Disability Advocacy and Education

Blue Ridge Independent Living Center (BRILC) provides disability related advocacy, both individual and systemic.

Systems advocacy involves BRILC staff, board members and volunteers initiating efforts toward making changes in the community to make it easier for individuals with disabilities to live independently. These changes may affect legislation, policy, housing, business, transportation, health care, employment opportunities, accessibility or any other issue affecting the ability of an individual with a disability to live independently.

Individual advocacy services includes BRILC staff members training and assisting individuals with disabilities to understand and exercise their civil rights regarding government and other service providers. Staff work with individuals to help them obtain services from other community agencies.

Community Action Advocacy Groups identify community needs of people with disabilities and strategies are developed to meet the identified needs.