The Community Integration Unit (CI Unit) has a home modification team that assists consumers to modify their homes with ramps, grab-bars, widening of doorways and other accessibility needs. Our two coordinators serve the valley: Paul Pearson serves East Valley, Jim Stewart serves West Valley and they share Central Phoenix.
–The home modification program completed 159 home modifications in 2012.
–Through July of this year, 84 home modifications have been completed.
The Community Integration Unit has a Social/Recreation Coordinator, Leanne Murillo, who facilitates cooking and arts & craft classes, and coordinates a variety of activities such as: movies, trips to museums and casinos, bowling, sporting, seasonal, and holiday events.
-All activities are offered at reduced prices, or at no cost to our consumers.
-Leanne also runs a 10 week course “Living Well with a Disability,”which promotes healthy living through goal setting and peer support.
In addition, Leanne coordinates our Empowering Youth Program, working 63 events this year. She has served 558 duplicated consumers, including 161 new consumers.
Pam Larson, our Information and Referral Coordinator, empowers our consumers with information and resources to continue enjoying independent lives. In 2012, we had 2764 contacts for information and referral. Through July of this year, Pam has served 1863 contacts.
-Pam also manages the Loan Closet, collecting donations, and helping members of our community to receive durable medical equipment, which is loaned out for up to 90 days.
-Pam Larson gave a tour of the DEC and the Virginia G. Piper Sports & Fitness Center introducing ABIL services to a total of 27 Boy Scouts, their parents, and counselors, to assist the Scouts in achieving partial fulfillment of their Disabilities Awareness Badge requirements.
We have three Independent Living Skills Advocates, Lyne Petersen, Leonard Smith, and Rosalie Perry, who serve both Maricopa and Pinal counties. The Independent Living Skills Advocates assist consumers to set and achieve independent living goals.
-Independent Living Skills Advocates facilitate goal setting, budgeting, self-advocacy, household management, communication skills and stress management.
-Training can be performed one on one, or in a group setting, with beneficial peer support.
The Independent Living team (Lyne Petersen, Stacy Sutton, Leonard Smith, and Rosalie Perry) have established an Independent Living Council comprised of consumers who have met, and continue to work on their goal to live independently.
-The IL Council attends classes facilitated by ABIL to rate and determine which classes are meeting the needs of our consumers.
-They also mentor and help others to lead more independent lives.
The Independent Living team has also created a Leadership Academy that will assist IL Council members to develop useful skills as they aspire to become future leaders in the community.
-Leadership Academy classes have included topics such as: Agency Orientation and Effective Communication, People First Language, Facilitation.
In 2012, our Early Intervention Coordinator, Don Price empowered 559 unduplicated consumers with resources and services to help adjust to living with a disability.
-Through August of this year, Don has served 299 unduplicated consumers.
-Don also facilitates a Men’s Disability Support Group every month at the DEC.
The Reintegration Program Coordinator, Fernando Cruz MSW, assisted 19 consumers in transitioning into their own home from nursing or assisted living facilities in 2012. Through August of this year, Fernando has assisted 10 individuals in finding independence in their own home.
The Community Living Options program, with Stacy Sutton at the helm, assists individuals who have developmental disabilities in learning a variety of skills, including: learning to navigate the transportation system, continuing in school, employment, and other opportunities.
-Our CLO Coordinator assisted 157 consumers in 2011-2012; she has served 58 this year to date.
-Stacy Sutton also facilitates an 8 week long computer class to help consumers improve and work on skills needed for school, work and daily living.
The Community Integration Unit travels to meet the needs of our consumers when they are unable to make it into one of our locations. In an average month, our staff may travel between 2500 and 3000 miles combined, to serve approximately 120 consumers, who wish to live more independent lives.