News - LIFTT

LIFTT Awarded DECIDE Grant

LIFTT is excited to announce that LIFTT has been awarded a grant from the State of Montana to implement the DECIDE (Diabetes Education and Empowerment) Self-Management Program — a nationally recognized initiative to help individuals better understand and manage diabetes. Through this partnership with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, LIFTT is expanding its health support services to reach more people living with prediabetes, type 1, or type 2 diabetes across southeastern Montana.

What is the DECIDE Program?

DECIDE is designed to help adults take charge of their health through small group sessions focused on:

Understanding diabetes and its impact
Nutrition and meal planning
Physical activity strategies
Managing stress and building confidence
Communicating effectively with health care providers

The program is structured, evidence-based, and emphasizes real-life skills that make a difference in day-to-day living with diabetes. Participants complete surveys and assessments before and after the sessions to help measure progress and outcomes.

Why This Matters

Montana’s rural and frontier communities face unique health care challenges. Many of our consumers don’t have easy access to long-term diabetes education programs. Some face transportation barriers, while others may not have access to a registered dietitian or diabetes educator in their area. The DECIDE program helps fill that gap by offering support where it’s most needed — locally, accessibly, and compassionately.

At LIFTT, we already provide Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) classes and help with Medicaid, Social Security, and home modification grant applications. Now, thanks to this new grant, we can reach even more people, especially those who can’t participate in the full-year DPP model.

Who Will Lead the Program?

The DECIDE Program will be facilitated by our Nutritional Health Coaches: Anya Pulis, B.S. in Kinesiology, and Eileen Rodriguez, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). Both Anya and Eileen have experience running wellness classes like Tai Chi, SAIL (Staying Active and Independent for Life), and strength training. They are passionate about helping our community live healthier, more independent lives.

Serving Those Most at Risk

LIFTT proudly serves a wide range of people who are statistically at higher risk for diabetes, including:

Older adults
Veterans
Medicaid recipients
People with disabilities
American Indian communities
Residents of rural and low-income areas

The DECIDE program will help ensure these populations don’t fall through the cracks.

What Comes Next?

Our team is currently undergoing training and certification through DECIDE, and we’ll be launching our first DECIDE sessions later this year. If you or someone you know is living with diabetes and could benefit from this program, please contact LIFTT’s Nutritional Health Coaches, Anya Pulis at (406) 606-1766, anyap@liftt.org, and Eileen Rodrigiuz at (406) 294-5185, elieenr@liftt.org

We’re proud to be part of this statewide effort to reduce the burden of diabetes and improve health outcomes for Montanans. Stay tuned for updates, and thank you for supporting our mission to help people live independently today and tomorrow.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Thank you Catholic Heart Work Camp!

LIFTT Executive Director Carlos Ramalho (Center) with the team from Catholic Heart Workcamp that spent a week helping out in the Billings LIFTT office. Thanks for your good work CWHC Campers and Team Leaders!

LIFTT would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the participants and organizers of the Catholic Heart Workcamp (CHWC) for including us as one of the nonprofit organizations they chose to assist during their recent camp here in Billings.

CHWC is a program that brings together groups of teenagers sponsored by Catholic schools and parishes throughout the country to a community where they spend the week helping at local non-profit organizations.

From June 24-27 a group of 7 teenaged volunteers from Illinois, Minnesota and Colorado along with two team leaders reported each day to the Billings LIFTT office working on projects such as digging up a broken water line, weeding our sidewalks and parking lots, cleaning out filing cabinets, helping to moving items into and painting the new storage shed as well as cleaning up vacuuming and polishing the wood in the auditorium.

The LIFTT group was one of 34 groups deployed to sites around the Billings Area. The Lockwood School campus served as a home base for the CHWC in Billings.

Part of the CHWC experience is that where possible the various groups coming from a particular church or school are mixed up so that the individuals comprising each work group begin their time together virtually unknown to each other leading to the need for the youth to engage in community building with each other as well as those they are working with.

Typical of these teenagers was a young woman named Claire from Colorado who said that she had signed up for CHWC after a presentation at her local church. “My experience helping out LIFTT, meeting new people from all over and participating in the CHWC programming has been awesome beyond belief.”

