involving the Center; and the Job Bank is a brief listing of job examinations and open positions, locally and across the nation. Rotary phone users can be connected during business hours.

Architectural Barrier Consultation Service for businesses and institutions; evaluates buildings for compliance with accessibility standards and can provide written recommendations for steps needed to improve the facility. Architectural Barrier Services offers advice, information and assistance regarding removal of barriers from any publicly or privately-owned residence or building, whether built or in the planning stage.

Community Education provides in-service training for agencies and professionals, and sensitivity workshops for schools and community organizations, to acquaint them with issues important to people with disabilities.

Voter Registration is offered through ILNC, as it is an official New York State Agency-Based Voter Registration Site.

CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Client Assistance Program (CAP) is a statewide network of advocates available to assist individuals with disabilities gain access to services from New York State Offices of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH).

CAP advocates provide information, support and strategies for negotiating with VESID, CBVH, and related service systems.

CAP advocates are independent of VESID or CBVH and are committed to promoting consumer access to quality services and supports.

The CAP program is administered by the New York State Commission on Quality of Care (NYSCQC).

The Western New York Client Assistance Program (WNY CAP) is a free service and serves consumers residing in: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.

WNY CAP coordinator is Michael W. Rickard II, Esq., and can be reached at:

For more information and contacting the CAP program click here