Advocacy
Independent Living Resources believes you have the ability and responsibility to direct your own life. Through skill training and leadership development, Independent Living Resources can assist you with learning how to become a self-advocate.

Independent Living Resources can teach you how to represent yourself and guide you through the confusing tangle of benefits, paperwork and hearings, so you receive the benefits to which you are entitled. We can teach you how to solve your problems.

Independent Living Resources provides three kinds of advocacy:

1. Self Advocacy - involves center staff working with persons with disabilities to obtain necessary support services from other agencies in the community.
   
   
2. Systems Advocacy - involves center staff, board members and volunteers initiating activities to make changes in the community that make it easier for all persons with disabilities to live more independently.
   
   Through advocacy, Independent Living Resources is able to address “systems” issues such as disability policy, civil rights, accessibility, funding for support services, discrimination, transportation, housing and economic justice.
   
   Independent Living Resources' staff works with individual leaders in the disability communities, local citizens' groups and other organizations to effect community and policy change at local, state and federal levels.
   
   
3. Legislative Advocacy - helps you to advocate for your issues in the Wisconsin Legislature (and on occasion the Federal Legislature) and advocate for adequate funding each legislative session to fund programs which allow people to live independently. Independent Living Resources continually monitors the legislative process and strives to positively affect the lives of people with disabilities. As a citizen, you have that same responsibility.
   
   One of the most important skills you may ever need to know is how to meet and work with state legislators. Independent Living Resources can provide you with support, as well as train you in writing letters to Congress and testifying at public hearings. Independent Living Resources' staff can also guide you through the process of working with legislators and teach you how to enact legislation and file a complaint when you feel your rights have been violated.

There has been landmark legislation over the years protecting the rights of people with disabilities, with the most important legislation being the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Other legislation includes the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Developmental Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act.

• Do you know how your rights are protected under the above laws?
• Do you know how to access programs created under these laws?
• Do you know your rights as a parent, in developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child?
• Are you having a problem understanding the Social Security Laws?
• Are you aware of the many agencies and resources available in your community?
• Do you know how to recognize and handle discrimination?

Independent Living Resources' staff can help you answer some of these difficult questions. In addition, advocacy services can help you identify programs for which you or your family members are eligible.