In addition to their work at LIFTT, the teens and their leaders attended worship services each morning and participated in team building and other programs following dinner in the evenings. Saturday, June 28, was set aside as a free day with opportunities to explore our region. Some of the campers at LIFTT said they were planning to visit Lake Elmo State Park to fish and swim, while others intended to go whitewater rafting on one of the area’s rivers.

Again LIFTT would like to thank the CHWC, our team of campers: Grant, Conner, Jonathan, Paige, Ava, Chloe and Claire and team leaders Mikayla and Beau for all of their hard work helping to continue to the transformation of our (still new to us) Billings space into a true center for independent living where all are welcome.

The team from Catholic Heart Workcamp in the newly polished auditorium, From Left to Right: Mikayla (Team Leader, MN), Claire (CO), Jonathan (MN), Ava (MN), Paige (CO), Chloe (MN), Grant (IL), Conner (IL), Liam (IL), and Beau ( Team Leader, MN)

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Fighting for Independence: Jim Brown

Twenty years ago, Jim Brown sat on the board of LIFTT, helping to steer the mission of independence for people with disabilities across Eastern Montana. Today, he is at the heart of a battle no one should have to face — a fight for the very services that make independent living possible.

Jim, a tetraplegic and beloved schoolteacher, lives independently with the daily support of Personal Care Assistants (PCAs). These essential workers help him with bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, meal preparation, medication, and safety — the basics of survival and dignity. Without this care, his independence — and his life — are in danger.

Yet recently, a bureaucratic decision wrongly stripped Jim of his Medicaid eligibility, deeming him ineligible for the PCA services on which he depends. This was not a policy nuance or paperwork delay — it was a catastrophic error with life-threatening consequences.

What’s worse, Jim was not given a fair chance to appeal. The formal hearing was not even scheduled, and he has been waiting for almost three months. A process meant to protect became a wall he could not scale. But here is what we know — and what Montana Medicaid must acknowledge: Jim Brown remains eligible for services.

Our review of his eligibility, including his continued participation in the Workers with Disabilities Medicaid Buy-In program, clearly shows that he qualifies for support. Denying him care based on a flawed determination undermines both the letter and spirit of Medicaid’s mission.

“How can someone in Jim’s condition even be deemed ineligible?”

Whenever we tell this story to folks, we get the same questions: “What metric, what policy, what rationale could possibly justify removing care from a person whose very existence hinges on these supports?” This is not only a systems failure. It is a human rights issue. Jim Brown has spent decades fighting for inclusion, access, and dignity.

Today, we ask that those charged with serving him honor those same values. Medicaid was built to protect the most vulnerable. We implore you to let it do just that and help him avoid institutionalization, continuing to be an icon of independent living.

We Are Asking — No, We Are Urging

This is a call to action — not just on Jim’s behalf, but for everyone who lives on the edge of institutionalization. We are asking Montana Medicaid to do the right thing: reverse this unjust decision, restore Jim’s services, and uphold the values that keep people with disabilities living safely in their homes, their communities, and their lives. For more information, please visit our website at liftt.org or give us a call at (406) 259-5181

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

upLIFTT Thrift is now open!

The sign is up and upLIFTT Thrift is open! For now, the hours of the thrift store at 1201 Grand Avenue are Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Shop, Donate, and Make a Difference!

Something wonderful has arrived in Billings — and it’s more than just a store. It’s a mission with a front door.

We’re thrilled to announce that upLIFTT Thrift officially opened its doors in June 2025, and we can’t wait for you to stop by! With shelves full of treasures and a heart full of purpose, this isn’t your average thrift shop — it’s a place where generosity turns into impact. For now, the hours of the thrift store at 1201 Grand Avenue are Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and we hope to expand our hours soon.

At upLIFTT Thrift, every lamp, blender, picture frame, or gently used tool supports LIFTT’s Programs and Services. Your purchases directly help individuals with disabilities live freely and independently, right here in our community.

What You’ll Find

Everything from vintage furniture to quirky kitchen gadgets, home décor, books, and tools. While we don’t sell clothing or bedding, we promise there’s still something for everyone to discover.

We’re Accepting Donations!

