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 a decade of independence |
OMB Control Number: 1820-0606
Expiration
Date:
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION
OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES
The Centers for Independent Living Programs
Chapter 1, Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act, as Amended
Fiscal Year 2004-2005
With Citations
Grant # H132A010057
Name of Center:
Acronym for Center
(if applicable): _______JCIL__________________________________
State: ____Tennessee__________________________________________________________
Counties Served:
In the space provided, compare the CIL’s activities in the reporting year with the CIL’s proposed activities in the work plan for each category listed below. Additional space and/or pages may be added as needed for each category.
Please
refer to the instructions for Subpart IIE to ensure all requested information
is detailed in your responses.
(A) Advocacy
Efforts
– Describe the CIL’s individual and systems advocacy activities and
accomplishments.
1. Community
Integration of Personal Assistance
2. Housing
3. Voter
Registration
4. Recreation
1. Community
Integration
As part of our three-year
plan in community integration our goal was to continue our advocacy for Home
and Community Based Options and Personal Attendant Care that will allow people
with significant disabilities to live at home instead of being
institutionalized.
Our goals included the
enactment of state and national legislation providing community-based personal
assistance services, continued advocacy and collaboration with other agencies
in educating our elected officials and the general public in the bias of
institutionalization of people with disabilities. Our goals also included the
continued work with other agencies in an effort to provide personal assistance
services locally, working with city and county agencies in providing more
affordable public housing and accessible recreational opportunities and to
address other issues such as transportation and employment
The Results: This year JCIL
worked with other agencies such as Family Support Services, the Area Agency on
Aging and Disability and other organizations and aggressively sought personal
assistance services and community based services needed by consumers to live
independently. JCIL staff and consumers met with our elected state
representatives to educate them on the need for these services.
JCIL used a portion of our
private and
This year JCIL assisted
thirteen people in staying out of nursing homes and one in getting out of a
nursing home.
JCIL was appointed by the
Tennessee Department of Transportation to participate in their 20-Year
Long-Range Transportation Plan for the state. As a member of this committee
JCIL had the opportunity to advocate for the accessibility and accommodation
needs of people with disabilities which are now included in current and future
transportation programs.
2. Housing
Our goal was to continue as
part of our three-year plan, JCIL's accessible housing, home modifications and home
ownership initiatives. We surpassed our goal of assisting three individuals in
becoming homeowners this year.
Our goal was accomplished
through our THDA Home Ownership grant that will assist as many as seven
families become home owners in the next three years.
Our accessible housing and
home modification program funded by
The Results: In the first year
of our three year plan we have assisted four individuals in becoming
homeowners. This was accomplished by collaborating with other entities such as
THDA, Carey Counseling, Federal Home Loan Bank of
At a public hearing the state
proposed eliminating a 10% set aside for special needs individuals because they
did not think that there was a need for it. This money was slated to go back
into the state and special needs cases would have had to contend with cities
and towns for the money. Due to our strong advocacy and collaboration at the
hearing, the 10% set aside remained in effect for special needs consumers.
JCIL found that with the
advent into the homeownership program, we needed to have trained homebuyer
education counselors in-house. Both of our grant contributors require a
homebuyer education certificate to prove that the prospective homebuyer has
attended at least 8 hours of counseling. We are now able to provide homebuyer
education counseling classes on site and not have to put our consumers through
the trouble/expense of finding or traveling to other counseling sites. We have
two trained homebuyer education counselors.
JCIL also found that in
addition to homebuyers needing the required homebuyer education class, there
was a strong need for credit counseling. We have referred some 21 consumers to
West Tennessee Legal Services for credit counseling to facilitate debt
reduction and the raising of credit scores. It took strong advocacy to explain
the feasibility of credit counseling for prospective home owners who were
recipients of SSI checks in amounts as little as $525 per month. We explained
to WTLS that, contrary to
general perception, the loan was indeed affordable for these
consumers due to a substantial subsidy of grant money to pay down the
principal.
