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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

CIL-NET Presents… A National Teleconference & Webinar: Who’s “At-Risk”? How to Determine and Address Risk of Institutional Placement to Achieve the New Core Service of Diversion

June 6, 2018; 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern

Register online or by using the printable registration form (PDF)

The new CIL core services for transition include services to assist people with disabilities at-risk of entering institutions to remain in the community. While CILs already do this work, determining exactly who is at-risk of institutional placement – and when – can be a real challenge. Several CILs in Texas have developed a very useful at-risk survey that adheres to IL principles and is very good at helping you and your consumers determine when someone is at risk of institutionalization. Join us to learn how they developed it and how you can use or adapt it for your Center for Independent Living (CIL).

IL-NET Logo - CIL-NET + SILC-NETRegistration Fee: $75.00. Fee is per site (connection) and does not apply per participant; registrants are encouraged to gather as many individuals as desired to participate by telephone.

Target Audience: Executive directors, program managers, and IL specialists who assist consumers to identify and address risk for institutional placement. 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will have knowledge and resources that will enable them to:

  • Identify emerging definitions and common factors of persons and populations deemed “at-risk” of institutional placement.
  • Describe approaches for identifying and assisting at-risk individuals to avoid institutional placement.
  • Identify strategies to divert consumers from institutional settings by utilizing the core and auxiliary services that CILs already provide.
  • Describe how to customize, utilize, and collect data from a standardized At-Risk Survey tool that assists consumers in identifying risk of institutional placement and developing an independent living plan (ILP).

Meet Your Presenters

Michelle Crain has been the Executive Director of LIFE, Inc. for the past 17 years. Within the last 8 years, she has established new Centers for Independent Living in both Abilene and San Angelo, Texas. Under Ms. Crain’s direction, LIFE, Inc. has enhanced its IL program through various innovative projects, most notably, nursing home to community transition, housing, Social Security advocacy, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, and health and fitness.

In response to the New Core Services, mandated under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2014 (WIOA), Ms. Crain has developed a Questionnaire to assist consumers in developing a comprehensive Independent Living Plan (ILP) that addresses “at risk” factors; thereby, diverting consumers from institutional placement. She also served on the Leadership Team for the Common Outcomes and Return on Investment Project, a statewide initiative to develop a framework for consistently counting, collecting, and reporting CIL services.

Jackie Pacha is the founding executive director for the Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living (BVCIL), which is located near the home of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She has over twenty-five years’ experience working with people who have disabilities as a Sign Language Interpreter, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Special Education Teacher and Administrator. Additionally, she has taught Adaptive and Assistive Technology at Texas A&M and worked with school districts in establishing structured work experience programs for students with disabilities. Jackie has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M, a Master’s in Counseling and a Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Services from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Nancy Penland is the Director of Programs for LIFE Inc. in Lubbock, Texas. After earning her degree in Laser Technology and working on contracts with the Department of Defense, Nancy decided to make a drastic career change to pursue her passion in assisting individuals with disabilities. She joined the Independent Living Movement in 1992, working with a Center for Independent Living and later secured contracts with the Texas Rehabilitation Commission to provide Supported Employment and Job Readiness Training. In 1998, Nancy joined the LIFE staff as an Independent Living Specialist. In 2001, she became the Director of Programs, responsible for staff training, capturing and analyzing data to ensure effective service delivery to consumers and grant writing. During her tenure with LIFE Inc., Nancy has been instrumental in the establishment of two additional CILs and their continued service expansion.

Presented by CIL-NET: A program of the IL-NET national training and technical assistance project for Centers for Independent Living (CIL-NET) and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILC-NET). The IL-NET is operated by Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU), in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), and Utah State University’s Center for Persons with Disabilities.