LIFTT Media Library

LIFTT: Helping Everyone Rise

We hope you enjoy this video featuring LIFTT team members discussing how they live and thrive independently with their disabilities. LIFTT offers people of all ages with disabilities the advocacy and resources to do the same.

For more information and how LIFTT can help you or someone you know, send us a message through our contact page, download our mobile app for Apple or Android, or call our offices in Billings: (406) 259-5181 and Glendive: (406) 948-8500.

Disablity Inclusion Through Transportation

Living Well in Montana Episodes

Living Well in Montana is produced by Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) and Billings Community 7 Television and airs on Billings Community 7 TV.

Rural ADA Accessible Transportation Update

On this Episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT’s Transportation Coordinator, Tina Carter, joins Jed Barton to provide an update on the ongoing planning and development of LIFTT’s Rural ADA Accessible Transportation Program, which is scheduled to begin offering its first rides in early 2026.

LIFTT has been assisted in conducting the planning phase of our transportation program by a grant from the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NATDC). For more information, please visit https://www.nadtc.org.

LIFTT ADA Accessible All-Inclusive Community Garden

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” Anthony Sammareto from the Montana State University Extension Service talks with LIFTT Executive Director Carlos Ramalho about the ADA-accessible All-Inclusive Community Garden coming to LIFTT’s Billings Office.

The gardening season at LIFTT will officially get underway on May 16 with a kickoff event featuring a workshop by Sammareto, who will provide expert tips on starting your garden plot and having a successful growing season.

For more information or to find out how to reserve your garden plot, visit: https://liftt.org/garden-kick-off-051625/

Montana Fair Housing

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Public Relations Specialist Jed Barton talks with Pam Bean, Executive Director of Montana Fair Housing. Jed and Pam discuss

• The role that Montana Fair Housing plays is as a statewide non-profit dedicated to preventing discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, and disability in housing, both for renters and homeowners.
• The education they provide to renters and home buyers on their rights, as well as the education they provide to property managers and homeowners associations, helping to train them to avoid discriminatory practices.
• The specific issues related to disability discrimination that Fair Housing deals with, such as accommodations for service/support animals & getting landlords and homeowners associations to allow the construction of home modifications  
• The path forward for Montana Fair Housing as the organization was recently informed by the Federal Government of a loss of a significant grant from the Department of Housing & Urban Development.

For more info about Montana Fair Housing, visit: https://www.montanafairhousing.org/

UpLIFTT Thrift!

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana, LIFTT Team Members Tina Carter and Emily Lentz preview one of LIFTT ‘s latest projects, “upLIFTT Thrift,” a second-hand store being set up on the site of LIFTT’s previous Billings location (1201 Grand Avenue) to help provide skills training opportunities and raise funds for LIFTT. Learn more about “upLIFTT Thrift” here

A Conversation on Disability History & Culture 

Western Heritage Center Community Historian Lauren Hunley recently joined Carlos Ramalho and Jed Barton on an episode of “Living Well in Montana” to discuss two  exhibits coming to the Western Hertiage Center this March, “Equally Different: Uncovering the History of Disability in Montana” and “Empowered HeARTs: Work from Artists with Disabilities.” The discussion also covered some surprising facts about disability in Montana that Hunley’s research has yielded and how history echoes down to the situations in which the disability community finds itself today. The Western Heritage Center is located at 2822 Montana Avenue in downtown Billings and is open Tuesdays-Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the museum is $5 for adults. $3 students & seniors, and free for children under age six. For more information about the Western Heritage Center visit ywhc.org or call (406) 256-6809.

Update on LIFTT’s Accessible Rural Transporation Program

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Executive Director Carlos Ramalho and Regional Manager Jen Hawkinson are joined by LIFTT’s brand new Transportation Program Coordinator, Tina Carter, to talk about new exciting developments as LIFTT continues to develop its Accessible Rural Transportation Program.

United We Serve Through Inclusion & Collaboration

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Peer Program Coordinator Tanya Thomas visits with representatives of the United Way of Yellowstone County and Montana State University Billings, discussing plans for a commemorative bell-ringing ceremony and all-abilities service project to take place at MSUB on January 20 to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Free, New Sessions of LIFTT’s Diabetes Prevention Program

LIFTT’s Nutritional Health Coaches Anya Pullis and Eileen Rodrigeuz talk about new sessions of LIFTT”s Diabetes Prevention Program beginning in February at the Billings LIFTT office and in March in Roundup in partnership with the Area 2 Agency on Aging.

