Center for the Independence of the Disabled of New York, 1978-79

Jacobson

Okay. Let's talk about CIDNY [Center for the Independence of the Disabled of New York]. When and how did that come into being?

Saviola

CIDNY. How I got there or how CIDNY developed?

Jacobson

How CIDNY first developed.

Saviola

I guess it was in 1978 and '79 when, after the CIL in Berkeley was up and running and ready to be replicated our local VR [vocational rehabilitation] agency under the Rehab Act, under Title VII, of the '73 Rehab Act, were going to start ILCs [independent living centers]. And in New York State, they decided to fund CIDNY. It was the first, actually, to fund it through I&D money, innovation and development money. At the time, Fred Francis worked for VESID, which was then OVR. So, he knew about the

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activists in the city who wanted to start an Independent Living Center and he helped us get a grand from VESID for a local disability rights group in the city to get a grant.

Jacobson

Why did they call it VESID?

Saviola

Vocational, Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities.

Jacobson

That's a mouthful. [laughter]

Saviola

Definitely. But, so--

Jacobson

Let me change the tape.

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Jacobson

Okay, now Fred Francis--.

Saviola

He was a friend of Pat Figueroa's, and they both went to Brooklyn College. So, when he knew that VESID was getting this RFP [request for proposal] together, he talked to Pat, "Okay, let's do this." And they went to NPF, National Paraplegic Foundation, or whatever it was called--you know which one I mean.

Jacobson

Yes.

Saviola

And they had to be the not-for-profit that sponsored it. Okay, so they did an RFP and CIDNY was given the grant. Anne Marie Tully worked there and then Bobbi [Linn] at first, and at first it was supposed to do home attendant referral, it had one specific task.

Jacobson

Who was the head of it?

Saviola

Pat Figueroa.

Jacobson

Okay.

Saviola

Yes, he was the head until he left in '83, and that's when I came in.

Jacobson

Now before CIDNY got started, what had you heard about CIL?

Saviola

That there was this program in California that was having people with disabilities control all the services they need so that people can live independently. Without having professionals administer the services.

Jacobson

So, was CIDNY trying to follow in their footsteps?

Saviola

Unfortunately, no.

Jacobson

Why not?

Saviola

Because I think that when CIDNY started, based on the funding source, they had so little money they could only do one or two things. So they identified home attendant

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referral and stuff like that, and only gradually grew to provide a full range of IL services including systems advocacy, housing, and stuff like that. And at that point, CIDNY was originally a federal center, because VESID had gotten the grant. Then New York State funded several independent living centers when the Brooklyn Center started, a couple of years after CIDNY. And they had gone from a group called the Independent Living for the Handicapped, which was a recreational group, which also started housing people with disabilities in the community. Because Mary Weinberg, whose son had muscular dystrophy--. So they'd fund congregate living, almost, where they would pair up one or two people with disabilities. So that group evolved into the Brooklyn Center. And I was on the board of the Brooklyn Center before I worked at CIDNY.

Jacobson

Did you know anything about the board of CIDNY?

Saviola

Not at that time, no.

Jacobson

Okay. You got money for the Brooklyn Center from the state?

Saviola

We didn't. CIDNY did it as an entity. But it was only at one time when some of the state funds were cut, CIDNY helped fund the Brooklyn Center for a very short period until the funding was restored.