On May 15th, we celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of digital access and inclusion. With more than 1 in 4 adults reporting living with a disability, this day serves as a powerful reminder that inclusion is not just a goal—it’s a necessity. Today we’re excited to speak with Alex Gossage, Executive Director of the Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston, an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities. Read on to learn about the services DNWML provides, how to get connected, and how we can all be more inclusive.
Senior Resource Connect: If you had to give an “elevator speech” about what your organization does, how would you describe it?
Alex Gossage: Disability Network Washtenaw Monroe Livingston is an advocacy and service by and for people with disabilities in our three-county region. We are what is known historically as a Center for Independent Living. Through a series of comprehensive supports and services, we empower people with disabilities to achieve their own goals and live independently in a community of their choosing. In order to do this with we must also work with local government, institutions, businesses, and others to break down barriers that prevent the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our communities.
SRC: Walk me through the step-by-step process. What happens when you get a phone call/referral?
AG: When we first come into contact with community members who are reaching out to us, we ask questions to learn more about them as an individual and what needs or wants bring them to us. The only requirement we have for clients is that they identify as a person with a disability or are calling with or on behalf of someone with a disability. In addition, our focus is on individuals who live and/or work in Washtenaw, Livingston, and Monroe County.
Once we understand the needs of our consumer, we will connect them with a staff person who we believe will best fit their needs. Our direct service staff members focus on anything from basic information and referral to employment support to peer support and education. Supporting our community members is person-centered, so we will do anything from providing information on who in our community they should contact to address this need to sitting down and helping someone learn to fill out applications for jobs or benefits. Sometimes community members require advocates, to this end we will first work with an individual to help them be their own best advocate, but we will also attend meetings with other agencies, including schools, to make sure that people with disabilities are receiving the services and supports that they need and that are available to them. And finally, I would just add that we offer social and recreational opportunities for people with and without disabilities to join together to have fun, socialize, meet new people, and create space for people with disabilities to be less socially isolated in our communities.
SRC: What organizations do you work closely with?
AG: People with disabilities, just like people without disabilities, have numerous concerns and goals that they are working on in their lives. Thus, we work with a variety of agencies to provide services and supports including schools (including our local universities), housing agencies, local governments, Community Mental Health, Michigan Rehabilitation Services, and other disability-facing agencies in our communities. We also recently have been collaborating with Destination Ann Arbor to assess various businesses around the County for accessibility. This information is then loaded onto a website called Wheel the World and shared on the Destination Ann Arbor website.
SRC: What are some things you wish the public knew about your role?
AG: Simply put, we want more people to know about us period. To know about the breadth of work we do and that we are here to support anyone with a disability to the best of our abilities. We are a service for our community and if someone contacts us from outside of our service area, we will refer them to one of the other fourteen Centers for Independent Living in Michigan who do the work that we do locally
SRC: What tips do you have for someone who may benefit from your services?
AG: Please give us a call, walk-in to our office, or send us an email. If you are a person with a disability or have a loved one with a disability, we are a resource for you.
SRC: Is there anything you would like to add?
AG: Centers for Independent Living, of which we are one, were established with the belief that people with disabilities are those best suited to support and encourage other members of our community. The majority of our staff members and board members identify as people with disabilities. For us, disability is not about a diagnosis, it is about facing and overcoming barriers, physical and attitudinal, that were created in an environment that was built without us in mind.
Thank you to Alex for sharing information about this important resource! You can learn more about Disability Network Washtenaw Livingston Monroe by calling them at (734) 971-0277 or visiting their website.