Got items you no longer need? Drop them off at upLIFTT Thrift and give them a second life with a purpose. We gladly accept most household goods, small appliances, home furnishings, books, and more, but please no clothes or bedding.

Want to do more?

We’re looking for volunteers who want to give back, make new friends, and be part of something uplifting. Work side by side with us at upLIFTT Thrift as we build something beautiful for our neighbors. Call us at (406) 534-1147 to donate, volunteer, or find out what’s new on our shelves!

Let’s make every dollar, every donation, and every visit count. upLIFTT Thrift is more than a store — it’s a way to give back, liftt up, and shop with purpose. Visit upLIFTT Thrift — your next treasure might be waiting!

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Why the ADA Still Matters (And Always Will)

Let’s be honest: not every law changes lives. But the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
That one did — and still does. And this July, as we mark its 35th anniversary, LIFTT is not just celebrating history. LIFTT is defending the future.

The ADA Isn’t Just a Law — It’s a Line in the Sand

Passed in 1990, the ADA wasn’t some feel-good gesture. It was a radical statement. It said: People with disabilities are not invisible. Not second-class. Not optional.

It forced elevators into buildings. Ramps into schools. Captions in videos. Jobs into hands that were always ready to work. But more than that? The ADA forced a shift in thinking — from exclusion to equity. From charity to civil rights. And let’s be clear: civil rights don’t expire. They don’t bend to budget cuts. They don’t “age out” at 35.

Fragile? Never. Permanent? Only If We Protect It.

Some might say, “Things are better now. What’s the fuss?” But better isn’t the same as equal. And equal isn’t the same as safe. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Progress can be reversed. Rights can be weakened. Protections can be chipped away — not always with a bulldozer, but with a quiet, cruel scalpel. A funding cut here. A rollback there. A shrug when accessibility is treated as “too expensive.” We can’t let that happen.

This Isn’t Nostalgia — It’s a Call to Action

Laws like the ADA are like bridges. They connect people to opportunity, independence, and dignity. But bridges need maintenance. Attention. Constant defense. This July, as we honor 35 years of the ADA, let’s ask ourselves:

Are we doing enough to protect and expand its legacy?
Are we watching for the slow erosion of rights wrapped in bureaucracy?
Are we educating the next generation on why this law matters—not just for people with disabilities, but for all of us?

Because when we uphold the ADA, we affirm something deeper: That our country is strongest when it guarantees space, voice, and visibility for everyone.

That accessibility isn’t “extra”—it’s essential. That justice doesn’t whisper — it ramps up.

The ADA Is Us

The ADA is not just a policy. It’s every sidewalk cutout. Every interpreter on screen. Every job accommodation. Every vote that is cast with an accessible ballot. The ADA is the architecture of equality. And that makes it personal for all of us.

So, happy anniversary to the law that reminded us that we belong. Let’s celebrate — not with silence or apathy, but with vigilance, pride, and purpose. Let’s keep walking through every door the ADA opened — and build new ones, too.

Want to get involved?

Join LIFTT this month for events, reflections, and opportunities for action. Attend the celebration of the ADA 35^th Anniversary on July 26, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, at 1241 Crawford Drive, Billings, MT 59102. Because honoring the ADA means more than looking back, it means moving forward — together.

For questions or to learn more, contact us at (406) 259-5181 or visit LIFTT’s website www.liftt.org

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Grocery Tours Sparks Healthy Changes for DPP Participants

June 2025 marked a transformative milestone for LIFTT’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) as participants laced up their walking shoes and gathered at Albertsons on 1212 Grand Avenue, Billings, and Van Dyke’s Supermarket in Roundup for our very first grocery store tours! With shopping carts in hand and determination in their hearts, our students explored the aisles with a new mission: shop smart, read labels, and make healthier choices.

More Than Just Groceries — A New Way to Shop

This wasn’t just a grocery run. It was a hands-on, real-life coaching experience that empowered our participants to:

Navigate through tempting processed food aisles with confidence,
Discover healthier, diabetes-friendly alternatives,
Decode food labels and marketing tricks,
And make intentional, long-term changes in their diets.

While passing by crunchy chips and colorful snack cakes wasn’t easy, after all, they are delicious! Our participants learned that change begins with awareness, and that living a healthier lifestyle doesn’t mean sacrificing joy or flavor.

