CIL & University of Florida Campaign for Charities

Posted on November 29, 2011 by CILNCF AD


The Center for Independent Living’s 2011 UFCC # is 3025

Each fall, UF sponsors the UF Campaign for Charities (UFCC) to raise money for nonprofit, health and human service oriented organizations in Gainesville and surrounding areas. The campaign allows employees to give to one or more campaign charities through payroll deduction, cash, check, or bank card.


100% of all funds donated to the Center for Independent Living through the campaign are used to:

  1. Build wheelchair ramps at NO COST for people who cannot afford to have one built themselves.
  2. Provide assistance to people with disabilities wanting out of nursing homes, by providing financial assistance for such things as rental application fees, rental deposits, utility deposits, etc.

Imagine needing to rely on a wheelchair for your daily mobility.  Now imagine that your home is not accessible and because you live on a fixed income, you are without the financial means to afford the cost of having a wheelchair ramp built (Average cost is approximately $1,500).  How are you going to get in and out of your own home to access the community in which you live?  How will you go to school, work, shopping, etc.?

For far too many people, living right here in Gainesville and Alachua County, this is their reality.  It should be unacceptable for even one (1) person to be living in such a circumstance.  However, right now the Center for Independent Living has nearly 100 people on our waiting list for a wheelchair ramp.  

When a person is without the ability to enter and exit their own home as easily as anyone else, many side effects arise… none of which are good.  One of the more concerning effects of such inaccessibility at home is isolation.

Pictured is an example of the real, positive & significant impact your contribution can have on the life of someone. 

When the Center for Independent Living applies your contribution toward the cost of building a wheelchair ramp all (100%) of your contribution goes toward the cost materials needed to build the wheelchair ramp.  We then join with partnering organizations to mobilize volunteers who generously give of their time and expertise to provide the labor to build the ramp.

Join us, and together we can make a REAL DIFFERENCE in the life of a REAL PERSON. 

 

via University of Florida Campaign for Charities.

Stroke Motor Recovery Study at UF

Posted on October 28, 2011 by CILNCF AD

Consumers can earn $100
If you have trouble using your arm and hand because of a stroke, then you may qualify to be in an AHA sponsored study UFIRB # 2011-U-0616).  This study provides: 

(a) an evaluation of arm movements,
(b) 6 hours of cognitive and motor therapy,
(c) 6 hours of arm and hand rehabilitation,
(d) $100 to each participant who finishes,
(e) concerned researchers and therapists. 

For additional information, please contact:
Jim Cauraugh, Ph.D.
Director, Motor Behavior Lab
Phone: 352-294-1623
E-mail: jcaura@hhp.ufl.edu

 

Affordable Care Act (ACA) | People with disAbilities

Posted on October 21, 2011 by CILNCF AD

What the Affordable Care Act Means for

Americans with Disabilities

Posted May 21, 2010 to www.healthreform.gov

By Henry Claypool, Director of Office on Disability

As the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and 11th Anniversary of the Olmstead v. LC decision approach, it is exciting to reflect on how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advances the principles of equality, barrier removal, and community integration embodied in these landmark events.

Historically, people with disabilities have been severely disadvantaged in accessing private health insurance, subject to discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, benefit limits and exclusions, and at risk of losing coverage on short notice. Medicaid’s institutional bias — allowing coverage of home and community based long term care services and supports while requiring coverage of nursing home services — perhaps kept too many people with disabilities in nursing homes, despite clear consumer preference for and the cost-effectiveness of community living. Exam equipment isn’t designed to meet persons with disabilities’ needs and knowledge on existent health disparities has not been used to address these concerns.

The Affordable Care Act makes considerable strides in addressing these concerns and advancing equality for persons with disabilities. This year, the new law will end pre-existing condition discrimination for children with disabilities, dropping people from insurance plans when they become sick and lifetime benefits limits. By 2014, insurance companies will be barred from discrimination on the basis of medical history or genetic information, and precluded from setting unreasonable annual limits. Plans will be required to provide information in a user-friendly manner that clearly explains what is and isn’t covered.

 The  Affordable Care Act advances community living by extending the Money Follows the Person program, improving the Medicaid home-and-community-based services (HCBS) option, and creating new options and incentives making it easier for states to provide HCBS – including Community First Choice. Yesterday, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) released a letter to State Medicaid Directors stressing our commitment to Olmstead implementation and community integration. Outside Medicaid, the new law provides for the creation of a new, voluntary, self-insured insurance program (CLASS Act) that helps individuals pay for long-term supports and services if they develop a disability.

 The Affordable Care Act enhances health care delivery by establishing standards for medical diagnostic equipment so people with disabilities can access vital preventative care, instituting data collection, enhancing providers’ cultural competency and improving care coordination between Medicare and Medicaid for people with chronic conditions.

This is just the leading edge of change, which will allow a health care system better attuned to the needs of people with disabilities, while honoring the principles of equality, inclusion and community living!

