Advocacy and services for persons with all types of disabilities including skills training, peer counseling, information and referral, and technical assistance about the Americans with Disabilities Act.

- Blind Services works with individuals one-on-one to instruct persons who have lost (or are losing) their vision, on how to read Braille and organize their household and travel. Produces and replicates Braille materials. Translates materials such as menus and brochures into Braille and produces multiple copies as a service to the community. (There is a normal cost per Braille page produced, plus $25 per hour for formatting.)

- Captioning at Real Time (CART) provides the translation of spoken words into text using a stenotype machine operated by a stenographer/reporter. Real-time software is used to display the text onto a computer monitor, and a projector or other device is used to display the text on a television or larger screen. CART is especially valuable in large meetings or in communications with a person who is deaf or has hearing loss. CART can be utilized in following settings: community events and workshops, government, legal, educational, medical, theater and auditorium, and captioning of movies and videos.

- Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services provides one-on-one services for independent living skills training, information and referral, advocacy, and peer counseling. Serves as a TTY Distribution site for ITAC (Illinois Telecommunications Access Commission), which provides free TTY devices to Illinois residents. Distributes applications for Iowa TTY distributions for Iowa residents who are qualified (speech impaired or hard of hearing). Distributes amplified phones for residents of Illinois of all ages who have a difficult time hearing on the phone.

- Provides information and resources on low-tech independent living devices such as magnifiers, talking watches, etc., when funding is available.

- Housing assistance provides information and problem-solving assistance with locating and securing affordable, accessible housing, including research into public and private-sector housing markets.

- Information and Referral service provides information through Illinois/Iowa Center for Independent Living's system and library. Requests for information can be made by phone, mail, or in person, and can include loans of library materials.

- Outreach services offers presentations, brochures, media releases, public service announcements, media interviews, and video programs to inform the public of programs and services offered.

- Volunteers are utilized in programs, services, and office operations; volunteers receive training and supervision appropriate to their duties.

Provides informational and educational programming targeted toward a consumer or a group of consumers with the intent to develop or increase the skills, knowledge and/or abilities required to live, work and play in the community.

Programs offered include self-advocacy and awareness, life skills training, braille training, TTY training, personal assistant information, interpreter referrals and equipment demonstration and loan.

Provides low-income individuals who are not eligible for eye exams, glasses, hearing tests, or hearing aids through other public benefit sources can apply for those services through their local club.

Services include

Used Eyeglasses Collection. Eyeglasses collected for distribution and reuse in poverty areas worldwide.

Diabetic Eye Screening, Travels the state to give free, basic screenings to adults with diabetes and adults over 55 years of age to detect diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

Mobile Hearing Screening Unit that travels the state to give free screenings to adults, detect possible hearing loss, and educate the public.

Used Hearing Aid Bank provides reconditioned hearing aids to persons who cannot afford them.

May provide for modifications to the home and/or vehicle that directly address a person's medical health or are necessary to provide for the medical needs, welfare and safety of the individual and to increase or maintain independence.

- Advocates for the civil rights of individuals with disabilities.

- Coordinates public disability awareness activities including presentations to community groups.

- Assists individuals with hearing and speech disabilities access communication needs.

- Assists with independent living skills training (money management, assertiveness training, self-advocacy, etc.).

- Provides information and referral services.

- Provides peer mentoring for individual and group settings.

- Provides transition services such as moving qualified individuals from nursing facilities or other institutions to independent living.

- Assists youth with disabilities transition from high school to adult life.

- Provides personal assistant services.

- Operates a Community Advocacy Training program for youth and adults.

- Assists individuals with vision loss or blindness acquire assistive devices and skills training.

- Operates a medical equipment loan program.

- Provides mentoring for parents of youth with disabilities.

Referrals for hearing loss issues and programs.

Advocacy for deaf and hard of hearing individuals and assist in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues to secure such services. Promotes awareness and understanding of the rights of persons with a hearing loss.

Equipment loan programs (amplified phones, TTY phone equipment, amplified headsets and two hearing aid banks). Offers telephone equipment demonstrations.

Maintains an inventory of services available to meet the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing and assist them in securing these services.

Conducts a voluntary census of deaf and hard of hearing persons in Nebraska and compile a registry.

Provides reconditioned hearing aids to persons who need these instruments and meet the age and financial guidelines.

