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What the End of the ACL Means for Independent Living

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.

 

The Silence After the Shutdown

Let’s talk about what happens when something foundational disappears. Quietly. Bureaucratically. Strategically.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) — that almost anonymous federal body that for over a decade made independence, autonomy, and access possible for millions — has now ceased to exist as we knew it. Gone. Absorbed. Reassigned. Paper-shuffled into nonexistence. For some, this might sound like just another Washington restructuring. But for those of us in the disability community — for people who live the tension between autonomy and assistance every single day — it’s much more than that. It’s a signal—a dissonant note in the fragile melody of freedom.

What Was the ACL, Really?

In theory, it was a hub—a place where funding, programs, and advocacy converged—a center that understood that aging and disability weren’t “problems to solve” but human conditions that deserve dignity and agency.

In practice, it was why Centers for Independent Living, like Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow—LIFTT, could do what we do. It supported our core. It didn’t just write checks. It helped affirm a worldview: disabled people should define their lives, not be defined by institutions.

And now, it’s gone.

What Does This Mean for LIFTT and Centers Like Ours?

  • Let’s not sugarcoat it. The Ground Beneath Us Just Shifted- Funding the lifeblood of our programming is suddenly uncertain. Sure, we’re told that programs will be “reallocated” within other agencies. But anyone who’s worked in systems knows that fragmentation breeds delay, dilution, and drift. Things fall through the cracks, and sometimes people do, too.
  • A Vacuum Where a Voice Used to Be- The ACL didn’t just move money. It stood for something. It gave the disability community a dedicated federal space. Now, that voice has no clear microphone. No seat. No badge. And that matters when laws are interpreted, when policies are drafted, when people fight for the right to just live.

The Risk of Reverting

Without centralized, disability-centered leadership, the independent living movement risks being recast as a social service, not a civil rights movement. We could be pushed from co-creators to passive recipients, from agency to dependency. And we’ve been there before.

So, What Now?

This could be the moment to grieve. Or to rage. Or to retreat. But maybe — just maybe — it’s also a moment to adapt.

  • Diversify or Die (Financially Speaking)- LIFTT and CILs nationwide need to think beyond traditional federal funding. Local grants, fee-for-service models, and social enterprises like thrift stores aren’t just survival strategies; they’re declarations of self-determination.
  • Local is the New Federal- If Washington has gone silent, our voices at the city council, state capitol, and community halls must get louder. Louder and sharper. We know what inclusion looks like. We’ve lived it. It’s time to educate those who still don’t
  • Radical Visibility Disability can no longer be the invisible thread in policy. We need to bring stories forward, disrupt assumptions, and show up in every space that shapes how life is lived. We can’t just react; we must lead.

A Word to Our People

To the advocates, the peer mentors, the independent living specialists, and the consumers, we’re not done. The system may be shifting beneath us, but we are rooted in something deeper: community, resistance, and the radical idea that all people, regardless of body or mind, deserve agency over their lives.

Let them erase agencies. But we will not erase ourselves.

Carlos A. Ramalho, Executive Director

LIFTT – Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow

Real Wages for Real Work!

Real Wages for Real Work!

Image: End Subminimum Wage profile picture. A square image with a deep purple background. Lowercase, centered text says

Once upon a time — not so long ago, and, let’s be honest, still today in some places — society operated under the misguided assumption that people with disabilities should be grateful for whatever work they could get, no matter how little they were paid. It was a system that, for decades, allowed employers to legally pay workers with disabilities mere cents on the dollar, justified by the archaic and patronizing idea that their labor wasn’t as valuable as that of their non-disabled counterparts. This is not only unjust — it’s a violation of human dignity.

The Reality of Subminimum Wages

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Section 14(c), employers have been able to obtain special certificates allowing them to pay workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. This practice, initially conceived with supposedly good intentions, has turned into an institutionalized mechanism of exclusion — one that keeps people with disabilities in a cycle of poverty, dependence, and invisibility. What started as a way to provide work opportunities has instead morphed into a structure that devalues disabled lives.

At LIFTT, we don’t accept this status quo. We believe that work is more than just a paycheck — it’s about identity, contribution, and participation in the broader society. Paying someone less because of their disability is not just unfair; it is fundamentally inhumane.

Why Subminimum Wages Must End

Let’s break it down. Why is this still happening, and why must it stop?

  1. It’s a Civil Rights Issue – If we truly believe in equal rights, how can we justify a system that tells an entire group of people that their labor — and by extension, their existence — is worth less? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was meant to eliminate these disparities, yet the continuation of 14(c) contradicts the very principles of equality and inclusion.
  2. It Reinforces Outdated Narratives – Subminimum wages perpetuate the dangerous myth that people with disabilities are incapable of contributing meaningfully to the workforce. This is not just false; it’s offensive. History is filled with people with disabilities who have led revolutions, innovated, and changed the world. Why should a cashier, a janitor, or an office assistant with a disability be paid less for doing the same job as their non-disabled peers?
  3. It’s Economic Exploitation – Let’s call it what it is. Paying someone $0.10 or $2 an hour is exploitation. If that wage isn’t acceptable for a worker without a disability, why should it be acceptable for someone with a disability? The cost of living doesn’t discriminate based on ability.
  4. It Prevents Real Employment Opportunities – Many employers, rather than making reasonable accommodations or investing in disability-inclusive hiring practices, take the easy route: they exploit 14(c) to cut costs instead of actually hiring, training, and equipping workers with disabilities for success.
  5. It’s a Path to Poverty, Not Progress – Workers with disabilities already face disproportionately high rates of poverty. Subminimum wages don’t offer a bridge to financial independence — they reinforce dependence on government assistance and charity.
  6. It’s Unnecessary – The argument that eliminating subminimum wages will mean fewer job opportunities has been debunked. States like Alaska, Maryland, and Vermont have successfully phased out 14(c) certificates, proving that fair wages and disability-inclusive employment can and do go hand in hand.

The Movement for Change

The U.S. Department of Labor is finally taking steps to end the use of subminimum wages, and it’s about time. This change didn’t happen in a vacuum — it’s the result of tireless advocacy from disability rights activists, organizations like LIFTT, and individuals who refused to accept systemic oppression. We are at a turning point. The question is: What kind of society do we want to be?

We often hear people talk about valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion. But those words are hollow if they aren’t backed by action. Ending subminimum wages isn’t just about economics — it’s about recognizing that people with disabilities have the same right to financial security, professional fulfillment, and societal participation as anyone else. It’s about rejecting a structure that has, for too long, been used to justify discrimination in the name of “help.”

What Can You Do?

LIFTT encourages everyone to support the Department of Labor’s efforts to prohibit subminimum wages. This isn’t just a bureaucratic policy change — it’s a moral imperative.

  1. Raise Your Voice – Contact policymakers and let them know that you support an end to subminimum wages.
  2. Educate Employers – Businesses need to hear that inclusive hiring is not only possible but beneficial.
  3. Support Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) – Encourage policies that promote fair wages and meaningful job opportunities for people with disabilities.
  4. Engage in the Conversation – Share the stories of workers who have been affected by 14(c) and amplify their voices.

 The Future We’re Fighting For

Imagine a world where disability is not equated with disadvantage. A world where no one is paid less simply because they navigate life differently. A world where inclusion isn’t just a buzzword — it’s reality. This is not a dream. This is possible. But only if we fight for it. At LIFTT, we believe that the true measure of a society is how it treats its most marginalized members. Ending subminimum wages is not just a policy change — it’s a declaration that all people, regardless of ability, deserve fairness, dignity, and respect. Real work deserves real wages. Let’s make it happen.

Follow us at liftt.org for more updates on disability rights, advocacy, and our work at LIFTT. Together, we can dismantle barriers and create a future where equity isn’t an aspiration—it’s a reality.

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 to begin digital literacy classes, open computer labs

LIFTT to begin digital literacy classes, open computer labs

LIFTT will soon offer digital literacy classes and open computer labs at its Billings and Glendive locations Image Description: A vibrant scene of a community class with real people, where seniors and individuals with disabilities are learning digital skills

LIFTT will soon offer digital literacy classes and open computer labs at its Billings and Glendive locations as part of our efforts to promote equity and inclusion in the digital community.

