Peer Support for People with Disabilities
You don’t have to figure it out alone. Thrive CIL matches people with disabilities in Central Pennsylvania with a peer mentor who has a disability of their own. There is no cost.
What peer mentoring looks like
Setting a goal and building a plan to reach it
Speaking up for yourself with doctors, landlords, schools, or employers
Adjusting after a new diagnosis or a change in your disability
Building confidence to try something you’ve been putting off
Getting connected to other people with disabilities instead of doing it alone
Talking through a decision with someone who understands the tradeoffs
Your mentor is an Independent Living Specialist with a disability of their own, so you skip explaining what your life is like. Some people meet a handful of times. Others stay connected for months. You set the pace.
How it works
Reach out. Call, email, stop by the office, or message us through our Contact page.
We listen. A staff member asks a few questions about what you’re looking for and where you live.
You get options. We send specific contacts: organization names, phone numbers, links, and what to expect when you call. If one of Thrive’s own programs fits, we’ll say so.
We give you the information. You decide what to do with it. That’s what independent living means, and it’s how every service here works.
Who can call
Thrive’s service area covers Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata, Mifflin, and Perry counties. Anyone can call: people with disabilities of any age, family members, caregivers, case managers, hospital discharge planners, teachers, employers.
You don’t have to be a Thrive consumer. You don’t have to register for anything. Some programs, including Nursing Home Transition, reach beyond the five counties, so ask if you’re outside the area.
A few things to know
It’s free, and there’s no intake. Information & Referral is the one Thrive service you can use without becoming a consumer of record. Ask your question, get an answer. Every other Thrive service starts with an intake.
You don’t have to come in. Because there’s no intake, we can handle your question start to finish over the phone. Thrive’s other services need an in-person intake at some point. This one doesn’t.
We share options, not endorsements. Thrive doesn’t rank or recommend providers.
We’re federally funded, so we don’t lobby. We can explain how a system works and help you advocate for yourself inside it.
Tell us how you need to receive information. Large print, a phone call instead of email, an interpreter: say so when you reach out and we’ll accommodate.