WHO WE ARE

Your life is your choice !

Your Key to Accessibility

Serving people with disabilities of all ages and their significant others.

The Black Hawk Center for Independent Living provides you with the information, support, training, and connections to show you all the options. Ultimately, its your choice of lifestyle to pursue. You choose the door. You live your life. We just help you find the keys.

  Black Hawk Center for Independent Living

The Black Hawk Center for Independent Living (BHCIL) is a consumer-controlled, private, non-residential, non-profit corporation. A majority of the staff and Board of Directors are people with disabilities. People with disabilities created the BHCIL in 1995. The Center opened for operation in the spring of 1996. We provide services in the community when people with disabilities are unable to locate those services through existing agencies.  BHCIL is your key to accessing services. 

  Our Independence Philosophy

Independent living allows you to make decisions that affect your life by being able to pursue activities that you choose. The definition of independent living for people with disabilities is no different from non-disabled people -- everyone needs choices.

     The BHCIL philosophy provides you with enough accurate information to make choices for yourself. We do not do things for people with disabilities, we help people do for themselves.

Our Four Core Services:

We'll teach you to be an advocate.

We will help you organize, learn advocacy skills and when appropriate, file lawsuits. We offer advocacy for both an individual on a particular issue or generically on behalf of many people with disabilities.

We believe in community education.

We reach out to our community by speaking to employers, agencies, educators, and public organizations to correct misconceptions and open more doors. We help employers understand federal, state, and local laws regarding disabilities including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and aid them in their implementation. Along with education, we believe in action. Our center provided greater mobility for people with disabilities by helping create the Prime Time Pass Program and the Ramp Project in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.

We'll provide answers or refer you to others who know.

We utilize information resources and keep complete records of agencies and services available across the nation. This allows us to help you locate computers, attorneys, funding for services, assistive devices, and much more.

We'll train you with life skills.

We'll locate training and teach you skills necessary to live as independently as you choose. These skills can include:

You can get training or funding sources for assistive technology such as voice activated software, screen reading, telecommunication devices or enlarging software. BHCIL connects you with auxiliary aids such as interpreters or personal assistants. 

Find emotional support through us.

We provide you with cross-disability peer support: real people serve as role models for others with disabilities. The center does not develop support groups based on a single disabling condition.

When you're ready, we're here for you.

When you're ready to open a few doors, call or stop in. Someone will visit you if you are unable to come to our office. Ask to fill out an Independent Living Plan. An independent living specialist will assist you if you wish.

    You set your goals. You determine when they are achieved. We help you find the keys you need to unlock your full potential.

The development of an independent living plan is free to you and your friends, parents, siblings and partners. All ages can receive services through the center.

Help us unlock doors for others. 

We help others, but we need your help. The center graciously accepts donations of time and money. Donations are tax-deductible. 

Our Services

What is the BHCIL ?

The Black Hawk Center for Independent Living (BHCIL) is a consumer-controlled, private, non-residential, non-profit corporation. A majority of the staff and Board of Directors are people with disabilities. The BHCIL is partially funded by a federal grant. The Center was formed under the leadership of the Black Hawk Partnership on Disability and has operational since March of 1996.

What does the BHCIL  do?

The Center provides four core services to persons with disabilities or their significant others. These services are designed to help people with disabilities live as independently as they wish. The four core services: Cross disability peer counseling and support. Independent living skills training, information and referral, and advocacy, both individual and systems change.

The BHCIL is particularly interested in issues surrounding transportation, employment and housing for people with disabilities. These services are provided to all persons regardless of race, religion, income, or disability. The Center will not duplicate services already available in the community.

How do I get services from the BHCIL?

Call or stop in. If needed, someone will come to you.  Ask to complete an Independent Living Plan. A counselor will assist you if you wish. You set your goals. You determine when they are achieved. The development of an Independent Living Plan is free to consumers and the significant others of persons with disabilities.

How else can I support the work of the BHCIL?

   The Center is always seeking donations of time and money. Come visit, look around, and determine for yourself if you would like to assist.

Your key to accessibility.

Black Hawk Center for Independent Living  (BHCIL)

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