Who We Are

TRPIL began under the name Tri-County Partnership for Independent Living (TRIPIL) in February 1990, under funding from CIL Pennsylvania State Appropriations. Read below to learn more about our rich, 30+ years of history, which have led us to today.

The mission of TRPIL is to affirm liberty & justice for all people with disabilities.

Tri-County Partnership for Independent Living (TRIPIL) was a newly incorporated center formed in February 1990, under funding from CIL Pennsylvania State Appropriations. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are consumer-controlled, with over 400 CILs existing across the United States. In October 1996, TRIPIL received grant funding as a CIL under the Rehabilitation Act. TRIPIL is the only CIL in Pennsylvania to receive both State and Federal funding targeted for a CIL. TRIPIL became officially a separate private, non-profit corporation on July 1, 1990.

In November 1997, the CIL reorganized to become a membership-based agency, in the true spirit of consumer control inspired by the independent living philosophy. The CIL reorganized its corporate structure to one that elects the board of directors through a dues-paying membership, and the name was changed to Tri-County Patriots for Independent Living.

In 2000, TRIPIL reorganized into four non-profit corporations in order to: better focus service efforts, establish boards of directors that could focus on primary community impact areas, standardize administrative services, and obtain corporate legal rights.

In 2010, a dire need for expanded space for our programs and the ability to meet with members and consumers, led TRIPIL to initiate a capital campaign focused on building a new office headquarters. In 2012, the historic YWCA building in Washington, PA, was purchased, and will be renovated to this end.

In 2017, we became three corporations and rebranded the organization with a new logo and new name– Transitional Paths to Independent Living (TRPIL)

Our Chief Executive Officer is Shona Eakin. Shona is also the CEO of Erie-based Center for Independent Living, Voices for Independence. TRPIL began an affiliation with Voices for Independence in late 2019.