One of the core services of Centers for Independent Living (CILs) is Information and Referral (I&R). The Alliance of Information and Referral Systems defines Information and Referral as, “the art, science, and practice of bringing people and services together.” It is as simple as it sounds, call Independence Now and one of our staff answers your disability resource and services questions. It is the service we provide in greatest number every year, around 3000 I&Rs!
At Independence Now, we are grateful to have extremely skilled and experienced staff who are often able to rattle off information and make referrals when a call comes in. If they aren’t sure where to send a caller, they do some research and talk to other staff and find the best option to give to the caller. In addition to answering calls and providing information, we have been building up our Resource Guide that can be searched on our webpage and filter for any area of need.
Some information and referral calls are easy, like one we had recently where a family needed to know contractors that installed railings on outside stairs to make a home safer for a family member. Some calls that start as information and referral end up with the caller becoming a consumer because they need a little more guidance, or they realize all that Centers for Independent Living have to offer and want to access more in-depth services.
We’d be happy to answer your questions, or feel free to share our information with someone else who might need our expertise! Contact us today at 301-277-2839 or info@innow.org to learn more about our Information and Referral services.
Photo courtesy of Lawrence Roffee.
