Empowering Disabled People to Become Independent

A demographic group often overlooked is people with disabilities. That's where Center for Independence comes into play.

Center for Independence is a federally funded non-profit organization providing assistance for disabled people, most of whom are low income or living in poverty. There are six facilities in Washington state not including a new satellite building in Whatcom County.

They are not a residential facility.

Locally, CFI mainly serves those living in Lakewood and Tacoma. The biggest issue CFI deals with, according to Trina Forest, executive director, is disabled people lacking accessible, affordable housing.

"Our success is measured by how they participate," Forest said.

CFI's mission, according to its web site, is to serve as a resource for individuals with disabilities to fully access and participate in the community through outreach, advocacy and independent living skills development. Often times, CFI works to transition citizens out of nursing homes and into a group home.

There are a number of programs within CFI that help disabled people. The Youth Transition Program helps individuals 14-24 with physical, cognitive, mental, sensory or learning disabilities.

More than 60 percent of its clients — there are approximately 277 — have multiple disabilities. CFI conducts more than a thousand information and referrals and work closely with other agencies like the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Goodwill Industries, ORION and Community & Home Care and the Greater Lakes Mental Healthcare facility in Lakewood.

Leah Thomas, youth transition program manager, works one-on-one with her clients helping guide them to appropriate resources. Her caseload has increased from 10 clients to 40 because more people are becoming aware of their services.

"You have to coach (many of) them to make sure their goals go through," she said.

There is no timeline for a client's involvement at CFI. Some receive only three months of assistance but others can stay for as long as 10 years, Forest said.

CFI works also to socially engage its clients. Their Out and About meetings are held once a month and range from local game, movie or craft events to outings at Mount Rainier or Northwest Trek. The purpose is to combat isolation by providing social opportunities and to increase access for people with disabilities in the community, according to its web site.

Independent living must be a realistic goal in order for a disabled person to qualify for assistance.

"We don't do things for them," Thomas said. "We do things with them."

CFI in Lakewood moved from their smaller building off Gravelly Lake Drive to a more visible location on the corner of Bridgeport Way and Custer Road in March. Their new office is three times as large. They have eight employees with an annual operating budget of about $536,000.

CFI grew from the social activism in other movements such as Civil Rights and women's movement in the 50s and 60s. The ideologies of deinstitutionalization, equal rights for minorities and consumer rights were driving forces in the awakening of the independent living movement, its web site states.

Name: Center For Independence

Business: The Center for Independence is a 501(c) 3 organization serving as a resource for individuals with disabilities to fully access and participate in the community through outreach, advocacy, and independent living skills development. We serve senior citizens with senior-related disabilities as well.

Location: 7801 Bridgeport Way W Suite 200 Lakewood, WA 98499

Phone: 253-582-1253

Web site: www.centerforindepence.org

Email: connect@centerforindependence.org