Your Key to Accessibility
Serving people with disabilities of all ages and their significant others.
Did You Know?
that 40 % of people living in nursing homes don't need to be there
..... there may be tools and techniques that would allow you to live a more independent life?
Black Hawk Center for Independent Living is the place to go for information and referrals
Independent Living Skills Training
Individual Advocacy and Systems Advocacy
Cross Disability Peer Counseling and Support
Information and Referrals
Upon request, we also provide ADA technical assistance
Consumer Managed,
Consumer Driven
312 Jefferson Street
Waterloo, IA 50701-1322
Telephone: (319) 291-7755
(888) 291-7754
TTY: We use RELAY IOWA (1-800-735-2943)
Fax: (319) 291-7781
E-mail: bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org
Business Hours : Monday thru Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM; Closed Fridays
The Black Hawk CIL located in Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa serves people in the communities of Black Hawk County and Northeast Iowa.
The Independent Living Philosophy
A History of Independent Living
Our Vision
The Black Hawk Center for Independent Living envisions a community where people with disabilities can choose to live, work and play side by side with any other member of the community.
Where advocacy for and by people with disabilities is no longer needed, inclusion is the standard, and not the exception.
Where the person with the disability may live his/her own dream.
Our vision is inclusion for all !
Our Mission
We wish to encourage people with disabilities' choices in independent living.
Our Purpose
The Black Hawk Center for Independent Living will encourage and support the independent living philosophy of people with disabilities to all people in the communities of Black Hawk County and Northeast Iowa. The purpose of the Black Hawk Center for Independent Living is create and maintain independence options by working with people with disabilities.
The Black Hawk Center for Independent Living will:
 |
Advocate for the civil rights of people with disabilities |
|
Provide independent living services for people with disabilities |
|
Be a comprehensive resource for people with disabilities |
|
Unite people with disabilities through peer relationships in education, planning, and advocacy. |
Our Programs
This is a transportation program for the elderly and people with disabilities. Principally this program enhances employment options for people as it provides transportation to riders who work. Prime Time Pass picks up and drops off at places in the community not served by the MET Transit System or not on a bus route. This program gives riders around the clock transportation service, specifically, after the MET Transit System stops operation for the evening. It enables users to have schedules and plan their lives as others without disabilities do without transportation being a hindrance to independent living.
Secondly, Prime Time can provide transportation to riders with social (non-work related) obligations. It enhances the social lives of riders by enabling them to go out at night like seeing friends, going to church, going shopping, or going to school.
Finally, the program serves dialysis patients with a low-cost option to get to and from their dialysis treatments.
This program is a cooperative effort between the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Waterloo (MET) and the BHCIL.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
or email @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
The Ramp Construction Project
The project builds ramps for people with accessibility needs at little or no cost in the Cedar Valley area.
This program is a cooperative effort between the City of Waterloo and the BHCIL.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
or email @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
The Black Hawk Center offers individualized adult basic education tutoring at the foundational level in various subject areas such as: reading, writing and spelling, math, counting and using money, and basic computer skills.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
or email @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Black Hawk Center Cooking Class
Cooking Class is a program for people with disabilities who want to learn how cook.
The program shows people how to use the appliances in the kitchen and adaptive cooking utensils. They learn how to the stove, oven, and microwave.
Call the BHCIL @ 319 291 7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
or email @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
A employment preparation and readiness program for people with disabilities seeking employment or wanting to participate in the community.
You Can Work covers the "Dream Career", how the Independent Living philosophy will assist in a job search , understanding the benefits of self-assessment and the importance of self-esteem, developing and enriching job seeking skills, and an employment internship.
This program is funded by the Dept. for the Blind and DVRS (Dept. of Vocational Rehabilitation Services).
Call the BHCIL @ 319 291 7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
or email @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Living Well with a Disability is an 8-week program for people with disabilities who want to know how to live healthy lives with their disability.