A consumer called JCIL a
trailblazer traveling through uncharted areas of the home buying market. Some
bankers did not take people with an SSI check and a disability seriously. In
one typical case our consumer went with her mother to fill out a loan
application for a house and the banker just sort of chuckled and pulled out a
small notepad and wrote her name and social security number down. He stated
that she couldn’t possibly afford a house and no one was willing to make her a
loan given her position and condition.
The banker became apologetic
when told it sounded as if he was discriminating against the consumer’s
disability. They left the bank and contacted JCIL. Suffice it to say that when
the consumer and her mom went back in to see the banker, he could not fill out
the application fast enough and was polite to the consumer. Now when JCIL goes
in with a consumer to see a banker, the consumer is accorded respect. JCIL’s
advocacy and its subsequent housing subsidy have really made strides in the
banking community as far as the disabled is concerned
JCIL also continued our home
modification program that was successful in keeping thirteen consumers out of
nursing homes.
3. Voter Registration
As part of our advocacy in
systems change, our goal was to continue to collaborate with the Madison County
Election Commission and other election commissions in neighboring counties in
making polling places accessible.
Results: The voting precinct
that is located in our facility, which has been dubbed the Cadillac of polling
places by local election officials, is used as an example for other areas to
model.
JCIL continues to partner
with the SILC and the Tennessee Disability Coalition in the Voter Registration
Program to encourage consumers to exercise their rights and self-advocacy. With
elected government officials on our board as examples, JCIL encourages
consumers to not only register and vote but to also consider participating in
elections and seeking positions in government.
4. Recreation/Performing Arts
As part of our three-year
plan, our goal was to expand our Recreation Program to include basketball,
softball, hunting and fishing by working with the Madison County Parks and
Recreation Department, the Jackson Chapter of the Tennessee Association of the
Deaf and other organizations and volunteers to provide opportunities in which
people with disabilities and the deaf community can participate.
Another goal was for the JCIL
recreation program to be extended to include music and the arts to encourage
consumers to pursue their talents.
Results: JCIL entered into an
agreement with Operation Hope to assist in the development of an accessible
playground near our facility. JCIL agreed to help the Boy Scouts in making
their camp more accessible, and through a collaboration with the Veterans
Administration the first annual JCIL/VA Fishing Rodeo was held on
(B) Outreach
Efforts
– Describe the CIL’s outreach activities to consumers of unserved/underserved
populations.
Last year our goal was to continue our
outreach programs in an effort to reach twenty-five new consumers in
underserved rural counties and to continue innovative themes to attract media
attention to disability issues, events and the Independent Living philosophy
with outreach meetings, exhibits, news releases, public service announcement,
feature articles, newsletters, brochures and web pages.
It was also our goal to reach new consumers through our loaner program of
assistive devices and computers and by using our county committees consisting
of consumers as well as reaching the Hispanic population by providing Spanish
translation.
Results: JCIL
surpassed our goal off serving twenty-five new consumers in rural, underserved
areas. JCIL held four outreach meetings discussing IL, PAS, Home and
Community-Based Services,
At our Consumer
Conferences, consumers met with state elected officials to discuss the need of
personal attendant services and the emergency situation relating to people with
disabilities being cut from TennCare insurance coverage. A consumer survey
conducted by JCIL was presented to the legislatures showing that 50% of our
consumers had been affected by the cuts.
At one of our
Consumer Conferences, individuals wrote essays entitled “Independent Living:
What Does It Mean To Me?” One consumer, who is now the
executive director of the Tennessee SILC, wrote, “It’s a state of mind. If I
feel I am living independently, then I am.” Another consumer summed it up by
saying, “It’s fantastic – there is no better feeling.”
Spanish
translation services were provided to two consumers.
JCIL was featured in
radio, television and newspaper news stories and articles. JCIL’s newsletter
features everything we do and is published on the web at
http://www.jcilnow.net.
(C) Community
and Individual IL Services – Identify the community and IL services the CIL
provided during the reporting year.
