COVID-19 Program Policy:
If local community transmission in Sedgwick County is low, then optional mask wearing for staff and clients will be offered in GILA. If the local community transmission changes to medium or high, masks for staff and clients will be reinstated. All participants are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to starting the program. The program director will check the Sedgwick County Health Department’s website to monitor daily community transmission level.

Do you want to live independently, but don’t know if it’s right for you?

CPRF’s Guided Independent Living Assessment (GILA) program is designed to provide young adults with disabilities the chance to give independent living a try in a safe, controlled environment. During this six-week course, participants will gain both classroom and hands-on instruction while living at The Timbers – an accessible apartment community in Wichita owned by CPRF.

For young adults with disabilities and their parents/caregivers, living independently comes with greater concerns than it does for non-disabled adults. These concerns often keep people at home after they reach adulthood and can prevent them from achieving their independence goals. The GILA program lays a foundation of basic skills, including financial literacy, safety, cooking, and much more, with a goal of setting participants up for future success. By the end of the program, participants should have an increased awareness of how to live on their own and a plan for community living and participation.

Each six-week session includes four participants, who will reside at The Timbers in two fully furnished, two bedroom apartments. The program also includes a mentor who currently lives at The Timbers. The mentor can provide general tips for things like daily living and forming relationships.

This program will:

Assess the readiness of participants to live independently in the community,

Provide independent living training, and

Create a plan for community living and participation.

Lessons consists of:

Using public transportation,

Safety at home and in the community,

Cooking and housekeeping,

Financial management and planning,

Building healthy relationships and communication, and

Self-care (wellness, emotional management, etc.).

The GILA program addresses the need for a methodology that measures the readiness of individuals with disabilities to live independently in the community, provides individualized and group training to address skills gaps, and creates personalized plans for future independent living.

This program was created in conjunction with the Wichita State University College of Applied Studies Intervention Services and Leadership in Education (ISLE) Department.

For more information, contact us at (316) 688-1888. The Timbers is located at 2021 N. Old Manor Rd. | Wichita, KS 67208.

A fillable application, along with other informational materials, can be found in the “Resources” tab below.