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Ability Montana

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Ability Montana

Ability MT is 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers services & resources to those living with disabilities.

mILp Services Include:

Information and Referral: mILp provides timely information to people with disabilities, their families, and the general public through the use of our staff's expertise and access to the internet and other information resources. Independent Living Skills Training: mILp's professional staff of Independent Living Specialists provide people with disabilities with both instruction and training to assist them with living independently. Ex: Daily living skills, Community Resource Acquisition, Support and Recreational Groups, Social Security Assistance. Individual and Group Advocacy: mILp''s staff provides our consumers with information and training regarding individual civil rights and responsibilities regarding local, state, and national issues. We assist consumers in promoting and modeling these interests to others. Peer Advocacy: A person who has experienced a disability may be available to help in a private one-on-one setting to provide peer advice and support to another individual who is experiencing similar adjustment challenges. All peer advocates are trained and supervised by mILp's professional staff members. Self Directed Personal Assistance Services Program (SDPAS): SDPAS is designed especially for consumers who wish to manage their own services by developing a long-term supportive care program in a home setting.

04/10/2026

Jack’s life changed in an instant, but what came next is a story of independence, resilience, and the people who make it possible. As a C5 quadriplegic, Jack relies on care workers for nearly every aspect of daily life. Because of that support, he’s able to work, serve as Board President of Ability Montana, and live on his own terms — not in an institution.⁠
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April is Care Workers Recognition Month, and Jack’s story is a powerful reminder of why that recognition matters. Care workers make independent living possible. They are the bridge between a person with a disability and the world around them, and their role deserves far more recognition and support. ⁠
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Read Jack’s full story and learn more about self-directed care in our latest blog: abilitymt.org/care-workers-recognition

04/08/2026

For more than 50 years, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act has protected people with disabilities from discrimination, ensuring access to education, healthcare, employment, and community life.⁠
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Now, Montana is part of a lawsuit that has asked a federal court to declare Section 504 “unconstitutional” and “unenforceable.” This isn't an abstract policy. This is about whether Montanans with disabilities can live independently, access services, and fully participate in their communities. These protections are the foundation of accessibility in this country.⁠
Advocates, organizations, and disability leaders across Montana are speaking out and calling for action and we are joining them.⁠
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Tell Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen: Remove Montana from this lawsuit!! https://disabilityrightsmt.org/save-504-again/

04/03/2026

Help build a more accessible Montana by sharing your experience! A statewide public transportation survey is open now, and it’s a critical opportunity to share feedback on accessibility and connectivity across Montana.⁠
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This input will help shape future transportation services by identifying gaps, improving access, and ensuring systems work for people with disabilities and communities statewide.⁠
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The survey takes about 10 minutes and closes April 10 at noon.

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VSYDGX6

03/30/2026

Howdy, Helena! Join us at Steed Arena for a series of adaptive ice skating sessions open to all ages and experience levels. Whether you’re stepping onto the ice for the first time or ready to glide, this is a welcoming space to move, connect, and have fun.⁠
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We’re currently looking for both participants and volunteers to join us on the ice with no experience needed! These sessions are free, with registration required. Check out the flyer for full details on dates and times and to sign up.

03/27/2026

As we continue the countdown to Let’s Talk Disability, we’re sharing powerful reels from people who’ve participated in the past and what this event meant to them. This is Michelle Lewis sharing her story. She was instrumental in the development of the Let’s Talk Disability Production and is now the co-host of the LTD Podcast series!

Let’s Talk Disability is more than a show. It’s a community experience where real stories are shared and voices are amplified. You won’t want to miss the inspiration and impact of this year’s production!

May 14 & May 15, 2026
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Carroll College Theater in Helena, MT
Learn more & get tickets → https://abilitymt.org/lets-talk-disability

03/20/2026

Applications are now open for 2026 Finders (formerly Camp Pathfinders)!⁠
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Join us June 18–19, 2026 at Camp Bullwheel in Ennis, MT for a hands-on overnight camp focused on careers in outdoor recreation.⁠
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Participants will learn directly from professionals in guiding, wildland firefighting, game wardens, U.S. Forest Service careers, and more. Plus, enjoy a guided rafting and fishing trip on the Madison River and tour the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Fish Hatchery — all at no cost, with gear and meals included.⁠
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📅 Application deadline: May 5⁠
📞 Contact Kendra at 406.410.1464 or kbrown@abilitymt.org to learn more.

03/13/2026

Navigating government programs can feel overwhelming! If you don’t want to do it alone, join our new free Community Compass sessions every Tuesday from 12–1 PM on Zoom.⁠
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1st & 3rd Tuesdays: Social Security Disability (SSI & SSDI)⁠
Learn the differences between programs, who qualifies, application tips, and how work impacts your benefits.⁠
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2nd & 4th Tuesdays: Medicaid vs. Medicare⁠
Understand coverage differences, how to qualify for Medicaid in Montana, and application steps for both.⁠
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Each session includes time for Q&A and community discussion so you can ask questions and share your experience.⁠
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These are educational sessions only (not legal advice). Contact Kendra Brown at kbrown@abilitymt.org for more information.

