SILC NEWSLETTER – MAY 2015
Sharing Information Loud and Clear
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
The California State Independent Living Council (SILC) and Independent Living Centers (ILCs)
have much to celebrate these days! From a successful partnership on a health initiative
addressing high-risk health issues for adults with disabilities to celebrating women leaders in
California and commemorating the Americans with Disabilities Act’s upcoming 25th anniversary,
the SILC and ILCs persist in their efforts to serve Californians with disabilities who want to live
and work independently.
The articles in this edition of Sharing Information Loud and Clear focus on some of the ways by
which the SILC and ILCs make a difference for people with disabilities and ensure their voices
are heard throughout California and the nation:
 Partnerships and Positive Outcomes of Health Initiative Lead to Independent Living
 Independent Living Centers Advocate to Break Down Mobility Barriers for Californians
with Disabilities
 SILC Members Celebrating Women Leaders In California
 Counting Down to ADA25 – Disability Rights are Civil Rights
 The SILC Welcomes Public Input at Quarterly Meeting in San Diego
Let us know what you think of this edition of Sharing Information Loud and Clear. And be sure to
suggest topics you would like us to address in future editions. We welcome your feedback! Oh,
and don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Sincerely,
Ben Jauregui
Chair, SILC
PARTNERSHIPS AND POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF HEALTH INITIATIVE LEAD TO
INDEPENDENT LIVING
Independent Living Center Collaborates to Decrease Disparities for Californians with Disabilities
People with disabilities and minorities often experience healthcare disparities such as lower
rates of screening, difficulty accessing services and the lack of healthcare coverage. Eliminating
these disadvantages and empowering consumers to take charge of their health are key
priorities for California’s Independent Living Centers (ILCs).Therefore when the opportunity
arose in 2013, the Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley partnered with LifeLong
Medical Care and the Alameda Alliance for Health (AAH) on the “LifeLong Complex Care
Initiative (LCCI)” to address high-risk health issues for adults with disabilities to help them live
independently and stay out of emergency rooms.
The LCCI is a three-year demonstration project funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services’ Health Care Innovation Award of $1.1 million as well as funding from the AAH. As a
collaborative partner, CIL introduced consumer-controlled services into the medical setting by
providing peer coaches as members of the interdisciplinary team at three Alameda County
medical centers. The team supports and educates adults with disabilities on adopting healthy
behaviors and self-management skills with the primary goal of reducing avoidable and costly
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emergency room and hospital visits. By improving the health and lives of the individuals served,
the project is expected to lower healthcare costs by approximately $1 million.
“We introduce Independent Living (IL) principles to our colleagues at the medical centers,” said
CIL’s Bilingual Peer Coach Rebeca Servin. “Although dedicated medical providers often must
emphasize health and safety above choice and independence, through our coaching, we
emphasize consumer control, recognizing that people with disabilities are experts about their
needs.”
Photo: Rebeca Servin, CIL Bilingual Peer Coach
LCCI peer coaches guide consumers on navigating medical and non-medical systems to
provide the right information and make informed choices. The peer coaches also conduct
workshops on living well with a disability. Medical staff refers consumers, who have problems
they want to address, to peer coaches who help the individuals identify their goals and develop
a plan of action with targeted dates for completing each task. Since the inception of the LCCI,
CIL has worked with an average of three to six consumers each day.
“Witnessing the dual outcomes of improved health and independence has been remarkable,”
noted Servin. “When we employ a “do with” rather than a “do for” approach, people with
disabilities are empowered to move outside their comfort zones and make change happen.”
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Photo: Rebeca Servin, CIL Bilingual Peer Coach
One example of the outcomes of CIL’s peer coaching includes a legally-blind man with Cerebral
Palsy who visited the medical center and was referred to a peer coach. The coach helped him
develop a plan that culminated in the consumer working with a local program to find
employment and actively advocate to reinstitute paratransit services on weekends in the
Oakland hills. In another instance, an individual with hearing loss was referred by medical
experts to a peer coach resulting in his learning sign language and enrolling at the Berkeley
Deaf Community Counseling Services while continuing to receive housing application
assistance from the LCCI peer coach.
“Everything from translating healthcare information into understandable language to feet-on-theground education of consumers and healthcare providers can be traced to ILCs making change
happen,” said State Independent Living Council Executive Director Liz Pazdral. “The
collaboration behind the LCCI is proving to be successful, which we hope will be implemented in
other communities.”
INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS ADVOCATE TO BREAK DOWN MOBILITY BARRIERS
FOR CALIFORNIANS WITH DISABILITIES
Transportation and mobility play key roles in the struggle for civil rights and equal
opportunity in the disability community. As the nation prepares to celebrate the 25th
anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Independent Living Centers
(ILCs) continue to advocate for barrier-free access.
“Transportation opens doors for people with disabilities and is key for ensuring access
to employment, education, living independently and being part of the community,”
explained Rebeca Aguirre, California State Independent Living Council (SILC) member.
