Independent Living

How Guardianship and Alternatives Impact the Autonomy of People with ID/DD

Turning Rights Into Reality: How Guardianship and Alternatives Impact the Autonomy of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is an authoritative report submitted by the National Council on Disability to the President and Congress as part of the Council’s independent advisory role. The report examines the challenges faced by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD), and how the use of alternatives such as supported decision-making enable some individuals with ID/DD to exercise greater self-determination and economic self-sufficiency. Access the report here.

Charting the LifeCourse

The National Community of Practice for Supporting Families of Individuals of I/DD has been working to develop systems of support for families throughout the lifespan of their family member with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Especially for individuals, families, and professionals are the Charting the LifeCourse materials, which include a LifeCourse toolkit in English and Spanish. The framework for Charting the LifeCourse was created BY FAMILIES to help individuals and families of all abilities and all ages develop a vision for a good life, think about what they need to know and do, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live.

Read more about and access the LifeCourse Toolkit in English and Spanish here.

TRANSITION: Independent Living Resources

Individuals with Disabilities

Individuals with DisabilitiesAfter a disaster, you may not have access to a medical facility or even a drugstore, so it’s crucial to plan for the resources you use regularly, and what you would do if those resources are limited or not available.

Prepare for Emergencies Now: Information for People with Disabilities

Prepare for Emergencies Now: Information for People with DisabilitiesYour ability to recover from an emergency tomorrow may depend on the planning and preparation you do today. This guide from FEMA provides tips which individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, and the people who assist and support them, can take to prepare […]

Beyond Guardianship: Toward Alternatives That Promote Greater Self-Determination

According to the National Council on Disability (NOD), guardianship is overused and often unnecessarily deprives individuals with disabilities of their rights. Typically, guardianship involves a state-court determination that an individual lacks the capacity to make decisions with respect to their health, safety, welfare, and/or property. Yet, there are many alternatives to guardianship that increase the ability of individuals with disabilities to exercise self-determination, live and work in the community, and participate in civic life. The report explores these alternatives and includes recommendations that will help align the use of guardianship and decision-making alternatives with the Americans with Disabilities Act and national policies of equal access and opportunity.

Read more about Beyond Guardianship, and access it in multiple forms (PDF, Word, summary).

Charting the LifeCourse Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to help caregivers understand the value of respite, learn from real life examples, and create a respite plan that enhances the lives of all family members. It’s meant for family caregivers of a child or adult with a disability, chronic condition, or functional limitation (or professionals who work with family caregivers). The toolkit, which is available in English and Spanish, is built upon the Charting the LifeCourse Framework, which was created BY FAMILIES to help individuals and families of all abilities and all ages: (a) develop a vision for a good life, (b) think about what they need to know and do, (c) identify how to find or develop supports, and (d) discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live.

Grants for Home Modification: 16 Resources for Homeowners with Disabilities

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Final Rules

The bipartisan Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), (Pub. L. 113-128), signed by President Obama on July 22, 2014, represents the most significant reform to our public workforce development system in nearly 20 years. Find out more about WIOA in these two publications, which contain information on a set of final regulations implementing WIOA that encourage customer-centered, job-driven strategies, such as career pathways, business engagement systems, sector strategies, and work-based learning; and emphasize a commitment to high-quality services for all populations, including individuals with barriers. to employment.

Resources To Assist Youth With the Transition To A Successful Adulthood

This collection of helpful resources from the Social Security Administration provides information on and links to a wide variety of employment supports and national and community resources.