If you need help registering or have questions, please contact Anya Pulis, LIFTT Nutritional Health Coach/Independent Living Specialst, at (406) 606-1766 or anyap@liftt.org.

Nutrition & Cooking Class

LIFTT and the Montana State University Extension Service are teaming up to offer a free nine-week cooking and nutrition class designed to help participants discover the joy of preparing delicious meals together by empowering them with practical kitchen skills, smart shopping knowledge, and nutritional know-how.to offer. In this “Living Well in Montana” episode, IL Specialst & Health Coach Anya Pulis talks about the upcoming class with MSU Extension Service Nutrition Educator Deb Holeman.

Click here to sign up for the LIFTT/MSU Extension Cooking & Nutrition Class!  If you need help registering or have questions, please contact Anya Pulis, LIFTT Nutritional Health Coach/Independent Living Specialst, at (406) 606-1766 or anyap@liftt.org.

LIFTT’s ADA Accessible Rural Transportation Program

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT’s Glendive Regional Manager Jen Hawkinson talks with Public Relations Specialst Jed Barton about the brand new LIFTT ADA Accessible Rural Transportation Program that is currently in the planning stages thanks to grants from the National Aging and Disabled Transportation Center (NADTC) as well as the Montana and US Departments of Transportation.

Disability Rights Montana

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT executive director Carlos Ramalho and Public Relations Specialst Jed Barton talk with David Carlson, the executive director of Disability Rights Montana (DRM), about that organization’s mission to support and defend the civil and human rights of Montanans with Disabilities as the designated Protection & Advocacy (P & A) agency for Montana as well as ideas about the nature of system change and some current issues in disability rights advocacy such as the implementation of the Olmstead versus L.C. supreme court decision.

Visit Disability Rights Montana at https://disabilityrightsmt.org/

Relaunching the LIFTT Mobile App

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Public Relations Specialst Jed Barton visits with Erica Yakawich, regional director for Amplified Digital Agency, about the upcoming relaunch of the LIFTT app for Apple and Android mobile devices.

Fiesta for Fighters

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Nutritional Health Coaches Anya Pulis and Eileen Rodrieguz preview the “Fiesta for Fighters,” a breast cancer awareness month event to be held at LIFTT on Thursday, October 24, from 5 to 7 p.m.

For more information about Fiesta for Fighters, click here or contact Anya at (406) 606-1766 or anyap@liftt.org.

Memories for Life Documentary

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT nutritional health coaches Anya Pulis and Eileen Rodriguez preview an upcoming screening of the documentary “Memories for Life” on Sunday, October 6, at 2 p.m. at the Babcock Theatre in Downtown Billings.

Narrated by the award-winning singer Michael Bublé, “Memories for Life” highlights new developments in understanding, preventing, and treating Alzheimer’s, dementia, and overall brain health. Following the documentary, there will be a discussion about how you can get support for yourself or a loved one.

We hope you bring friends and family and enjoy this FREE event together! For more information about the “Memories for Life” screening event, contact LIFTT Nutritional Health Coach and Independent Living Specialst Eileen Rodriguez at (406) 294-5183 or eileenr@liftt.org.

Journey Through Resiliency

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Public Relations Specialist Jed Barton talks with Native American advocate and director of Identity Incorporated Don Wetzel Jr. about his personal journey as a top student-athlete and member of the Blackfoot Tribe. He also discusses the historical resilience of Montana’s native communities and how everyone, including people with disabilities, can learn its lessons and apply them in everyday life.

Diversity & Inclusion

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT executive director Carlos Ramlho and his partner (and LIFTT volunteer) Jordan Ferraro discuss how LIFTT extends an open and affirming welcome to members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and also how they approach the intersection of their identities as both gay men and people with disabilities.

Youth Transitions

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT’s Glendive regional manager, senior IL specialist, and expert on all things youth, Jen Hawkinson, joins LIFTT public relations specialist Jed Barton to highlight the core service of youth transitions.

Youth transitions are services provided to people with disabilities aged 14-24 to help them plan and execute the move from K-12 education and living with their parents/guardians to higher education or a job and living independently like their peers.

