Services & Programs

ARI offers services to maximize independence for people of all ages with all types of disabilities. Each person has the right to optimize his or her individual abilities, so ARI services assist motivated people in developing their self-determined goals to gain and retain greater independence.

Referral Form

Core Services

All Centers for Independent Living offer 5 core services, which ARI provides: Advocacy, Independent Living Skills Training, Information and Referral, Peer Mentoring, and Transition Services.

Advocacy

Individual and Systemic Advocacy are essential to maximizing the independence of people with disabilities. ARI provides services that empower people to speak for themselves and advocate for their fundamental rights. We also work to improve state and local policies for people with disabilities, as well as working with the community to remove physical and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating in the community.

Independent Living Skills

ARI staff assists Consumers in developing the skills, education and resources to live more independently. We address the individual needs of each person so they can make their own choices about what independence means for them and help them identify the barriers to reaching that independence.

Independent Living skills can include:

budgeting,
safety,
completing applications,
and employment readiness.

Information & Referral

We provide information on a wide range of topics related to disabilities such as housing, technology, employment, legal issues and more. If there's a service you need that another agency can better accommodate, we can help you find them and connect you to them.

Peer Mentoring

Peer mentoring and support is an integral part of the Independent Living philosophy because there are times when a person simply needs the assistance of someone who has faced similar issues and barriers. Our Peer Mentoring program matches people with disabilities to serve as role models while providing moral support and solutions to the real issues of life and shared barriers to independence.

Transition Services

Our Transition Services help guide young adults with disabilities into higher education, the workforce, and the community.

ARI also helps people with disabilities move from nursing homes and other institutions back into the community and supports those at risk of entering a nursing home to avoid entering one.

Pre-Employment Transition Services

Nursing Facility Outreach

Additional Programs and Services

In addition to our core services, we offer the following programs.

Veteran's Self Directed Services

The Veteran Directed Care - Home & Community Based Self-Directed Services (VD-HCBS) program provides veterans the opportunity to self-direct their long-term supports and services and continue to live independently at home. Eligible veterans manage their own flexible budgets, decide for themselves what mix of goods and services best meet their needs, and hire and supervise their own workers. We provide eligible veterans with assessment and care/service planning, arrange fiscal management services, and provide ongoing options counseling and support to veterans, their families and caregivers.

Housing Navigation

Housing Navigation involves helping a person seeking housing to develop an individualized plan. In the planning process we address barriers identified, gather information, and complete required forms. Affordable accessible housing can be challenging to find, and public programs often have waitlists. As a Center for Independent Living we will partner with you to determine potential options including natural supports, public housing, shelters, and roommate matching services. Our organization collaborates with local housing entities and may recruit consumers to engage in systems advocacy to advance accessible, affordable housing options, and increase investment in community housing resources.

If you are seeking information on housing resources available in Anne Arundel or Howard County, we have created two guides that list local rental subsidies, housing agencies, tax credits, search tools, homeownership assistance programs and emergency housing information.

Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology can improve the quality of life of people with disabilities and maximize their ability to live independently. Our Assistive Technology program assists eligible people with significant disabilities living in Anne Arundel and Howard Counties to access the technology that can allow them to live independently. We do this through funding assistance, portable ramp loans, and assistive technology demonstration.

Funding Assistance

Individuals may be eligible for funding assistance for their assistive technology and some home modifications if they meet the following eligibility standards:

Are an Anne Arundel or Howard County resident
Have a significant disability
Meet a financial needs test and provide a portion of matching funds
Seek to live more independently

Assistive Technology Program Application