03/12/2026

Today we’re celebrating a very special milestone! 🎉Theresa Gardner marks 30 years with Ability Montana!⁠
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Theresa first connected with us as a young adult receiving services and then started her official role on March 12, 1993, at just 22 years old. Over the past three decades, she has become an essential part of our Helena office, advocating at the Montana Legislature, mentoring young people, leading disability education classes, and helping countless Montanans pursue independent living.⁠
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Her voice has also helped lawmakers understand the importance of services like Medicaid and personal care attendants, ensuring people with disabilities have the support they need to live independently.⁠
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Thank you, Theresa, for 30 years of dedication, advocacy, and heart. We’re so grateful to have you as part of the Ability Montana community.

03/06/2026

The 2026 Paralympic Winter Games are here! From March 6–15, the world’s best adaptive athletes will compete in Milano Cortina 2026 and our own Montana community is proudly represented on the Team USA roster!⁠
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Dani Aravich () – Para Nordic skiing & biathlon trailblazer based in Bozeman, MT ⁠
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Katie Verderber — Proud Helena, MT native competing in wheelchair mixed curling (pictured here) ⁠
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📸 Image via University of Montana Western article⁠
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These athletes are examples of courage, dedication, and perseverance. Let’s celebrate their journeys and cheer them on as they chase dreams and make history in Italy! 🇮🇹⛷️🥌

02/25/2026

Alice recently joined Ability Montana for a day on the ski hill. It was her first time skiing, and she shared this about the experience:⁠
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“All my life, I grew up hearing about other people skiing and how much fun they had but didn’t ever think it was something I could do. But with the help of Ability Montana, I got to go skiing under my own steam… Someone accompanied and assisted me the whole time so I felt safe.⁠
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I had such a ball, and even though I had been terrified to try it, after a couple runs down the bunny hill, I thought, ‘Wow, I can do this!’ I felt like I belonged there like everyone else and plan on going again. I never thought that I would ever ski, and here I was, at 63 years old, skiing!!!⁠
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I had been hesitant, but the fine folks at Ability had thought through everything and made sure I was safe and comfortable. I wasn’t pushed to do anything I wasn’t ready for. A whole world opened up for me that day up on the ski hill… I would encourage anyone to try it.”⁠
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Thank you, Alice, for trusting us with your story.

02/18/2026

Ability Montana was proud to sit on a panel recently alongside disability partners to speak directly with the Montana Legislature’s Transportation Interim Committee about real barriers to transportation faced by people with disabilities across our state.⁠
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After the panel, we took legislators into the community for a walk/move audit—showing firsthand how the built environment can either connect people or create barriers. People with disabilities led the conversation, sharing lived experience about what works, what doesn’t, and why inclusive design matters.⁠
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This is systems advocacy in action. Ability Montana remains committed to pushing for policies and design that ensure an accessible, connected future for everyone.

02/13/2026

Helena, Let’s Talk Disability is coming back to town in three months! This powerful community production centers real stories of living with disability and chronic illness, and it’s returning to the stage this spring.⁠
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📅 May 14 and 15, 2026⁠
📍 Carroll College ⁠
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Whether you come to listen, learn, or support, this is a meaningful opportunity to connect with lived experiences from our community. Stay tuned for more details on attendance, and ways to get involved. If you want to buy a ticket, they're ON SALE NOW: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-talk-disability-helena-tickets-1254827285189?aff=oddtdtcreator

Address

825 Great Northern Boulevard Ste 105
Helena, MT
59601

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 3pm
Tuesday	9am - 3pm
Wednesday	9am - 3pm
Thursday	9am - 3pm
Friday	9am - 3pm

Telephone

+14064425755

Website

https://abilitymt.org/, https://abilitymt.org/donate/

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Our Story

mILp is one of four Centers for Independent Living in the State of Montana. Section 702 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 defines a center for independent living (CIL) as a consumer‑controlled, community‑based, cross‑disability, nonresidential private nonprofit agency that is designed and operated within a local community by individuals with disabilities to provide an array of independent living services.

mILp’s mission as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and as a Center for Independent Living, is to promote independence for people living with disabilities residing in 14 southwestern Montana counties. Since 1981, mILp has helped consumers live, work, and participate in leisure activities as independently as they desire. This includes, but is not limited to, having access to necessary services and recreational pursuits that promote a quality of life within an individual’s own residence and community.

mILp continues to be a leader in our communities, assuring disability rights for all Montanans by enthusiastically encouraging and effecting community inclusion, integration, and independence for people living with disabilities. To better meet the needs of our consumers, we have three offices located in Helena, Butte, and Bozeman.

mILp is governed by a consumer-controlled Board of Directors whose lives have been personally impacted by a disability. We are funded in part by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended in 1992 (Title VII- Independent Living Services), and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (Disability Services Division).