Centers for Independent Living (CIL)

Note: If you are looking for services for yourself or a family member, please visit our independent living services website. This site includes a list of CILs around the state.

What are CILs?

CILs are nonresidential, private, nonprofit organizations that help people with disabilities achieve their independent living goals.

Outsourcing the CILs

As of Aug. 31, 2016, all independent living services have been outsourced to and are provided by centers for independent living (CILs) across the state. The CILs have established contracts with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to receive agency funds to provide services in addition to the federally required core services. HHSC is responsible for administering and monitoring contracts with CILs to provide IL services.

84th Texas Legislature, 2015

Several bills were passed by the 84th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, that made changes to how IL services are provided. These bills include:

Sunset Commission

A Texas Sunset Commission management action directed HHSC to evaluate whether deaf and hard of hearing services should be provided by the CILs.

Independent consultant, Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG), completed an evaluation of the CILs’ capacity to provide these services and facilitated public meetings in Fort Worth, Midland and San Antonio to receive public input.

The results of PCG’s evaluation were issued on April 28, 2016, as part of a report on the CILs’ capacity to provide services. The results of the deaf and hard of hearing services evaluation were included in the final chapter of: Outsourcing Independent Living Services to Centers for Independent Living (PDF).

Forms and Handbooks

Contact Program Staff

Call: 817-759-3522

Email: BlindandGeneralIndependentLiving@hhsc.state.tx.us