Center for Accessible Living - Independence Place

06/19/2026

We are here to help, every single day. Our services are built to meet people where they are, including:
🔹Advocacy
🔹Skills training.
🔹Community support

We focus on helping individuals live more independent and connected lives. No matter your needs, you do not have to figure it out alone.

Explore all of our services: https://www.calky.org/services

Alt Text: CAL's Bowling Green office at a tabling event with text reading 'how we help every day.'

06/18/2026

We encourage anyone who will be impacted by the reduction of services provided to the disability community, particularly individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD), by the Lee Specialty Clinic to contact your Kentucky State Representatives and Senators immediately.

For many patients and families, Lee Specialty Clinic is far more than just another medical provider. It is a place where individuals with disabilities receive care from professionals who have specialized training and years of experience working with patients whose needs are often complex and who may have faced fear, misunderstanding, or trauma in other healthcare settings.

Many of these patients have spent years building trust with the providers at Lee Specialty Clinic. For some, that trust is the difference between receiving necessary medical care and going without it. The reduction of services could leave vulnerable individuals without access to providers who understand their unique needs, creating barriers to routine exams, preventative care, and critical medical procedures.

The consequences could be devastating. Families may be forced to travel hours for care, face long wait times, or be unable to find providers equipped to serve their loved ones at all. Delayed diagnoses and untreated medical conditions can lead to worsening health, unnecessary suffering, avoidable medical crises, and ultimately higher healthcare costs for everyone.

This is not simply a policy issue. It is a human issue. It is about protecting the dignity, health, safety, and quality of life of Kentuckians with disabilities who deserve access to compassionate, specialized medical care.

For many individuals with ID/DD, losing access to trusted providers can mean living with untreated pain, missing life-saving screenings, or experiencing overwhelming anxiety when forced into unfamiliar medical environments. Families and caregivers who already navigate significant challenges every day may find themselves with nowhere to turn for the specialized care their loved ones need.
Please make your voice heard. Contact your state legislators and ask them to support continued access to these essential services.

Legislative Message Line:
1-800-372-7181
If possible, please attend the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board meeting on Wednesday, June 24, at 1:00 PM in Room 154 of the Capitol Annex.
All meeting materials can be accessed here: https://legislature.ky.gov/Committees/Pages/
All meetings are streamed through Kentucky Education Television (KET) on the LRC live stream, available here:
https://legislature.ky.gov/.../PIO/Pages/Live-Streams.aspx

06/10/2026

Lexington has activated PHASE I of the Heat Plan effective Wednesday, June 10 through Thursday, June 11.

During Phase I, Lextran provides free rides to designated cooling centers to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Detailed information about Lexington's Heat Plan and a list of cooling centers can be found by visiting bereadylexington.com/extreme-heat-is-dangerous-what-you-need-to-do-to-stay-safe Lexington KY Emergency Management

06/04/2026

06/04/2026

Attention all KY Advocacy in Action members!

Our next meeting for the statewide advocacy group will be on Monday, June 8, 2026 at 12 p.m. EST at the CAL Louisville Office (501 E. Broadway, Suite 310, Louisville, KY 40202) or virtually via Microsoft Teams Meeting: https://www.microsoft.com/.../microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting (Meeting ID: 210 937 071 845 53 / Passcode: ot2dC2FG).

Alt Text: KY Advocacy in Action next meeting is Monday, June 8, 2026 at 12 p.m. EST. CAL Louisville Office (501 E. Broadway, Suite 310, Louisville, KY 40202) or virtually: https://www.microsoft.com/.../microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting. Meeting ID: 210 937 071 845 53 and Passcode: ot2dC2FG.

05/29/2026

🚨 Lexington Community Alert 🚨
The city has seen a significant increase in overdose incidents in Lexington this week. Please be extra careful, look out for one another, and help spread the word.

Narcan saves lives. Harm reduction saves lives.

If you use substances, try not to use alone, carry Narcan if possible, and check in on friends and loved ones. If you think someone may be overdosing, call 911 immediately and administer Narcan if available.

This is about keeping people alive. Every life is worth saving, and every overdose reversed is another chance for recovery and hope. 💜

A drug overdose alert has been issued in Fayette County after an "unusually high number of suspected nonfatal drug overdose encounters" in the last week.

05/24/2026

05/21/2026

CAL is excited to launch a new educational series about accessible parking and why it matters! 🚐♿

Our first topic focuses on the striped lines next to van-accessible parking spaces. These striped areas are NOT parking spaces. They are access aisles designed so that side loading wheelchair-accessible vans can safely lower ramps or lifts, allowing individuals using wheelchairs to enter and exit their vehicles safely and independently.

When these areas are blocked, it can prevent someone from being able to get in or out of their vehicle. Keeping access aisles clear helps make our community safer and more accessible for everyone.
Together, we can all do our part to support accessibility and inclusion.

Alt Text: Accessible parking spaces with blue wheelchair symbols and striped no-parking access aisle beside a sidewalk entrance.

05/14/2026

🎨 We Need Your Help! 🎨

Independence Place, a division of the Center for Accessible Living, is asking for support in donating art supplies for our consumers to use while visiting our office and to take home.

Creative activities provide a great outlet for self-expression, relaxation, and building confidence, and we would love to continue offering these opportunities to the individuals we serve.

We’ve made it easy to help by creating an Amazon wish list with the items we need:
👉 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1QN71QWL4APZ6?ref_=wl_share

If you’re able to give, we truly appreciate your support. Every donation makes a difference! 💙

Thank you for supporting Independence Place, a division of Center for Accessible Living!

05/12/2026

Invisible disabilities can have a real impact on learning, behavior, and attendance, even when others do not see the struggle right away. TOMORROW, May 12, join us for a Lunch and Learn from 12 PM to 1 PM EST, where we will explore student rights under education law and offer practical ideas for stronger school support.
RegisterHERE ---> https://tinyurl.com/ybwvf2zt ⚖️🤝