The Five Core Independent Living Services
Independent living means having the right and chance to make decisions. It involves the right to have control over and responsibility for one’s own life.
As a federally funded center for independent living, the Center for Accessible Living provides the five core independent living services of information and referral, independent living skills training, peer support, advocacy, and transition.
Information and Referral provides information to assist the community in learning about disabilities and disability related issues. Information is available about: types of disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability laws, individual access, other agencies and services, resources, and more.
The Center also provides appropriate referrals to resources and partner agencies. CAL makes information and Referral Services available to everyone, disability or not. Information and Referral Services are available to anyone, statewide and in surrounding areas.
To find your nearest CAL office or to email, visit our contact us page.
There are many skills that we learn along the way that help us have a more independent life and maintain that independence once we reach our goals. One of the ways the Center for Accessible Living helps people with disabilities to live independently is through Independent Living Skills instruction.
Independent living skills are as basic as learning to take responsibility, making good decisions and learning how to solve problems. The teaching of these skills builds self-confidence and leads to independent thinking.
Classes or one-on-one sessions help consumers learn basic skills to achieve self-reliance for a more independent lifestyle. Topics include:
Goal setting
Budgeting / Credit counseling
Basic banking skills
Communication skills
Assertiveness skills
Mobility / Public transportation
Personal safety
Nutrition
Time management
Study skills
Education opportunities
Referrals to other resources
We all have times in our lives when situations become difficult, or times when we are not sure what the best action might be. It is helpful to talk things over with another person who will respect us and keep our conversations confidential.
One-on-one and group peer support assists individuals with disabilities to help each other on a cross-disability basis. The individual you discuss your concerns with at the Center for Accessible Living will have experience in living with a disability.
What Is Peer Support?
Sometimes we have a friend or family member in whom we can confide. Other times it is more helpful to talk with a peer, a professional or a person who has good listening skills and will aid in our decision-making.
Peers provide assistance and support to increase skills and knowledge that will overcome interpersonal, family, social, financial, inter-agency and other disability-related challenges.
Who Can Have Peer Support?
Any individual with a disability may schedule a free appointment with the peer support coordinator by phone or e-mail.
The Center also offers an excellent opportunity to share concerns, ideas, and personal issues with others in similar situations. Visit our Calendar for a list of current Peer Support Groups.
What Topics Are Discussed?
One-on-one and group peer support assists individuals with disabilities to help each other on a cross-disability basis. Any topic can be discussed. Peers provide assistance and support to increase skills and knowledge that will overcome such challenges as:
Adjustment to a disability
Interpersonal and family relationships
Social issues
Financial concerns
Getting services from other agencies
Low self-esteem
Coping skills
Dealing with stress and anger
Grief and loss issues
Trauma from physical, verbal or sexual abuse
Trauma from an accident or sudden onset of a disability
Communicating with family about a disability and your needs
Loneliness
Other disability-related challenges…
For more information, please Contact CAL.
Advocates work in partnership with consumers to resolve incidents of discrimination and denial of services. This is done through negotiation with governments, business and service providers.
Advocacy also includes working for systems changes that reflect the needs of people with disabilities at the federal, state and local levels.
Individual Advocacy efforts help consumers:
Learn and develop self-advocacy skills.
Provide assistance with the resolution of conflicts that impede service delivery.
Investigate discrimination claims.
Gather information regarding your rights.
Interact with appropriate social services.
Achieve individual goals, including employment goals, if desired.
Systems Advocacy helps consumers learn to:
Advocate for yourself and others with elected officials and other agencies.
It can be as easy as an email or phone call to officials.
If you choose, meet with elected officials along with CAL staff to have your voice heard.
If you would like to be a part of CAL’s systems advocacy efforts, the first step is to sign up for Advocacy Alert emails.
Advocacy Starts With Making Your Voice Count: Register & Vote!
You can register at the Center for Accessible Living and many other places.
You must be registered 30 days in advance to vote in the Primary and General Elections in May and November. It is important to register to vote and inform yourself on the issues. Elected officials make decisions that affect you on a daily basis as a person with a disability or family member of a person with a disability. If you don’t vote, you have no voice.
To learn more about the voting process, how to register, or to find out about your voter rights as a person with a disability, visit http://elect.ky.gov/.
To check your registration, or to find out where you vote in Kentucky, visit https://cdcbp.ky.gov/VIC.
To learn more about the Candidates, visit the non-partisan, independent website, www.vote-smart.org.
Additional information on absentee ballots is found on the Absentee Voter page or the Military and Overseas Voter’s page.
To learn more about your rights as a voter with a disability, visit Kentucky Protection and Advocacy (P&A) website.
If you encounter problems casting your vote
Call your local County Clerk
~ or ~
Protection and Advocacy’s voter hotline
(1-800-372-2988) Hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EDT)
Have a legal guardian? Have questions about voting? Give P&A a call!
To find out who your Federal, State and Local elected officials are:
Find your elected official on USA.gov.
Call your local Board of Election, County Clerk’s Office or League of Women Voters.
or visit: Kentucky Legislature, Find your state legislator.
To Contact Legislators in Frankfort:
To Leave a Message for a Legislator: Call 1-800-372-7181
To Ask for a Legislator Directly: Call 1-502-564-8100 (LRC Switchboard)
To Send a Fax to a Legislator in Frankfort: Fax 1-502-564-6543
To Write a Legislator in Frankfort:
Senator/Representative
Legislative Offices, Capitol Annex
Frankfort, KY 40601
To Email a Legislator: firstname.lastname@ky.gov
(Check with you legislator; not all legislators like to receive messages via email. If you do email a legislator, be sure to include your name, address and phone number.)