Southeastern Minnesota Center for Independent Living Inc

Inspiring Independence

Independent living is having the opportunity to make the decisions that affect your life, having the freedom to make choices about where and how you live, and having the right to succeed or fail, just as non-disabled people do.

The Southeastern Minnesota Center for Independent Living (SEMCIL) is a community-based non-profit offering a variety of independent living programs and services. These programs assist individuals with a range of disabilities to live as independently as possible in their communities. SEMCIL supports the full participation of individuals with disabilities in their communities.

In 1980, a small group of community members – with the mission of creating or sustaining independence for all persons with disabilities-wrote a grant that got us started and formed our first Board of Directors. Their vision led to the establishment of the Rochester Center for Independent Living (RCIL) in 1981.

Beginning with four staff in a small storefront in Rochester, SEMCIL has grown to over 450 employees serving 11 counties. Our staff serve persons of all ages and disability types providing a range of services including:

• Personal Care Assistance
• Disability Linkage Line
• Information, education, and skills training
• Transition and Relocation
• Advocacy

These services are self-directed and strictly in control of consumers in our care. SEMCIL provides these services to promote a person-centered integrated community living in line with the philosophy of Independent Living.

We continue to carry out the mission of our founding Board and staff members and support the human and civil rights of individuals with disabilities throughout southeastern Minnesota.