The PCIL is a membership association of CILs located in Pennsylvania. The PCIL’s mission is to support the network of CILs and to advance the Independent Living movement. The SILC is a federally mandated governor-appointed, consumer-controlled Council. The Council’s mission is to use its collective power and legal mandate to develop and secure public policies that ensure civil rights and expand options for all people with disabilities in all aspects of life.

SILC, Inc. is the administrative body for the council who assists with developing the Statewide Plan for Independent Living; advising the council on policy as it relates to Independent Living; and participating in advocacy with both the admnistration and legislature.

Consumer choice, autonomy and control define the Independent Living Movement. The Independent Living philosophy holds that individuals with disabilities have the right to live with dignity and with appropriate support in their own homes, fully participate in the communities of their choosing, and to control and make decisions about their lives.

Ed Roberts (1939-1995) was an international leader and educator in the independent living and disability rights movements. He fought throughout his life to enable all persons with disabilities to fully participate in society. Ed was a true pioneer: he was the first student with significant disabilities to attend UC Berkeley. He was a founder of UC’s Physically Disabled Students Program, which became the model for Berkeley’s Center for Independent Living (CIL) and over 400 independent living centers across the country. He was one of the early directors of a CIL.
Ed Roberts and other students with disabilities from the University of California at Berkeley, along with disability advocates, led by Judy Heumann, demanded control over their lives and full access in their communities. Due to these efforts, Ed Roberts was a pioneer in the Independent Living Movement and was known internationally as the “Father of Independent Living.

Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are nonprofit community-based nonresidential organizations directed by people with disabilities. CILs are required by the 1992 Amendments of the Rehabilitation Act to have a minimum of 51% of individuals with disabilities on their Governing Boards and on their staff, including those in decision making positions.

The 1978 reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act included funding for Independent Living and the establishment of Centers for Independent Living throughout the country. Signed into State law in 1994, the INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES ACT (ACT 139 of 1994) established the Statewide Independent Living Council as the chief planning body for Independent Living programs in the State. This legislation mandates the same standards and assurances for State-funded CIL’s as are required by the Federally-funded Centers, in accordance with the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1992. In Pennsylvania, nine CILs are federally funded and nine are state-funded. The funding provided assists each CIL in providing the four core services which include: independent living skills training, peer mentoring, information and referral and advocacy. Each CIL also obtains a mix of public and private funding from government, foundations, corporations, and individual contributions, which allows each to offer additional programming such as transition services, nursing home transition, deaf interpreter programs, etc.

Each local CIL chooses its own name, usually something that defines a philosophy, geographic location, or for what they are known. Although Pennsylvania has 17 Centers, areas remain underserved or unserved. PCIL is working with SILC to increase the number of CILs in the Commonwealth.