State Plan

 

The State Plan or “SPIL”

 

Helping hands

 

Every three years, the Colorado State Independent Living Council (CSILC), together with the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, submits a new state plan for independent living (the “SPIL”) to the U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration. All 50 state councils must follow the same process, although they each have wide latitude in how the federal “Part B” funds can be allocated.

The work of preparing for the next three-year plan and implementing the current one, is ongoing, and is accomplished through community partnerships and collaborations, chief among them are:

  • Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, which is the state unit that oversees funding and services for people with disabilities
  • Network of Colorado Centers for Independent Living, comprised of our state’s nine independent living centers
  • U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration, which approves and monitors the SPIL
  • Colorado General Assembly and the state agencies that create legislation, policies and programs that impact people with disabilities.

The plan must include:

  • The state’s goals, objectives, and strategies
  • A detailed description of how the state’s “Part B” funds will be spent
  • An account of the outreach efforts to identify unserved and underserved populations
  • A detailed report of the services currently provided in the state
  • A description of the state’s network of CILs, including how the network will develop in the future
  • A narrative on the working relationships of providers in the state’s IL network
  • SILC’s budget
  • The process for evaluating onhealthy.net progress on the SPIL

*Federal funding for the majority of statewide services for people with disabilities is provided through Title VII Part B, Independent Living Services. What the law says:

The State may use funds received under this part to provide the resources described in Section 705(e), relating to the Statewide Independent Living Council, and may use funds received under this part:

  1. to provide independent living services to individuals with significant disabilities;
  2. to demonstrate ways to expand and improve independent living services;
  3. to support the operation of centers for independent living that are in compliance with the standards and assurances set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of Section 725;
  4. to support activities to increase the capacities of public or nonprofit agencies and organizations and other entities to develop comprehensive approaches or systems for providing independent living services;
  5. to conduct studies and analyses, gather information, develop model policies and procedures, and present information, approaches, strategies, findings, conclusions, and recommendations to Federal, State, and local policymakers in order to enhance independent living services for individuals with disabilities;
  6. to train individuals with disabilities and individuals providing services to individuals with disabilities and other persons regarding the independent living philosophy; and
  7. to provide outreach to populations that are unserved or underserved by programs under this title, including minority groups and urban and rural populations.

Information taken from Operationalizing Effective SILCs, a Publication of SILC-NET

National Training and Technical Assistance Project at the Independent Living Research Utilization

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