Independent Living Fact Sheet

The WV Centers for Independent Living are urging the WV Legislature to continue to support basic independent living services (IL) that are critical to the lives of the over 400,000 individuals with disabilities in West Virginia. We are requesting the WV Legislature restore the WV Division of Rehabilitation Services' Independent Living Services line item to the amount of $500,000.

Print PDF version of Independent Living Funding Fact Sheet

Uses of the State Funding during FY 10 for Community Living Services Program

Funding is used to provide the Community Living Services Program (CLSP) statewide. The purpose of CLSP is to ensure that West Virginians with disabilities have access to the resources and supports they need to live self-determined, independent lives in their own homes and communities. Services provided through the CLSP include:

Home Modifications
Assistive Devices and Equipment
Communication Services
Vehicle Modifications
Durable Medical Equipment
And other IL services that enable individuals to live independently

FY 10 Statistics of West Virginians with disabilities and their independent living service needs

142 individuals served
403 individuals with disabilities across West Virginia are currently on a waiting list with a wait time of at least 2 years
Eighteen people with disabilities died in FY 2010 waiting for independent living services
Average cost to serve per person in FY 2009: $3,800
Average cost to serve per person in FY 2010: $5,000
The average cost fluctuates each year based on the individual services needed. In FY 2010, services by number of requests were: #1 – wheelchair ramps; #2 – assistive listening devices, and #3 – home modifications. All three are high cost services and as a result, the average cost to serve significantly increased and the number served decreased from the previous year.
$76,900 in leveraged resources (Medicaid, Medicare, Lions Clubs, churches, USDA Rural Housing Development Program, Veteran's Administration, grants, family donations, etc.) in FY 2010 were used to provide independent living services

Independent Living (IL) services enable West Virginians with disabilities to return to or remain in their own homes and communities and are critical to West Virginia's compliance with the most integrated setting provision set forth in Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Olmstead Decision. IL services are also a critical component for the implementation of the West Virginia Olmstead Plan.

Contact

For more information contact Brenda Goodfellow, WVCIL Coordinator at 304-652-2116 or bgoodfellow@mtstcil.org or Ann McDaniel, Executive Director at 304-766-4624 or ann.meadows@wvsilc.org.

Services | Resource Database | Skills Training
Events Calendar | Contact Us | Home