 

 

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

Posted on September 29, 2011 by CILNCF AD

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

In March of 2010, Congress passed and President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act—the new health insurance law. The law creates a new program – the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan — to make health insurance available to you if you have been denied coverage by private insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition.

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP), which is administered by either your state or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a health coverage option if you have been without health coverage for at least six months, you have a pre-existing condition or have been denied health coverage because of your health condition, and are a U.S. citizen or reside here legally.

This program may be able to help you, if you’ve been locked out of the insurance market, until 2014. In 2014, you will have access to affordable health insurance choices through a new competitive marketplace called an Exchange and you will no longer be discriminated against based on a pre-existing condition.

The Program:

  1. Covers a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs.
  2. All covered benefits are available to you, even to treat a pre-existing condition.
  3. Doesn’t charge you a higher premium just because of your medical condition.
  4. Doesn’t base eligibility on income.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with the help of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Finance Center, runs Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The federal government contracts with a national insurance plan to administer benefits in those states. In the other 27 states, there are state-based programs.  The program may vary depending on what state you live in. Check out the State Plans page to learn more about how the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan works in your state

via Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan | Florida Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2011 — Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities

Posted on September 29, 2011 by CILNCF AD

National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2011To celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services OSERS is highlighting projects and initiatives funded by the Office of Special Education Programs OSEP, the Rehabilitation Services Administration RSA and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitative Research NIDRR that improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities, including transition-aged youth.Building on a strong education foundation is the key to launching the future success of young people with disabilities. Thank you for all you are doing to support and encourage individuals with disabilities as they work towards realizing their career and life goals.Sincerely,Alexa Posny, OSERS Assistant Secretary

via National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2011 — Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities.

2011 Raffle Fundraiser a BIG Success

Posted on September 8, 2011 by CILNCF AD

Raffle winner Dr. Mike Moorehouse, UF College of PHHP

 
The Center for Independent Living would like to acknowledge and thank the following list of amazing local businesses and business leaders who gave so generously in support of our 2011 Raffle fundraiser! We raised nearly $4,000 which all goes toward our youth programs.


   

A Touch Of Heaven & Andrea Sylvia
A1 Tree Services, Inc. & Howard Moses
Alter Ego Fitness, Kyle Gold & Ronald Ballatore
Amelia’s & Andy Fass
Best Western Gateway Grand & Ron Gromoll
Cake Classics & Janelle Blackwelder
Carmen Cowart, LMT
Carrabba’s & John Barli
City Crepes, Andi & Keidi Melengu
CILNCF & Debbie Scoggin
Conestoga’s & Rick Robertson
Floating Lotus Spa, Victoria Golden & Ms. Rainsberger
Susie Frinfrock, LMT
Nathalie Fosse, LMT
Gainesville Health and Fitness & Linda Cirulli-Burton
Gator Cinemas & Rami Badawi
Gator Tree Service & Anthony Dobosiewicz
Great Outdoors & Carol Doherty
Hippodrome State Theatre & Kara Winslow
Manuel’s & Marco Chavez
Mildred’s, Stephanie Comstock & April Williams
Napolatano’s & Ginger Nappy
Premium Travel Pro Kit
Red Mango & Jon Austin
Satchel’s & Teresa Zokovitch
Secret Garden Bakery & Sharon Tugman
Nancy Smith, LMT & N’Touch Therapy
Spa Royale & Mary Davis-Grant
Splitz at Funworks & Katie Connolly
Stonewood, Monica Deel & Matt Miller
The Fresh Market
Zell’s Hardware & David Flanders

 

Our Gracious Business Donors

 

State Representative Perry Tours CIL

Posted on August 23, 2011 by CILNCF AD

From left to right; Brian Cole, Esq. (Chairmen, The Able Trust), Representative Keith Perry & William Kennedy, CILNCF Director

Suzanne Homant, President and CEO of The Able Trust helped arrange a tour of our CIL by area State Representative Keith Perry. 

While at our CIL, The Able Trust presented Representative Perry with their prestigious “Legislator of The Year Award” for his work during the last legislative session. 

Rep. Perry toured the CIL with our Executive Director William Kennedy and Youth Services Director, Amy Tharpe. 

Mr. Kennedy is a member of The Florida Association of Center’s for Independent Living (FACIL) and had the opportunity to speak with Rep. Perry about the important services provided by our Center as well as other CIL’s around the State, that assist people with disabilities to remain in the community and out of institutions.

Ocala Office Benefits From Day of Caring

Posted on August 22, 2011 by CILNCF AD

Described as “one of the most exciting ways to make a difference in Marion County”, United Way of Marion County’s Annual Day of Caring is a way for community members to take part in a one-day event designed to partner resources and volunteers with local non-profits & social service agencies.  The activities of the day include mobilizing citizen volunteers to work with selected organizations that could use some fix-it-up, clean-it-up help and more.

