The New Jersey Association of Centers for Independent Living (NJACIL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization composed of executive representatives from all twelve Centers for Independent Living (CILs) across the state. NJACIL fosters collaboration among its members, who provide one another with professional and technical support, exchange best practices, and strengthen the expansion of programs and services that empower New Jersey residents with disabilities.
CILs themselves are community-based, non-residential, consumer-driven, and cross-disability organizations, with at least 51% of employees being individuals with disabilities. They provide five core services: information and referral, peer support, independent living skills training, advocacy, and transition services that assist individuals in moving from institutional to community living or from youth to adult systems.
As the coordinating association for New Jersey’s CILs, NJACIL plays a pivotal role in advancing their collective mission. It promotes professional development and technical assistance, facilitates the exchange of innovative practices, and ensures compliance with federal standards such as those outlined in the Rehabilitation Act. NJACIL also serves as a strong advocate, working with the New Jersey Statewide Independent Living Council (NJSILC), state government and the legislature to educate stakeholders, influence policy, and advance the rights of individuals with disabilities. Guided by its core values of collaboration, inclusion, advocacy, prominence, and autonomy, NJACIL acts collectively to promote disability equity, integration, and independence while amplifying the voices of people with disabilities.
Its mission is to unite CILs in fostering inclusion, equality, and social justice, highlighting their expertise in independent living, and empowering members to expand services and promote self-determination. NJACIL’s vision is a society where individuals with disabilities are fully integrated into diverse and accessible communities, where disability is recognized as a natural part of human diversity, and where universal accessibility and inclusion form the foundation of social justice.