Thank You to Our Partners

We are deeply grateful to Albertsons and Van Dyke’s for warmly welcoming our group into the stores and helping us create a supportive learning environment right where it matters most — where decisions are made. Your collaboration is a perfect example of what local partnerships can do to empower our community.

Our sincere appreciation also goes to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) for making this life-changing program possible, especially to Ann Lanes and Melissa House. They received funding for this grant from the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) and awarded it to LIFTT as one of three organizations. Your support enables LIFTT to extend our reach beyond the classroom and take our mission directly into the community.

A heartfelt thank you also goes to Anya Pulis and Eileen Rodriguez, LIFTT’s extraordinary Health Nutrition Coaches, whose passion, knowledge, and kindness inspire all of us to become our better, healthier selves. Their dedication and guidance are the heartbeat of our program, empowering participants to take bold steps toward lasting lifestyle change.

The Heart of the Program: Promoting Change

At its core, the LIFTT Diabetes Prevention Program is about much more than food. It’s about transformation. It’s about learning that health doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens in grocery stores, in kitchens, and in everyday choices. We believe education should be practical, interactive, and even fun — and that’s exactly what this tour was. Together, we’re proving that with the right tools, encouragement, and community support, healthier living is not only possible, it’s empowering and enjoyable!

Stay tuned for our next adventure! For more information about LIFTT’s Diabetes Prevention Program, contact LIFTT’s Nutritional Health Coaches: Anya Pulis (406) 606-1766, anyap@liftt.org, and Eileen Rodriguez at (406) 294-5185, eileenr@liftt.org

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

LIFTT on the Road: Lame Deer Block Party

LIFTT is grateful to Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health for inviting us to participate in their “Block Party Lulu” in Lame Deer on June 18. (Flyer courtesy Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health)

Party on a Wednesday afternoon!

On a sunny Wednesday June 18, LIFTT team members Berry Rushing and Jen Hawkinson made the drive from our Glendive office to Lame Deer for a vibrant “Block Party Luau” hosted by Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health. The event took place at the BIA Park just inside town. The event brought together families, service providers, and community partners from across the Cheyenne reservation—an important part of LIFTT’s service area.

The event was full of life, featuring local vendors, a live radio broadcast, and delicious food booths serving hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as two bouncy houses and a rock climbing wall that kept the kids smiling. LIFTT was proud to be part of the celebration, setting up an outreach booth and connecting with approximately 250 community members throughout the day.

Our table offered an array of fun and useful giveaways—including stress balls, pens, bags, magnetic clips, key chains, calendars, frisbees, and our always-popular “I ❤️ LIFTT” stickers. More importantly, we had meaningful conversations about our services and how LIFTT supports individuals with disabilities in achieving greater independence and access to community resources.

Berry and Jen shared information about LIFTT’s six core services:

Information & Referral
Peer Counseling
Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Program
Youth Transition Services
Skills Training
Individual & Systems Advocacy

They also highlighted programs like:

The NADTC transportation initiative,
Health and Wellness offerings,
The work of our Community Health Worker.

By the end of the day, seven attendees requested follow-up for services, and another person reached out by phone once we returned to the office—evidence that these community events are making a real difference! “It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with the community, build trust, and share how LIFTT can help,” Hawkinson shared. “We’re already seeing the impact.” A big thank you to Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health for hosting this wonderful event. We look forward to future partnerships and continuing to serve the Cheyenne Nation!

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Electronic Intakes Coming to LIFTT

LIFTT Is Going Digital!

At LIFTT, we are constantly working to be more resourceful and responsible with the use of taxpayer dollars. In line with this commitment, we’re excited to announce that we’re entering the testing phase of electronic intakes!

What is Electronic Intake?

Electronic Intake gives potential consumers seeking services from LIFTT the option to provide basic information—like their name, address, date of birth, phone number, email, and more—through a secure online portal. This process helps us capture the necessary data quickly and accurately, reducing errors and ensuring faster, more efficient service delivery.

What Does This Mean for You?

Consumers seeking assistance from LIFTT will soon have the option to complete their intake information online. This data will be sent directly into our secure database, saving time, minimizing clerical errors, and allowing our team to focus more on providing essential services rather than doing data entry. Once submitted, our team will be notified via email, and the Independent Living process will begin!