 
Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) is excited to announce two new initiatives that will help advance the cause of digital equity and inclusion for persons with disabilities across our service area
 
  • Digital Literacy Classes: Digital Literacy classes will be offered in our Billings and Glendive locations. These classes are specifically tailored to teach aging and disabled individuals how to use smartphones (Android and iPhone), Tablets, ThinkPads, laptops, and desktop computers. LIFTT team members will guide participants through the basics and help them identify and access the accessible tools they need to thrive in today’s digital age.
  • Computer Labs: At both the Billings and Glendive offices, LIFTT will set up labs with desktop computers for consumer use for those who do not have access to personal devices. In addition to supporting the digital literacy classes and other LIFTT educational programming, the computers will be available at certain times so that LIFTT consumers can connect with the world, access vital services, and engage in academic and recreational activities.
 
Ensuring that people with disabilities are a fully integrated part of their community is at the core of everything we do at LIFTT, and now more than ever, that means not just the physical communities we live and work in but the worldwide digital community as well,” said
LIFTT executive director Carlos Ramalho.
 
 
“Whether you need to connect with family and friends, work remotely, attend virtual medical appointments, pay bills online, or communicate through email, LIFTT wants to support your journey towards digital literacy and independence. We invite anyone with a disability in our area to become a consumer of LIFTT and be part of this groundbreaking initiative as we lead the way in promoting digital equity and inclusion across Southeast and South-Central Montana and beyond, said Ramalho now in his fifth year in charge of LIFTT’s operations.
 
For more information about becoming a LIFTT consumer and participating in our digital literacy, computer lab, and other programs, please contact the LIFTT office in Billings at (406) 259-5181 or Glendive at (406) 948-4800. Also, watch our website and social media channels for updates about class times, lab hours, and the rest of our efforts to build inclusive, accessible digital communities.

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 people with disabilities 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.

 
 
Glendive Office moves to 119 S. Kendrick

Glendive Office moves to 119 S. Kendrick

Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) is pleased to announce that our Glendive office has moved to 119 S. Kendrick Avenue. The main phone number is (406) 948-8500, and all team phone numbers and email addresses remain the same. The LIFTT Glendive office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mail can be sent to LIFTT 119 S. Kendrick Avenue Glendive, MT 59330

The site, formerly home to the Eastern Montana Mental Health Center and the District 2 Drug & Alcohol Program, is just across Kendrick Avenue from LIFTT’s previous location at number 120. 119 S. Kendrick includes more office and community meeting space for LIFTT as the organization continues expanding its programs and services to Glendive and the eastern portion of its service area. This service expansion comes in direct response to the increased need seen in the community since LIFTT reopened an office in Glendive in 2020. “The new office and our expanded programs and services in the Glendive area are a tribute to the hard work done by our regional manager Jennifer Hawkinson and her team since LIFTT returned a physical presence to Dawson County, said Executive Director Carols Ramalho. “We are excited to have this new space and look forward to welcoming our consumers and the community to explore what LIFTT and the independent living movement have to offer them,” added Hawkinson.

Hawkinson said the plan is to have an official “Open House” to inaugurate the new space sometime in October, but a date and time have not yet been set. Stay tuned to LIFTT’s website and social media channels (links at the bottom of the page) for up-to-date information about an open house in Glendive and all the fantastic happenings at LIFTT across our service area.

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 people with disabilities 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.

 

 

 

Linkage Project Works with LIFTT Peers

Linkage Project Works with LIFTT Peers

Logo of the Montana Disability & Health Program
 
 
LIFTT is thrilled to announce that Prof. Dr. Meg Traci and her team from the Montana Disability & Health Program (MTDH) will visit LIFTT’s new headquarters at 1241 Crawford Drive, Billings, MT 59102, on June 17 and 18, 2024!
 
Dr. Traci and the MTDH team will work with LIFTT’s Peer Mentors on the Linkage Project, an initiative designed to support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are not meeting their health needs.
The Linkage Project has two main goals:
  1. Empowerment Through Education: Helping individuals learn about health issues that are important to them.
  2. Improving Health Access: Ensuring those with I/DD receive the necessary support to address their health needs.
This is an incredible opportunity for our community to benefit from Dr. Traci and her team’s expertise and dedication. We look forward to the positive impact this collaboration will bring!
 
