Mainstream

300 South Rodney Parham, Suite #5
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
(501)280-0012 (voice)
(501) 280-9262 (tty)
(501) 280-9267 (fax)

Outside Pulaski County
1-800-371-9026

E-mail: mainstreamlr@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.mainstreamilrc.com

Mainstream is a non-residential, consumer-driven Independent Living Resource Center for people with disabilities in central Arkansas. Consumers of Mainstream set their own goals and take the lead in developing plans to meet those goals. Mainstream offers services to consumers free of charge. Mainstream has been in existence since January 28, 1988.

Mainstream operates with the conviction that those of us with disabilities have the right and the responsibility to make choices, to control our lives and to participate fully and equally in our community. In order to accomplish this concept, Mainstream offers the following services:

• Advocacy - helping to remove barriers to independence and integration with resources, information and expert advice.
• Peer Support - Connecting people with disabilities with one another for mutual support through support groups and peer networking. The groups are cross-disability groups and are based on consumer and community interests. These are not therapy groups.
• Training & Education - A broad range of trainings are offered based on input from the consumers of Mainstream and community organizations.
• Information & Referral - Answers questions about access, independence, community programs, and other disability-related topics.
• Resource Library - Mainstream has a loan library available with numerous books, a computer, videos and other vital materials to keep persons with disabilities, their families, and other community organizations informed about issues of importance.
• Job Placement - Assist consumers with all aspects of employment, from job search to job placement and provide follow-up for a period of 90 days.
• Job Readiness Training - The program provides classes in job search, interviewing and resume writing for job seekers. Training support is provided to assist the consumer with any problems that they may encounter while preparing for a job.
• Ramp Program - The Ramp Program provides access to and from home for people with mobility impairments. Mainstream coordinates this program with The Southwestern Bell Telephone Pioneers and the City of Little Rock community Development Block Grant Initiative. The ramps are built according to ADA specifications.
• SSA Benefits Planning - Helps a consumer to understand how working will affect their benefits and how to develop a plan to become self-supporting. The program successfully assists persons with disabilities with navigating through the maze of Social Security and Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) regulations. The program works with people ages 14 to 64.
• ADA Technical Assistance - Mainstream provides technical assistance to consumers, businesses and disability organizations on disability laws, with assistance from ILRU-Disability Law Resource Project.
• Voter Registration - Mainstream is an authorized voter registration site.

Mainstream's Mission Statement

The mission of Mainstream is to provide:

Advocacy, Peer Support and other services which enable people with significant disabilities to live independently in the community. The Organization works to achieve the integration of people with disabilities into the mainstream of society.

Mainstream is dedicated to the concept of consumer directed service delivery: Each consumer has control of his or her life and the services, support and advocacy offered to or conducted on behalf of a consumer, are conducted within the framework of a written Independent Living Plan. The consumer develops the plan with assistance from a qualified Mainstream staff member.

The Organization is dedicated to the following principles of operation:

• Assisting each consumer with consideration and concern.
• Working closely and cooperatively with other organizations to make available comprehensive community support for persons with significant disabilities by strengthening existing service and support systems, developing new systems, and avoiding duplication of services.
• Promoting concepts of equality and justice, which will further the cause of integrating persons with disabilities into the mainstream of society.

Mainstream Staff

Content of this page was taken from the Mainstream brochure.

< < Return to CILS Page

Contact information: 8500 West Markham, Ste. 105 Little Rock, AR 72205 1-800-772-0607 501-372-0607 Fax: 501-372-0598

AILC Home   |   About AILC   |   AILC News   |   Upcoming Events   |   CILs   |   Resources   |   Site Map