No Internet or Smartphone? No Problem!

If you don’t have access to the internet or a mobile device, you can still complete your intake using the traditional paper method. We’re dedicated to making sure our services remain accessible to everyone.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions about this new feature, please contact our Database Manager, Freda Mook, at (406) 294-5182 or via email at fredam@liftt.org. Stay tuned for more updates as we roll out this exciting improvement!

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Budget Battle Update

We are rapidly approaching the final quarter of LIFTT’s fiscal year; time is sprinting toward October 1, 2025, the start of FY 2026. Let me ask you: Are we going to have a financial runway? Are we going to remain open? Will we continue serving South Central and Eastern Montana like we have pledged? Can we actually finish the ADA‑Accessible Rural Transportation Program? Further, what about all the other agendas we kicked off this year?

The simple truth: No, because the grants and funding streams that keep LIFTT (and every American Center for Independent Living) alive are shrouded in deep uncertainty.

Here is what we know:

The Executive branch has unleashed its FY 2026 “skinny budget” — a sweeping package that would slash domestic, non-defense spending by $163 billion, disassembling agencies such as USAID, EPA, NIH, CDC, HUD, and dismantling critical social-safety-net programs.
The Administration for Community Living (ACL), the hub that funds programs like Aging & Disability Resource Centers, Protection & Advocacy, and Independent Living, has been singled out. The proposal would abolish ACL, dispersing its duties into a newly created Administration for Children, Families & Communities. Key programs such as Protection & Advocacy, UCEDDs, and voting access could vanish. Even though the FY 2026 budget justification calls for level funding of CIL grants (Part C) and an increase to Part B State Grants. That funding comes saddled with a caveat: money could be reallocated to fill the gap from eliminated programs.
On Capitol Hill, the US House budget reconciliation bill (passed May 22) includes Medicaid cuts of $715 billion over 10 years, risking the loss of healthcare coverage for 13.7 million Americans, obviously including many people with disabilities and rural residents.
States and advocacy groups are sounding alarm bells. The Disability Rights Center of Kansas reports that protection and advocacy grants plummeted from $45 million (FY 2025) to zero in FY 2026. The Center for Nonprofit Excellence warns of sweeping cuts for housing, environmental agendas, public health, and substance abuse programs by up to 22.6%.
National organizations, such as the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the Associated Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), and the National Association of State Independent Living Councils (NASILC), are united in their response. While recognizing that the leaked OMB memo preserves CIL funding for now, they emphasize that several disability programs are threatened as ACL is dismantled. These organizations are urging lawmakers to uphold funding and resist infrastructural upheaval.

So… what does this mean for LIFTT?

Grant monies for FY 2026? Still unknown. The White House has dropped a preliminary blueprint that could eliminate urban disability supports, voting access, transportation programs, and state councils without prior warning.
Our ADA Rural Transportation Program? On shaky ground. If FTA and/or ACL program grants are trimmed or delayed, our wheels will not move forward.
Staffing and services? The House bill’s Medicaid/SNAP reductions risk stretching Montana’s rural hospitals and physical access supports to their breaking points. Our referral partners will be forced to scale back, which will impact LIFTT’s ripple effect.

Let us not despair

Yes, the President’s “skinny budget” is only a wish list. Congress has the final say. We anticipate that there will be pushback: GOP appropriators are already distancing themselves from the cuts. In fact, thanks to advocacy, some aging & disability programs earlier slated for funding elimination have been saved (but have been flat-funded, which still equates to cuts when inflation is factored in).

Still, the entire process hinges on timing:

The White House budget debuts in Spring 2025 (April–May)
Congressional appropriations and/or reconciliation debates commence in Summer–Fall 2025
Final FY 2026 budget adjustments must be done by September 30

That leaves us with a window from now until late September in a tight deficit limbo.

**What you can do:**

Write letters, make calls, and alert Congress, particularly our Montana delegation of Senator Daines, Senator Sheehy, Representative Downing, and Representative Zinke, not to zero out ACL, not to slash Medicaid or SNAP, and to protect CIL funding for the rural population of Montana.
Partner with LIFTT, the Montana CILs, NCIL, APRIL, and NASILC to keep your voice heard.
Prepare for contingencies, including program delays, ramped-up fundraising efforts, and volunteer shortages. Let’s draw up our upside blueprint now in the event of grant checks getting delayed or canceled.

