Touring the LIFTT Program Co-Located at Washington State School for the Blind

Learning to Live Independently for Today and Tomorrow at LIFTT

We met Steve Lowry on a brisk fall morning at the site of their brand-new building for this exciting tour. Frankly, by the time it was over, we were all ready to move right in. Your guides are Donna Elkins, Reginald George, and Brandy Hill, all from Washington State Department of Services for the Blind. Brandy is not formally introduced in the recording, but she is definitely there. Our fearless leader is Steve Lowry, an instructor at the program. LIFTT is a 10-month, residential independent living skills training program for young adults between 18-21 years old. The program is a partnership between the Washington State School for the Blind and the Washington Department of Services for the Blind. Participants live on site from September-June, including weekends, and learn to be responsible for all aspects of their adult life. LIFTT is housed on the ground floor of the Transition Center at the Washington State School for the Blind, within short walking distance of Clark Community College and multiple lines of public transportation. The building is fully wheelchair accessible and features adjustable lighting throughout, Braille wallpaper, and a curated collection of tactile art. The objective of the LIFTT program is to provide our participants with an opportunity to experience independence in a safe environment before they venture into less protective settings as young adults. Instruction is not aimed at teaching “basic independence skills”. Rather, it is designed to expand independence through authentic practice in the natural setting of day-to-day life. The LIFTT Program focuses on nine areas of core competence: • Personal Care • Kitchen Skills • Household Management • Financial Management • Time Management • Community Access and Travel • Interpersonal Relationships • Assistive Technology • Vocational Skills To learn more about LIFTT to see if it might be right for you, check out their web site at the link below. https://www.wssb.wa.gov/services/liftt And be sure to read our upcoming article in the Winter 2025 WCB Newsline. We hope you enjoy this small tour of a great program. Our podcast is lovingly sponsored by Washington Council of the Blind Newsline magazine and the American Council of the Blind. This episode was hosted and produced by Reginald George. Write to us at TheWCBNewsline at Gmail.com.

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