Prior to the 1992 Amendments to the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, Independent Living (IL) in Kentucky, as across most of the nation, was provided through the IL Rehabilitation program within the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and, in part, through the Department for the Blind. As the trend across the country failed to reach thousands of individuals with disabilities in the states due to the minimal federal IL funding diminishing before services could be delivered far outside the metropolitan point of entry, The 1992 Amendments addressed this issue and mandated the formation of Governor appointed Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILC) to become governing boards with at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the membership being individuals with disabilities with a statewide geographical representation. The SILCs were charged with the mission to develop a network of Centers for Independent Living (CIL)s in each state and around the nation. The KY SILC got under way in July 1993 and by 1995 had established CILs in Harlan, Bowling Green, Lexington, Covington and in Murray-a satellite center of the one pre-existing CIL in KY, Center for Accessible Living in Louisville.Independence Place, Inc. is the CIL located in Lexington and was established in 1995.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at: info@independenceplaceky.org