A new program at LIFTT, Money Follows the Person (MFP), creates a pathway for elders and individuals with disabilities to transition out of nursing homes and other institutions, receiving services and supports in their own homes and communities. (stock image)
Sometimes “home” isn’t where you are. Sometimes, it’s where you wish you could be. For many aging Montanans currently living in nursing homes, the desire to move into a more independent, community-based setting, like assisted living, is strong, but the barriers feel impossible.
That’s where Money Follows the Person (MFP) comes in. And now, thanks to a new partnership, LIFTT – Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow is bringing this program to Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone Counties.
What is Money Follows the Person?
MFP is a Medicaid program with a simple but powerful vision: help people transition from institutional care back into community living. For older adults who have spent at least 60 consecutive days in a nursing home, MFP offers both practical assistance and peace of mind during the move to a more independent setting.
This isn’t just a program about dollars. It’s about dignity. It’s about helping people say, “Yes, I can live where I want, with the services and supports I need.”
How does it work?
Participants receive support with essential moving costs, such as rent deposits, furnishings, or past-due utilities. Beyond logistics, MFP also provides assistive technology, peer support, and home modifications to ensure the transition is both safe and sustainable. For the first year in your new setting, case managers check in regularly, ensuring that independence never feels like isolation.
Why does this matter?
For too long, many Montanans have felt “stuck” in nursing homes and other institutions, even when their hearts and hopes pointed elsewhere. MFP changes that narrative. It recognizes that people are more than their care needs; they are neighbors, storytellers, and members of a community who thrive best when given the freedom to choose where they live.
Is MFP for me or my loved one?
If you or a loved one is currently in a nursing home and wondering if assisted living could be the next chapter, LIFTT’s MFP Regional Transitional Coordinators are here to walk beside you. For more information, contact either Pamela Ramirez at (406) 294-5189, pamelar@liftt.org, or Dineva Bower at (406) 831-0037, dinevab@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.
Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.
Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.