Last year our goal was for the JCIL board,
staff and volunteers to continue to facilitate community and individual IL
services that will improve the living situations for consumers by assisting the
consumer in accomplishing their goals by promoting the independent living
philosophy and by providing the core services, our home ownership and
modification program, our recreation program, our voter registration and other
programs.
JCIL continues to
provide the four core services to our consumers. JCIL provides other services
that better living situations by
increasing the independence and self-esteem of the consumer.
JCIL partners with Tennessee
Housing, Habitat for Humanity, Affordable Housing CDC, the City of Jackson,
private developers, area banks and other nonprofit agencies in promoting
accessible and affordable housing and home ownership opportunities for people
with disabilities.
JCIL provided technical
JCIL continues to work
closely with VR with referrals and by insisting the consumers are aware of all
options and afforded the opportunity to make choices. JCIL is also working with the SCIL and other CILs in furthering employment opportunities by providing
office space for their Social Security Benefits Specialist.
(D) Individuals
Served by County –
List the counties served by the CIL and the number of consumers served in each
county.
Crockett 5
Gibson 34
Carroll 13
Hardeman 3
Haywood 13
Others 46
(E) Consumer
Satisfaction Appraisal – Provide a brief summary of the type(s) of consumer satisfaction
appraisal methods and results.
Last year our goal was to continue to provide each consumer with a satisfaction
survey sheet to evaluate the services received, to use the feedback to
determine the quality of our services and to have at least two public forums
seeking verbal and other informal feedback from individuals.
Results: JCIL
continues to evaluate our services by giving each consumer a satisfaction
survey sheet. Over ninety percent of returned surveys gave us an excellent
rating. JCIL conducted four Consumer Conferences and disability events during
which consumers discussed our services and made suggestions to how our
services, programs and activities could be improved.
(F) Response
to Needs
– Describe the CIL’s response to needs identified in the consumer satisfaction
appraisal.
Last year our goal was to use the results of the satisfaction survey
evaluations to determine the services needed by our consumers and to continue
to increase consumer participation with our standing committees made up of the
individuals we serve.
Results: JCIL continues to
encourage consumer participation in our activities. Based on consumer suggestions we are
expanding our recreation program to include arts and music.
JCIL provides meeting
rooms for advocacy groups and participates in these meetings to give our staff
an opportunity to meet and learn for our consumers.
From requests for services
and the consumer satisfaction appraisals, JCIL realizes the importance of an
accessible home to the consumer. If a consumer cannot get out of the house
little opportunity awaits them. In response
to this need JCIL continues to maintain a home modification program. These modifications enable consumers to live
more independently in their own homes rather than a nursing home or institution
and also enable consumers to access community activities as well as educational
and vocational opportunities.
(G) Resource
Development Plan – Report the results of resource development activities.
Last year our goal was to
continue seeking service grants in an effort to increas4e our funding resources
as well as increasing our annual fundraiser events and initiating new events in
the counties we serve.
Results: JCIL has experienced a
decrease in
JCIL, working with other Tennessee CIL's and
the SILC, will continue to seek local, state and private funding for
independent living services in
(H) Training
Plans –
Report on staff and governing board training activities.
Last year our goals to
improve our training capacity were as follows: The JCIL training
capacity will continue to improve as part of our three-year plan. A computer
lab is being created where consumers, staff, board and volunteers will receive
further skills and computer training.
Training will also be available in the use of
video conferencing, Microsoft Software, American Sign Language, data collection
and other subjects. JCIL skills training will include CPR instruction provided
by the Jackson Chapter of the Red Cross. JCIL will provide ASL interpreters in
these classes. Training workshops are also planned to teach consumers
management skills in hiring personal assistants.
Results; As part of our three-year plan our computer lab is being
equipped as resources allow. We now have three laptops on loan to consumers.