The program helps people by sharing information and resources, providing peer support and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Participants get help in reaching personal goals.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
or email @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Youth Self Determination is a class that teaches adolescents with disabilities to make decisions for themselves, make their wants and needs known to others, learn about their rights and responsibilities as members of a community, how to communicate appropriately and effectively, how to be assertive, how to set goals, and how to take ownership of the decision-making process concerning the I.E.P.
Funding and Curriculum Provided By: IDEAS Project
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Your Key to Accessibility
Learn to achieve a more independent lifestyle. Black Hawk Center for Independent Living offers classes to help you work with your PA on a more efficient level.
Call the BHCIL @ 319 291 7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Black Hawk Center Assistive Devices & Equipment Loan Service
The Equipment Loan Service is a service for people with disabilities and CIL consumers and a depository of used assistive devices and adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs (both power and manual chairs), walkers, crutches, shower chairs, hospital beds... etc.
Call the BHCIL @ 319 291 7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Turning Print Into Braille is the Center's Braille translation service. We do exactly what the name says; we translate print documents into Braille for a fee.
We offer Braille services from translation to proof-reading. We translate for both private and commercial use. This service is available only to clients in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls (Iowa) metropolitan area.
What can you translate Into Braille?
|
Minutes |
|
Agendas |
|
Annual Reports |
|
Financial Statements |
|
Training Materials |
|
Church Programs |
|
Menus |
|
Hotel & Motel Information |
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
or email @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org
NAMI: Peer to Peer Support Group
This a peer support group for people with mental health concerns to discuss and to get feedback about the issues they have.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Black Hawk County Transit Coalition
The coalition is an advocacy group for transit issues in the Cedar Valley. The group works in collaboration with M.E.T. to address transportation issues brought by its members and the public while advocating for the views and rights of M.E.T. riders. We also lobby for increases in government spending on transportation.
The group meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month from 2:00 to 3:00 PM This group is open to the public.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcilspecialist@blackhawkcenter.org
Medicaid For Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD)
Medicaid For Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD) is a medicaid coverage group implemented to allow persons with disabilities to work and continue to have access to medical assistance.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcil.outreach@blackhawkcenter.org
This is an external link to an outside site.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcil.outreach@blackhawkcenter.org
IMPACT Program Social Security Online
We offer individualized information on benefits options and planning, insurance, career decisions and Social Security, and incentives to work through planners for each region of the state, at no cost to you.
This program is sponsored and financed by a grant of the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org or bhcil.outreach@blackhawkcenter.org
If needed, per request, the BHCIL will use language translators to serve those who do not speak English. We have Spanish speaking volunteers and we pay for the services of ASL and Signed English translators. They are also able to translate written materials. This site is available in Spanish.
Call the BHCIL @ (319) 291-7755
Fax us @ (319) 291-7781
Email the BHCIL @ bhcil@blackhawkcenter.org
The Executive Director's Page is where, periodically, you will find a message from the Executive Director.
Here you can find a list of our staff members with their names, positions and working hours.
The Black Hawk CIL Board of Directors
The Board of Directors in collaboration with the Executive Director makes the Center's policies and establishes the direction of those policies in accordance with the needs and requirements of BHCIL's membership. Our Board uses long range planning and development in order to set policy.
Our Board consists of people that believe in the independent living philosophy and are concerned with barriers to independent living and to the needs of people with disabilities. The board is comprised of at least 51% of people with disabilities.
Current Board Members
Teri Jorgensen, President |
Dan Alberts Don Delamore Toni Kersten Michelle Lang |
None, Vice President |
Bill Lutz Donna Minard |
Leanna Franco, Secretary |
Chad Thomas Rick Westendorf |
|
|
|
Is there anything else I can do to help ? To Make A Donation
Yes, the Center is constantly seeking volunteers and additional funds. Please feel free to donate your time or your money.
You Are Visitor / Ud. es Visitante
English Site Last Changed: March 24
2006
The Official Site of the Black Hawk Center for Independent Living
Accredited Member of
NCIL APRIL ISAILPartially Funded by Dept.of Education RSA
All Rights Reserved © 2002 Hosted by Dynamic Broadband
