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

CIL-NET Presents: A National Learning Collaborative on Housing at Centers for Independent Living

This Learning Collaborative is part of Our Homes, IL-NET’s series of trainings and resources on accessible, affordable, integrated housing for Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs). The lack of accessible, affordable, integrated housing remains the biggest obstacle as CILs implement the new core services of transition and diversion. Expanding housing is a key component of the provision of CIL core services and successful outcomes for consumers.

Are you ready to amplify your housing efforts, but feel like you need some assistance to get there?

CIL-NET is offering a new National Learning Collaborative on Housing to support CILs that are ready to roll up their sleeves and build solutions to one of the most persistent barriers to independence for people with disabilities.

IL-NET Logo - CIL-NET + SILC-NETGoal of the Collaborative: To expand accessible, affordable, integrated housing options through the creation of innovative, replicable housing action plans at CILs across the country based on community needs and agency capacity.

What is a Learning Collaborative?

The National Learning Collaborative on Housing at Centers for Independent Living is much more than training. From March to October of 2019, our facilitators will work with a dedicated group of CILs to support one another as they plan programs, activities, and other innovations to expand affordable, accessible, integrated housing in their states and communities. Participation in the Learning Collaborative takes a very real commitment of time and resources. Participants in the collaborative will learn alongside and support one another. A successful collaborative requires commitment, teamwork, and follow-through. Therefore, we are asking interested individuals to apply to participate. A maximum of 12 CILs will be selected for participation with a maximum of two individuals per CIL. 

Please Note: Applicants must have the authority and the resources to participate fully and to be ready to go once the collaborative participants are selected. Applicants must be available and prepared to participate in all collaborative activities, including monthly group calls, planning work between calls, and an onsite meeting at Ability360 in Phoenix, Arizona in March of 2019. Group and individual work between calls is estimated at 12-14 hours a month. Facilitation of the collaborative is provided by Ann Denton and Karen Michalski-Karney, along with project support from NCIL and ILRU.

What Are the Application Requirements?

  1. A maximum of two individuals from each Center may apply.
  2. Participation will be limited to the individual(s) who are accepted for enrollment. Substitutes may not join collaborative activities.
  3. At least one of the participants must be individuals with decision-making authority (e.g. Executive Director, Deputy Director, Program Manager).
  4. The person at the CIL who is leading housing work and advocacy must be one of the individuals who applies.
  5. Participation in all group activities is mandatory to include monthly group calls, the kick-off meeting at Ability360 in Phoenix, Arizona in March of 2019, and a virtual final presentation at the end of the learning collaborative.
  6. Each participating CIL will be expected to develop an actionable plan to expand Housing options.
  7. The CIL’s plan must be signed-off on by the Executive Director, or Board President where that’s appropriate, before it is presented at the end of the learning collaborative.
  8. The applicant CIL must have the financial and human resources necessary to make a commitment for full participation throughout the entire collaborative timeframe. (Group and individual work between calls is estimated at 12-14 hours a month.)

Applications are due Friday, January 4, 2019. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.

Meet Your Facilitators

Ann Denton is an expert on affordable housing with more than 40 years of experience assisting organizations, communities, states and federal agencies on the design and implementation of housing programs. An expert in systems and program operations, Ms. Denton helps providers create successful efforts, linking people with disabilities to the resources needed to find, choose, and keep housing. Ms. Denton also works with advocates and other key players on needed policy improvements and resource allocations that streamline access to existing housing in communities and expand affordable housing resources. Ms. Denton is the former director of the Homeless and Housing Resource Network, a training and technical assistance center funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2011 – 2016) and is the co-author of Choose, Get, Keep – Integrated Community Housing, a publication of Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU).

Karen Michalski-Karney has been Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, Roanoke, Virginia since it started in 1989. She serves as vice-president of the Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living, Treasurer of the Statewide Independent Living Council and Co-Chair of the Community Integrated Housing Advisory Commission. She also serves on NCIL’s Board of Directors as the Region 3 Representative and is Treasurer of the Association of Programs in Rural Independent Living (APRIL). Locally, she serves on the Western Virginia Workforce Development Board and Greater Roanoke Transit Company. She is also a peer reviewer for the Standards for Excellence Institute. Karen holds a Master’s in Public Administration from James Madison University. She lives in Glade Hill with her husband and numerous pets.

How Do I Apply?

The IL-NET is a national training and technical assistance project for centers for independent living and statewide independent living councils. 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 Center for Persons with Disabilities.

The IL-NET is supported by grant numbers 90ILTA0001 and 90ISTA0001 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.