We speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, German, French, Luganda, Swahili, Runyankore, and Vietnamese. Other languages accommodated through Language Line.
Welcome to the Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL)
BCIL is a 501(c)(3) 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.
Our Antiracism Statement
The Boston Center for Independent Living commits to making all aspects of our work antiracist, not only because it is just but also because it is necessary to serve and represent our community of people with disabilities. We commit to purposefully identifying, discussing, and challenging issues of race and ethnicity to address the impact they have on our organization, our work, and our people. Moreover, we will add our voice and advocacy to similar antiracist efforts in our community.
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.
Housing Workshop - In-Person & by Zoom Join3 us on the first and third Wednesday of every month to learn more about and how to apply for affordable housing options… Read More
Virtual Housing Workshop Join us on the first and third Wednesday of every month to learn more about and how to apply for affordable housing options in your area. Our… Read More
Empowering Students through the IEP Process Workshop The Boston Center for Independent Living is hosting a virtual workshop to discuss the ways we can support youth and young adults with disabilities in their IEP process. We will discuss the changes to the IEP process due to Massachusetts' IEP Improvement Project, ways students can participate in their IEP process, and how to prepare for an IEP meeting. There will also be time for questions at the end. Date: Tuesday, October 1st 2024 Time: 5:30-6:30 PM Virtual: On ZoomEligibility: Students, parents, family members, educators and friends of youth/young adults with disabilities are welcome to attend. The workshop will focus on transition aged youth (14-22).Register at: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGU1hJCGumHELxL95r3e1xsL1v0qi5OWGFtRMiJRmaXcp7ng/viewform. If you have any questions, please reach out to Liz Walters at ewalters@bostoncil.org. ... See MoreSee Less
The American Association on Health and Disability is proud to announce our next conversation in the Disability & Health Webinar Series! Join us this Wednesday, September 25th from 2:00–3:30pm ET/ 11:00am-12:00pm PT, for a special conversation for National Recovery Month. This conversation will explore recovery related to mental health and substance use. We invite community members, disability advocates, and health care providers to tune in. Learn how research can improve our understanding of best practices in trauma-informed care. Register for the webinar at us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7217228923486/WN_bxEIqrCHTyapgSb9-zH2VQ#/registrationMeet Our SpeakersKatie Bourque (she/her) has been engaged in non-profit work for the last fifteen years and has been managing innovative projects and programs for the last nine years. Katie’s passions are decarcerating care, harm/risk reduction, and centering the voices of folks with lived experience. Katie has experienced the power of mutuality and collective healing with peer support. She has worked with incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals for over a decade in prisons, hospitals, and in the community. Katie has experience in numerous residential settings, including as Soteria Vermont’s director for many years. Katie graduated from Yale University’s Lived Experience Transformational Leadership Academy with a capstone project focused on cognitive liberty. Katie identifies with an array of lived experiences, including: psychiatric labels, trauma, personal and relational substance use, parental incarceration, and loved ones attempting and dying by suicide. Katie aspires to reform systems that perpetuate oppression and to create inclusive and dynamic community spaces.Earl Miller (he/him) first entered the psychiatric and foster care systems when he was 12. He went on to spend as much of his teen years in the system as he did out, which continued into early adulthood and included experiences of homelessness, hospitalization, and a great deal of trauma. Nowadays, Earl is the father of two healthy, and full-of-life kids who he credits with helping to tether him to this world. He is also a successful musician and poet who has produced several albums. He currently serves as the Director of Community Supports at the Wildflower Alliance.This event is hosted by the Disability Community Engagement Partner Project (DCEPP) at the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) in partnership with the All of Us Research Program. Learn more about how All of Us is helping to improve mental health and substance use recovery research. ASL Interpretation and Closed Captioning (CART) will be provided, and other reasonable accommodations are available upon request by contacting danderson@aahd.us. ... See MoreSee Less
This September we're celebrating National Recovery Month! To honor the strides made in recovery care, AAHD is hosting our first webinar in the 2024-2025 Disability & Health Webinar series. This series...
Today you can join The Mayor's Commission for Persons with Disabilities to participate in Civic Engagement Day 2024 inside Boston City Hall. Join them today, September 24, 2024, on the 5th floor of Boston City Hall. ... See MoreSee Less
September is #CerebralPalsyAwareness Month. Cerebral Palsy is the most common childhood motor disability. But #CP is not just a childhood disability. With better health research, we can learn the needs of adults with Cerebral Palsy as they age. Spread the word about the importance of disability inclusion in health research. #JoinAllofUs at: bit.ly/AllofUsInclusion-FB#GoGreen4CP #AllofUsInclusion ... See MoreSee Less
The
Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) reserves the right to use any photograph or video taken at any event sponsored by BCIL without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph or video. BCIL may use the photograph or video in publications or other media material produced, used, or contracted by BCIL. To ensure the privacy of individuals and children, images will not be identified using full names or
personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed or videotaped subject, parent, or legal guardian. A person attending a BCIL event who does not wish to have their image recorded for distribution should make their wishes known to the photographer or videographer, event organizers, and/or contact BCIL directly.