Disability Connections

Misson and activities:

“DACIL advances the independence, self-determination, and participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of community life”

Our non governmental, non-profit, organization works at the local level.

We consider ourselves as part of the international Independent Living and Disability Rights Movement.

Our organization is mainly run, controlled and represented by disabled people.

We have expertise, or are interested in cooperating with other organizations, in the areas of:

Our center for independent living is a cross-disability, non-residential, community-based nonprofit organization that is governed and staffed predominantly by people with disabilities. We operate according to—the Independent Living philosophy - the foundation of CIL’s mission is to achieve full integration of people with disabilities into their communities. We provide four core services, adding supports tailored to our needs in our own local community.

Peer Support
Centers for independent living offer a unique resource of people with disabilities who themselves have successfully established independent lives. Peer mentors and peer support groups help people explore options, develop goals, and overcome barriers. They also help solve problems for people making adjustments to a newly acquired disability, those experiencing changes in living arrangements, or those learning to use community services more effectively. In addition, peer support can become the foundation for collective action to address community barriers to independence.

Information and Referral
Perhaps the single most empowering service we provide is information. Consumers in areas presently unserved by CIL’s have identified the lack of centralized information as the most pressing need. Our center offers resources of information on disability rights and benefits, and on community resources such as accessible housing, transportation, employment opportunities, personal care attendants, interpreters, readers and many others.

Individual and Systems Advocacy
DACIL provides two kinds of advocacy. Consumer advocacy works with the individual to access the communities many resources. Community advocacy seeks to remove barriers and initiate changes in systems to make it easier for all citizens, including those with disabilities to live more independently. DACIL along with Michigan Association Center for Independent Living have forged a statewide alliance to pursue systems change at the state and federal level.

Independent Living Skills Training
Our center for independent living coordinates the provision of skills training, enabling people with disabilities to live more independently. Assistance is provided in such areas as using public transportation systems, managing a personal budget, dealing with insensitive and discriminatory behavior, and securing the assitive technology needs to maintain employment.

We may be able to refer disabled persons to wheelchair accessible housing or transportation or other services in our city.

We have traineeships or volunteer positions that people with disabilities are welcome to apply for.

Our traineeships or volunteer positions are open to applicants from abroad.

People planning to come to our city are welcome to contact us to find out about accessibility and services in Muskegon. We may be able to help with information.

Contact us:

This entry added: Tuesday 12th April 2005. (record #686) Changed: Wednesday 26th May 2021. Link checked Sunday 25th February 2024.