Welcome to the Lone Star State
TEXAS STATE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL
VISION, MISSION, AND GOALS
left to right: SILC Executive Director Regina Blye, State Senator Judith Zaffirini, DARS liaison Ignacio Madera, SILC member Scottie Sherrill
VISION
The State Independent Living Council, (SILC), envisions a Texas where people with disabilities:
- Make informed choices and direct their own lives,
- Have the opportunity to assess and incur risks,
- Are viewed as individuals and not stereotypes, and
- Live, work, and play in the least restrictive environment possible.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the State Independent Living Council is to assure that Texans with disabilities have access to quality independent living services by providing a framework for service delivery.
GOALS
To achieve its mission, the SILC has set these goals:
- To develop a comprehensive, three-year plan that will structure the provision and expansion of independent living services in the state of Texas;
- To monitor the ongoing implementation of the State Plan for Independent Living;
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the current State Plan;
- To increase funding and resources for the provision of independent living services in the state;
- To improve public awareness and understanding regarding the independent living movement and issues related to disability;
- To provide technical assistance and training for both public and private entities in order that they might better assist persons with disabilities in achieving their independent living goals; and,
- To assist in the development of public policy that promotes systemic change toward the successful integration of people with disabilities into the mainstream of society.
Key Facts About the SILC
BACKGROUND
Authorization for the establishment and operation of The Texas State Independent Living Council, (SILC), is found in the 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act. Although the council is mandated by Federal law and uses Federal funds, the SILC is not a governmental agency, but rather a non-profit 501(c) 3, tax exempt, organization. The primary funding for operation of the SILC originates with the Rehabilitation Services Administration, which grants Title VII, Part B funds to the state Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. DARS then allocates a portion of these funds to the SILC. The State Independent Living Council also pursues funding from other sources, both public and private, to accomplish its mission.
SILC STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP
The SILC is currently comprised of eleven voting members and three ex officio members, appointed by the Governor, and representing most regions of the state. A majority of the Council membership must be composed of individuals with disabilities. One member of the SILC must be a director of a center for independent living in Texas.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the State Independent Living Council is to develop, in cooperation with the Divisions of Rehabilitation Services, (DRS), and Blind Services, (DBS), of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, the State Plan for Independent Living. This document is a detailed three-year plan that sets the parameters and establishes the goals for the provision of independent living services in Texas. The Council is also charged with the responsibility of monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of the State Plan. Other roles of the SILC are systems advocacy, education of the public regarding disability-related topics, and provision of technical assistance concerning the independent living philosophy and approach.
EXPLANATION OF "Independent living"
The "independent living" Movement refers to a revolutionary approach to service delivery that is of, by, and for people with disabilities. The Movement began in the late 1960's as an outgrowth of the Civil Rights Movement. Unlike its predecessors, the Medical Model and the Social Service Model, the Independent Living Movement neither attempts to “fix” people with disabilities nor to “manage” their lives. The Independent Living Movement is based in an ideology that people with disabilities have both the right and the responsibility to govern their own lives. Full community integration is the cornerstone of the Independent Living philosophy. For this reason, services provided through the Independent Living Movement are non-residential and are available to consumers regardless of the type or origin of their disabilities. Champions of the Independent Living Movement advance empowerment and inclusion for all people with disabilities.
INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES
In Texas, the Independent living service delivery system is composed of twenty-three centers for independent living, (CILs), and independent living programs of the Divisions for Rehabilitation and Blind Services. At a minimum, centers for independent living are required to provide:
- Individual and Systems Advocacy
- Cross-disability Peer Counseling
- Information and Referral
- Independent Living Skills Training.
- 2008-2010 SPIL
The State Plan for Independent Living is now available online. View the statewide IL goals and objectives established
by the SILC. - Texas Centers
Need to find out about CILs in your area? Are you interested
about the work done by each Texas CIL in the state? If so, this is the place for you.
Get data from each CIL.
Centers may also provide services such as relocation assistance for persons leaving nursing facilities, equipment loans, youth transition, employment assistance, and assistive technology. Links to all of the centers for independent living in Texas can be found on this web site.
The independent living programs of DRS and DBS primarily focus on purchasing equipment and services to enhance the capacity of consumers to live independently. For example, the Division for Blind Services might make it possible for an individual with low vision to continue to read her own mail and pay her bills by providing a closed circuit television system that transmits an enlarged image of such documents to a TV-like screen. The Division for Rehabilitation Services might, through its IL program, retain a contractor to build a ramped entry for a consumer, who uses a wheelchair so that he can get in and out of his house or apartment without assistance. For more information about the Independent Living Programs of DRS and DBS go to: