Empowering People with Disabilities
The Center for Disability Empowerment (CDE) is a community-based, non-residential center that is driven by the choice and direction of people with disabilities (consumers). CDE serves individuals of any age, with any disability, who are residents of Franklin, Delaware, Union and Licking, Ohio counties.
The majority of our staff members are people with disabilities; we share many of your dreams and struggles, because we have lived them ourselves.
We help consumers develop highly personal Independent Living Plans, with self-set goals, priorities and timelines. CDE provides support and resources to enable consumers to meet their individual goals for living, learning, worshiping, and playing alongside people who do not have disabilities.
Our Core Services Include:
- Information and Referral: CDE provides information, resources and referrals for disability-related matters such as housing, transportation, employment, benefits and social services. We can connect you to agencies, vendors and to local, state and national organizations.
- Independent Living Skills Trainers/Community Connectors: Our staff connects people with disabilities to their communities and assists them in achieving goals and in learning new skills. Independent Living Skills are achieved individually or in group settings and can be acquired where the individuals live, learn, worship, work or play. CDE also provides support and awareness to local communities to enhance their ability and capacity to include people with disabilities in every aspect of life.
- Peer Support: CDE can match new consumers to experienced peers who also have disabilities for support reaching specific goals. Peer support may be provided individually or in groups.
- Advocacy: CDE provides advocacy in support of individual needs and issues or toward more broad, system change. Issues may address such topics as civil rights, denial of services, or disability-related public policy. We also work with individuals to develop their self-advocacy skills and to build a strong network of advocates with disabilities in Central Ohio.
- Transition Services: CDE helps people move from nursing facilities into the community with the necessary support and services for long-term success. We also assist students ages 14-24 as they transition from High School to pursue further education, employment, interests and more independence in the community.