Welcome to the LIFTT Online Library!
Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) is committed to fostering a community that empowers individuals with disabilities to live full, independent lives. As part of our mission, we are proud to introduce the LIFTT Online Library — a curated space dedicated to sharing knowledge, insights, and resources on disability rights, inclusion, accessibility, and independent living.
Our library aims to offer diverse materials, including articles, research papers, personal stories, and practical guides. It is designed to be a resource for anyone interested in learning more about disability issues, whether you’re an individual with a disability, a family member, an advocate, an educator, or a policymaker.
Call for Submissions
We invite you to contribute to this growing resource! We welcome submissions on a variety of topics related to disability and independent living, including:
- Personal experiences navigating life with a disability
- Articles on advocacy, rights, and legislation
- Research on accessibility, inclusion, and innovation
- Creative works that explore disability culture and identity
- Practical guides for individuals, caregivers, and communities
Submissions may be in the form of articles, essays, research papers, videos, or other media formats. If you would like to share your work or recommend a resource for inclusion in our library, please submit your materials via email to [insert contact email] or through our online form [insert link to submission form].
Let’s work together to build a rich, inclusive library that supports and uplifts our community. We look forward to your contributions!
Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director
LIFTT's Online Library Collection
| Title | Author | Subjects | View or Listen to Paper (HTML with Trinity Audio) | View & Download Paper (PDF) | Date Published | |
|
Navigating Fiscal Austerity: The Impact of the 2025 GOP Budget and Medicaid Funding Reductions on LIFTT’s Operations |
Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, LIFTT, Independent Living, LIFTT’s Operations, The Federal Budget, | Navigating Fiscal Austerity: The Impact of the 2025 GOP Budget and Medicaid Funding Reductions on LIFTT’s Operations | Navigating Fiscal Austerity: The Impact of the 2025 GOP Budget and Medicaid Funding Reductions on LIFTT’s Operations | March 2025 | |
| Testimony in Opposition to HB 395 and encouragement to legislators to protect voting rights for individuals with mental health disabilities | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Voting Rights, Montana Code Annotated, Montana Legislature, Montana Elections, Mental Health | Testimony in Opposition to HB 395 and encouragement to legislators to protect voting rights for individuals with mental health disabilities | Testimony in Opposition to HB 395 and encouragement to legislators to protect voting rights for individuals with mental health disabilities | February 2025 | |
| Memorandum in support of HB 488, with suggestions for Improvements, Additions, and & Amendments | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Voting Rights, Montana Code Annotated, Montana Legislature, Montana Elections | Memorandum in support of HB 488, with suggestions for Improvements, Additions, and & Amendments | Memorandum in support of HB 488, with suggestions for Improvements, Additions, and & Amendments | February 2025 | |
| Real Work Deserves Real Wages: Ending Subminimum Wages and Redefining Inclusion | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Minimum Wage, Section 14c Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, | Real Work Deserves Real Wages: Ending Subminimum Wages and Redefining Inclusion | Real Work Deserves Real Wages: Ending Subminimum Wages and Redefining Inclusion | February 2025 | |
| Call to Action to Defend Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, US Constitutional Law, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Texas V. Berccera | Call to Action to Defend Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act | Call to Action to Defend Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act | February 2025 | |
| Testimony to the MT Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee in Strong Support of SB 300: “An Act Providing Protections for Service Animals and Handlers” | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Service Animals, Montana Code Annotated, Montana Legislature | Testimony to the MT Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee in Strong Support of SB 300: “An Act Providing Protections for Service Animals and Handlers” | Testimony to the MT Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee in Strong Support of SB 300: “An Act Providing Protections for Service Animals and Handlers” | February 2025 | |
| Texas V. Becerra: a Legal, Poltical and Cultural Brief | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, US Constitutional Law | Texas V. Becerra: a Legal, Poltical and Cultural Brief | February 2025 | ||
| Texas V. Becerra: A Plain English Brief | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, US Constitutional Law, Plain English | Texas V. Becerra: A Plain English Brief | February 2025 | ||
| The Future of Independent Living without DEI | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Independent Living, Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Backlash to DEI | The Future of Independent Living without DEI | February 2025 | ||
| Behavioral Health Systems for Future Generations: Reforming Services for Montanans with Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Montana DPHHS, Behavioral Health Systems for Future Generations, Montana Legislature | Behavioral Health Systems for Future Generations: Reforming Services for Montanans with Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities | Behavioral Health Systems for Future Generations: Reforming Services for Montanans with Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities | January 2025 | |
| Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) for Individuals with Disabilities in Montana: Challenges, Opportunities, and Legislative Support | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Montana DPHHS, Disability & Employment Transitions Division, Vocational Rehabilitation, Montana Legislature | Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) for Individuals with Disabilities in Montana: Challenges, Opportunities, and Legislative Support | Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) for Individuals with Disabilities in Montana: Challenges, Opportunities, and Legislative Support | January 2025 | |
| The Impact of Stagnant Provider Rates on Essential Disability Services in Montana: Challenges and Policy Recommendations |
Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Montana DPHHS, Senior & Long Term Care Division, Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), Montana Legislature | The Impact of Stagnant Provider Rates on Essential Disability Services in Montana: Challenges and Policy Recommendations | The Impact of Stagnant Provider Rates on Essential Disability Services in Montana: Challenges and Policy Recommendations | January 2025 | |
| Agency Comment on Proposed Rule by the Department of Labor on Employment of Persons with Disabilities under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act | Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT) | Independent Living, Disability Rights, Competitive Integrated Employment | Agency Comment on Proposed Rule by the Department of Labor on Employment of Persons with Disabilities under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act | Agency Comment on Proposed Rule by the Department of Labor on Employment of Persons with Disabilities under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act | January 2025 | |
| Inclusive Resilience: Disaster Preparedness for Aging and Disabled Populations | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Disability Rights, Disaster Preparedness | Inclusive Resilience: Disaster Preparedness for Aging and Disabled Populations | Inclusive Resilience: Disaster Preparedness for Aging and Disabled Populations | January 2025 | |
| From Barriers to Bridges: A Call to Update Montana’s Disability Parking Framework | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Civil Rights, Disability Rights, Accessible Parking, Montana Legislature, | From Barriers to Bridges: A Call to Update Montana’s Disability Parking Framework | From Barriers to Bridges: A Call to Update Montana’s Disability Parking Framework | January 2025 | |
| Toward Empowerment: A Postmodern Exploration of the Cheyenne Nation and LIFTT Collaboration | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Civil Rights, Disability Rights, Native American Rights, Northern Cheynne Nation, Collaboration & Partnership | Toward Empowerment: A Postmodern Exploration of the Cheyenne Nation and LIFTT Collaboration | Toward Empowerment: A Postmodern Exploration of the Cheyenne Nation and LIFTT Collaboration | January 2025 | |
| Unveiling and Addressing Transportation Barriers in South Central and Eastern Montana: A Multidisciplinary Perspective | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Accessible Transportation, Independent Living, Civil Rights, Disability Rights, Disability & Aging Advocacy, Rural Issues | Unveiling and Addressing Transportation Barriers in South Central and Eastern Montana: A Multidisciplinary Perspective | January 2025 | ||
| Building an Aging and Disability-Friendly Rural Transportation Program: Removing Barriers to Diversity and Inclusion | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Accessible Transportation, Independent Living, Civil Rights, Disability Rights, Disability & Aging Advocacy, Rural Issues | Building an Aging and Disability-Friendly Rural Transportation Program: Removing Barriers to Diversity and Inclusion | January 2025 | ||
| Aging and Advocacy: A Postmodern Deconstruction of the Older Americans Act (OAA) | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, US Law, Older Americans Act, Federal Funding for Aging and Disability Programs | Aging and Advocacy: A Postmodern Deconstruction of the Older Americans Act (OAA) | Aging and Advocacy: A Postmodern Deconstruction of the Older Americans Act (OAA) | December 2024 | |
| Empowering Independence II: Transforming Rural Montana Through Innovation and Inclusion | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Disability Rights, IL Core Services, Centers for Independent Living (CIL), Civil Rights, Disability Advocacy | Empowering Independence II: Transforming Rural Montana Through Innovation and Inclusion | Empowering Independence II: Transforming Rural Montana Through Innovation and Inclusion | December 2024 | |
| Montana’s Sole Source Contract for Institutional Transitions with iCare, Violations of Anti-Corruption Laws, ADA Principles and Budgetary Restrictions | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Human Rights, US Law, Montana Law, Americans with Disabilities Act, Institutional Transitions | Montana’s Sole Source Contract for Institutional Transitions with iCare, Violations of Anti-Corruption Laws, ADA Principles and Budgetary Restrictions | November 2024 | ||
| Empowering Independence I: A Comprehensive Report on LIFTT’s Impact Across South and Central Eastern Montana during 2022 & 2023 | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | LIFTT, Independent Living, Disability Rights, IL Core Services, Consumer Success Stories, | Empowering Independence I: A Comprehensive Report on LIFTT’s Impact Across South and Central Eastern Montana during 2022 & 2023 | October 2024 | ||
| Inclusive Democracy: The Essential Role of Aging and Disabled Voters | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Independent Living, Disability Rights, Voting Rights, Systems Change, Elections, | Inclusive Democracy: The Essential Role of Aging and Disabled Voters | October 2024 | ||
| The Philosophy of Independent Living | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Independent Living, Philosophy, Disability Rights, Human Rights, Civil Rights, | The Philosophy of Independent Living | October 2024 | ||
| Bridging the Divide: The Digital Equity Act and Its Impact on Marginalized Communities | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Digital Equity, Information Age, Civil Rights, Disability Rights, Internet, | Bridging the Divide: The Digital Equity Act and Its Impact on Marginalized Communities | October 2024 | ||
| The ABC of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Special Education, Public Education, K-12 Education | The ABCs of the Individualized Education Plan | October 2024 | ||
| The Ripple Effect of Olmstead v. LC: Integration, Impact and the Road Ahead for Disability Rights in America | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Human Rights, US Law, Americans with Disabilities Act | The Ripple Effect of Olmstead V. LC: Integration, Impact, and the Road Ahead for Disability Rights in America | October 2024 | ||
| The Transformative Impact of the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Human Rights, United Nations, International Law | The Transformative Impact of the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | October 2024 | ||
| What is a Center for Independent Living? | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | Centers for Independent Living (CIL), Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Disability Advocacy | What is a Center for Independent Living? | October 2024 | ||
| A Description of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) | Carlos Ramalho, Executive Director of LIFTT | IDEA, Special Education, Disability Rights, Civil Rights, Public Education, K-12 Education | A Description of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) | October 2024 |