How Institutionalization Threatens People with Disabilities | Accessibility Now!

Idaho SILC director Mel Leviton joins Accessibility Now to explain the often-misunderstood work of State Independent Living Councils and why cuts to home and community-based services put everyone at risk of institutionalization. Along the way she shares how becoming a wheelchair user reshaped her sense of self, the small moment of peer mentorship that became her turning point, and what young disabled leaders can teach us when we simply get out of the way. You'll come away understanding the difference between a SILC and a CIL, how advocates in different states can learn from one another, and why disability justice depends on showing up for every other movement too. Watch the full conversation, and let us know in the comments how independent living shows up where you live. Chapters 1:10 - Mel's Path to the Idaho SILC 4:10 - Recognizing Disability, Becoming Paraplegic 6:30 - The Coffee Cup Turning Point 8:30 - Peer Support Inside Institutions 9:00 - Youth Leadership and Getting Out of the Way 11:40 - Why Young Leadership Matters Now 12:10 - Being Queer and Leading in Idaho 13:20 - What a SILC Does vs. a CIL 16:50 - The "Independent Living" Branding Problem 17:20 - Partnering Across States on Disasters 21:50 - HCBS Cuts and the Threat of Institutions 23:10 - Stronger Together: The Final Takeaway