Our consumers, staff, board and volunteers have received skills and computer
training. Training was also available in the use of video conferencing,
Microsoft Software, American Sign Language,
Our youngest board member, a
college student, received leadership training in
The JCIL/RED CROSS CPR
training was postponed due to Hurricane Katrna and
Rita relief efforts. However, JCIL partnered with the Red Cross and other
disaster relief agencies in providing services to evacuees.
We directly served 12
evacuees with disabilities and provided office space and meeting rooms to our
local disaster relief organization. Our facility was also used as a mock
emergency shelter to train volunteers. This gave JCIL the opportunity to assist
the Red Cross in planning and training volunteers to serve people with
disabilities in emergency situations.
(I)
Innovative Activities – Describe significant
activities not accounted for elsewhere in the report.
Last year our plan was to continue using our
most innovative idea in getting public awareness and attracting media attention
by calling the July 26
Results:
JCIL assisted two
students with our loaner program which included providing laptop computers,
adjustable work station, hospital bed and other services.
Another activity
not mentioned elsewhere in this report is the JCIL Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Services (JDHHS) which served over one hundred individuals in the Deaf
Community this year. JDHHS provides the following services for the deaf,
deaf/blind, late deafened, and hard of hearing individuals in
1. To
identify and refer deaf, deaf/blind, late deafened and hard of
hearing individuals to the proper agency.
2.
Coordination and provision of interpreting services.
3.
Assisting deaf, deaf/blind, late deafened and hard of hearing
individuals in accessing community service.
4.
Technical assistance to employers of individuals
who are deaf,
deaf/blind, late deafened and hard of hearing.
5.
Assisting deaf, deaf/blind, late deafened and hard of hearing
individuals live independently in the community.
6.
Coordinating a program of peer counseling.
7.
Workshops and seminars for interpreters.
8. ASL
(sign language) and/or lip reading training classes for the
community and Vocational Rehabilitation clients or
Division of
Rehabilitation
staff.
9.
Workshops and seminars related to: TTY use, Tennessee Relay Service,
Orientation
to deafness. (A minimum of three annually).
(J) Consistency
with SPIL – Describe how CIL activities were consistent with the SPIL.
Last year we stated that the planned
activities of JCIL will continue being consistent with the stated goals and
objectives of the SPIL. We will continue to deliver each of the four core
services mandated by the state plan. The center will continue to actively
participate and communicate with the SILC. We will continue to influence the
climate and direction of the SILC and the SPIL.
We also stated that we realized the need of
additional CILs in
Results:
The planned
activities of the JCIL are consistent with the stated goals and objectives of
the SPIL. We continue to deliver each of the four core services mandated by the
state plan. The center will continue to actively participate and communicate
with the SILC. We will continue to influence the climate and direction of the
SILC and the SPIL.
(K)
Description of Substantial Problems – Discuss major problems
encountered and attempted resolutions.
Requests for
services outnumber the availability of services due to limited resources and
staff. JCIL will make every effort to serve the community through better
management and efficiency. We will actively seek to increase our volunteer base
and use these volunteers in our eight-county service area to raise funds and
provide services to our consumers in those counties.
Our consumers
face many problems because of this lack of funding and available services. One
of the major problems is the need of professional attendant services. JCIL will
continue to fight for home and community based services by working with other
agencies and persons with disabilities in acquiring long term and home and
community based care. JCIL will also work with the VR, SILC and other CILs in improving personal attendant services in
Another problem is requests
for services from people outside out service area. We do everything possible to
refer them to agencies in their area but the needed services usually are not
available. We desperately need additional CILs in
In the space
provided, discuss the CIL’s proposed activities for each category listed
below. Additional space and/or pages may
be added as needed for each category.
Please refer to the instructions for Subpart IIF
to ensure all requested information is detailed in your responses.
(A)
Advocacy Efforts – Discuss the CIL’s advocacy goals.
1. Community
Integration
2. Housing
3. Voter
Registration
4.
