INFORMATION AND REFERRAL:

  Current information on programs, resources and equipment is provided to the public.

  Referrals are also made to other community organizations and programs.

  Adaptive Equipment/Home Modifications

  Assistance is provided to individuals to identify resources to acquire and receive

  training in the usage of adaptive equipment.  Assistance is available to select and

  design home modifications and ramps and to identify resources for these expenses.

  PEER COUNSELING/INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY:

  PEER COUNSELING/MENTORING

  This one-to-one peer mentoring model is based on the concept that a staff mentor

  with shared experiences is the best guide to independence.  The goal of peer

  mentoring is to assist the participant to attain his/her greatest level of independence.

  The staff Peer Mentor, who also is an individual with a disability, provides motivation,

  emotional support, and is a role model for achieving full potential.  The Peer Mentor

  helps the participant to establish goals for independence and assists with self-

  exploration and adjustment.  The Peer Mentor also makes referrals to appropriate

  community resources.

 

  Peer Counseling/Mentoring is available for youth with disabilities starting at age 13

  to assist in establishing independent living goals and action plans to reach their goals.

 

  IL SUPPORT GROUP

  Assistance is provided to individuals with disabilities to resolve discrimination

  complaints in all areas of life such as housing, education, employment, transportation,

  public accommodation and community programs.

  ADVOCACY GROUP/INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING:

  Mix and Mingle

  Monthly there will be an opportunity to get together and meet new friends from
  our local disability community. All participants are welcome to attend.  There are two

  separate Mix and Mingles held for ages 18 - 35 and for those aged 35 and older.

  Just come to ECI any time between the hours posted on the calendar of events.  

  Bring your own cards, music, games, food and hang out.  Meeting space will be open

  and the activities are up to you. As an ECI sponsored event, Handi-Ride tickets can

  be provided if needed, our personal attendant will be available if you need assistance,

  and we can provide accommodations if you request them when you sign up to attend.

  You choose when you come and how long you stay, but be sure Handi-Ride picks you

  up before 5:00 p.m. when ECI closes!

  To sign up for this monthly social event, please contact Linda Johnson at (757) 461-
  8007 or by email at ljohnson@endpendence.org. 

  Advocacy Group

  Are you interested in working on advocacy projects?  ECI is hosting an advocacy
  group that will meet once a month to identify advocacy goals and work together to
  advance our civil rights.  You will have the opportunity to stay updated on local
  advocacy issues and join committees to be part of changing our community for the
  better.  Look at the calendar for dates and times and please invite friends from the
  community who also support disability issues.  Handi-Ride tickets and
  accommodations will be provided to ECI participants as needed. 

  INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING

  The purpose of independent living skills training is to provide participants with basic

  skills that support their independent living goals.  Training is provided in areas of

  need  identified by participants such as literacy, attendant management, decision

  making, self-advocacy, money management, rights and responsibilities and

  assertiveness.  Training is provided individually and in a classroom setting.

 

  Participant Newsletter - The participants’ newsletter, “Disability Speaks”, has

  succeeded in capturing the attention and loyal readership of supporters throughout the

  disability community to address serious issues confronting people with disabilities.

  Most newsletter articles are written by Center participants and edited by the Participant

  News Team.  Click here for the current newsletter.

  HOUSING ASSISTANCE/PLACEMENT:

  Staff coordinates with public and private housing agencies to secure housing options

  that are accessible, affordable and suited to participant needs.  Individuals receive

  services to assist them to prepare for independent housing.  Assistance is provided

  to secure resources for emergency housing needs.

  EDUCATION:

  ECI staff provide students and their parents with information, guidance and advocacy

  training in all areas pertaining to the educational rights of students with disabilities.

  ECI maintains a high profile in the local school systems advisory boards as well as

  statewide committees.  Staff stay current with all legislation changes regarding special

  education, serving as a watchdog committee for families statewide.  Staff serve as a

  resource for students, families and educational professionals including assisting with

  IEP development when needed.  Staff focuses on children from their start with the

  school system, through their transition out of the school system and into adulthood.

  Staff are involved in local, state and national efforts to inform legislators on issues

  related to disability education legislation.

  TRANSPORTATION:

  ECI assists individuals with Para-transit transportation (Handi-Ride) and main line bus

  services as needed to attend Center services.

  MEDICAID ADVOCACY:

  The Endependence Center provides advocacy with individuals who are having

  difficulty accessing appropriate Medicaid services.

  VIRGINIA MEDICAID WAIVER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER

  Through a grant from the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, the

  Endependence Center has established and administers the Virginia Medicaid

  Waiver Technical Assistance Center (TAC).  The TAC provides workshops,

  materials, information, and technical assistance regarding Medicaid Waivers.  For

  further information, visit our Publications page for resource materials.  TAC services

  are available statewide through a cadre of Medicaid Waiver Mentors.

  HEARING OUTREACH:

  HEARING DISABILITY OUTREACH SERVICES

  Technical assistance, equipment training and disability awareness services are

  available to the community regarding individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

  An equipment demonstration site is available.  ECI is under contract with the

  Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) to provide outreach

  services to the Cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Hampton,

  Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Smithfield, Suffolk, and James City, York,

  Isle of Wight and Southampton Counties.  Workshops and forums educating and

  empowering individuals with hearing disabilities are offered on a variety of topics.

