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MISSION
The Blue Ridge Independent Living Center assists people with disabilities to live
independently. The Center also serves the community at large by helping to
create an environment that is accessible to all.
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VISION
The Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, Inc. (BRILC) is a private, nonprofit
corporation founded in 1989. In 1988, the General Assembly appropriated funds
for a center for independent living (CIL) to serve people with disabilities who
reside throughout the Fifth Planning District. A group of disability advocates
including individuals with disabilities, their families, and friends formed a nonprofit
corporation to respond to the Request for Proposal published by the Department
of Rehabilitative Services.
BRILC began assisting individuals with disabilities in July 1989. The four core
services the center was mandated to provide included peer counseling,
independent living skills training, information and referral, and advocacy. The
Center had a total of five staff and an annual budget of $137,500 that came from
the Commonwealth’s general fund. We occupied 1,900 sq. feet of office space.
Our goal for our first year was to assist 50 individuals with disabilities.
Several years later, Federal Part C funds became available for centers for
independent living (CILs) in Virginia. BRILC applied for these funds and was
awarded Federal Part C dollars. As a federally funded center for independent
living (CIL), BRILC must comply with standards, assurance and compliance
indicators as outlined in section 725(b) and (c) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
as amended. As a Federally funded CIL, BRILC is required to complete a yearly
704 Report documenting information necessary for continuation awards for
qualified CILs under Title VII, Chapter 1, Part C.
The 704 Report requests information about resources received and expended
during a reporting year; the numbers and types of individuals with disabilities
receiving services; information about the individual independent living services
provided and received, goals set and met, and outcomes achieved; evidence of
compliance with the CIL’s six evaluation standards, including community options
and capacity-building activities; comparison of the reporting year activities with
the annual work plan for that year and a description of the work plan for the
following year; and, to identify the CIL’s priority training and technical assistance
needs.
Consumer control in the independent living movement means that consumers
control a CIL by having at least a majority of people with disabilities on its board
of directors, and represented on its staff and in its volunteer corps. During fiscal
year 15/16, eighty-six (86) percent of BRILC’s Board of Directors were individuals
with disabilities. During the same time period, BRILC had a total of thirteen (13)
employees. Ten (10) or 77% of those were individuals with disabilities.
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A CIL’s services are offered to people with disabilities only in a manner that the
consumer controls and the advocacy in which a CIL engages must be decided
upon and controlled by the consumers in the community served by that CIL.
Consumer control within the field of independent living is absolutely essential
because it is the one concept that has been absent in the traditional service
delivery system for people with disabilities. Consumer control over policies,
within boards and staff and over services and advocacy, is what makes BRILC
truly unique. By adhering to the consumer control philosophy at all levels BRILC
demonstrates responsiveness to the needs of a constituency that has been
traditionally powerless.
BRILC’s vision is to see people with disabilities truly integrated into all aspects of
society. In other words, we hope someday, to put ourselves out of business.
As a part of the Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living (VACIL),
BRILC will also advocate with the General Assembly for an increase in the funds
provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia to support independent living services
to individuals with disabilities who reside throughout the Fifth Planning District.
In addition, VACIL and BRILC will advocate with the General Assembly for funds
to enable BRILC to implement a new fifth core service.
BRILC will also continue to solicit funds from municipalities throughout the Fifth
Planning District to assist us in empowering individuals with disabilities to be
independent within their own homes and the community. BRILC will provide
outreach to area nursing homes and other institutions to provide assistance to
those individuals with disabilities who with community supports are capable of
living in the community.
BRILC will continue advocacy efforts in the areas of community integration,
collaboration, education, housing opportunities/home modifications, information
access/technology, mobility/transportation, personal assistance services,
physical/attitudinal barrier removal and employment.
Currently, BRILC rents approximately 7,600 square feet of office space located
within the City of Roanoke. The office is located on the bus line and has off
street parking. In addition, the office space has storage for BRILC’s Loan Closet.
Each year BRILC conducts a Consumer Satisfaction Survey. As part of the
survey, BRILC solicits information from individuals with disabilities in order to
assist us in setting our agency priorities. The priorities identified by our
consumers guide our development of our future plans and the development of
this business plan.