To learn more about how LIFTT can help you or a disabled youth in your life make this transition, please visit liftt.org or give us a call at (406) 259-5181 (Billings) or (406) 948-8500 (Glendive).

New Buliding & Grand Opening

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Executive Director Carlos Ramalho and Public Relations Specialst Jed Barton discuss LIFTT’s move to a new office buliding at 1241 Crawford Drive in Billings and the agency’s plans for the space, including the grand opening celebration on May 10, 2024.

Disaster Relief & Community Outreach

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” Jed Barton and Debra Acosta talked with Dakota Smith, the owner of AmeriClean Disaster Restoration Services, about the recent flooding at the Billings LIFTT office and what folks can and should consider when disasters such as flooding strike their homes or businesses.

To contribute to LIFTT’s Flood Relief Fund, please visit liftt.betterworld.org/donate.

Accessibility to Media

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT executive director Carlos Ramalho and public relations specialist Jed Barton talk with Billings Gazette President & Publisher David Worstell about

• The why and how of people’s media use,
• Why access to media for all, regardless of disability, is important,
• What the Billings Gazette and its parent company Lee Enterprises, do to help make their media products accessible for all,
• The future landscape of local media,
• How LIFTT has come to form a partnership with Billings Gazette/Lee Enterprises through using Lee’s digital services firm, Amplified, to design the most recent versions of the LIFTT website and the LIFTT mobile app.

Learn, Build, & Grow Empowerment Through LIFTT’s Peer Program

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Assistant Independent Living Program Manager Tara Robison and Peer Program Coordinator Tanya Thomas talk about the opportunities for learning and empowerment available to persons with disabilities who participate in LIFTT’s newly restructured Peer Program.

For more information about how you can volunteer as a LIFTT Peer, contact Tanya at (406) 690-6324 or tanyat@liftt.org

Domestic Violence & Disability 

On this episode of Living Well in Montana, LIFTT Outreach Director John Robison and Communications & Government Affairs Coordinator Jed Barton discuss the problem of domestic violence and abuse, its intersection with disability, and the services available to help victims with Erin Lambert, the CEO of the Billings YWCA. The YWCA provides many services to the victims of domestic violence and abuse, including a 24-hour crisis line, which can be reached at (406) 245-4472 (voice) or (406) 702-0229 (text).

A word of caution: The subject of this video is domestic violence and abuse. We realize that some viewers may find this a difficult or even traumatic subject to view and understand if they choose to surf to a different channel or video. Still, we feel that the frank and honest discussion and information that will be presented here is of vital importance to those who choose to continue watching.

Stay at Home with LIFTT’s PCA Program!

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” LIFTT Communications & Government Affairs Coordinator Jed Barton talks with LIFTT’s Finance Director Debra Acosta about how LIFTT’s Medicaid Self Direct Personal Care Assitance program can assist qualified individuals in receiving the care they need to stay in their homes and a part of their community as opposed to being forced into a nursing home or other institutional living situations.

The program ends with the “World Premier” of LIFTT’s new thirty-second commercial for our PCA program services. Thanks to the team at KTVQ and LIFTT consumer and peer Vern Anderson for their work on this. To find out more about the LIFTT PCA program, please give us a call at (406) 259-5181 (Billings) or (406) 948-4800 (Glendive)

The web post by LIFTT Team member Valerie Rowlison that Debra mentions can be found here: https://liftt.org/the-cfc-sdpas-intake-process/

Youth Transitions 

On this edition of Living Well in Montana, LIFTT Communications & Government Affairs Coordinator Jed Barton talks with LIFTT Senior IL Specialist Jen Hawkinson about the core IL service of Youth Transitions: Helping youth with disabilities learn the skills necessary to transition from living with a parent/guardian and being in a K-12 educational setting to being out on their own in the working world or attending post-secondary education.

At the Intersection: The Disability & LGBTQ+ Communities

On this edition of Living Well in Montana, LIFTT Communications & Government Affairs Coordinator Jed Barton talks with LIFTT Independent Living Specialst Theo Wheeler and Rev. Dwight Welch of United Campus Ministry at Montana State University Billings about their experiences as being both people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Making PRIDE Accessible

On this episode of Living Well in Montana, LIFTT Outreach Coordinator and Community Health Worker Supervisor John Robison and Independent Living Specialist Britany Hopf talked with Independent Living Specialist Theo Wheeler. They discussed the intersection of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community and being disabled, and how those experiences shape their understanding of personal identity. Additionally, they discussed the importance of finding community and having role models to look up to. They also talked about the impact of strangers’ kindness and the value of making all spaces accessible and disability friendly, as well as Pride events happening in the Billings area.