Although the ADA resulted in improvements, such as sidewalk ramps at street corners,
audible traffic signals, low-floor buses with ramps and wheelchair lifts and accessible
building entrances, significant obstacles still exist.
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“Architectural barriers preventing access to transportation services, such as a bus
without a wheelchair lift or a pole in front of a subway door, can be eliminated with
careful planning and input from the disability community,” noted Aguirre.
While all ILCs provide training on safety precautions when using public transportation
and help with transit applications, there is more to do. Through groups like Communities
Actively Living Independent and Free (CALIF), ILCs can advance access to our
communities.
“CALIF has System Change Advocates who organize communities and help consumers
navigate public transportation,” said Aguirre. “They identify accessibility challenges to
be addressed and monitor lawsuits against transportation providers, such as Uber and
Lyft, accused of violating the ADA in serving the disability community.”
Aguirre attended TransForm Transportation Choices Summit 2015 in Sacramento,
where she advocated for universal design of California’s new high-speed train cars and
learned about Caltrans’ oversight of park-and-ride lots to share with others who have
experienced illegally parked vehicles blocking their access.
“Despite the advances we’ve made since the ADA passed,” said SILC Executive
Director Liz Pazdral, “we must continue to raise awareness and break down barriers to
ensure full mobility and access for all Californians with disabilities.”
Photo: What’s Wrong with this Picture? Car Parked in a Handicapped Cross-Hatch Zone
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Photo at the California Transportation Choices Summit: Creating Accessible Communities
through Transportation Breakout Session: (left to right) Mark Romoser, Ted Jackson, Dina
Garcia, Jacob Lesner-Buxton, Dolores Tejada and Richard Devylder
Photo at the California Transportation Choices Summit: Stuart Cohen Introducing the Opening
Panel Featuring (left to right) Richard Devylder, Meea Kang, Susan Frank and Wade Crowfoot
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Photo at the California Transportation Choices Summit: Creating Accessible Communities
through Transportation Breakout Session Attendees
Photo at the California Transportation Choices Summit: Advocates with Disabilities at the
Reception
SILC MEMBERS CELEBRATING WOMEN LEADERS IN CALIFORNIA
On April 21, 2015, at the request of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., SILC Members Dawn
Leverett, Linda Schaedle and Dorothy Jones attended the “Celebrating Women Leaders in
California” event at the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento.
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Photo Collage: Top right photo from left to right - Dawn Leverett, First Lady Anne Gust Brown,
Linda Schaedle and Dorothy Jones
Hosted by Governor Brown, California Women Lead, the California Legislative Women’s
Caucus and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, the event celebrated
women appointees from across the state for their leadership in public service.
Photo: left to right Dawn Leverett, Linda Schaedle and Dorothy Jones with Governor Edmund G.
Brown, Jr.
COUNTING DOWN TO ADA25 – DISABILITY RIGHTS ARE CIVIL RIGHTS
The California State Independent Living Council is counting down to ADA25 and will
commemorate the 25th Anniversary of The Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26. #ADA25.
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Photo: Questions about the Americans with Disabilitites Act? We have answers! 1-800-9494232 (Voice/TTY) www.ADAta.org
Find your nearest ADA center by visiting the ADA National Network website, and sign the ADA
pledge to lend your support to continue the ADA for another 25 years and beyond!
Image with text: Show your commitment to the ADA. PLEDGE ON! Celebrating 25 years. 19902015. Americans with Disabilities Act. www.adata.org www.adaanniversary.org
THE SILC WELCOMES PUBLIC INPUT AT QUARTERLY MEETING IN SAN DIEGO
The California State Independent Living Council (SILC) encourages the public to share
comments during the public hearing sessions at the quarterly meeting in San Diego,
California. This is an opportunity for the public to provide insights, share concerns and help
shape future independent living programs in California.
Public input is critical to the success of SILC and the state’s 28 Independent Living
Centers. The SILC is particularly interested in input from persons living with a disability, chronic
condition or health issue, family members of people with disabilities and advocates and
community stakeholders concerned with disability rights.
When:
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Thursday, July 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and
Friday, July 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where:
San Diego Marriott Mission Valley
8757 Rio San Diego Drive
San Diego, California 92108 USA
(619) 692-3800
RSVP:
To Danielle at 1-866-866-7452 or TTY (toll free) at 866-745-2889 or Danielle@calsilc.org.
[CALL-OUT BOX]
Don’t forget to “like” the California State Independent Living Council on Facebook and comment
on and share our posts. And be sure to follow us on Twitter and retweet our tweets! #calSILC
The California State Independent Living Council (SILC) is an independent state agency which,
in cooperation with the California Department of Rehabilitation, prepares and monitors the State
Plan for Independent Living.
The SILC Mission: To Create Policy and System Change for Independent Living
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