Life Skills Development

The Center provides direct training in the areas of personal care, self advocacy, financial self management, social activity planning, household management; as well as other areas necessary for community living and participation in community activities.

The Center provides training in everyday life skills. Examples of training topics include:

• Self-Advocacy
• Budgeting
• Personal Assistance Services
• Arranging transportation
• Prevocational & Vocational skills
• Maximizing your Health and Well Being Your Civil Rights under the ADA
• The Information Age Spells Employment

These and other trainings are provided through workshops or one-on-one meetings.

Education Advocacy Center

Parent Advocate

We provide information, education, and support for families of children with developmental disabilities from birth to age twenty-one. We are available to answer questions and help empower parents to advocate for their child. We are available to attend school meetings with family for support and guidance.

Resource Specialist

Resources about a variety of disabilities are available in the Center's Library. Monthly meetings are offered by trained specialists on a variety of topics, i.e Autism, Anxiety, Understanding your IEP, etc. and are translated in Spanish, Creole and ASL.

Community Outreach

The Advocacy Center goal is to educate individuals and the community on increasing awareness and understanding of disabilities. We want to remove the barriers associated with disabilities.

Help Line

We have established a help line that is available for questions or concerns. The phone number is 845-624-1366 ext. 113.

RILC offers two levels of advocacy:

• Consumer / individual advocacy
• Community / systems advocacy

William H. Mullin Computer Center

This program was established to promote independence for all individuals with a disability through digital inclusion and computer literacy. The advantages and therapeutic benefits of computers and the internet are demonstrated via the use of modified computers made accessible for individuals with varying disabilities allowing an opportunity for all people with disabilities to learn computers.

Benefits Advisement

The Center provides help to consumers in understanding and accessing resources such as:

• Social Security Disability and Supplemental
• Security Income
• Social Security Work Incentive Program
• Medicare & Medicaid
• Public Assistance & Food Stamps & other services
• Emergency Food Sources and Cash
• Housing Assistance
• Home Energy Assistance Program
• Section 8
• Referrals

These services are designed to help consumers understand what resources may be available to them, and to assist them in making informed choices. RILC staff can also provide the following assistance with benefits:

• Preliminary screening for eligibility
• Completing application
• Development of PASS Plan
• Preparing for hearings and appeals

PACER Personal Assistance Consumer Employers of Rockland

Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Service (CDPAS) is Chapter 81 of the New York State Public Health Laws, which was enacted to respond to the needs of elderly and people with disabilities at home to perform, and enhance the quality of life of their choice, by mandating consumer-directed personal assistance program options. The Personal Assistance Consumers Employers of Rockland (PACER) program at the RILC serve the consumers (elderly or/and people with disabilities) who take the responsibility of hiring, training and terminating their own aides (Personal Assistant).

Job Placement

Consumers/Clients are served by RILC with services necessary to obtain or retain acceptable employment. It is the expectation that the employment be secured in an integrated setting and consistent with the individual's IPE vocational goal. These services may be delivered individually or sequentially/bundled based upon the needs of the consumer/client, as identified by the referring vocational rehabilitation counselor. These services are not designed for individuals who meet the criteria for involvement in supported employment services. These services include:

• Coaching supports
• Direct Intake
• Job seeking and development
• Job placement
• Job retention

T.R.I.P.S

T.R.I.P.S. is a curbside-to-curbside para-transit bus service for Rockland County residents who are physically or mentally disabled or senior citizens over the age of 60 who find it difficult or impossible to use fixed- route bus service. T.R.I.P.S. is a shared-ride transportation system. Passengers may or may not go directly to their destination and there may be several pick-ups and drop-offs along the way. T.R.I.P.S. operates only within Rockland County. T.R.I.P.S. stands for Transportation Resources, Intra-county, for Physically disabled and Senior citizens.

Certification is required and can be obtained from the following agencies: Jawonio, the Rockland County Association for the Visually Impaired, Alzheimer's Association, ARC, Camp Venture, Department of Mental Health and the Mental Health Association. Disabled residents who do not receive services from any of the above agencies may obtain certification through the Rockland Independent Living Center. The final determination regarding eligibility rests with the certifying agency.