Independent Living in Montana

On this edition of “Living Well in Montana” LIFTT executive director Carlos Ramahlo and Communications Coordinator Jed Barton chat with Tami Hoar, Executive Director of a Missoula-based CIL called Summit Independent Living.

The discussion focuses on Tami’s observations about disability and the independent living movement in Big Sky Country from her career providing disability services across Montana. In addition to Summit Tami has previously been LIFTT’s executive director and a program director for AbiltyMontana (formerly Montana Independent Living Project).

Rural Independent Living

On this episode of Living Well in Montana, LIFTT Executive Director Carlos Ramalho and Communications & Government Affairs Coordinator are joined by Elissa Ellis, the Director of Operations for the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) who is out of Arkansas. LIFTT is a longtime member of APRIL.

The topic will is Rural Independent Living and how CILs, the disability community and indeed living with a disability in a rural area are different from the experiences of those in more urban settings. and the unique challenges and opportunities that disabled life in rural communities present

Social Security Disability Basics

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana” LIFTT Communications and Government Affairs Coordinator Jed Barton visits with David Baier, Regional Public Affairs Specialst with the Social Security Administration.

Jed and David discuss some basic information about Social Security Disability benefits both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) as well as how to register for a “My Social Security.” account.

For more information about Social Security visit: https://www.ssa.gov

Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities

On this edition of Living Well in Montana, LIFTT’s Community Health Worker/Outreach Coordinator John Robison and Peer Program Coordinator Tanya Thomas talk with RiverStone Health’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Lauren Brown about the realities of disaster preparedness for persons with disabilities in our region.

Helping Everyone Rise

In this episode of Living Well in Montana: LIFTT team members Jed Barton and Jennifer Hawkinson provide an overview of LIFTT’s core services and introduce a new video entitled “Helping Everyone Rise” that features LIFTT team members talking about how they live and thrive independently with their disabilities and how LIFTT offers people, of all ages with all types of disabilities, the advocacy, and resources to do the same. The program concludes with a presentation of the video.

Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, & Accessibility

On this episode of “Living Well in Montana” LIFTT Executive Director Carlos Ramalho and Outreach Coordinator John Robison talk with Regina S. Dyton an Equity Consultant with the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies.

Their discussion focuses on how disability is just one identity through which people live their lives and how their disability may intersect with other identities such as class, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation to shape an individual’s life experiences and how it is only possible to create a truly diverse, inclusive, equitable and accessible society when all an individual’s identities are taken into account.

Ms. Dyton is the recently retired Director of Community Health and Well Being of Trinity Health of New England at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. Her professional history includes work on behalf of underserved victims of crime from oppressed communities, gender and sexual orientation equity advocacy, activism to promote racial equity and inclusion as well as disability rights advocacy. Ms. Dyton is an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, from which she graduated in 1997 with an MSW in Community Organizing.

Health, Happiness, and the Pursuit of Inclusion

In this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” host, & LIFTT Peer Program Coordinator Tanya Thomas with Dr. Meg Traci of the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities at the University of Montana & the Montana Disability & Health Program (MTDH) about her work with MTDH to improve access to healthcare and increase positive health outcomes for people with disabilities in Montana and beyond.

For more about the UM Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities visit: https://www.umt.edu/rural-institute/ and for more about the Montana Disability and Health Program visit: https://mtdh.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/

“Landon’s Legacy”, Accessibility for All

In this edition of Living Well in Montana, LIFTT Team members Corby Skinner and Jed Barton talk with Marcie Smith (Founder, President) and DeAnn Visser (Captial Campaign Coordinator) of the Landon’s Legacy Foundation about the foundation’s recent opening of an all-abilities baseball field on Billings West End and future plans for an all-abilities playground and water feature at the same location. To find out more or help out Landon’s Legacy visit: https://landonslegacy.com/

Understanding Disaster Recovery

In the edition of “Living Well in Montana” host, Corby Skinner discusses disaster recovery for people with disabilities in light of the recent flooding and ever-present threat of wildfire and other natural disasters here in Eastern Montana. Corby’s guests are Michael Houston Region 8 (MT, WY, ND, SD, CO, UT) Disability Integration Specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Anthony Mayne, Public Affairs Specialist with FEMA region 8.

