State Plan for Independent Living Committee Meeting
April 20, 2026
DRAFT Meeting Minutes

Action items: 
•	Ms. England will share the Transition and Diversion information in writing with committee members, along with the future SPIL training schedule. 

1.	Call to Order 

2.	Introductions
Brandi Bluel – SPIL Chair/Executive Director, Resources for Independent Living (RIL)
Susan Rotchy – SILC Member/SPIL Member/Executive Director, Independent Living Center of Solano and Contra Costa County (ILCSCC) 
Alan Cruz – SILC Member/SPIL Member
Rian Dindzans – SILC Member/SPIL Member
Eddie Morgan – SPIL Ex-Officio Member/Executive Director, Tri-County Independent Living Center 
Hector Ochoa – SPIL Ex-Officio Member/California Resource Services for Independent Living (CRS-IL)
Meleana Chun-Moy – SILC Member
Sarah Harris – Chief, Independent Living, Assistive Technology, and Traumatic Brain Injury Section (ILATS), Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)
Anabell Alcaraz – Supervisor, Lancaster Branch, Independent Living Center of Southern California (ILCSC)
Ligia Andrade Zuniga – Executive Director, Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities (CID)
Faustino Alvarez – Community Access Center (CAC) 
Rebecca Berry
Sheri Burns – Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) 
Suzanna Gamez – Resources for Independence, Central Valley (RICV) 
Kevin Hansen – Grant Administrator, DOR
Ted Jackson – Marin Center for Independent Living (MCIL) 
Jennifer Kumiyama – Executive Director, Disabled Resource Center, Inc. 
Evan LeVang – Disability Action Center (DAC) 
Kristy Madden – Systems Change Advocate, Communities Actively Living Independent & Free (CALIF) 
Keith Miller – Executive Director, CALIF 
Susan Neely – Grant Administrator, DOR 
Brittany Zazueta – Executive Director, Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled (DMC) 
Carrie England – SILC Executive Director
Allison Viramontes-Nhan – SILC Legislative Specialist
Danielle Hess – SILC Office Manager 

3.	Public Comment
None

4.	SILC Member Updates
None

5.	Approval of Minutes from February 9, 2026, SPIL Committee Meeting
Mr. Cruz motioned for approval of the Draft Minutes from February 9, 2026, and Ms. Bluel seconded the motion. This passed unanimously through a roll call vote. The motion passed unanimously with two abstentions by Ms. Rotchy and Mx. Dindzans.  

6.	SPIL Vice Chair Officer Election
Mr. Solorzano recently stepped down from the SILC, leaving a position open for a new vice-chair of the SPIL Committee. Ms. Bluel shared details of the position, which acts as a fill-in for the Chair if they are unavailable. 

Mr. Morgan was self-nominated for the role, and this passed unanimously through a roll call vote with one abstention by Mr. Morgan.

7.	2025-2027 SPIL Training—Transition and Diversion
Ms. England presented a training on the Transition and Diversion Fund, which helps people with disabilities live in their homes and communities instead of institutions. This is a reimbursement grant that provides up to $4,500 that can be used when other funding sources are not available or don’t fully meet the need. 

The Transition and Diversion Fund can be used for people moving from an institution into their community, staying in their community and avoiding institutional placement, for youth to transition into education or out of their family home, helping people stay in their communities in the aftermath of an emergency or natural disaster, and helping people with disabilities at risk of losing housing or who are homeless. 

The SILC is responsible for allocating these funds and setting goals through the SPIL, along with reviewing progress in public meetings. When reviewing progress, the SILC’s role is to ensure this work leads to real results, such as helping people leave institutions, avoid institutionalization, and live in the community. This work supports rights under the Olmstead v. L.C. decision, which says people with disabilities have the right to live in the community.

Ms. Bluel asked about the origin of the $4,500 limit, and Ms. England responded that it is tied to both limits for noncompetitive contracts under the state, and an effort to make sure the funds are spread as widely as possible. 

8.	2025-2027 SPIL Updates
a.	SPIL Funding Formula and Equity Workgroup Recommendation
The Workgroup brought forward a recommendation to move forward with implementing the funding formula, and this passed unanimously through a roll call vote with Mr. Cruz not available. 

b.	DOR Updates 
i.	Transition and Diversion
There have been 103 diversions and one transition approved, with $59,811 out of the $346,523.54 invoiced to date. The fund is fully encumbered, with nobody on the waitlist. 

ii.	Systems Change
The Systems Change Contractor, Marin Center for Independent Living (MCIL), has invoiced $100,866.00 out of the $350,000 allocated to them. 

iii.	Tier Augmentation
Six grants, with amounts ranging from $43,000 to $291,000, have been awarded to Community Resources for Independent Living, Inc. (CRIL), Disabled Resource Center, Inc. (DRC), FREED Center for Independent Living, Marin Center for Independent Living (MCIL), Service Center for Independent Life (SCIL), and Tri-County Independent Living, Inc. (TCIL). $279,297.31 has been spent to date out of a total of $920,000. 
 
iv.	Other DOR Updates

9.	Summary of Activities Requiring Follow-Up at Next Meeting
a.	Next Meeting Scheduled for May 18, 2026 

10. Adjourn