Programs and Services

We welcome all people with disabilities, regardless of age, type or severity. We are dedicated to providing individuals with: peer support, independent living skills training, advocacy, and information & referral. Our goal is to empower people with disabilities to advocate for themselves and bring about change in society and the attitudes toward disabilities.

Peer support

• Receive emotional support
• Benefit from personal growth

Information and referral

• Receive up-to-date information on important issues in your community
• Get referrals to other helpful resources in our community (we will gladly help coordinate services between agencies.)

Life skills training

• Learn daily living skills with individualized training (budgeting, using public transportation, training your own attendant, etc.)
• Increase your opportunities to live independently

Advocacy

• Learn what to do if you believe your rights have been violated
• Gain confidence to speak for yourself and other people with disabilities

Service Coordination

• Links to appropriate community resources
• Promoting and coordinating cooperative practices among service providers

Community Action

• Local action teams (advocacy groups)-people with disabilities organizing as advocates to work toward positive change

Disability Awareness Trainings

• Individualized, interactive presentations on various disability issues for businesses, civic groups, churches, schools, community agencies, etc. We may charge a fee for this service, depending on type and length of training requested.

Ticket to Work

We are now an Employment Network (EN) with the Ticket to Work Program through the Social Security Administration. The Ticket to Work is an employment program for people with disabilities who are interested in going to work. The goal of the Ticket Program is to increase opportunities and choices for Social Security disability beneficiaries to obtain employment, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and other support services from public and private providers, employers, and other organizations.

Under the Ticket Program, the Social Security Administration they may use to obtain the services and jobs they need from organizations called Employment Networks. Although we do not have the jobs available here at DEC, we can assist you in your quest for employment.

DISABILITY EMPOWERMENT CENTER

941 Wheatland Ave.
Suite 201
Lancaster, PA 17603

Lancaster
(717) 394-1890

toll-free
(866) 394-1890

tty
(717) 394-3228

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