West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council
Resource Details
The West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council was established under the 1992 amendments of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Council members are appointed by the Governor and include representatives from the Centers for Independent Living, the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (WVDRS), and other state agencies that provide services for individuals with disabilities.
The Council consists of twenty-four voting members and seven ex-officio non-voting members. A majority of the members are individuals with disabilities who are not employed by a center for independent living or by a state agency. This means that the council is consumer controlled and directed, in keeping with the independent living philosophy.
The independent living philosophy is one of consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-determination, equal access, and individual and systems advocacy in order to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities, and the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of society.