October 27, 2008                     
                                
Press Release:  Colorado Statewide Independent Living Council meeting in Fort Collins, November 19.  Counties’ Emergency Prep Policies on Persons with disabilities to be discussed.

State Contact: 
Patricia Yeager, SILC Coordinator			(970) 396-5808

Local Contact
Nancy Jackson, Director					(970) 482-2700
Disabled Resource Services

On Wednesday, November 19th, the Colorado Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) will be meeting at the Fort Collins Marriott, 150 Horsetooth Road.  How to include those with functional limitations in County Emergency Prep Plans will be the focus. The meeting starts at 9 AM and wraps up at 3 PM with a tour of Fort Collins’ Disabled Resource Services.  There will be a 15 to 30 minute public comment period at 1 PM if there are persons interested in addressing the SILC about issues affecting persons with disabilities living in Fort Collins and the surrounding area.  Sign Language interpreters will be available and the meeting is fully accessible.  

The SILC is a 17 member Council appointed by the Governor to orchestrate the vision of Independent Living services for all Coloradoans with disabilities.  It oversees the development of the Independent Living network of services and is constantly assessing the needs of persons with disabilities who wish to live in the community.  There are 10 Independent Living Centers who are funded with state dollars (6 of whom also receive federal dollars) to provide information and referral, peer support, advocacy and independent living services that enable persons with disabilities to live, work and participate in their local community.  Centers may provide a range of other services based on the needs of their individual communities. More information can be found at www.coloradosilc.org.

Members of the SILC represent a large cross section of disabilities and state geographic diversity. The SILC is meeting in four communities around the state this year to conduct its business.  We invite persons with all types of disabilities to speak to us briefly about the barriers they encounter as well as the successes they have in living and working in the community. All SILC meetings are open to the public.

For more information you can email Patricia Yeager, SILC Coordinator at patricia.yeager@gmail.com or, locally, call Nancy Jackson, Director of the Disability Resource Center, Fort Collins’ Center for Independent Living at 970-482-2700.

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