Recreation/Performing Arts
1. Community
Integration
As part of our three-year
plan to eliminate barriers and promote Community Integration, JCIL’s goal is to
share information, resources and training through partnerships and
collaboration opportunities with other CIL’s, the SILC, the DSU and other
agencies. We feel a joint initiative can better identify, address and remove
barriers to equality. JCIL will invite other CIL’s to our service-oriented
meetings, workshops, and events. JCIL will expand our Home Ownership Program by
assisting a minimum of five people with significant disabilities in becoming
home owners including people who are now living in nursing homes. This will be
accomplished by collaborating with other entities such as THDA and Federal Home
Loan Bank of
As part of our three-year plan in community integration, JCIL will continue to
advocate for Home and Community Based Options by collaborating with local,
state and national organizations in support of community-based services for
people with disabilities. Our goal is the enactment of state and national
legislation providing community-based personal assistance services. We will
continue to work with other agencies in educating our elected officials and the
general public in order to change the bias from the institutionalization of
people with disabilities. We will also continue working with other agencies in
an effort to provide personal assistance services locally.
2. Housing
JCIL’s accessible housing,
home modifications and home ownership initiatives will continue as part of our
three-year plan. We achieved our goal of assisting three individual in becoming
homeowners this year and have set our goal of assisting five consumers in
becoming homeowners in the coming year.
This will be accomplished
through our THDA and Federal Home Loan Bank of
3. Voter
Registration
As part of our advocacy in
systems change, JCIL will continue to collaborate with the Madison County
Election Commission and other election commissions in neighboring counties in
making polling places accessible. The voting precinct that is located in our
facility, which has been dubbed the Cadillac of polling places by local
election officials, will be used as an example for other areas to model.
JCIL will continue partnering with the SILC and the Tennessee Disability
Coalition in the Voter Registration Program to encourage consumers to exercise
their rights and self-advocacy.
With two elected government officials on our board as examples, JCIL will
encourage consumers to not only register and vote but to also consider
participating in elections and seeking positions in government.
4.
Recreation/Performing Arts
As part of our three-year
plan, our Recreation Program will be expanded by working with the
(B) Outreach
Efforts
– Describe the CIL’s plans for outreach to unserved/underserved populations.
JCIL will continue its
outreach programs in an effort to reach twenty-five new consumers in
underserved rural counties. We will continue innovative themes to attract media
attention to disability issues and events. News releases, public service
announcements, feature articles, newsletters, brochures and web pages will be
used. We will continue to have outreach meetings throughout our service area
and exhibits at area health fairs - speaking and distributing information on
the Independent Living philosophy.
Our county committees consisting of consumers will assist us in reaching new
consumers. We will continue holding Consumer Conferences addressing advocacy
concerns in rural areas. We will again conduct a workshop entitled “IL, What It
Means To Me” giving consumers an opportunity to express their experiences. We
will again host the statewide public hearing in our area and encourage consumer
participation. In an effort to serve the Hispanic population, JCIL will
continue providing Spanish translation services.
It is also our goal to reach new consumers through our loaner program of
assistive devices and computers.
(C) Community
and Individual IL Services – Identify the community and IL services the CIL
anticipates providing during the next Federal fiscal year.
The JCIL board, staff and
volunteers plan to continue our commitment to facilitate community and
individual IL services that will improve the living situations for consumers.
JCIL will assist the consumer in accomplishing their goals by promoting the
independent living philosophy and by providing the core services, our home
ownership and modification program, our recreation program, our voter
registration and other programs. We are committed to providing services to
persons with all types of disabilities who are seeking their independence and
who wish to become active participants in their community.
(D) Individuals
Served by County - List the counties the CIL proposed to serve and the anticipated number
of consumers that will be served in each county.
Crockett 10
Gibson 20
Carroll 15
Hardeman 15
Haywood 20
Others 45
(D) Consumer
Satisfaction Appraisal – Describe activities planned to access consumer satisfaction.
JCIL will continue to provide
each consumer with a satisfaction survey sheet to evaluate the services
received. We will use the feedback to determine the quality of our services.
