CILs: Rekindling the Romance

A Kansas love story between the SILC and the CILs that lead to greater independence for people with disabilities.

The SPIL is our dating app – a simple powerful tool at our fingertips.

SPILIt starts here.• Awareness, Inclusion, Capacity and Everything in between!• 3400 Kansans with disabilities lives changed

CILs have been heavily invested in the development of the SPIL for years. We all understand that there can be differences, but we still accomplish the same goals.

The SILC and the CILs have always had a “peer” relationship, more like a romance then a parental relationship.

• Respect• Excitement to work together• Personal relationships with staff, it is not one sided• Opposites can attract – understand that differences add value and still

accomplish the IL goals

SILCK Profile • Location: Topeka, KS• Interests: development of SPIL, integrated , accessible, & inclusive

communities across Kansas for people with disabilities.• Common Connections: CIL Rep., consumer driven boards, agency

relationships.• Likes: accessible housing, transportation and employment, innovation

and advocacy• Dislikes: discrimination, segregation, archaic systems, unaccessible

anything

Like Tinder, who built products to bring people together, the SPIL has brought CIL staff together through the statewide workgroups for peer sharing and has changed the way the IL Network interacts and mingles.

CIL Profile • Location: Statewide• Interests: Promoting the rights & choices of people with disabilities

to be self reliant.• Common Connections: CIL Rep., consumer driven boards, agency

relationships• Likes: IL Philosophy, peer support, IL skills, deinstitutionalization,

advocacy, sharing resources• Dislikes: Discrimination, exclusion, inaccessibility, disrespect

Left Swipe……Right Swipe

It’s a MATCH!!!• You and the CILs liked each other!!!!!

SILCK CILs

SPIL Development and CollaborationWorkgroup that was representative of;• CILs• SILCK• DSE• Everyone had equal say• Even before WIOA, Kansas saw the importance of this

Revamping our SPIL profile

• Developed SPIL goal workgroups• Gave the power of change to the CILs, their staff and community

providers• SPIL Forums

Employment Workgroup Highlights• Developed an instructional packet to give to employers and job

seekers• Determined coordinated list of points of delivery within communities• Developed employment trainings

Transportation Workgroup Highlights• Developed survey tool to identify existing accessible transportation

options• Survey and instructions given to all CILs to disperse in their

communities• Coordinated statewide action plan was developed

Housing Workgroup Highlights• Identified accessible & affordable housing in their communities• Annually provide input to major housing councils in Kansas• Developed a training to provide resources and TA

Outreach Workgroup Highlights• Developed universal materials & common language for the IL network• Developed pathways for dissemination of outreach materials• CILs and SILCK tracked info in a common way to report on the 704

Keeping the Romance Alive

• We made a point to have fun• Encouraged and supported each other• Celebrated success along the way• Everybody had a role, and owned the progress of the goals• CILs made it a priority to have a representative on the workgroups• Encouraged creativity, fluidity & change when it was necessary

Questions????

Contact info:

• Kathy Cooper• Executive Director of the KS SILC• Kathy.cooper@silck.org• 785-234-6990

• Deone Wilson• Executive Director of Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc.• deone@rcilinc.org• 785-528-3105