Independent Living

Independent Living

Many adults with disabilities live on their own and rely on family and friends for occassional support. Some adults with disabilities need special services to live othe their own. Services usually involve intermittent support centered around employment, education, housing or transportation. A few adults with disabilities need intensive lifelong support.

Support may be obtained from the ND Department of Human Services - Disability Services through either Developmental Disabilities or Vocational Rehabilitation services. Services are usually funded through money budgeted by the state legislature, or a combination of state and federal dollars using Medicaid options under the Home and Community Base Waiver. To learn more about services, contact the Human Service Center nearest you.

North Dakota Centers for Independent Living

North Dakota has four Independent Living Centers. They provide services to adults and children with
disabilities and their families and can be a one stop shop. The ND Centers are:

1. Freedom Resource Center - A center focused on working toward equality and inclusion for people
with disabilities. They serve 10 counties in North Dakota through community education, empowerment and systems change, as well as publish a quarterly newsletter, “Freedom Focus”. For more information, call the Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN, office at 1-800-450-0459 or the satellite office in Jamestown, ND, at 1-701-252-4693 voice/tty.
2. Dakota Center for Independent Living - This center is located in Bismarck and is one of the oldest centers in North Dakota. They provide a variety of services to adults and families and offer a comprehensive course in self advocacy, entitled Partners in Policymaking. You can call them at 1-800-489-5013.

3. Options Center for Independent Living - This center is located in Grand Forks and covers 8 counties in North Dakota. They provide information and referral advocacy, peer visiting and skills training. They publish a quarterly newsletter called "Options Choices & Rights". Call them at 1-800-726-3692 for more information.

4. Independence Inc. - This center is located in Minot and is one of the newest centers in North Dakota. It provides a variety of services to adults and families in the northwest quandrant of the state. You can call them at 1-800-377-5114.

Housing

Service Providers - Although not all adults with disabilities need to access service providers who specialize in supporting people with developmental disabilities, many do. Service providers often assist people with disabilities by providing group living arrangements or helping participants locate an apartment in which to live. The state of North Dakota contracts with many different service providers To contact an individual provider, either click on the link or go to The Arclink site (under contruction). Persons wishing to enroll in a program of service offered by a provider must be found eligible for services through the ND Department of Human Services.

ND Fair Housing Council - A non-profit organization which works to eradicate housing discrimination through community education; encouragement of public involvement; assistance to those experiencing housing discrimination; and support of individuals and organizations seeking equal opportunity in housing. To reach them, call toll free: 1-888-265-0907 or ND Relay: 1-800-366-6889 (Voice) TDD: 1-800-927-9275 or visit their website.

HUD Home Program - The Home Investments Partnership (HOME) program is the largest federal program available exclusively to create new affordable housing. Approximately $1.8 billion in HOME funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) each year to states and localities to address affordable housing needs. In North Dakota to learn more about the distribution of HOME funds, contact Mike Spletto at 701-328-2094. North Dakota does not have a web site for this project. More information can be obtained at the national site.

Family Life

The Arc, Upper Valley - A non-profit organization that provides advocacy, education and family support services to people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families. Be on the lookout for a new upcoming web site called the The ArcLink that will provide detailed information about family support and adult service providers in North Dakota. The Arc, Upper Valley has a support group for parents with DD. They can give you contact information about an Arc Chapter nearest to you. Call them toll free at 1-877-250-2022 or visit them on the web.

Family To Family Network (F2F) - This agency matches families who wish to meet another family with a child who has a developmental delay, a disability or a chronic health condition (i.e. diabetes, asthma, allergies). Call the F2F toll free number at 1-888-434-7436 or contact them on the web.

ND Federation of Families - A state and national parent-run organization focused on the needs of children and youth with emotional, behavioral or mental disorders and their families. If you have concerns about your child’s needs, they are eager and willing to help. Call their toll free number 1-800-492-4951 or visit them on the web and contact the regional coordinator nearest to you.

Pathfinders Family Center - PFC consists of two statewide federally funded education projects: Pathfinder Parent Training and Information (PTI) that serves families of children with special needs and NDPASS Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) that assists families and schools in general education. They focus on free appropriate public education for all children ages birth to 21. Learn more about this valuable educational resource by calling their toll free number at 1-800-245-5840 or visit them on the web.