History

In the early 70's, BCIL was founded to "open doors" for persons with disabilities so that living independently could become a reality for many who had either been institutionalized or limited to their home environment. From a very humble beginning at the Boston University School of Theology in 1974, BCIL has become a leading force in the political and social fabric of our city and state, now serving over 5,000 people annually with direct services and needed information.  We continue to advocate for accessibility around the city as well as laws and regulations that improve the quality of life for people with disabilities in Greater Boston and across Massachusetts.

BCIL provides the four “core services" of independent living centers:  peer mentoring, skills training, information and referral, and advocacy. BCIL is active in a number of areas critical to people with disabilities, including housing, healthcare, employment, long-term care, transportation, adaptive technology, communications, civil rights law, and education.  We assist individuals in hiring a Personal Care Attendant (PCA).  BCIL has initiatives targeting youth with disabilities and alliances with senior organizations as well. A high majority of both our staff and board are people with disabilities. We comprehend and bring personal and professional experience to our work – we know the disability community, we are the disability community.

For over thirty-three years, BCIL has empowered persons with disabilities to become more independent while advocating for their rights both on a state level and with the federal government - rallying round the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act legislation in 1990. This legislation is the foundation of our efforts to improve municipal access in the city of Boston, and the basis for our settlement with the MBTA to create system wide accessibility. We have also worked to pass legislation that will create better working conditions for PCAs and programs that generate more affordable, accessible housing for people with disabilities throughout Greater Boston.

Providing greater independence for people with disabilities is BCIL’s mission, and a social imperative, and our long range goal. We strives to ensure access to the mainstream community and our advocacy work fundamentally relates to personal health, human dignity, family maintenance and one’s ability to contribute to society.  BCIL champions giving people a collective say in the decisions affecting their lives. Our independent living services are consumer-controlled, and we believe that people with disabilities must, whenever possible, unite to speak out on larger issues that affect their lives, such as housing, health care, and transportation access. We hope that ultimately, the city of Boston fully complies with the American with Disabilities Act to ensure that those with disabilities have the opportunity to live with dignity. BCIL’s goals may be ambitious, but we have the energy, commitment, experience and passion to genuinely improve the quality of life for Greater Boston’s people with disabilities.