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With the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA),
oversight of federally funded CILs was moved from the Department of Education,
Rehabilitation Services Administration to the Department of Health and Human
Services, Administration for Community Living, Independent Living
Administration. Along with that move there were several other changes affecting
CILs. One of those changes included the addition of a fifth core service. The
fifth core service includes services that “facilitate the transition of individuals with
significant disabilities from nursing homes and other institutions to home and
community-based residences, with the requisite supports and services; provide
assistance to individuals with significant disabilities who are at risk of entering
institutions so that the individuals may remain in the community; and facilitate the
transition of youth who are individuals with significant disabilities, who were
eligible for IEPs under section 614(d) of IDEA, and who have completed their
secondary education or otherwise left school, to postsecondary life.”
Unfortunately, the addition of a fifth core service did not result in additional
funding for federally funded CILs.
In addition to a mandate to provide a fifth core service with no additional funding,
this past fiscal year continued to produce a number of challenges associated with
moving from one federal department to another.
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KEY PROJECTS
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Assist individuals to meet their independent living goals by providing
financial assistance for home modifications and assistive devices through
federal, state, local and private funding sources.
Assist individuals with disabilities to learn about the needs and resources
(federal, state and local) necessary for independent living.
Assist individuals with disabilities by providing programs designed to teach
individuals with disabilities the skills necessary for acquiring, maintaining
or increasing their independence.
Assist individuals with disabilities to develop a peer network by providing
support groups organized around common concerns.
Assist individuals with disabilities to understand and exercise their civil
rights regarding employment, housing, transportation, accessibility, and
other needed services.
Assist individuals with disabilities by identifying resources, services, and
service providers in public, private, and community organizations and
maintaining registries that provide local options for a variety of services
and a collection of resource material about disability-related issues.
Assist the community by influencing positive changes in local, state and
federal legislation and the enforcement of existing laws to promote and
ensure civil rights of individuals with disabilities.
Assist businesses, agencies and individuals wishing to make their facilities
and/or services more accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Assist the community by providing presentations about disability-related
issues and concerns of individuals with disabilities.
Assist individuals with disabilities to locate accessible and affordable
housing.
Assist individuals with disabilities to transition from nursing homes or other
institutions to community housing.
Assist individuals with disabilities by providing services through state
waiver programs.
Assist individuals with disabilities to be a part of the technological age by
providing refurbished computers for a nominal charge.
Assist individuals with disabilities by providing a Loan Closet containing
aids to daily living and assistive devices to enable independence.
Assist individuals who are deaf and/or hearing impaired by being a
Technology Assistance Program (TAP) Loan site.
Assist persons with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment while
creating informed choices about the effects on SSA, SSI, and other forms
of benefits.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, Blue Ridge Independent Living
Center, Inc. assisted individuals with disabilities in the following ways utilizing
funding from a variety of sources:
*Provided assistance to 439 individuals with disabilities.
*Assisted individuals with disabilities to develop 559 goals.
*Assisted individuals with disabilities to complete 489 goals.
*Constructed ramps and/or other home modifications to allow individuals with
disabilities to remain in their own homes.
*Utilized private funding for individuals to receive assistive devices including
orthotics, dental services, lift chairs, and portable ramps.
*Provided refurbished computers for consumers at nominal fee.
*Provided more than 3,372 hours of community services including
collaboration/networking, community/systems advocacy, community
education/public information/integration, outreach, resource development and
technical assistance.
*Assisted a new, nonprofit organization to provide independent living services
throughout the New River Valley.
*Assisted 7 individuals to relocate from nursing homes or other institutions
into community based living.
*Prevented 113 individuals from having to enter a nursing home or other
institution.
*Provided Medicaid Waiver services to approximately 250 individuals with
disabilities.
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Community Support
Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, Inc. receives its primary funding from a
combination of Federal, State, and Local entities. While funds from private
foundations and individuals are nominal, we have for more than 26 years been
the recipients of funds from a variety of foundations and corporate sponsors for
specific assistance to individuals with disabilities to further their goals of
independence.
Continuation grants come from the following sources:
US Department of Health & Human Services Part C & B
Commonwealth of Virginia
Additional funds are frequently received from:
City of Roanoke, Virginia
County of Roanoke, Virginia
Community Development Block Grants
Greater Alleghany United Fund
Foundation for Roanoke Valley
First Fridays at Five
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Financial Sustainability
In the past, Centers for Independent Living (CILs) such as BRILC received
Federal Part C funds through the U.S. Department of Education as authorized by
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. In the past year, CIL funding was
moved to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. BRILC has been
receiving these Federal funds since 1993. In addition, Virginia’s CILs are a
separate line item in the Governor’s Budget and have been receiving state funds
since 1982. BRILC also receives funding through local cities and counties, as
well as through contributions from individuals and surrounding communities.