This year our office in Ocala, Florida was selected and volunteers gave the office a “facelift” by restriping the parking lot, cleaning out the flower beds, putting in new mulch and more!

CIL Open House a HUGE Success

Posted on August 12, 2011 by CILNCF AD

This year we paired our Open House with an Emergency Preparedness information session. William Kennedy, CILNCF Executive Director opened the day’s activities, welcoming all in attendance and thanking our expert panel members who had volunteered their time to help educate consumers on how people with disAbilities can best prepare themselves for certain emergency events.

 Jeff Feller, Chief Operations Officer for WellFlorida, our local health planning council took over from there, guiding the morning presentations and assisting with the question and answer portion of the session.

The Expert Panel Members were comprised of professionals and leaders from their respective fields and included:

Opening remarks from expert panel members

Chip Wilson, Statewide Disability Coordinator Emergency Management
David Donnelly, Emergency Management Director of Alachua County
Brad Caron, Health Preparedness Planner Alachua County Health Department
Jeremy Gallman, Director of Safety and Emergency Preparedness, NFR Medical Center
Al Sandrik, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

A lunch presentation was also arranged; Al Sandrik, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provided a stimulating and comprehensive lunch presentation about weather tracking, and the impact of hurricanes and additional inclement weather we experience in Florida.

Several phone calls and e-mails were also made to invite assorted vendors to attend our event:  Vocational Rehabilitation, University of Florida (FL Office on Disability and Health, Right to Know Campaign, FL Senior Safety Resource Center), American Red Cross, Alzheimer’s Association, MV Transportation, Elder Options, A-1 Tree Services and Alachua County/City of Gainesville Equal Opportunity offices.

Marketing for the event consisted of creating and mailing flyers to agencies with consumers that could benefit from the emergency preparedness workshop, kits and plans, as well as contacting local media for public service announcements and community calendar posts.

Arrangements were also made for the printing of flyers, posters and forms, as well as for sign language interpreters to be present throughout the workshop and lunch presentation.  Packets were developed for workshop participants that included the agenda, CIL brochure, our Executive Director’s business card and the emergency preparedness plan.  Vendor tables were set up throughout the Center, as well as display tables featuring various CIL programs.

On the day of the Open House, a sign-in table was available and staff assisted throughout the day with participants, directions, questions, crowd control, setting up for lunch, monitoring tables, distributing the emergency preparedness kits, and breaking everything down when the event was complete.  During the event, participants with disabilities were encouraged to fill out a personal information sheet, detailing their disability, in order to receive an emergency preparedness kit.  Green canvas duffle bags with zippered compartments were provided and filled with a variety of emergency supplies that included:  an emergency Mylar blanket, PVC “Easy Tear” duct tape, 2” x 10 yards, 33 piece first aid kit, flashlight with 2 D cells, 9 piece multi tool knife, leather work gloves with a safety cuff, 2 piece light stick set, rain poncho, 6 water packets, USCG approved, signaling whistle, handy pouch kit with toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, soap, shave gel, razor, tissue and shampoo, and a radio/siren combo.

Two local TV stations attended the event and a staff member worked with them to set up the requested interviews with two participants/consumers, a member of our panel and our Executive Director.  Our event was featured on both TV 20 and GTN that evening during the 10pm local news.  Overall, it was a very successful event with over 200 people in attendance!  The CIL staff was happy and satisfied to have served so many individuals with disabilities in our local community.

 

 

CIL Program Wins State Award

Posted on July 20, 2011 by CILNCF AD


I am PROUD to announce that out of 36 programs, the CILNCF has just been notified by The Able Trust that our program has been named “The 2011 High School High Tech Program of The Year”!

This award is well deserved and earned through the hard work of our staff; Amy Tharpe, Program Director, Stephanie Weeks, Senior Program Coordinator, Carol Terrillion, Program Coordinator, Melissa Merrill, Program Coordinator, Pepper Anderson, Program Coordinator and Colette Gromoll, Business Manager.

Additionally, I would like to recognize our strong network of invaluable partners, who together, create tremendous opportunities for our students.  These include: Alachua, Bradford, Levy, Marion and Putnam County School Boards.  Our caring and hard-working Teacher sponsors.  The committed business partners who believe in the potential of every student and prove it year-after-year by creating summer internship opportunities.  Further deserving of recognition are the regional workforce boards who support summer internships.  These include Florida Works (Alachua/Bradford Counties), CLM (Levy/Marion Counties) and Worksource (Putnam County).

And of course, our students.  HS/HT is a volunteer student enrichment program. Students sign-up for it, commit time and hard work to maintain eligibility, and do so out of their own personal desire to be better prepared for life after high school.  The success of our program is very much a reflection of what each student puts into it and the effort they make to challenge themselves.

William Kennedy, Director
Center for Independent Living