Ocean State Center for Independent Living

In preparation for the winter storm, if anyone has any questions or concerns regarding residents with disabilities or other individuals with access and functional needs, please don't hesitate to contact Kate McCarthy-Barnett at 1-(617) 816-6351 or email to kate.mccarthybarnett@fema.dhs.gov so she can assist with links to appropriate resources.

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Need Help with Snow Removal?

Volunteers with The Americorps Organization out of Providence

will help elders and people with disabilities with snow removal beginning today.

Phone 331-2298 to request service.

You will receive a call with an expected time of arrival.

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Catherine T. Murray Memorial Scholarship 2015

The application period is now open.

Deadline is March 25, 2015

Click for here general information and here to download

and print an application.

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Signs of Independence

Please click here to view and/or download a copy of our Fall/Winter 2015 newsletter.

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OSCIL Community Presentations

OSCIL offers several community outreach presentations, all conducted by OSCIL’s experienced staff. Feel free to contact the OSCIL office for further information or to schedule a session. Presentations can be held at the OSCIL Center (conference room capacity 25) or at a location of your choice.

Presentation Titles

· "Improving Access in the Home Through Assistive Technology"

· "Barriers to Effective Communication"

· "How Center Services Can Help You Address Goals for Living Independently"

· "Understanding Nursing Home Transition"

· " Utilizing Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf"

· "How Home Modifications Can Increase Access in a Home"

· "Young Adult Independent Living Skills Training"

· "Effective Public Testimony"

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Young Adult Transition Services

Since 1998, OSCIL’s Community Living Option, has been a vital link in assisting persons

with disability in transitioning from nursing homes and rehabilitation centers to less

restrictive environments. This year, OSCIL is expanding its role in providing transition

services to include young adults (ages 18-24) to help them develop the skills to transition

to community independence.

Some of the services that will be offered include:

Basic independent living skills training to promote independence, i.e. decision making, organizing time and activities of daily living, self-care, budgeting and managing finances, accessing public transportation services, and development of self advocacy skills.

Providing information and referral on disability and community resources to develop independence.

Establishment of a group for young adults to address barriers to independence and

promote peer support.

OSCIL will be offering Independent Living Skills training in a small group setting. A pilot group is being formed to take part in a 7-week program which is still being finalized. Sessions on Developing & Maintaining Friendships, Employment Etiquette, Social Media & Internet Safety, Money Management & Budgeting, and Identity Theft will be held. Sessions will run one evening per week from 6 pm – 8 pm at the OSCIL office. Space is limited. There is no charge for this training.

To download an application to print out, please click here.

For more information contact us at 738-1013.

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OSCIL Membership Drive for 2014

In its 26th year of operation, OSCIL continues to provide excellent services to the Rhode Island community. Financial support through our Annual Membership Drive has given us the ability to expand services and reach many more Rhode Islanders.

As a member, you will receive our newsletter, Signs of Independence, which is an invaluable resource providing information on federal and state legislation, services available to those with disabilities, information about publications, social events, self-help groups, community resources and other topics of interest. You will also have the personal satisfaction of knowing that your donation helps us to provide much needed services to people with disabilities in Rhode Island.

If you recently renewed your membership, thank you for your continued support. If you are a past OSCIL member or are being asked to join for the first time, we hope that you will consider becoming a part of the OSCIL family. Please return the enclosed form with a suggested donation of $25 or more for an individual membership ($5 if unemployed or retired), or $50 or more for a business or organizational membership. Please click here to download and print out an application.

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<- Please click the OSCIL logo to go to our Facebook Page.

Be sure "Like" our Facebook page once you're there!

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Deaf Services Program

OSCIL has a Deaf Services Independent Living Specialist, Margie Molloy to serve

the needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in RI.

You can contact her via email at margaret.molloy@oscil.org or

by Video Phone at 401-244-7792.

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Do you have questions about our services?

If you would like more information about OSCIL or have any questions about our services, please call Corrine, our Information and Referral Specialist

at 401-738-1013 ext. 13.
You may also email her at info@oscil.org

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Why Put Up a STINK About Fragrances?

Chemical-based products are all around us: in the clothes we wear, in the food we eat, and in the air we breathe. While some people have minor reactions to the chemicals around them, other people are much more seriously affected. Such people have a condition known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or MCS.

JUST A WHIFF of perfume, pesticide, or tobacco smoke could make a person with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and allergies, sick for hours, days, or longer.

MCS can ultimately affect an individual’s overall physical and emotional health. As MCS gets worse, reactions become more severe and increasingly chronic, often significantly affecting bodily functions.

Just as physical barriers prevent wheelchair access, chemical use (i.e. fragrances) can prevent entry into public facilities for those with MCS. Reasonable accommodations can enable people with MCS to enjoy access to work, public facilities and other settings.

This is why OSCIL makes the following request: No fragrances please! To accommodate those with allergies, breathing conditions or Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, please do not smoke or wear scented products when attending OSCIL events.

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Gift of Hearing

OSCIL, in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island (URI) and the Hearing Loss Association of RI, can assist with the acquisition of low-cost hearing aids at an affordable price for those who qualify through a self-pay option.

Note: Income eligibility applies for this program.

Click here for further information.

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Rhode Island Special Needs Registry

The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) have joined together to develop a registry for Rhode Islanders with disabilities, chronic conditions, and other special healthcare needs. This system is designed to identify individuals who require special assistance during emergencies. Enrollment in the Registry does not guarantee assistance, but allows first responders to appropriately plan for, prepare for, and respond to the needs of the community.

For more information or to register, please visit their website at: http://www.health.ri.gov/emergency/about/specialneedsregistry/index.php

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Accessible Taxi Cabs

For information about Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Cabs in RI, please click here.

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Grant Funding for the Visually Impaired

The Ocean State Center for Independent Living is the recipient of special program funding from the RI Foundation to provide information and assistive technology to RI residents with visual impairments.. This program provides assistance and services to those individuals who are visually impaired to promote increased independence in their home and/or community.

Any individual having visual impairment who could benefit from services to enhance independence is encouraged to contact OSCIL. We can provide peer support, connection to community support services; and assistance with the acquisition and purchase of special assistive devices or equipment that could increase independence.

Please contact us at 738-1013 x 13 and speak with Corrine or email her at info@oscil.org

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If you would like to be added to our email list to receive notifications about upcoming events and information, please send an email to us at email.list@oscil.org.

Assistive technology demonstrations
Barriers to effective communication
How Center services can help your independent living goals
Understanding nursing home transition
Utilizing telecommunication devices for the Deaf
How home modifications can increase access in a home
Young adult independent living skills training
Effective public testimony

Assistive technology demonstrations
Barriers to effective communication
How Center services can help your independent living goals
Understanding nursing home transition
Utilizing telecommunication devices for the Deaf
How home modifications can increase access in a home
Young adult independent living skills training
Effective pub