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Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow 3333 2 nd Avenue North Suite #100 Billings, MT 59101 The LIFTT Connection Spring 2013
Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow3333 2nd Avenue NorthSuite #100Billings, MT 59101
The LIFTT Connection Spring
2013
THE LIFTT CONNECTIONhttp://www.liftt.org Spring 2013
In This Issue:• ADA Celebration to be held August 2nd • Ribbon Cutting and Open House• New Website and Blog to Debut • Summer Session of Living Well Class • 2013 Montana Legislature in Review • Artist donates sculpture to Community
Room• Peer Group Update• Montana IL Centers to hold webinars to
plan for future advocacy
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LIFTT to hold 2nd annual ADA Celebration on August 2
Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow wil l host a community celebration to mark the 23rd anniversary of the passage and signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on August 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the Billings LIFTT office at 1201 Grand Avenue.
The day’s events wi l l inc lude a community resource fair, interactive
displays, Concessions and raffle drawings.
“The passage of the ADA was a landmark moment in the struggle for the rights of people with disabilities,” said LIFTT public relations and government affairs coordinator Jed Barton. “This event is a chance for the community to come together to celebrate this achievement and to raise awareness of the community resources available for people with disabilities.”
All proceeds from funds raised through raffle tickets and concession sales will go to further LIFTT’s work in the area of independence and acceptance for people with disabilities across Eastern Montana.
If you are interested in donating a raffle prize or your organization serves people with disabilities and would like to be represented in the community resource fair please contact event chair Steve Woodard at (406) 294-5185 or [email protected] or public relations coordinator Jed Barton at (406) 294-5186 or [email protected]
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Ribbon Cutting Marks Start of New Era for LIFTTOn March 15 LIFTT held an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the agency’s new Billings office at 1201 Grand Avenue.
The ribbon cutting was conducted by the Billings Area Chamber of Commerce and was presided over by Billings Mayor Tom Hanel.
Speaking ahead of the ribbon cutting to the assembled group of staff, consumers and community members, LIFTT executive director Joe Burst outlined just what this new office means for the ability of LIFTT to fulfill its mission.
Burst said, “The site provides us with space and accessibility features to not just provide services in a one on one almost case management model, but to truly function as a Center for Independent Living by becoming a place for the disability community in our region to come together to work together and learn from each other be it in a social, educational or advocacy setting.”
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“Let the shameful walls of exclusion finally come tumbling down”
President George H.W. Bush Upon signing the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990
Photos by Jed Barton (left) and Jack Sterns (right) Some photos from the LIFTT ribbon cutting and open house held March 15. Left: Community members enjoy refreshments and fellowship in the brand new community room. Right: LIFTT Executive Director Joe Burst, Board of Directors President Dan MacDonald, Peer Advocate Robin Johnson, Billings Mayor Tom Hanel and representatives of the Billings Area Chamber of Commerce look on as LIFTT Peer Advocate Garrett Gaustad cuts the ceremonial ribbon to mark the opening of LIFTT’s new Billings Office at 1201 Grand Avenue.
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New Website and Blog to Debut Soon
Image courtesy of WebgrainA screenshot of the main page of the brand new liftt.org website designed by Webgrain; The new website will be debuting soon and give LIFTT a more up to date, professional and accessible presence on the internet.
LIFTT is pleased to announce that as part of its commitment to expanded digital outreach we will soon be launching a brand new website at l i f t t .org as wel l as a new blog at liftt.blogspot.com.
The new website is being designed is being designed by Webgrain, a Montana based interactive development company and will give LIFTT’s home on the web a more up to date, professional and accessible look.
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The new blog will be a platform for LIFTT to provide consumers and community members with up-to-date news and information about what is going on at LIFTT. The blog will also provide an avenue for features about LIFTT’s programs and people as well as a place for in depth discussion of issues facing the disability community in eastern Montana and beyond.
“Living Well With a Disability” Class to be offered starting July 24.
For people with disabilities developing strategies to live a healthy meaningful life can be difficult. This summer LIFTT invites those struggling with these issues to participate in a four week class called “Living Well with a Disability”
Created by the University of Montana’s Rural Institute a nationally recognized leader in disability education, research and service, the “Living Well with a Disability” curriculum take participants on a journey of empowerment through peer support, goal setting and problem solving in order to develop a healthy life style.
