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Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities
Programs that provide housing in a group setting for adults with developmental disabilities, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, emotional disabilities or multiple disabilities in facilities like small homes, apartment buildings, condominiums or agency-owned complexes which may be staffed to provide functional skills training and on-site supportive services. Residents generally have basic self-help skills or take responsibility for employing and supervising aides to assist them in meeting their personal needs. Staff may be available on a 24-hour basis or only occasionally depending on the specific needs of residents. Included are short-term transitional programs for people who are preparing for supported or totally independent living as well as long-term programs for people who may want to be permanent residents.
Assistive Technology Equipment
Programs that pay for or provide equipment, appliances and assistive aids that enable people, including those who have physical or sensory limitations, to increase their mobility and/or ability to communicate and live more comfortably.
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Centres for Independent Living
Consumer controlled, community based, cross disability, nonresidential agencies designed and operated within a local community by individuals with disabilities that provide an array of independent living services. All CILs provide five core services: information and referral, independent living skills training, peer counselling, individual and systems advocacy and transition. In addition, many CILs also offer transportation services, mobility training, personal assistance, housing and home modifications, recreation services, vocational programs, assistance in obtaining assistive technology equipment and other individualized services designed to increase and maintain independence.
Occupational Therapy
Programs that evaluate the task performance skills of individuals who may be having difficulty engaging in self-care, work, play or leisure time activities and help people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). Occupational therapy services typically include an individualized evaluation, during which the individual/family and occupational therapist agree on the person's goals; customized intervention to improve the person's ability to perform daily activities and reach their goals; and an outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met. Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.
Life Skills Education
Programs that offer training which focuses on the knowledge and skills an individual may need to live independently or make a successful transition to independent living. Participants may include runaway youth who are living on their own, youth who because of age can no longer be maintained in foster care, new widows, victims of domestic abuse, people who have previously been homeless, and others who have lived in an environment in which decision making and responsibilities of daily living have been handled by another as well as people currently living independently who want to be more effective. Training may address job search and retention, money management, insurance, taxes, rental agreements, vehicle purchase, nutrition, home management, health care, legal emancipation for teens and other similar topics.
The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.