Core Services
Information + Referral
Independence, Inc. is available to answer questions about agency programs or services and make referrals as necessary. Our organization maintains an extensive database of service providers and will direct individuals requesting resources to the appropriate contact in the community.
Services
Core Services
Information + Referral
Independence, Inc. is available to ensure people have the information needed to live independently. We are able to answer disability-related questions about resources, services, or supports. We can also direct individuals requesting resources to the appropriate contact.
Independent Living Skills Training
We offer a wide selection of training activities and interactive lessons to improve daily living skills. Our dedicated staff work in one-on-one or group settings to create a blueprint for success. Instruction includes topics such as nutrition, organization/decluttering, communication, household management, relationship development, healthy lifestyles, socialization, personal hygiene, voting, orientation and mobility, travel preparation, home modifications, dress for success and so much more.
Nursing Home + Community Transition
Our high skilled transition team provides nursing home transition and deinstitutionalization services to North Dakotans with disabilities and seniors that desire to live in a community-based setting. The program provides coordination services necessary to prepare and successfully transition to a non-institutionalized living arrangement in our region.
Individual + Systems Advocacy
Our organization was founded on the fundamental beliefs that people with disabilities are entitled to the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. Independence, Inc. is committed to supporting North Dakotans with disabilities in removing barriers limiting community participation. Our experienced advocates provide individual and systems advocacy services to ensure the people we serve have equal access to education, employment, health care, housing, and public facilities.
Peer Mentoring
Independence, Inc. understands the value of mentorship and the benefits of building a relationship with someone that shares common attributes or circumstances. The peer support program aims to train and match mentors with disabilities to others with similar lived-experiences. Peer mentors can be either staff or individuals with disabilities in the local community.
Transformation Services
Employment Assistance
People with disabilities deserve the right to access employment and earn competitive wages.
Our team offers a variety of services designed to assist individuals in achieving their professional goals.
Services:
-
Job Exploration
-
Resume and Cover Letter Writing
-
Mock Interviews
-
Application Assistance
-
Career Assessments
-
Soft Skills Training
-
Dress for Success
-
Accommodation Requests
-
Job Coaching
Housing Help
Find your next home with Independence, Inc. Our experienced staff can assist individuals with disabilities in accessing affordable housing located in the community.
Services:
-
Housing Application Assistance
-
Affordable Rental Exploration
-
Opening Doors Landlord Mitigation
-
Identifying Rental Assistance Programs
-
Local Real Estate Agent Referrals
Transportation Training
Discover the freedom of the open road with Independence, Inc. transportation training.
Our organization can assist people with disabilities in preparing for a driver’s permit exam and provide individualized instruction on the public transportation options available in the local area.
Training Topics:
-
Driver’s Permit Preparation (behind-the-wheel hours not included)
-
City Bus System and Souris Basin Transit
-
Route Navigation​
-
Fares
-
Accessibility Features
-
Benefits and Pitfalls
-
-
Ridesharing (Lyft and Uber)
-
How to request ridesharing services
-
Lyft and Uber app tutorial
-
Rider Safety
-
How to use the price estimator
-
Benefits and Pitfalls
-
-
Taxi Cab​
-
How to contact dispatch and request a ride
-
Rider safety
-
Benefits and Pitfalls
-
Education Support
Every person with a disability has the right to earn an education. Whether earning a GED, high school diploma or college degree, Independence, Inc. can assist individuals in pursuing their academic endeavors. Our staff can provide services such as IEP advocacy, college/trade school exploration, post-secondary goal setting, and financial aid application assistance.
Financial Literacy Training
Financial literacy is an essential part of independent living. Our team can help individuals with disabilities develop the skills to manage personal finances on their own.
​
Training Topics:
-
Budgeting
-
Banking and Saving
-
Online Banking
-
Check Writing
-
Debt Management
-
Establishing an Emergency Fund
-
Financial Goal Setting
Additional Programs
Free through Recovery
Independence, Inc. is a proud provider of the Free through Recovery (FTR) program in our state. Our skilled care coordinators assist North Dakotans with behavioral health conditions involved in the criminal justice system in removing obstacles and arranging support services to reduce recidivism.
Community Connect
Our agency is a state-approved Community Connect service provider. Community Connect is designed to provide adults with mental health conditions or substance use disorders with access to care coordination, peer mentoring and recovery services to support healthy living. The program is available to North Dakotans 18 years or older with a behavioral health diagnosis that impacts life areas such as housing, health, employment, and parenting.
Healthy Relationships
Healthy Relationships is an educational prevention program designed to teach people with disabilities the differences between a healthy and unhealthy relationship. Program participants engage in weekly lessons and class activities that focus on concepts such as boundaries, consent, red flags, and the qualities of a respectful committed companionship.
Community Leadership Academy
Community Leadership Academy (CLA) is an interactive training experience for people with disabilities interested in enhancing personal leadership skills and creating change in the community. Participants gain knowledge in topics of board functions, community engagement, professionalism, disability history, advocacy, and networking. Following program completion, Independence, Inc. staff may assist graduates in identifying local leadership and board service opportunities throughout the region.