  ECI is one of seven demonstration sites where consumers can try out various

  equipment before purchasing them from an independent vendor.  

  SOCIAL SECURITY WORK INCENTIVES/EMPLOYMENT NETWORK:

  PROJECT WORK INCENTIVE SERVICES FOR EMPLOYMENT (WISE)

  This project provides work incentive planning assistance, and outreach and

  management support to SSA beneficiaries and recipients with disabilities who are

  exploring career development, and/or pursuit, maintenance or advancement of

  employment.  The Community Work Incentive Coordinator (CWIC) collects data on

  individual’s current benefit status, provides critical analysis of impact of work and

  earnings on these benefits, and makes recommendations to the individual and other

  stakeholders in their life as to safety nets and work incentive management plans that

  should be put into place as the individual develops a plan for employment.  The

  Coordinator integrates work incentive support plans into existing service delivery

  constructs to ensure continuity of the employment planning and benefits advisement

  and management process.  These services are available to individuals with disabilities

  who are between the ages of 14-64.   Click this link for more information.

   EMPLOYMENT NETWORK

  The Endependence Center is an Employment Network (EN) through a contract with the

  Social Security Administration (SSA) to coordinate employment services and provide

  support services under the Ticket-to-Work Program.  These services are provided to SSA

  beneficiaries that have assigned their ticket to the Endependence Center.  The Ticket-to-

  Work Program is available to people with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 64

  and receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income

  (SSI).  While you are actively participating in the Ticket-to-Work Program, you can get the

  help you need to find the job that is right for you and you can safely explore by referral to

  our work incentive coordinators, your work options without losing your benefits and to

  assist with maintaining employment through ongoing support and services.

  SYSTEMS ADVOCACY:

  Staff members participate in various activities that result in positive changes and

  greater accessibility to the various systems of government and bureaucracy on the

  local, state and national levels.  Staff engage in systems advocacy in the same areas

  as in individual advocacy services such as transportation, education, employment,

  housing, benefits, accessibility and Medicaid.  ECI is involved in a number of systems

  advocacy efforts locally, regionally and across Virginia.  Some advocacy is sparked

  from a single complaint, while other efforts are initiated as part of a larger education

  and advocacy plan for Virginia.

 

  Are you interested in working on advocacy projects?  ECI is hosting an advocacy
  group that will meet once a month to identify advocacy goals and work together to
  advance our civil rights.  You will have the opportunity to stay updated on local
  advocacy issues and join committees to be part of changing our community for the
  better.  Look at the calendar for dates and times and please invite friends from the
  community who also support disability issues.  Handi-Ride tickets and
  accommodations will be provided to ECI participants as needed.  Meetings are
  usually held the fourth Wednesday of each month from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

 

  ECI maintains a contract with the Disability Business and Technical Assistance
  Center (DBTAC) for the Mid-Atlantic region to serve as the State ADA Coalition
  Coordinator, an assignment that entails educating Virginians from all backgrounds
  on the Americans with Disabilities Act.  As a function of that contract, trainings are
  offered on a variety of ADA topics to different audiences. 

  COMMUNITY EDUCATION/TRAINING/TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:

  Speakers are provided to organizations interested in learning more about disability

  related issues and Center services.  Staff organizes and conducts training on disability

  related topics such as housing law, building code, employment law, disability

  awareness/sensitivity training, programmatic and physical accessibility, general

  disability issues, disability rights and other specific areas of interest.  The Center also

  continues to respond to requests from the community to provide outreach and trainings

  in the areas of educational advocacy, Medicaid waivers, transportation issues, deaf

  and hard of hearing outreach.  ECI remains committed to providing the highest level

  of outreach and education about disability issues and civil rights of persons with

  disabilities to our community.

 

  ECI plans workshops around various disability related topics.  Information about the

  various workshops can be found on the calendar located on this website by clicking

  on the Calendar of Events link.

  DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION:

  The process of transitioning from a nursing home to community-based living can be

  complex and lengthy or it may be easier than commonly expected depending on the

  needs of the individual.  There is a lack of awareness among many individuals living in

  facilities, their family and the community-at-large that options exist which allow

  individuals to choose whether to receive their personal care in a facility or in the

  community in their own homes.  ECI is pro-actively addressing the obstacles on

  institutionalization by providing residents of facilities the informed choice and

  consumer control to live independently.  Teamwork exists within ECI through a

  process where staff join together to assist persons with a goal to move from a facility

  to the community with housing options, Medicaid Waiver options, Independent Living

  Skills Training and support coordination.  ECI networks with other community and state

  programs to support the person with a disability's move to the community.

 

  Do you live in a nursing home, group home or training facility and would you like

  information on other types of housing options?

 

  Nursing Home Outreach Services are designed to provide a participant in a nursing

  facility or other type of living facility, the four core services:

• Information and Referral Services
• Independent living Skills Training
• Peer Counseling
• Individual and Systems Advocacy

  Within those four core services being provided could be information on how to

  advocate for nursing home rights, assist with discharge planning for community-based

  living, and information on housing options for community-based living.