Exploring Adaptive Equipment & Accessible Tech

In this episode of Living Well in Montana, host Corby Skinner and LIFTT Peer Program Coordinator Tanya Thomas discuss Adaptative Equipment and Assistive Technology with Molly Kimmell, Program Director for MonTECH (montech.ruralinstitute.umt.edu).

Based at the University of Montana in Missoula with a satellite office at Montana State University Billings; MonTech is the federally funded Statewide Assistive Technology Program. MonTECH provides free, confidential information about assistive technology (AT) devices and services for Montanans.

Disasters, Emergencies, and People with Disabilities

In this edition of “Living Well in Montana” hosts Corby Skinner and Jed Barton are joined by the Co-Executive Directors of the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (https://disasterstrategies.org/) Shaylin Sluzalis and Germán Parodi to discuss how the needs of the disabled community should be at the forefront of disaster and emergency management planning & response at the local, state, national and international level.

Living with a Disability on Campus

In this edition of “Living Well in Montana,” host Corby Skinner talks with LIFTT Team members Tanya Thomas (Sheridan College, Casper College) and Lexi Syme (Montana State University Billings) about their experiences attending college as students with disabilities.

Employment Considerations for People with Disabilities

In this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” host Kathleen Benoit is joined by LIFTT peer program coordinator Tanya Thomas and Bob Snizek, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor with Montana Employment Consultants LLC (https://www.mtemployment.net) to discuss the challenges that people with disabilities face when seeking competitive integrated employment.

Parenting Children with Autism Part II

In this episode of Living Well in Montana, Host Kathleen Benoit is joined by LIFTT team member Dianne Booth and Liz Miller of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services to continue their discussion on their experiences parenting children with autism.

Garett Gaustad and Tanya Thomas’s Success Stories

In this episode of Living Well in Montana, Host Kathleen Benoit is joined by LIFTT team members Garett Gaustad and Tanya Thomas who talk about the professional and personal growth they have experienced as part of the LIFTT peer program.

Consumer Stories: Robert Hamilton

In this episode of Living Well in Montana, Hosts Kathleen Benoit and Corby Skinner are joined by LIFTT Consumer Robert Hamilton of Forsyth, MT, and LIFTT Team member Cheryl Riga to discuss how LIFTT has and continues to provide Robert with the assistance and services he needs in order to meet is independent living goals.

Systems Change Advocacy

In this episode of Living Well in Montana, Host Corby Skinner is joined by LIFTT team member, Jed Barton who tells about how LIFTT and the wider network of Centers for Independent Living work to break down the systemic barriers to the freedom and equality of persons with disabilities.

Youth Transitions Part II

In this episode of Living Well in Montana, Host Corby Skinner is joined by LIFTT team members, Jennifer Hawkinson and MaKenna Andreopoulos to continue talking about how LIFTT works with Youth with Disabilities to help them make the transition from the K-12 environment to post-secondary education and jobs.

Disability Etiquette and Sensitivity

In this episode of “Living Well in Montana” host, Kathleen Benoit discusses with LIFTT team members Larry Ketchem and Jed Barton their experiences navigating the world with their disabilities and how people can be cognizant and respectful of people with disabilities in their midst. Included in this program is a brief video on disability etiquette produced by the Office of Disability Rights of the District of Columbia.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Part II

In the second part of this two-part episode of “Living Well in Montana” hosts Kathleen Benoit and Corby Skinner discuss the history and purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) board member and Montana State University Billings Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Human Services Dr. Paula McMahon.

The Statewide Independent Living Council (SLIC)

In this episode of “Living Well in Montana,” host Kathleen Benoit learns more about the role of the Statewide Independent Living Council (SLIC) in leading the push for an inclusive disability policy in Montana. Kathleen’s guest is the SLIC chair and former director of the Montana Youth Transitions Project and Montana Youth Leadership Forum June Hermanson.

The LIFTT SDPAS Program

The topic of this episode of “Living Well in Montana” is LIFTT’s Medicaid Self-Directed Personal Care Assistance Services (SDPAS) also known as the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Program and features a discussion with the program supervisor Freda Mook and program facilitator Lanette Brown moderated by Kathleen Benoit.