Advocacy Monitor

The Governing Board of the National Council on Independent Living is happy to announce the appointment of Theo Braddy as its new Executive Director beginning February 1, 2023. Theo will follow retiring Interim Executive Director Darrell Lynn Jones.

Theo served as Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Independent Living of Central PA (CILCP) for nearly 31 years, from the beginning of the Center in 1989. He is noted for being one of the first, if not the first of CIL leader to develop and embrace the concept of Living Well with a Disability. Under his leadership, CILCP built a gym and developed resources to support that goal. Theo was instrumental in PA becoming the first state to pass a law establishing an affordable, accessible rural transportation program. He has also played an important role in establishing and expanding Medicaid waiver services in PA.  

The National Council on Independent Living presents a forum to meet NCIL’s Regional Representatives and learn what CIL and SILC peers are accomplishing.

NCIL Regional IL Showcase

• January 26, 2023; 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern
• Register online

Please register at the link above or for more information please reach out to jenny@ncil.org.

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is offering a recurring virtual forum in which NCIL’s 10 Regional Representatives will showcase the successes and accomplishments of CILs and SILCs in their regions. NCIL’s Regional Reps are members of NCIL’s Governing Board and are elected from among the NCIL members in their respective regions.  

January 25, 2023; 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern

Register online or email jenny@ncil.org for more information.

The IL-NET National Training & Technical Assistance (T&TA) Center operated by ILRU in collaboration with NCIL, APRIL, and the University of Montana Rural Institute and RTC: Rural, supports CILs and SILCs in building capacity to run strong, effective organizations. This webinar will discuss varied approaches and strategies surrounding non-traditional transitions and diversions, such as transitioning from the justice system or coordinating appropriate housing during and after a disaster or public emergency.

Presenters

• Sharif Brown, Program Manager for State Reentry, Alliance of Disability Advocates
• Betzaida Ramos Chárriez, Directora Ejecutiva, Movimiento para el Alcance de Vida Independiente (MAVI)
• Marly Saade, PCA Program Coordinator, The Center for Disability Empowerment
• Susan Hetrick, M.Ed., Executive Director, The Center for Disability Empowerment
• Jeff Hughes, Executive Director, Progressive Independence

As the nation enters the coldest months of the winter season with high rates of hospitalization due to COVID-19 and one of the worst flu seasons on record, the need for older adults and people with disabilities to get vaccinated is at a critical point. To combat rising hospitalization rates among older adults and people with disabilities for both COVID-19 and the flu, two groups that are known to experience the most severe illness from these two conditions, the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is proud to announce that it is a partner in the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative, a $75 million initiative funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living to provide outreach, technical assistance and support to promote vaccination uptake.

Led by USAging, the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative will distribute funds to enable organizations across the aging and disability networks to perform an array of vaccination promotion activities. Organizations selected for funding will host community vaccine clinics, provide in-home vaccinations, provide transportation to vaccination sites, and will conduct outreach and education to older adults and people with disabilities among other activities.

November 29, 2022; 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Eastern

Register online or reach out to jenny@ncil.org for more information.

In honor of Native American Heritage month, this webinar will help participants gain an increased understanding of Native Americans with disabilities living in Indian Country and learn best practices for outreach and service delivery. Panelists from a multi-year ACL-funded Native American Independent Living Demonstration grant will share their experiences providing independent living services in Indian Country. They will discuss the following:

• Key issues tribal communities are facing around disability;  
• Barriers and best practices to collaboration;
• Impacts to community-led efforts; and
• How participants can partner to strengthen work with tribal communities.