Who We Are
The Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council is an organization that plans and speaks up for people with disabilities. The Ohio SILC wants to help people with disabilities take charge of their lives, get support from others, help themselves, make their own choices, have the same opportunities, and speak up for themselves. This will help them become leaders, feel strong, live on their own, be productive, and be fully included in American life.
The Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) started in 1992, by amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. To make sure the Independent Living (IL) Program in Ohio is free to act on its own, the Ohio SILC must stay separate from all state offices.
The Council has 19 members. The Governor appoints them from all over Ohio. The members have various disabilities. This helps the SILC understand and act on what matters to the 1.6 million+ Ohioans with disabilities. Most members must themselves have disabilities.
Our Work
We Advocate
- We advocate (speak up) on issues affecting the disability community in Ohio.
- The Ohio SILC is committed to advancing the rights of Ohioans with disabilities, promoting Independent Living, and creating inclusive communities across Ohio.
We Plan
- We work with the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) in Ohio to develop the State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) and evaluate the SPIL.
- The Ohio SILC is responsible for creating, implementing, and overseeing the State Plan for Independent Living. This plan lasts three years and helps Ohio aim for better access, inclusion, and independence for Ohioans with disabilities. The SILC must also work with other groups that give similar or related services. It helps grow the network of Centers for Independent Living. The SILC also holds regular Council meetings that anyone can attend.
We Collaborate
- We partner with CILs and other organizations that are working to advance the rights of people with disabilities in Ohio.
- We achieve our goals by working with the 12 Centers for Independent Living, working with state agencies in Ohio, and educating the community. Our role is not to provide direct services to individuals, but to help advance and develop Independent Living and the disability community in Ohio.
Jeremy Morris, Executive Director of Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council, explains Statewide Independent Living Councils and Centers for Independent Living. (Approximately 20 minutes.)
Our Purpose
The Ohio SILC is committed to help people with disabilities make their own choices, support from each other, decide their own paths, have the same opportunities as everyone else, and speak up for themselves and others. This will help them become leaders, feel strong, live independently, be productive, and participate fully in American life.