In addition, BRILC also provides waiver services for the Department of Medical
Assistance Services and other services through a fee for service arrangement
that have also provided a source of income. BRILC actively engages in applying
for funding from both the public and private sectors and has been a viable source
of support to the disability community since its inception in 1989. BRILC has
weathered occasional reductions in governmental funding through economic
streamlining, seldom requiring the loss of employment for our staff or cutting
back on services to the individuals with disabilities that we serve.
During FY 14-15, BRILC successfully become an approved provider for three
insurance companies commonly referred to as Commonwealth Coordinated
Care. We have successfully completed contracts with three (3) additional
insurance companies who will become a part of Commonwealth Coordinated
Care Plus. We have also been approved to provide Social Security
Representative Services and continue to operate as an Employment Network
assisting those in the Ticket to Work program to become employed or to work
additional hours.
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Partners/Resources
Services
BRILC could not possibly provide the breadth of services to individuals with
disabilities without the assistance of several partner agencies. Some of these
include:
Virginia Housing Development Authority
Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority
disAbility Law Center of Virginia
Legal Aid of Roanoke Valley
Local Office on Aging/ Area Agency on Aging
Council of Community Services
Shelter Plus Care
Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare
Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
Virginia Western Community College
Radford University
Multiple Sclerosis Society
Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia
Renovation Alliance
Social Security Administration
Western Virginia Workforce Development Board
Department of Social Services
Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired
Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Foundation for Rehabilitation Equipment & Endowment
City of Roanoke
Roanoke County
Greater Alleghany United Fund
Veterans Administration
Foundation for Roanoke Valley
Community Housing Resource Center
RADAR
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CREDENTIALS & AWARDS
*501(c)3 tax-exempt organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia
*Nominated three times for the Roanoke Chamber of Commerce Small Business
Award of the Year
*Approved provider of Department of Medical Assistance Services, Virginia
Premier, Humana, and Anthem Healthkeepers Elderly and/or Disabled with
Consumer Direction Service Facilitator
*Continued compliance with requirements of Workforce Improvement Opportunity
Act (WIOA), U.S. Dept. of Health and Human services, Administration on
Community Living
*Approved provider of Department of Medical Assistance Services, Virginia
Premier, and Humana Transition Coordination services under Money Follows the
Person
*Approved provider of Certified Work Incentive Coordinator services through the
Social Security Administration
*Approved provider of Work Incentive Specialist services through the Department
of Rehabilitative Services
*Approved provider of Social Security Administration Ticket to Work Employment
Network services
*Approved provider of Social Security Administration Representation services
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BRILC Board of Directors
Chair:
Vice-Chair:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Charles Harlow
Bill Poe
Dolores Daniels
Karen Willis
Members:
Garrett Brumfield
Peter Pearl
Bill Poe
Terry Winborne
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BRILC STAFF
Executive Director:
Program Services Manager
Community Services Manager:
EDCD Waiver Service Facilitator:
Karen Michalski-Karney
Katherine Wells
Antwyne Calloway
Darlene Rice
Mary Worthington
MFP Coordinator
Holly Clyburn
Employment Services Manager:
Rob Roberts
Independent Living Coordinators:
Bill Duncan
Jon Weems
Finance and Operations Manager:
Administrative Office Assistant:
Morning Receptionist:
Afternoon Receptionist:
Sallee Ebbett
Avis Collins
Monchella Bannister
Alice Chase
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BLUE RIDGE INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Director
Karen Michalski-Karney
Finance and Operations
Manager
Sallee Ebbett
Employment and
Representative Services
Manager
Rob Roberts
Community Services
Manager
Antwyne Calloway
Program Services
Manager
Katherine Wells
Administrative Asst.
Avis Collins
IL Coordinator
Bill Duncan
EDCD Waiver
Darlene Rice
IL Coordinator
Jon Weems
Service Facilitator
Mary Worthington
Receptionist
Monchella Bannister
Receptionist
Alice Chase
MFP
Holly Clyburn
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