Understanding Indiana’s State Plan for Independent Living

Graphic titled “Understanding Indiana’s State Plan for Independent Living.” The design features a light blue background with an illustration of a diverse group of people with disabilities standing together. Visible disability-related elements include a wheelchair, a prosthetic leg, a white cane, dark glasses, and a guide dog. The graphic promotes learning about Indiana’s Statewide Plan for Independent Living and highlights inclusion, accessibility, and community participation.

Graphic titled “Understanding Indiana’s State Plan for Independent Living.” The design features a light blue background with an illustration of a diverse group of people with disabilities standing together. Visible disability-related elements include a wheelchair, a prosthetic leg, a white cane, dark glasses, and a guide dog. The graphic promotes learning about Indiana’s Statewide Plan for Independent Living and highlights accessibility and community participation.

Understanding Indiana’s State Plan for Independent Living

Independent living means more than simply living alone. At its core, independent living is the belief that individuals have the right to self-determination and control over their own lives. Finding housing and work, participating in the community, and accessing supports are often a struggle for many people with disabilities. These common challenges are addressed by the State Plan for Independent Living (State Plan). The State Plan is a roadmap that helps shape independent living services and priorities throughout the state.

Developed through collaboration between the Indiana State Independent Living Council (INSILC), Indiana’s Centers for Independent Living (Centers), and people with disabilities across Indiana, the State Plan seeks to strengthen independent living services and advance access and civil rights.

Whether you’re someone with a disability, a family member, a service provider, or simply someone interested in disability rights, understanding the State Plan provides valuable insight into how Indiana’s Independent Living Network is working to create a more accessible future.

So, What Is the State Plan for Independent Living?

Every three years, each state develops a State Plan for Independent Living. This federally required plan outlines how independent living services will be delivered, bettered, and expanded. The current State Plan was implemented in 2025 and will be in place until September 2027. You can read more about the current State Plan here.

Many in America view disability through a medical lens, believing disability as a problem to “solve.” Independent living views disability through a social lens. Rather than focusing on limitations, independent living recognizes that the barriers to independence exist because of environments, policies, and systems.

Indiana’s State Plan identifies these barriers and seeks to remove them. The State Plan establishes statewide priorities, creates measurable goals, and serves as a guide for how state and federal funds authorized under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act will be used to improve the lives of Hoosiers with disabilities.

Why Does Indiana Need a Statewide Plan?

Indiana is home to approximately 920,000 individuals with a disability, according to the 2020 American Community Survey. While many communities have made significant progress, barriers remain in nearly every aspect of life.

Some of the challenges individuals continue to experience include:

  • Limited affordable and accessible housing
  • Transportation barriers
  • Employment disparities
  • Digital accessibility challenges
  • Limited access to personal assistance services
  • Healthcare barriers
  • Emergency preparedness concerns
  • Social isolation

The State Plan works to ensure that resources are directed toward these challenges strategically.

Together, Hoosiers with disabilities, INSILC, Centers for Independent Living, and other disability organizations work toward shared goals that benefit everyone.

INSILC’s Role

At the Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council, we seek to serve as a statewide leader in advancing the Independent Living philosophy. Our council plays a critical role in planning, collaboration, evaluation, and advocacy.

One of our primary responsibilities is partnering with Indiana’s Centers for Independent Living and our designated state entity (FSSA) to develop, implement, and monitor the State Plan. INSILC works to identify statewide priorities, evaluate progress, encourage collaboration, and ensure that the voices of those with disabilities remain central to every stage of the planning process. We know the world is ever evolving, and so too are the challenges people with disabilities face. INSILC is committed to ensuring that the State Plan remains responsive to these changes while staying grounded in the core principles of equal access and integration for all.

A majority of INSILC members are individuals with disabilities, reflecting one of the guiding principles of the Independent Living Movement: Nothing About Us Without Us. Decisions affecting people with disabilities should be informed by those with lived experience, ensuring that policies and priorities reflect real needs rather than assumptions.

We are currently taking applications for our Council. If you or someone you know would be interested in helping to shape the State Plan, you can learn more about applying here.

We Want to Hear from You!

One of the greatest strengths of Indiana’s State Plan for Independent Living is its emphasis on consumer input. The Independent Living philosophy recognizes that people with disabilities are the experts in their own lives. Their experiences provide invaluable insight into the challenges that cannot always be measured through data alone.

Community members frequently identify barriers such as limited accessible housing, unreliable transportation, shortages in personal assistance services, inaccessible healthcare, digital accessibility challenges, and gaps in community supports. While these barriers may vary across Indiana, they all affect an individual’s ability to live independently and participate fully in community life.

Public participation allows these experiences to directly influence statewide priorities. Every survey completed, public comment submitted, and town hall meeting attended contributes to building a stronger Independent Living network for all Hoosiers.

If you want to get involved in creating a more accessible Indiana, join one of our online virtual input forums and make your voice heard. The input provided in these forums will directly shape the next SPIL. Information about this can be found on our website or social media platforms.

Your Voice Matters

The success of Indiana’s State Plan for Independent Living depends on the participation of people with disabilities, family members, service providers, advocates, and community partners across the state.

Public participation strengthens the planning process by ensuring that the State Plan reflects the lived experiences of the people most affected by it. Community feedback helps identify gaps in services, recognize successful initiatives, and shape solutions that improve opportunities for future generations of Hoosiers with disabilities.

The State Plan for Independent Living is more than a strategic document—it is a shared commitment to creating a state where every person with a disability can live independently, make informed choices, and fully participate in their community. Through meaningful collaboration, Indiana’s Independent Living Network strives toward a future where independence is not limited by barriers but supported through action.