Independent Living Network

Who is the Iowa Independent Living Network?

The Iowa Statewide Independent Living Council (Iowa SILC)
The six Iowa Centers for Independent Living (CILs)

We collaborate with the CILs to develop a State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL). The SPIL document tells how the Independent Living (IL) Network will improve services for individuals with disabilities over the next three years. The CILs then provide those services to people with disabilities (often called consumers).

Centers for Independent Living (CILs)

CILs are independent, consumer-driven, cross-disability, community-based nonprofit organizations committed to Independent Living values. CILs are run for people with disabilities, by people with disabilities!
CILS manage their resources in compliance with the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. All Centers must provide the five Core Services as follows:

Information and Referral
Independent Living Skills Training
Peer Support Counseling
Individual and Systems Advocacy
Transition Services
1. Transitioning youth from high school into post-secondary education, training, and employment.
2. Transitioning individuals with disabilities out of residential facilities and back into community living.

Directory of CILs

Who are Our Partners?

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)pens in new tab)

pens in new tab)opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)(opens in new tabpens in new tab)opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)

Heartland Disability Rights Working Groups

(opens in new ta

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) logo

pens in new tab)

Centers for Independent Living

The Centers for Independent Living (CILs) provide 5 core independent living services to Iowans with disabilities: Information and referral, Independent LivingSkills training, Peer Counseling, Individual and systems advocacy (such as benefits planning), and services that transition youths from education into adult life and adults from facilities to communities of their choice. The services provided assist Iowans with disabilities to live independently in the communities of their choice.

Currently, the Centers for Independent Living have funds to serve 35 counties in Iowa. To serve all 99 counties in Iowa, additional funding is required.

The Iowa Department for the Blind and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services can provide limited Independent Living Services anywhere in the state of Iowa. IL Services in accordance with Title 45, Subtitle B, Chapter 13, Subchapter C, Part 1329.