Expands programs and services available to deaf and hard of hearing persons throughout the state. Implements new programs through collaboration with consumer groups, the governor, legislature, organizations, institutions, and agencies. Broadens the collection and dissemination of information on hearing loss and deafness.

Purchases assistive technology devices for children with disabilities, up to $650.

Provides call captioning solutions for your home phone. After sign up , a complimentary CaptionCall phone is provided as part of the service. It works like a regular phone, but has a large touchscreen that displays scrolling text of your conversation for clear caption phone calls.

Sorenson CaptionCall is a provider of IP CTS which is a federal program supporting the requirement of the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) to allow individuals with hearing loss to use the phone in a manner that is functionally equivalent to a person without hearing loss. There is no cost for the CaptionCall phone or the captioning service.

Runs a screening process that provides financial assistance toward eyeglasses for those found eligible.

Provides eye exams and hearing screenings to individuals in the community who need assistance. Also accepts all types of useable eyeglasses and sunglasses, prescription and non-prescription.

Provides augmentative and alternative communication options through assistive technology, which enables children and youth with disabilities to participate more fully in all aspects of life. Augmentative and Alternative Communication includes various communication methods that enhance or replace verbal speech or writing for individuals with communication disabilities. Check the team resource folders for additional Assistive Technology & Augmentative and Alternative Communication information for IEP teams to consider and utilize including AT Information and Tools, AAC Information and Tools, or use the form link on the website to request AAC Collaboration.

Provides informational and educational programming targeted toward a consumer or a group of consumers with the intent to develop or increase the skills, knowledge and/or abilities required to live, work and play in the community.

Programs offered include self-advocacy and awareness, life skills training, braille training, TTY training, personal assistant information, interpreter referrals and equipment demonstration and loan.

Offers a variety of rental medical equipment and supplies.

Products include:

-- Mobility aids

-- Breast pumps and accessories

-- Bandages and wound care

-- Medical instruments

-- Orthopedic products

-- Aids for daily living

-- Ostomy products

-- Hosiery and medical legwear

-- Oxygen, respiratory and CPAP machines and accessories

-- Hospital beds and accessories

-- Home safety products (grab bars, bath/shower benches, elevated toilet seats)

Free 4-line, 28 cell slate and a round or saddle stylus to any blind or low vision person needing one. Individuals can request a free slate and stylus once per year.

Employment program for people who experience a disability. Assists people with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job. Program is voluntary and the services provided will be specific to an individual's needs.

Helps businesses recruit, train, and retain employees with disabilities.

Offers amplified phones for those who have an amplified phone voucher. Once a person has their voucher, they can come to the center and try out each of the phones and select their preference.

Offers to build wooden ramps for people in need who live in Jasper County, who own or rent a home. Also provides an equipment loan and donation program for items such as walkers, bath aids, toileting aids, adapted swings, adapted bikes, low tech switches and communication devices, bedside tables, and other types of products which a person with disabilities might need. This program also accepts donated wheelchairs and other equipment that are then reconditioned and loaned out to other clients. Also accepts and then loans out electric powered lift chairs.

Employment program for people who experience a disability. Assists people with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job. Program is voluntary and the services provided will be specific to an individual's needs.

Helps businesses recruit, train, and retain employees with disabilities.

Selection center for the ITAC Amplified Phone Program. Those that have trouble hearing on the phone may be eligible for a free amplified phone and/or cellular amplifier. Individuals can receive an application packet, test, and select the equipment they would like to order at LIFE CIL.

Offers help with rent, water, prescriptions, dental, optical, hearing aids, and car repairs.

Employment program for people who experience a disability. Assists people with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job. Program is voluntary and the services provided will be specific to an individual's needs.

Helps businesses recruit, train, and retain employees with disabilities.

Offers a variety of rental medical equipment and supplies.

Products include:

-- Mobility aids

-- Breast pumps and accessories

-- Bandages and wound care

-- Medical instruments

-- Orthopedic products

-- Aids for daily living

-- Ostomy products

-- Hosiery and medical legwear

-- Oxygen, respiratory and CPAP machines and accessories

-- Hospital beds and accessories

-- Home safety products (grab bars, bath/shower benches, elevated toilet seats)

OSF Home Medical Equipment helps convalescent individuals of any age remain at home by offering the following (and more):

- Respiratory supplies and services.

- Mobility equipment (canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs).

- Bathroom safety equipment and commodes.

- Hospital beds.

In-home delivery, pick-up, education, emergency on-call and repair services are also offered.