JCIL will have at least of two public forums seeking feedback from individuals.
And JCIL will continue to be represented at area support group meetings to get
cross-disability feedback on needed services.
(E) Response
to Needs
– Describe the CIL’s proposed response to needs identified in consumer
satisfaction appraisals and needs assessments.
JCIL will use the results of
the satisfaction survey evaluations to determine the services needed by our consumers.
We will continue to increase consumer participation with our standing
committees made up of the individuals we serve.
JCIL will provide meeting rooms for advocacy groups to give our staff an
opportunity to meet and learn for our consumers.
(F) Resource
Development Plans – Describe the CIL’s plans for obtaining and increasing funding.
JCIL
will initiate a new resource plan that will raise needed funds and also
distribute IL information in the community. Our consumers, board and staff in
association with area businesses will produce and distribute placemats to local
restaurants highlighting JCIL services.
JCIL will continue applying for grants from
JCIL, working with other Tennessee CIL’s and the SILC, will continue to seek
local, state and private funding for independent living services in
(H) Training
Plans - Describe the plan
for training the CIL staff and governing board.
The
JCIL training capacity will be expanded as our computer lab is readied for
consumers, staff, board and volunteers to receive skills, computer and American
Sign Language training. Training will also be available in the use of video
conferencing, Microsoft Software, American Sign Language, data collection and
other subjects.
JCIL skills training will include English/Grammar instruction to be provided to
staff and consumers. JCIL will provide ASL interpreters in these classes.
Training
workshops are also planned to teach consumers credit management skills.
(I)
Innovative Activities – Describe any significant
activities not accounted for elsewhere in this report.
JCIL will continue using its
most innovative idea in attracting media attention and getting public awareness
by calling the July 26
Other unique activities planned for the coming year:
JCIL Deaf Services will offer in-house training at the Jackson Police
Department to better communication between law enforcement and the deaf
community.
JCIL Deaf Services will
initiate TV public relations campaign featuring our staff and members of the
deaf community working together.
The creation of the JCIL Little Theater for the production of plays, music and
other cultural events will be initiated.
JCIL will have a monthly art contest to encourage people to pursue their
talents.
JCIL will continue to involve consumers in our operation as staff and board
members and as volunteers on standing committees. JCIL will continue to
encourage consumers to participate in all JCIL and community events relating to
their interest. Our Loaner Program will be expanded to providing consumers with
mobility equipment, computers and computer training. This program will be
managed by a consumer.
(J) Consistency
with the SPIL – Discuss how the CIL’s proposed activities are consistent with the
SPIL.
The planned activities of the
JCIL will continue being consistent with the
stated goals and objectives of the SPIL. We will continue to deliver each of
the four core services mandated by the state plan. The center will continue
to actively participate and communicate with the SILC. We will continue to
influence the climate and direction of the SILC and the SPIL.
Realizing the need of additional CILs in Tennessee
and the SPIL’s goal to
expand and improve the further development of a statewide network of centers
for independent living and Independent Living services in Tennessee, JCIL
will share information, ideas and training about Independent Living with the
new CIL’s and other interested groups in unserved counties.
(K) Description
of Substantial Problems – Discuss any anticipated problems and potential solutions.
Requests for services still
outnumber the availability of services due to limited resources and staff. JCIL
will make every effort to serve the community through better management and
efficiency. We will actively seek to increase our volunteer base and use these
volunteers in our eight-county service area to raise funds and provide services
to our consumers in those
counties.
Our consumers still face problems because of this lack of funding and available
services. One of the major problems is the need of professional attendant
services. JCIL will continue to fight for home and community based services by
working with other agencies and persons with disabilities in acquiring long term
and home and community based care. JCIL will also work with the VR, SILC and
other CILs in improving personal attendant services
in
A continuing problem is the need of services outside our area. We will offer
training, information and support to other counties needing and working toward
the establishment of a CIL. As we did last year, we will continue to plant the
IL seeds in areas without a CIL.
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