SD Statewide Independent Living Council - SILC

08/05/2026

🤝 Strong Communities Start with Strong Connections.

Healthy communities aren't built by one organization alone—they're built by neighbors, families, schools, healthcare providers, businesses, faith communities, local leaders, and community members working together.

At the Central Prevention Resource Center, we believe prevention begins with listening. That's why we're asking people across our 15-county service area to complete our Community Needs Assessment.

Your feedback helps us:
💙 Understand community strengths
🤝 Strengthen partnerships
🌱 Guide prevention priorities
🏡 Support mental health and well-being
📈 Inform future programs, resources, and funding opportunities

If you live, work, attend school, or receive services in Buffalo, Dewey, Edmunds, Faulk, Haakon, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jones, Lyman, Potter, Stanley, Sully, Walworth, or Ziebach County, we'd love to hear from you.

📝 Take the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CPRCCommSurvey

Together, we can build stronger, healthier, and more connected communities throughout central South Dakota.

If you're one of our community partners, please consider sharing this post to help us reach even more voices across our region.

08/03/2026

💙💛 Partners, we need your help! 💛💙

You know firsthand how Partners in Policymaking can change lives. Now it's your turn to help someone else begin that journey.
Year 35 applications are now open, and we're asking our incredible Partners network to help us recruit the next generation of leaders. Think about someone in your life—a self-advocate, parent, family member, friend, or coworker—who has the passion to make a difference but just needs the opportunity.
Send them the flyer, link, or both. Your recommendation could be the reason someone discovers their voice and becomes a leader in their community.
Together, let's grow the Partners family and continue building a stronger, more inclusive South Dakota.
Applications are now open for Year 35; classes start November 2026!
https://drsdlaw.org/be-an-advocate/partners-in-policymaking/

07/24/2026

Have questions about Shared Living? We're here to help! Stop by Vista Care's Shared Living Open House outside the Boys & Girls Club on July 28th. Learn about the support provided to Shared Living Providers, hear how the program changes lives, and explore whether this rewarding opportunity is right for you.

Stop by anytime during the event to meet our team and learn more about becoming a Shared Living Provider. We can't wait to meet you!

07/24/2026

Vista Care invites community members to attend a Shared Living Open House at Tripp County Library on July 29th. Discover how Shared Living empowers individuals with disabilities to live independently while building lasting connections within their communities. Meet our team, get your questions answered, and learn how you can get involved.

Stop by anytime during the event to meet our team and learn more about becoming a Shared Living Provider. We can't wait to meet you!

07/24/2026

Thirty-six years after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, accessibility continues to evolve.

New technology, changing workplaces, and a growing understanding of disability mean there is always room to learn and improve.

The ADA established important protections, but creating truly accessible workplaces goes beyond legal compliance. It requires employers to listen, remove barriers, and recognize that accessibility benefits employees, customers, and communities alike.

Accessibility isn't a finish line.

It's an ongoing commitment to creating opportunities where everyone can succeed.



Image: Black-and-white photograph of a large gathering of disability rights advocates inside a government building. Many participants use wheelchairs and are assembled in a crowded hall while speakers and media stand nearby.

07/22/2026

October Training Opportunity

Something exciting is coming this October!

Save the Date!
Breaking Workplace Disability Barriers

Join the Workplace Disability Network for Breaking Workplace Disability Barriers, an interactive training designed to help employers better understand workplace accessibility, accommodations, communication, and disability inclusion.

October 8, 2026
9:00–11:00 a.m.
The Monument

Through realistic scenarios, team-based problem solving, and guided discussion, participants will gain practical strategies they can apply immediately to build more accessible and inclusive workplaces.

Whether you're an employer, supervisor, manager, HR professional, or community partner, this training will provide valuable tools to help you build confidence in supporting employees and creating workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

Registration opens soon.

For now, save the date—we hope you'll join us!



Image: Graphic promoting Breaking Workplace Disability Barriers: Hayden's Story for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) 2026. The design features modern geometric shapes in blue, teal, and copper with the Workplace Disability Network logo. Text announces the interactive workplace accessibility program and highlights the 2026 theme, "Celebrating Value & Talent."

07/15/2026

Learn a few basic signs in ASL

07/09/2026

🚐 Need a Ride? We've Got You Covered!

Getting around Wall and the surrounding communities has never been easier.

Whether you're traveling locally, heading to a medical appointment in Rapid City, or visiting Ft. Meade, River Cities Public Transit is here to help with safe, reliable, and affordable transportation.

✅ In-town service Tuesday–Friday
✅ Service within a 20-mile radius of Wall, including Quinn, Wasta, and Cottonwood
✅ Pre-scheduled rides starting at just $2 one-way
✅ Rapid City service every Wednesday for only $10 round trip
✅ ADA-accessible transportation available

📞 Reservations are required for out-of-town trips. Call 605-279-2430 to schedule your ride.

⏰ The earlier you call, the better! Advance reservations help us serve more riders throughout the community.

Safe. Reliable. Community Focused.

07/09/2026

July marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For this month’s West Meets East: Access at Work session, we will be having a practical conversation about what the ADA means for employers.

Join Heidi Mecham with Workplace Disability Network of the Black Hills and Vicki Stewart with Employment Disability Resources as they discuss reasonable accommodations, equal opportunity, the interactive process, and common ADA misunderstandings in the workplace.

July Session: What Is the ADA? A Practical Conversation for Employers
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
9:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. CT

Registration link in the comments!



Image: Promotional graphic for the July session of West Meets East: Access at Work. The dark blue and teal design features a gray map of South Dakota behind the title “West Meets East: Access at Work.” Text at the top reads, “July Session: What Is the ADA? A Practical Conversation for Employers.” The bottom includes photos and names of Heidi Mecham with the WDN logo and Vicki Stewart with an accessibility-themed icon.

07/09/2026

🚐 Need a Ride in Haakon County? We’re Here to Help!

Haakon County Prairie Transit, operated by River Cities Public Transit, provides safe, reliable transportation throughout Philip and surrounding communities.

Whether you're heading across town, to a medical appointment, shopping, visiting family, or traveling to Pierre, Rapid City, Ft. Meade, Kadoka, Midland, Wanblee, Belvidere, or Kyle, we're ready to help get you there.

✅ Affordable fares
✅ ADA-accessible vehicles available
✅ Medicaid transportation accepted
✅ Free rides available for eligible Veterans in highly rural counties
✅ Service available Monday–Friday, with weekend trips available when scheduled in advance

📅 Medical appointments must be scheduled between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM MT.

⏰ Service Hours:
Monday–Friday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: Pre-scheduled 48 hours in advance

📞 Call (605) 441-1495 during business hours to schedule your ride.

All trips are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis based on driver availability, so call early to reserve your spot!