Centers for Independent Living: Equipping People with Disabilities for the Future

For many people with disabilities, finding independence, purpose, and a full life in the community can be a daily challenge. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are community-based, non-residential organizations who help people who want to overcome these challenges. CILs are run by people with disabilities. Their philosophy is to support the goals of people with disabilities to live independently and find their voice as self-advocates. They are committed to helping people with disabilities live meaningful lives.

“We want to give individuals with disabilities a sense of purpose and let them know that there are other ways to live and embrace your disability for what it is,” said Shelly Simmons, Executive Director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia (SILC). “Individuals are uniquely made, and in that uniqueness, they are able to serve their community in special ways.”

The independent living movement started in the early 1970s with a group of University of California at Berkeley students with disabilities They founded the Berkeley Center for Independent Living. The goal of the center was to help people with disabilities speak up for themselves and make their own choices.

“A life with a disability used to be considered not worth living by the general public,” said Simmons. “People would provide you with some services and expect you to stay out of sight and out of mind. The pioneers of the independent living movement wanted more out of life.”
CILs provide five core services for individuals with disabilities:

• Individual and systemic advocacy
• Independent living skills training
• Peer mentorship
• Information and referral
• Transition support

Shelly Simmons, Executive Director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of GeorgiaThese services aim to equip people with disabilities with the necessary life skills for all stages and situations. This includes transitioning from schools or nursing homes, living independently as adults, and other life changes. Simmons herself is a living example of the benefits of a CIL.

“My disability took effect in my late 20s, when I received my first wheelchair,” explained Simmons. “I really didn’t know what I could do, wanted to do, or even how to make anything happen. I was referred to vocational rehab, which sent me to a center for independent living. That’s where I started to gain my voice.”

Simmons, a California native, began her career at an independent living center after college, where she discovered the power of advocacy. She later moved to Georgia, starting as a volunteer on the SILC board and eventually rising to executive director. Now Simmons can help other individuals with disabilities find their voices. However, she cautions that the path forward for CILs is not certain, particularly due to obstacles such as funding cuts.

“With the current administration, we don’t know what independent living will look like,” said Simmons. “I would love to see expansion; we have nine centers in Georgia, but those centers serve 159 counties, so there is certainly a need. However, we must ensure we have the funds necessary to provide quality services from qualified individuals and to pay these individuals equitably.”

Although not a part of Georgia’s DD Network, which includes the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), SILC is a key ally in advancing disability rights and inclusion.

Services from SILC are available to individuals with all types of disabilities. To access their services, go to the SILC website at https://www.silcga.org/ or call 770-270-6860 for a referral.