Approved by the NCIL Membership June, 2004

WHEREAS, People with disabilities seek and are entitled by law to full participation in all of American life, and,

WHEREAS, Full participation in communities throughout the United States by people with disabilities has not yet been achieved, and

WHEREAS, Access to transportation is essential to enable people with disabilities to live full lives as independently as possible in their communities, and  [Read more…]

Approved by the NCIL Membership June, 2004

WHEREAS, the majority of unemployed persons with disabilities want to work.

• Explanation: Twenty percent of the U.S. population – approximately 54 million Americans – has disabilities. The unemployment rate amongst the disabled population is 70%, compared with 5% in the total general population. Two-thirds of those unemployed persons with disabilities and of working age express an interest in working; and  [Read more…]

Approved by the NCIL Membership June, 2003

WHEREAS, NCIL is the leading national representative voice for the independent living movement for CILs throughout the United States, and

WHEREAS, despite several years of substantial progress towards our goal of independent living, the institutional bias of America’s long term services and supports continue to unnecessarily warehouse people with disabilities in nursing homes and other segregated institutional settings; and  [Read more…]

Approved by the NCIL Membership June 2002

WHEREAS Independent Living Centers are funded to provide services and advocacy by and for people with disabilities, who are guaranteed access to facilities, programs, and activities in other public programs such as rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, schools, libraries, social services agencies, publicly-funded housing, and many workplaces, and

WHEREAS at this time, people with chemical, electrical, and other environmental sensitivities (a.k.a. Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Electrical Sensitivities, Environmental Illness), which can be disabling, are often denied access to public and commercial facilities and programs because of 1) Environmental barriers; 2) Societal attitudes and lack of awareness; and 3.) Disregard for their rights, and  [Read more…]

Approved by the NCIL Membership May 2001

WHEREAS, accurate date regarding the individuals served and programmatic activities of over 400 centers for independent living (CILs) across the United States is critical to justifying and supporting further expansion of independent living programs and services; and

WHEREAS, to compare the demographics of individuals served by CILs to the demographics of their surrounding communities requires date to be comparable to the collected by the U.S. Bureau of Census; and  [Read more…]

Approved by the NCIL Membership May 2001

WHEREAS, NCIL finds that people with disabilities are subject to discriminatory practices in housing such as:

• Segregated housing;
• Mandatory services attached to the housing including case management or therapy session;
• “Special or different terms and conditions” imposed on the person seeking housing such as mandatory means programs;
• Prohibited inquires by housing providers into a person’s nature or severity of disability;
• Denial of a reasonable accommodation/modification request, requirement on housing applications to prove an ability to live independently, and interference with or threatening, coercing, intimidating a person exercising their rights to acts of retaliation;  [Read more…]

Approved by the NCIL Membership July 2000

WHEREAS the Multicultural Committee is recognized and supported by NCIL National Council on Independent Living.

WHEREAS NCIL is responsible for monitoring the development of the Multicultural Committee.

WHEREAS the Multicultural Committee supports the efforts of NCIL in promoting the rights of people with disabilities.  [Read more…]

Approved by the NCIL Membership July 2000

WHEREAS the need to insure the rural transportation is available, accessible and affordable for all people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS the need to insure that systems of transportation are integrated into general public transportation services where possible by advocating for lifts and other accommodations be made on all intercity and regional transports; and  [Read more…]

Adopted 1997

WHEREAS the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether physician-assisted suicide is a constitutional right or is an issue to be decided by the state legislatures; and

WHEREAS a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide is currently pending or will soon be proposed before the state legislature; and

WHEREAS no bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide applies to all citizens equally, but singles out individuals based on their health status in violation of the American with Disabilities Act; and

WHEREAS the legalization of physician-assisted suicide gives physicians the power to decide who will receive suicide prevention and who will receive suicide assistance and is, therefore, not based on individual choice; and

WHEREAS current trends in managed care and health care rationing threaten to diminish the availability of heath care and related services needed by people with disabilities; and [Read more…]