The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) is a Federal advisory committee that coordinates Federal efforts and provides advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on issues related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through its inclusion of both Federal and public members, the IACC helps to ensure that a wide range of ideas and perspectives are represented and discussed in a public forum.[i]
On July 23, Maedi Tanham Carney will represent Integrated Living Opportunities (ILO) at an IACC workshop that explores housing issues facing people with ASD. Maedi is the Founder and Executive Director of ILO. The workshop, titled Addressing the Housing Needs of People on the Autism Spectrum, will bring together organizations and advocates to discuss the barriers, problems, and possible solutions. Maedi’s presentation will take place at 2:40 pm, EST. The entire workshop will be live streamed.
Through this workshop and other efforts, the IACC’s Working Group on Housing pledges to “examine a wide variety of housing options and service models for people with autism, focusing on strategies to achieve a broad array of supported housing options throughout all of our communities that enable autistic individuals to achieve person-centered outcomes.” For more information about the IACC, or this workshop specifically, please visit the IACC website.
What is ILO?
Integrated Living Opportunities is a non-profit organization that is devoted to helping families with special needs build supportive, integrated communities that enable safe, productive, independent living options for their young adults with developmental disabilities. ILO helps families create inclusive communities to facilitate networks of support for adults with disabilities to enable them to live independently. ILO does this by developing teams of paid and unpaid individuals for our self-advocates as they move out of their family houses into their own homes.
As founder and Executive Director of ILO, Maedi Tanham Carney has long been a tireless personal and professional advocate for individuals with disabilities, particularly in regards to independent living options. The idea for ILO grew from a need expressed by individuals with disabilities and their families in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. This need was for independent living options that were inclusive, sustainable, affordable, and community based. Carney, along with a group of core participating families, founded ILO to fill that need.
Since then, our organization has grown rapidly – ILO now supports 28 families in Montgomery County Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia. Of the 28 families, 17 family members with disabilities (self-advocates) are now living independently with the supports to be successful and live a full life. ILO facilitates five communities throughout Montgomery County Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia. For families that are not ready to join ILO, ILO also runs ILO Community Group where there are over 65 family members.
We are proud to present our organization and discuss the work that we do building supportive communities at the IACC workshop. If you are interested in learning more about our organization, please contact us (info@ilonow.org). You can also visit our website for information on our Mission & Vision, How ILO Works, ILO Community Group, or subscribe to our blog.
Attend IACC’s workshop
This IACC workshop is free and open to the public. As well, individuals that wish to make public comments are welcome to do so – the IAC requests that “Any member of the public interested in presenting oral comments to the Committee must notify the Contact Person listed below by 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, July 12, 2019, and a written/electronic copy of the oral statement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, July 16, 2019.” More information on the guidelines and deadlines for submission can be found here.
Attend the Conference in Person
As mentioned, this event is free and open. It is recommended, however, that interested individuals preregister to expediate check-in. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Registration is available here, and on-site on the day of the workshop. For more information, including security and accommodation information for individuals with disability (if needed) can be found here.
Date/Time:
Tuesday, July 23, 9:30-4:30 EST
Location:
Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel and Executive Meeting Center
1750 Rockville Pike
Plaza Ballroom
Rockville, MD 20852
Attend the Conference Remotely
Individuals that cannot attend the conference in person are welcome to tune in, either via webcast or conference call. Information on how to access the webcast and/or conference call can be found here.
[i] https://iacc.hhs.gov/about-iacc/
