Voting Note: To all who will benefit from a vote-by-mail accommodation – an electronic ballot – you must make an accommodation request to: The Secretary of State’s Accessibility Coordinator Kelly Emmons at 617-727-2828 or Kelly.Emmons@sec.state.ma.us
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MassHealth Statement on health care protections for members of the LGBTQ community
Due to COVID-19 our offices are closed and all staff is working remotely. To reach us, please call or email contactBCIL@bostoncil.org.
BCIL has a limited supply of masks from the state—though unfortunately no gloves were provided. Please fill out the form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BCILmasks to obtain masks from BCIL. If you can’t use the form for any reason, please leave your name, address and need for masks at 617-338-6665.
If you are on the PCA program, your PCA can obtain masks from 1199SEIU, the PCA union, by going to http://www.bit.ly/1199masks
Information on the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
COVID-19 Information for PCA Consumers
Welcome to the Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL)
BCIL is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has provided services to people with disabilities since 1974, when it became the second independent living center in the country. The organization was created by people with disabilities seeking full integration into society. BCIL accomplishes this by empowering people of all ages with a wide range of disabilities with the practical skills and self-confidence to take control over their lives and become active members of the communities in which they live. At the same time, BCIL engages in advocacy and community organizing to promote access and change within society.
Our Mission Statement
The Boston Center for Independent Living is a frontline civil rights organization led by people with disabilities that advocates to eliminate discrimination, isolation and segregation by providing advocacy, information and referral, peer support, skills training, PCA services, and transitional services in order to enhance the independence of people with disabilities.
If you suspect abuse or neglect of a person with disabilities, please contact the Disabled Persons Protection Commission hotline at 1-800-426-9009 or 1-888-822-0350 TTY (ages 18-59), the Executive Office of Elder Affairs at 1-800-922-2275 (ages 60+), the Department of Public Health 1-800-462-5540 (all Ages residing in Long Term Care Facilities), and the Department of Children and Families at 1-800-792-5200 (ages birth-17). The DPPC Sexual Assault Response Unit can be reached at 617-727-6465.
Click here to view the recent Updates to The Ride Program letter
Upcoming Events
Thursday, October 22, 2020
3:00pm - 4:00pm
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL Thursdays, starting September 17 from 3-4 pm on Zoom Join us on Zoom to learn about education, work, and training after finishing high school. We will… Read More
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Do you want to learn skills to help you find and keep a job? JOB SKILLS GROUP Tuesday, starting September 15 from 3-4 pm on Zoom Join our Job Skills… Read More
Thursday, October 29, 2020
3:00pm - 4:00pm
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL Thursdays, starting September 17 from 3-4 pm on Zoom Join us on Zoom to learn about education, work, and training after finishing high school. We will… Read More
Latest News
Have you registered for next week's webinar on the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Disability. Contact Maggie at mwhited@bostoncil.org to sign up and receive the webinar link. We hope to see you there!
How to Get Approved to Use the Accessible Vote By Mail (AVBM) Program as an Accommodation
How to Get Approved to Use the Accessible Vote By Mail (AVBM) Program as an Accommodation
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To get access to the AVBM program that permits voters with disabilities who cannot effectively access the paper vote by mail system, registered voters with d...Are you a voter with a disability that impacts your ability to use a printed ballot? You can request an accessible mail-in ballot for the November 3 State Election. You have to submit your request to the state's accessible vote-by-mail coordinator. For more info, visit: www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleev/early-voting-by-mail-accessible.htm
"30 percent of women have experienced physical or sexual violence by their intimate partner; but women with disabilities are nearly twice as likely to experience some form of domestic violence." ow.ly/IB4R50BWgc1 #DVAwarenessMonth #DisabilityViolence
Dispatches: “Who Can Save Me?” - Domestic Violence and Disability
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“He beat me because of my disability. He said to others that I was useless, could not make love or cook.”