Individualized Community Supports with Training

Independent living skills (ILS) training is waiver services is put in place to develop, maintain and improve the community-living skills of a person. It must be provided in either the person’s home or community settings typically used by the general public. Examples of ILS training provided in the person’s home and/or community setting may include; learning how to cook in the person’s kitchen, learning how to deposit money by going to a bank or ATM, using the bus system to learn how to ride a bus.

The purpose of ILS services is to:

1. Increase the person’s independence by teaching skills so tasks and activities can be performed with decreased dependence on caregivers
2. Increase the person’s opportunities to interact with people without disabilities who are not paid caregivers
3. Provide daily schedules, routines, environments and interactions similar to those of people without disabilities of the same chronological age
4. Provide skill training in an environment where the skill will be used
5. Support development of decision-making skills and informed choices in all aspects of daily living, including selection of service providers, goals and methods, location and decor of residence, roommates, daily routines, leisure activities and personal possessions.