The last quarter is here: Our future is murky. LIFTT’s fight is now.

We have passed the “hope” and “inspiration” phase. The grants that seed our programs are under ideological siege. If Congress folds, LIFTT will lose core funding, which will threaten service continuity. We can advocate, prepare, and communicate with staff, board, and community alike. When October 1 arrives, despite the outcome, LIFTT should be ready to adapt, pivot, and push forward, because “independent living” doesn’t end with budget cuts — it begins.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

LWC Rendezvous 2025: Soaking up Strategy and Wellness

LIFTT CHW / IL Specialist Rachial Combs (left) and Peer Program Coordinator Tanya Thomas (right) working on a project during the recent Living Well in Community (LWC) Rendezvous at Fairmont Hot Springs. The Rendezvous brings together LWC facilitators from all four Montana CILs to discuss the LWC curriculum and trade tips on how to conduct exciting and engaging classes.

What do you get when you mix energizing wellness workshops, inspiring peer connections, and a backdrop of mountain air and hot springs? A Rendezvous that lives up to its name! From June 24 to June 25, 2025, Rachial Combs, our trailblazing Community Health Worker (CHW) / Independent Living (IL) Specialist, and Tanya Thomas, our ever-enthusiastic Peer Program Coordinator, took a dive (maybe even a literal one — swimsuits were encouraged!) into the vibrant two-day Living Well in Community (LWC) Rendezvous. Held at the scenic Fairmont Hot Springs Resort in Anaconda, this gathering was more than a meeting — it was a movement.

A Whirlwind of Wellness

Day 1: Post-its, Planning, and Positivity

Armed with laptops, comfy clothes, and (hopefully) their favorite water bottles, participants kicked off the Rendezvous with Post-it reflections and guided imagery — because nothing says “we’re serious about self-care” like asking yourself if you’re a crock pot thinker or a microwave thinker before 9 A.M.!

After grounding exercises and setting group expectations, the real fun began with a Social Determinants of Health Game, where collaboration met competition in the name of understanding barriers and bridges to wellness. Rachial and Tanya dove into discussions on building community partnerships with organizations like the Salvation Army, Summit IL, and LIFTT’s very own chronic disease prevention initiatives.

Cookies at 3:00? Yes please. But not before taking a group photo, sharing facilitator tips in Margaret’s Corner, and brainstorming how to supercharge monthly LWC meetings. These dynamic sessions sparked practical ideas and meaningful connections. And we’d bet Rachial and Tanya left the room buzzing with inspiration—and probably cookie crumbs.

Day 2: Peer-Powered Progress

Refueled with breakfast and Post-it thoughts (Round 3!), day two hit the ground running. Facilitators shared creative tactics, clever incentives, and recruiting strategies that would encourage even the shyest peer to sign up for the LWC workshops. Rachial and Tanya contributed to a group success story writing session, spotlighting the transformative impact of Living Well with Chronic Conditions workshops. The morning crescendoed with collaborative planning for 2025–2026 and ended with heartfelt reflections, resource reminders, and, of course, evaluations.

What We Loved

The playful yet purposeful Post-it prompts that sparked soul-searching and laughter.
The unexpected metaphorical brilliance of crock pots vs. microwaves.
Always the cookies.
Rachial and Tanya are bringing back fresh energy and big ideas to enrich LIFTT’s wellness programming.

Save the Date!

Keep your calendars open: LWC Facilitator Trainings are scheduled for August 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, and 26. Get ready for more learning, sharing, and doing what we do best — lifting each other up. From guided imagery to grounded strategy, from shared meals to shared missions — Rachial and Tanya’s Rendezvous adventure reminds us that Living Well is a team effort, and LIFTT is proud to be part of that movement. Stay tuned for more updates, stories, and yes—more cookies. For more information about LWC workshops, please contact Tanya Thomas at (406) 702-8927, tanyat@liftt.org, or Rachial Combs at (406) 831-0017, rachialc@liftt.org.

About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.