Affiliation: AmeriCorps available at Life of South Mississippi (Living Indepence For Everyone)

Project LINC

(Linking Individuals Into Neighborhoods and Communities)

"Project LINC" is an AmeriCorps Project funded by the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service. LINC was written and developed to assist Living Independence for Everyone (LIFE) staff in their efforts to empower individuals with disabilities and their family members to maintain their home in the community or re-establish a home in the community after living in an institutional setting. AmeriCorps funding was received in September of 2004 and will run through August of 2007.

There are 20 AmeriCorps members who have been selected to work with Project LINC and they are located in each of the eight LIFE offices throughout the state.

The Arc of Mississippi and the Mississippi Paralysis Association have both agreed to partner with LIFE on this project as well. As a result, they each have selected two AmeriCorps members to work with their programs in conjunction with Project LINC.

AmeriCorps members are responsible for interviewing consumers with disabilities currently living in nursing facilities and determining their needs for successful community living through needs assessment and a training process that will be utilized by LIFE staff and AmriCorps members. Materials have already been designed and a process of transition for consumers with disabilities is being followed.

Through Project LINC, LIFE staff and AmeriCorps members will provide:

1) Skills Training to individuals with disabilities who currently reside in institutional settings or are at threat of moving into an institution; and

2) Peer Support to those individuals who have been identified. The primary goal is that the accomplishment of these two services will lead to the relocation of the consumers with disabilities identified - who are currently living in nursing homes - back into the community, and assisting others identified to maintain their current home.

3) Resource development; knowing what resources are available is a key component to independence. Resources such as Meals on Wheels, volunteer assistance for cooking, cleaning and yard maintenance through local church organizations, Medicaid waiver programs for attendant care services, and much more are often unknown and untapped. Skills training to be provided through this project will teach individuals how to advocate for themselves so that they may ensure that they are receiving all services available in a quality and timely manner. Skills in money management will insure that house payments or rent, utility payments, telephone and such are paid timely, with funds left over for food, clothing and other necessities such as prescription medications, personal assistants, etc…

4) Self-advocacy - knowing and understanding our rights as citizens with disabilities and what laws are protecting us from discrimination in the work place, public and private facilities and more.

All of these various skills can be taught to consumers with disabilities, giving them a much more successful chance at remaining independent in the community or becoming, once again, independent in the community from an institutional setting. With the knowledge that there are over 1,500 individuals currently living in nursing homes that would like to live elsewhere and the knowledge that LIFE currently provides services to over 2,500 individuals with disabilities in Mississippi, many of whom are at great threat of institutional placement, we know that there are many who could benefit from services provided by Project LINC. Relocation from one home to another is complicated, costly and often confusing. It takes many hours of negotiation and planning to move successfully. A twenty-two (22) member staff dedicated solely to this effort is now available.

If you or someone you know can benefit from Project LINC services, please contact any of the eight LIFE offices throughout the state. For more information on Project LINC or how to become an AmeriCorps member, contact:

1) Ms. Margie Moore - Project Coordinator - 1-800-748-9398 or 601-969-4009
2) Ms. Crystal Mitchell. - Assistant - 1-800-748-9398 or 601-969-4009

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