Congressman learns of challenges faced by agency serving disabled

Greg Maynard
Posted 6/25/15

Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL) has been providing services to enhance independent living and the quality of life of the disabled community since 1988. But now, with the closing of …

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Congressman learns of challenges faced by agency serving disabled

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Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL) has been providing services to enhance independent living and the quality of life of the disabled community since 1988. But now, with the closing of People Actively Reaching Independence (PARI), OSCIL is the only independent living resource center in Rhode Island, and they could use some help.

Congressman James Langevin visited OSCIL Monday to confer with their board of directors and employees about the ways that they could develop and best assist the disabled community in this period of growth and expansion.

Before PARI closed their doors, OSCIL served about 200 clients. Now, a year later, their clientele has nearly doubled.

“It’s been quite a transition for us,” said Executive Director Lorna Ricci of the organization, which currently has a staff of 17. The agency is in the process of hiring an additional three staff members.

Efforts to help the disabled community have not been futile, though.

According to Press Secretary Meg Geoghegan, Congressman Langevin recently worked with Congressmen G.K. Butterfield (NC) and Mike Quigley (IL) to pass an amendment that will increase funding for the Federal Transit Administration’s Technical Assistance and Training program by $2 million.

The amendment will improve accessibility to disabled individuals and seniors who rely on public transport to commute on a daily basis.

In March, Congressman Langevin introduced the Transit Accessibility Innovation Act, which, under the creation of a competitive grant program, would “encourage transit systems to make public transportation more accessible and user-friendly for individuals with disabilities.”

This accounts for efficiency in transportation, but housing is another matter.

Despite the Department of Human Service’s $25 million in funds to integrate nursing home transitions, OSCIL has had trouble finding housing for their clients.

“Moving forward, we’re getting more difficult situations,” Ricci said. “We have more challenges now with the program than we had initially. There’s really a shortage right now on accessible housing.”

Congressman Langevin agreed.

“One of the biggest challenges we have in Rhode Island is finding affordable housing, and that doesn’t account for accessible housing, just housing in general,” he said.

Board members expressed frustrations that it can take a year for an individual under 62 years old to find accessible housing. In most scenarios, a person who is 62 or older will be granted accessible housing before a younger, impaired person.

Further frustrating the effort, some accessible housing lacks access to services such as RIDE or Meals on Wheels. Ricci, describing this as a “disconnect,” explained Medicaid will pay for grip bars to bathrooms; a resource that would greatly increase safety for any disabled individual, but they do not have vendors that will install them.

“We do a lot that Medicaid doesn’t cover,” Ricci said.

According to Ricci, 75 percent of OSCIL’s yearly $1 million budget is federal money coming from the Rehabilitation Act.

Chairman of the Board Henry Tarlian spoke enthusiastically about the possibility of partnerships with other agencies as a way of helping them along.

“I have always looked for partnerships; people who are interested in the same thing we are,” he said. “As we complete each phase, we feel confident that things are running well.”

OSCIL is exploring a partnership with the YMCA, which has a large amount of programs and equipment for people with disabilities.

The board and Congressman Langevin discussed the growing international trend of “visitability,” a concept in which single-family or owner-occupied houses are constructed with accessibility in mind.

“A visitability house would look like a small raised ranch. All living would be on the first level,” Ricci explained.

This could be a realistic possibility for the aging generation of baby-boomers, Ricci suggested. Congressman Langevin agreed with the frugality of the concept over the alternative of modification.

“Retrofitting is always more expensive than planning ahead of time,” he said.

OSCIL supports the Olmstead decision, which decrees every person has the right to live in the least-restrictive environment.

“It’s the ability for disabled folk who’ve been in nursing homes to live in the home that they choose in the community, or with loved ones,” Ricci said.

The organization also assists with nursing home transition; helping disabled folk out of assisted living, and nursing home diversion, which helps disabled folk remain in a home by making the necessary modifications that make it accessible to them.

Although their home modification services are financial need-based, OSCIL encourages visitors to come in for a free assessment.

Despite the uncertainties that come with OSCIL’s future, the work they do shines bright, and the staff remains optimistic about their mission of improving the lives and accessibility of disabled folk in the community.

“Any situation can be corrected to increase independence,” Ricci said.

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