Participants will be provided with tools for managing health, increasing physical activity, developing and maintaining positive relationships, improving nutrition, avoiding depression and frustration and advocating for community changes that will help them and others maintain the gains they have made.
The class will consist of four sessions, the first being held from 1-3 pm on Wednesday July 24 with subsequent sessions also from 1-3 pm on July 31, August 7 and August 21. All sessions will be held in the community room at the Billings LIFTT office at 1201 Grand Avenue. There is no charge for the class.
For more information about the “Living Well with a Disability” program or too register please contact the LIFTT office at (406) 259-5181 or stop by the Billings LIFTT office during regular business hours. The LIFTT Connection Spring 2013 7
Independent Living Centers active at the 2013 Montana Legislature.
The 63rd biannual session of Montana Legislature adjourned Sine Die on Wednesday April 24. Over the course of the session the House and Senate took action on several issues of importance to the Independent Living Centers and Montanans with Disabilities.
The combined Montana Independent Living Centers including LIFTT were very ably represented during the session by our lobbyist Joel Peden whose efforts were supported by each of the centers through the Montana Independent Living Legislative Advocacy Committee made up of the four center directors and key staff.
“Overall it was a positive session for us,” said LIFTT government affairs coordinator Jed Barton “Many of goals we set with regards to funding of programs and services for people with disabilities in the state budget were achieved such as short term housing funding for persons coming out of institutions, an increase in the rates paid to Medicaid providers, and restoration of funding for meal preparation in the personal assistance services program.”
“Outside of the budget process,” Barton continued. “We saw legislators pass bills to strike to strike the words mental retardation from the MCA and strengthen the investigation of allegations of abuse in state run institutions by transferring jurisdiction for such investigations from the Department of Public Health and Human Services to the Department of Justice.
Barton said that LIFTT and IL do have some regrets from the session, “We are deeply disappointed that the Montana legislature ignored the wishes of a broad coalition of Montanans and failed to pass any form of Medicaid expansion that would have guaranteed 70,000 Montanans including nearly 11,000 Montanans with disabilities access to affordable health care. We continue to believe that access to basic health care services by The LIFTT Connection Spring 2013 8
more people will lead to better health outcomes that will in the long run lower costs by preventing hospitalization and reducing the need for emergency and critical care services.”
For more detailed information on LIFTT and IL’s activities at the 2013 Montana legislature visit our blog at liftt.blogspot.com.
Artist Donates sculpture to Community Room
LIFTT would like to take this opportunity to thank Billings’ artist Justin Johnson for donating his decoupage sculpture of a hot air balloon for LIFTT to display in our community room.
Being able to display one of Justin’s works is a particular honor for LIFTT as he is a young man with a disability who participates in AWARE’s “Growth Through Art” program.
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Peer Group UpdateThe LIFTT Peer program has been busy, currently there are monthly all age group activities held at the Billings Office as well as youth groups meeting in the Red Lodge and the Huntley/Shepherd areas.
Plans are in the works for starting dedicated Men’s and Woman’s groups as well as expand youth offerings in the feature. For more information about peer activities at LIFTT contact Bobbi Devereaux at (406) 294-5181 or [email protected]
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Photo by Jed BartonBillings Artist Justin Johnson (Left) and LIFTT Executive Director Joe Burst pose with the sculpture that Johnson donated to LIFTT for display in the community room at its new offices.
Johnson is a young man with a disability who participates in AWARE’s “Growth Through Art” program.
Webinar series to help plan future advocacy
The future direction of disability advocacy in Montana will be the topic of discussion as Montana’s Independent Living Centers will hold a series of webinars this summer.
The webinar series will be hosted by the Montana IL task forces and feature updates on each task forces activities over the last year as well as a discussion of future plans for the task forces. Currently there are Montana IL task forces focused on the following policy areas: Housing, Transportation, Self Determination, American Indian issues and Youth Issues.
The webinars will be held on consecutive Tuesdays from July 30 through September 7 from 1 to 3 pm.
“The task forces are the primary vehicle for systems change activity at the statewide level. It is important to their continued viability that we hear from not only IL staff but consumers and community members about what direction we should take in the years to come.” said LIFTT’s public relations and government affairs coordinator Jed Barton.
If you are interested in participating in these webinars please contact LIFTT public relations and government affairs coordinator Jed Barton at (406) 294-5186 or [email protected]
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