About Ability360

Empowering People with Disabilities for Over 40 Years 1981 – Present

Ability360 advocates personal responsibility – by, and for, people with disabilities – as a means to independence.  To help consumers achieve self-sufficiency, Ability360 offers comprehensive programs including:

• Independent Living Skills Instruction

• Information and Referral

• Peer Support

• Advocacy

• Home Modification

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Training and Counsel

• Outreach to Rehabilitation Centers and Early Intervention for Newly-Disabled Individuals

• Reintegration to the Community

• Employment Services

• Social Security Work Incentives Consulting

• Empowering Youth in Transition

• Home Care Services and Socialization through Recreation

• Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center

Ability360 is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation.  Through its comprehensive programs, Ability360 touches the lives of individuals with disabilities and addresses the disability concerns of their family members, co-workers and employers.

Ability360 began in 1977 as the Arizona Congress for Action (ACA), a group of people with diverse physical disabilities who launched a grassroots effort to educate the community about disability-related issues in Central Arizona.  In 1978, Congress enacted Independent Living Center legislation as part of the amended Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  In 1981, Ability360 received funding and began services.

With more than 130 staff members and volunteers, more than 1,500 personal care attendants and hundreds of volunteers, Ability360 has offices in Phoenix, Gilbert/Mesa, Glendale, Tucson, along with Coolidge, and provides services throughout Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, and Gila Counties.

Ability360 programs are made possible through Federal, State and City grants, fee-for-service contracts, contributions from foundations, individual and corporations. Ability360’s government funding sources include: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through City of Phoenix, City of Scottsdale and City of Peoria; Title VII Part C, Title VII Part B from AZSILC (pass through AZRSA); Arizona Long Term Care Program under the Arizona Health care Cost Containment System via its program contractors: Mercy Care, Banner University Family Care; United Healthcare Community Plan and AZ DES DDD; ACL National Institute on Disability, IL and Rehab research; City of Phoenix Dial-A Ride monitoring; This is My Life self-advocate program from AZDES; Veteran Direct Care; SSA’s Ticket to Work program; AZDES Pre-ETS; and VRS MSA-RIS.

Awards

The Healthy Arizona Worksite Award

The Healthy Arizona Worksite Award recognizes Arizona employers for their efforts to support the health and wellness of their employees, families and communities. Employers that receive the Healthy Arizona Worksite Award will be recognized for their wellness efforts in statewide communications, at recognition events, and on the HAWP website.

Charity Navigator Award

Ability360 has been rated by Charity Navigator, which means donors can give with confidence knowing that Ability360 has been independently evaluated for being effective. Learn more at Charity Navigator's Website.

GuideStar Transparency Award

GuideStar provides access to information on over 2.7 million nonprofits, including IRS-recognized tax-exempt organizations and faith-based nonprofits. They determine non-profit's transparency with the public, displaying all details of an organization and determines a rating based on information provided; ranging from bronze to platinum.

Mission Statement

Ability360 offers and promotes programs designed to empower people with disabilities to take personal responsibility so that they may achieve or continue independent lifestyles within the community.

Ability360 is one of five Centers for Independent Living in Arizona, and the largest Center in the state.  Ability360 advocates personal responsibility – by, and for, people with disabilities – as a means to independence.  Programs are designed to help consumers achieve self-sufficiency.  In addition to the five core service areas, Ability360 provides and promotes numerous other programs and services that help consumers achieve an independent lifestyle.

Ability360 Programs and Services:

• Individual & Systems Advocacy
• Information & Referral
• Employment Services ADA Services and Counsel
• Empowering Youth in Transition
• Home Modifications
• Social and Recreational Opportunities
• Home Care Services
• Sports, Fitness and Health & Wellness Programs

Ability360 Programs and Services are designed to:

• Maximize independence
• Advocate personal responsibility as a means to independence
• Respond to direct consumer needs
• Encourage self-sufficiency
• Increase consumer control
• Achieve equal opportunity and full integration
• Remove barriers – architectural, communication and attitudinal
• Provide leadership through peer role models

Through its comprehensive programs, Ability360 touches the lives of individuals with disabilities and addresses the disability concerns of their family members, co-workers and employers.

Principles

• We promote and value equal opportunity, full integration and consumer choice
• We promote the achievement of full rights and empowerment of all persons with disabilities.
• We promote the full participation of people with disabilities in the cultural, social, recreational and economic life of the community.
• We promote consumer choice/control – the individual’s right to make informed decisions regarding his or her best interests in all aspects of life.
• We promote the involvement of people with disabilities in the decision-making process of community programs and services.

Independent Living and Self-Determination Statement

Independent Living and Self-Determination are values that stress dignity, self-responsibility, choices and decision making.  Independent living is the freedom to direct one’s own life. Each individual has the right to optimize his or her personal ability and fully integrate into the community.  What does this mean?  You get to be in charge of your own life.  You might seek advice, but you make decisions for yourself.  You know what is best for you.  It does not mean doing everything all by yourself.  You might need assistance around your home.  You choose who assists you.  You pursue your dreams.  You explore your potential, talents and abilities.  It means having the freedom to fail and learn from your failures as well as experience successes, just as those without disabilities do.  The opportunity for independent living and self-determination is essential to the well being of people with disabilities.

Home Care Services (HCS)

Principles

People of all ages with all types of disabilities have the option of obtaining assistance with daily living in their homes and communities.

Home Care Services enable people with disabilities to participate in activities at home, at work and in the community.

Consumers freely choose, direct and control the range of personal assistant services, without medical supervision.

Services are individualized and designed to respond to the expressed current and ongoing needs, preferences and desires of the individual, rather than provider availability.

We believe in an organized approach to training personal care assistants (PCAs).

We believe independence is measured by the control a person with a disability has over his or her life; it is not measured by the tasks one can perform without assistance, but by the quality of one’s life with assistance.

We believe in integration — entry into society — on the consumer’s terms rather than the terms of the non-disability community.