Independent Living Program
42-12.2
Personal Care Assistant
Program 40-8.1
Personal Assistive Animals
42-87-3
Deinstitutionalization
Program 40.1-1-10.1
Aftercare Programs--Group
Homes for Mental Illness 40.1-24-19
Adaptive Telephone
Equipment Loan Program 39-2-5 and 40-1-9
Dual Party Relay Service
39-1-42
Assistive Technology
Services 40-14.1-2
Commission on the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing 23-1.8
Interpreter Referral
Services 23-1.8-2 (6)
The Department of Human Services is authorized to establish centers for independent
living. The centers will provide client
centered services that assist severely disabled persons in their efforts to achieve
independent living as an alternative to institutionalization and/or unnecessary dependency
on others.
Those services include:
1.intake counseling,
2.referral and counseling regarding
attendant care,
·
counseling and advocacy services regarding legal
and economic rights and benefits
·
peer counseling,
·
independent living skills, counseling and
training,
·
housing and transportation referral and
assistance,
·
surveys and directories of housing, transportation
and support services,
·
community group living arrangements,
·
education and training for living in the
community,
·
individual and group social and recreational
activities, and
·
other programs to promote independence,
productivity, and quality of life.
To
be eligible for those services the individual must be an individual with a
“significant disability" defined as an individual with a severe physical or
mental impairment whose
1.
ability to function independently or whose ability
to obtain, maintain, or advance in employment is substantially limited and for whom the
delivery of independent living services will improve their ability to function.
For information or to apply for services contact
the:
Rehabilitation
Services; Office of Independent Living
The Department of Human Services offers a personal care attendant program for
eligible individuals with severe physical disabilities who are capable of managing their
own personal care assistant (PCA).
For further information or to file an application
contact the:
PARI-Independent
Living Center
To file a complaint contact the:
Rhode
Island Client Assistance Program, RI Disability Law Center
It
is illegal to refuse to allow personal assistive animals into commercial or rental
property. Seeing-eye dogs and hearing-ear
dogs are examples of personal assistive animals. Additional
fees cannot be charged for the presence of a personal assistive animal. If the animal causes damage to the property, the
pet owner is responsible for the cost of repair to the property.
To file a complaint contact the:
All state-funded group homes for persons with mental illness or substance abuse
problems must have aftercare programs for clients who have left the group home. At least two (2) attempts must be made to contact
the individual within six (6) months of discharge. These
follow-up contacts are to see if the individuals adjusting well to the new situation. The
result of the contacts shall be put in the clients file.
The program shall be the responsibility of the department of mental health,
retardation, and hospitals.
For further information contact Division of Community Mental Health
The Adaptive
Telephone Equipment Loan Program provides modifications to telephones for households with
single party telephone lines. Individuals
certified as deaf, having a severe hearing and/or severe speech impairments, or a
neuro-muscular impairment and needing a modification to the telephone to be able to
effectively communicate are provided these special telephones or adaptations to their
current telephones at no additional charge. The certification must be made by one of the
following:
a. physician
b. audiologist
c. speech pathologist, or
d. a qualified state agency
To get more information contact the:
The Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan (ATEL)
Program
The Public Utilities Commission was directed to establish a Relay System allowing
the owners of Adaptive Telephone Equipment to use their machines to communicate with
individuals using standard telephones through the relay system. Relay Rhode Island is
required to be in operation seven (7) days a week twenty-four (24) hours a day including
holidays.
For more information contact the:
AT&T
Relay Customer Service Center; Business 1-800-682-8786
To use the Relay Service contact
AT&T
Relay Customer Service Center of Rhode Island; operators, 711 or 1-800-745-6575
To file a complaint contact the:
Any person who is not eligible for any other assistive technology program may be
eligible for this financial loan program. The Assistive Technology Services program
assists individuals with disabilities with the purchase of Assistive Technology devices in
that directly aid the individual.
The eligibility process involves an application that is sent to the Office of
Rehabilitative Services. Individuals are eligible to receive equipment who have physical
and/or mental impairments that substantially limit their major life activities, and have
insufficient funds, income or resources.
For more information contact the:
Office of Rehabilitative Services Equipment Loan
The Commission advocates for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The
Commission promotes cooperation and understanding and accessibility for the deaf and hard
of hearing individuals. They conduct an ongoing needs assessment for the state and promote
increased awareness and provide information and referral. Also the Commission advocates
for legislation that would assist individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
For more information about their services contact
the:
Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing administers a sign language
interpreter referral service. The
following are tips to successfully secure an interpreter:
1. Request an interpreter
at least a week or more ahead of time;
2. Request an interpreter
as soon as you schedule a meeting, event or appointment (even months ahead is encouraged);
and
3. During the school
year, if possible, schedule meetings requiring an interpreter after 2:30 p.m.
To request an interpreter contact the:
For more information about the service contact the:
Ocean State Center for
Independent Living
INDEX:
Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Deinstitutionalization Program
Aftercare Programs - Group Homes for Mental Illness
Personal Care Attendant Program
Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program
Group Homes for Mental Illness
Client Assistance Program (CAP)
Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Deinstitutionalization Program
Group Homes for Mental Illness
Office of Rehabilitation Services
PARI Independent Living Center...
Personal Care Attendant Program..
Rhode Island Client Assistance Program (RICAP)