Integrated Living Services provides whole life services to people with disabilities so that they can thrive in the community and live a life at least as good as that of their non-disabled peers. ILS started out in 1967 as a parent cooperative pre-school for disabled children before public law guaranteed all children the right to a public education, without regard to disabling condition. These pare
nts, realizing that residential options for their children were limited to institutional placement, worked to develop a group home for those same children. The group home was built to accommodate wheelchairs, which was unique at the time since people in wheelchairs were not allowed to live in group homes in Washington state. Prior to the opening of this group home, state statutes did not allow people in wheelchairs to live in group homes. ILS successfully lobbied for and played a pivotal role to make changes in these laws. We have been championing the rights of people with disabilities ever since. We opened up our Supported Living program in 1996 and now serve people throughout King County.
