Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York

Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York
Name	Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York
Founded	1972
Founder	Judith Heumann; Ed Roberts
Headquarters	Manhattan, New York City
Location	841 Broadway, New York, NY
Focus	Disability rights; Independent living

Contents

Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York is a disability rights nonprofit organization based in Manhattan, New York City, established in the early 1970s to promote independent living and civil rights for people with disabilities. It grew amidst parallel movements and institutions such as Union of Concerned Scientists, American Foundation for the Blind, National Council on Independent Living, World Institute on Disability, and advocacy networks linked to figures like Judith Heumann and Ed Roberts. The organization interacts with municipal and federal entities including New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Justice, and others in policy and legal arenas.

History

Founded in 1972 during a wave of disability activism that included actions at sites like San Francisco and events connected to leaders such as Justin Dart Jr. and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Center emerged alongside institutions like Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Columbia University, and community groups in Manhattan. Early years overlapped with national developments including the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, litigation influenced by Sargent Shriver-era initiatives, and local campaigns reminiscent of protests at Plaza Hotel and sites of disability demonstrations. The Center collaborated with organizations including Housing Works, Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and advocacy coalitions that later informed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Over decades it engaged with legal actors from firms like American Civil Liberties Union and institutions such as New York University and City University of New York.

The Center’s mission aligns with the independent living philosophy advanced by pioneers such as Ed Roberts and Diana E. Forsythe, focusing on civil rights that intersect with agencies like Social Security Administration, statutes like the Fair Housing Act, and oversight from bodies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Programs have included peer counseling and skills training similar to programs at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, benefits counseling tied to Social Security Disability Insurance, and employment supports resembling initiatives by Goodwill Industries International and United Way. Collaborative projects engaged partners such as New York City Housing Authority, Met Council on Jewish Poverty, Legal Aid Society, and research centers at Columbia University Medical Center.

The Center has participated in litigation and policy advocacy with organizations like Disability Rights Advocates, Protection and Advocacy, Inc., and the National Federation of the Blind, influencing enforcement of statutes including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It has filed or supported cases involving public transit access with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), healthcare access in disputes touching Mount Sinai Health System and NYC Health + Hospitals, and housing discrimination claims under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. The Center’s advocacy has intersected with campaigns led by figures and entities such as Judy Heumann, Justin Dart Jr., Mayor Bill de Blasio, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and court decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Direct services have included peer counseling, skills training, benefits navigation, and assistive technology referrals similar to those offered by Independent Living Centers across the United States and programs at Helen Keller National Center and Easterseals. The Center served individuals with mobility impairments, sensory disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and chronic health conditions, working with partners such as NYC Department for the Aging, Borough President offices, Community Board 3 (Manhattan), and community clinics including Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. Client populations often included veterans interacting with Department of Veterans Affairs, students connected to New York City Department of Education, and workers represented by unions like Service Employees International Union.

The Center’s governance has featured a board of directors and executive leadership mirroring nonprofit models at institutions such as United Way Worldwide and The Rockefeller Foundation, with program staff including rehabilitation specialists, legal advocates, and peer counselors. Funding streams have combined private philanthropy from foundations including Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Robin Hood Foundation with government grants from agencies like the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, contracts with New York City Human Resources Administration, and fees-for-service. The organization has also sought support from corporate donors comparable to Microsoft and Google for accessibility technology projects and partnered with legal clinics at New York University School of Law and Columbia Law School.

The Center has been associated with campaigns for subway and bus accessibility in coordination with MTA reforms, accessible voting initiatives paralleling efforts by League of Women Voters and ACLU of New York, and legal challenges impacting hospital accessibility involving institutions such as NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Mount Sinai. It contributed to litigation and advocacy that intersected with landmark policy shifts inspired by activists like Judith Heumann and organizations such as National Council on Independent Living, and cooperated with national advocates including Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund and American Association of People with Disabilities. Cases and campaigns engaged courts including the Supreme Court of the United States indirectly through amicus coalitions, federal agencies like the Department of Justice, and municipal policy forums such as the New York City Council.

Category:Disability organizations based in the United States Category:Organizations based in Manhattan