Independent Living Skills Training for Mental Health

Lynchburg Area Center for Independent Living offers Peer Counselors to assist individuals with mental illness and their families to develop and achieve independence and self-reliance. Participants develop a plan to achieve maximum independence and set goals towards that independence. Through counseling, sharing of experiences in coping with the effects of disability, participants learn about the needs and resources to achieve their goal. Peer counseling can be on an individual basis, as well as group support.



Independent Living Skills: Individual and group training is provided in several categories including: personal assistant management, building self-esteem, money management, navigating ones environment, and self-advocacy. All programs are designed to meet individual needs.



Individual advocacy: staff members train and assist individuals with disabilities to understand and exercise their civil rights regarding government and other service providers. Staff will intervene with governmental entitles, individuals, organizations and agencies to insure the maximum inclusion of persons with disabilities in community life.