This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the 40th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These acts have helped many people with disabilities to live independent lives, but graduation rates and high unemployment rates still leave many challenges. About 56.7 million Americans live with disabilities, 19% of America’s total population. This has made the Administration think more about how to best serve people with disabilities and it is reflected in the 2016 Funding Year Budget.
President Obama has released his Funding Year 2016 budget. The budget includes a request for $111 million for the Independent Living Program. This is a $5 million increase over the Funding Year 2015 enacted budget, and it is the first time in several years that such a request has been made. This funding will go toward states and consumer-controlled nonprofit organizations to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve self-determined independent living goals.
The National Council for Independent Living (NCIL) has been pushing Congress and the Administration to invest an additional $200 million in the Independent Living Program. NCIL feels that this is a good start to increase funding for the Independent Living Program, but that it isn’t enough.
The Independent Living Program is one of the country’s most important investments, and this increase is a start on the path to the necessary funding to keep this program going.