News from Idaho SILC

Promoting Independent Living for all Idahoans

State Plan for Independent Living

The Idaho SILC has started hosting listening sessions to find our what kind of barriers people with disabilities are facing to live independently.

The biggest barrier by far is the availability of affordable, accessible housing. As rental rates continue to rise, finding housing is harder and harder, forcing some to stay or go back into institutional living.

Beyond just making more Section 8 recipients, it’s about building more housing. Accessible housing needs to be built near public transportation, and services like grocery stores and access to employment. Building codes in these areas mostly restrict the higher density housing that is needed.

Does this sound familiar to you? Would you like to have someone hear about the barriers you are facing? It could be about job training and employment, about access to health care including mental health care, accessible public transportation, and community access and recreation.

“YOU CAN IDENTIFY AS HAVING A DISABILITY AND IT WON’T MEAN TAKING AWAY SERVICES OR RESOURCES FROM OTHERS WITH DISABILITIES. INSTEAD, IT HELPS WHEN MORE PEOPLE IDENTIFY AND WE BECOME STRONGER AS A GROUP.”

For dates, times and location of meetings, check the website here. www.silc.idaho.gov