Stay tuned for more updates on the Linkage Project and LIFTT’s other work with MTDH, and join us in welcoming Prof. Dr. Meg Traci and her team to Billings!
 

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 people with disabilities 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.

A Grand (Opening) Thank You!

A Grand (Opening) Thank You!

The LIFTT Team poses in front of the main entrance to the new Billings office during the grand opening on May 10, 2024

The LIFTT Team poses in front of the main entrance to the new Billings office during the grand opening on May 10, 2024

Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) would like to thank all of the consumers, strategic partners, and community members who attended the grand opening of our new Billings location at 1241 Crawford Drive on May 10.  The new building is a huge step in realizing LIFTT’s long-held dreams regarding how we engage the community in our mission and vision, and it was wonderful to share it with all of you

LIFTT would like to make special acknowledgment of the following people and organizations for their support of the Grand Opening:

  • Par Montana for their financial support and the crew of volunteers who did some yard work for us ahead of the event
  • Passages Culinary Arts Program for catering awesome appetizers and desserts
  • The Billings Chamber of Commerce for recognizing us with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
  • Mitch Bohn of the Wide Left Sports podcast for his enthusiastic event promotion and coordinating several raffle donations
  • Our Raffle Donors
    • Altana Federal Credit Union
    • Ashley Williams Photography
    • Rachel Meech Insurance
    • HighD Travel-Heidi Stevens
    • Gratitude in Action-Terri Todd
    • Desiree Bond
    • Loud Lark Media
    • Limber Tree Yoga & Wellness Studio-Clementine Lindley
    • Bistro Enzo-Tyler Sampson

We hope everyone who attended enjoyed the event and came away with LIFTT’s enthusiasm for the new space and the possibilities for enhanced programs and services that lie before us!

Keep scrolling below for a gallery of pictures from our Grand Opening!

 

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 people with disabilities 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.

Special Meeting of LIFTT Board of Directors Feb 19

Special Meeting of LIFTT Board of Directors Feb 19

Black Background with Yellow Text reading

There will be a special meeting of the LIFTT Board of Directors. Monday, February 19, 2024, beginning at 4 p.m. The meeting will be conducted virtually using the Zoom platform. The public is invited to attend and offer comments during the public comment period.

Click here to view or download the meeting agenda and Zoom information for the  Special February 19, 2024, LIFTT board of directors meeting. (Adobe PDF)

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 people with disabilities 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, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for Apple or Google Play.

You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.

Neil Young: Sculpting the Past and the Future

Neil Young: Sculpting the Past and the Future

Editor’s note: A version of this story appears in the November 2022 LIFTT Connection Newsletter. You can download the newsletter here (Adobe PDF) 

 

Renowned sculptor Neil Young is mentoring the younger generation in Glendive. Neil was born In Minnesota in 1951 and moved to Montana on his own when he was 12 years old. He worked on some ranches throughout his life.

He has degrees in fine arts and aircraft mechanics. According to Neil, his hobbies now include “recycling the recyclable.” In 2018, he was diagnosed with throat, eye, lung, and brain cancer, progressing one after another. “It was tough,” he recalls, “but I recovered and have been doing well since 2020.”

Neil uses an electrolarynx to talk, but that does not prevent him from communicating well with everyone. Neil is very inventive and creative. Among his many gifts is the ability to transform metal scraps into beautiful sculptures. One of his most well-known pieces is the “Welcome to Glendive” Dinosaur that sits in front of the Crossroads Cenex on Highway 16 just south of I-94 exit 213.

Neil is now mentoring LIFTT’s young consumers’ boys and girls living with a disability. Currently, he is working with one young man Jadon Bergstrom. LIFTT and Neil are making plans for the future. They plan to build a sculpture studio in our Glendive office where the community will interact with him and learn that there is a sculptor inside all of us! Thanks, Neil! We are happy you are part of LIFTT!

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, Glendive, and Red Lodge, LIFTT provides people with disabilities 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 southcentral Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Stillwater, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app on Apple or Google Play. You can donate to LIFTT by clicking here.