Kentucky Statewide Independent Living Council hosts community listening session with Center for Accessible Living

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Kentucky Statewide Independent Living Council, along with the Center for Accessible Living, hosted a community listening session Tuesday afternoon.

Community members and employees from various agencies were in attendance to help shape the groundwork for the state plan for independent living.

Attendees talked about what they want to see improved in Warren County for those with disabilities, which included services such as transportation and housing.

The transportation issue is that there isn’t enough in the area, and it can become costly when trying to do something like going to the grocery store.

A ride on the bus costs $8, and rides have to be scheduled in advance, which can also bring some conflicts, as anything can occur at a given moment.

Housing is also another issue, specifically in the Warren County area.

There are not enough Section 8 or single-family homes to go along with being accommodating to those with disabilities. On top of this, the unhoused population was discussed as there aren’t enough shelters for the number of people who are currently homeless.

Some shelters only allow people in at a certain time, and they have to be out as early as six in the morning.

These were just some of the issues discussed during the session to help improve services for those with disabilities, and one thing stated in the discussion was, “If you can fix one, you can fix them all.”

“When you begin to address those barriers such as employment, transportation, and housing, that’s when our community will hopefully realize we truly do have a need for these things to be addressed,” said Lindsey Chaffin-Scott, manager at the Center for Accessible Living in Bowling Green.

For more information on resources provided by the Center for Accessible Living, click here.