Disability Voices

On this episode of Get Connected, Kendra and Ashley sit down with Ashley (two Ashley's in one episode!!) who is a life coach in Butte, MT with Involve Montana. Ashley is a warm and caring soul that provides support to people receiving the SDMI Medicaid Waiver in the Butte area. She talks about how this looks on an individual basis. Ashley also help explain how to access this waiver and the oth...

On this episode of Let's Talk Disability, Michelle and Kendra talk with Kristine. Kristine shares the story of how she acquired her disability and how she has held onto joy through the most difficult times. Each episode in this series will expand the conversation about the experience of living with a disability. For resources about disability services in your area, you can contact Ability Mont...

On this episode of Get Connected, Hailey and Ashley sit down with Emily from Blacktail Health in Dillon, Montana. Blacktail Health was formally known as Southwest Montana Community Healthcare Center. The clinic is partially funded through the federal grants that allows them to offer discounts on services so that healthcare remains accessible and affordable. They believe that healthcare is a basic...

On this episode of Let's Talk Disability, Michelle and Kendra talk with Theresa. Theresa shares about her life as a disability advocate, from her upbringing to her 30 years (!!) working at Ability Montana. Her story is one of joy and perseverance. Each episode in this series will expand the conversation about the experience of living with a disability. For resources about disability services i...

On this episode of Let's Talk Disability, Michelle and Kendra talk with Alice. She shares how her connection to spirituality has shaped who she is now, and other helpful tools that she has used to frame her identify within the disability experience. Each episode in this series will expand the conversation about the experience of living with a disability. For resources about disability services...

On this episode, Cassie visits with The Collective Disruption about their work on Saving 504, a landmark civil rights law that protects the rights of people with disabilities to receive services and live in their communities. Montana is currently part of a multi-state lawsuit challenging federal rules under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Tune into the episode to learn about the Col...

On this episode of Get Connected, Maria and Kendra sit down with Jamie from The Friendship Center. The Friendship Center, based in Helena, MT, serves those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson counties. Through education and outreach, they also strive to empower the community to understand and prevent violence and abuse. If you o...

On this episode of Get Connected, Ashley and Kendra sit down with Kirk, William and Greg from the American Legion Post 10 in Deer Lodge. This episode is all about how these men are providing peer support and building community for other veterans in their area. For more information about their group, visit them at K & M Diner in Deer Lodge (209 Main St, Deer Lodge, MT 59722) or call (406) 846-4...

On this episode of Let's Talk Disability, Michelle and Kendra talk with Mikayla. This conversation is about growth, hope and connection. Mikayla shares tools of how she is navigating life and new lessons from being in her 30's. Each episode in this series will expand the conversation about the experience of living with a disability. For resources about disability services in your area, you...

On this episode of Get Connected, Cassie and Kendra sit down with Jancee and Terryn from Butte Native Wellness Center. Butte Native Wellness Center is an outpatient clinic that serves the American Indian and Alaska Native communities of Butte, Montana, and the surrounding areas. Their clinic provides primary health and wellness services such as mental health, substance abuse recovery, diabetes car...

On this episode of Get Connected, Cassie and Kendra sit down with Faith from Big Sky 55+. Big Sky 55+ is an organization of Montanans 55 and over bringing people together to work for solutions that make life better for Montanans of all ages. Their vision includes policy reforms that generate government actions to effectively bolster markets and provide adequate public services in the 21st century....

On this episode of Get Connected, Kendra sits down with Nancy from the Butte Aging at Home Program, part of Butte-Silver Bow's Community Development Division. The Butte Aging at Home Program offers free home safety modifications and small repairs for eligible older homeowners in Butte-Silver Bow County. Listen to the full episode for details and eligibility criteria for this program. You can a...

On this episode of Get Connected, Cassie and Kendra sit down with Molly from the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities to talk about their program, MonTECH. MonTECH provides technology, support, and services that improve the quality of life for Montanans with disabilities. Folks can try out different assistive technology devices for free! Listen to the episode to hear about what kinds of devic...

Thank you so much for joining us during the 2025 Montana Legislative Session. Listen to this episode for our thoughts on the session as a whole and the status of some of the bills we have been tracking along the way. Keep an eye out for periodical updates on here about federal legislation, interim committees, and administrative hearings. If you want to stay involved, reached out to Ability Montana...

On this episode of Get Connected, Andrew, Kendra and Mikayla sit down to talk about the upcoming Let's Talk Disability Productions from Ability Montana. Let’s Talk Disability is monologue production amplifying the voices of people with disabilities, fostering dialogue, understanding, and awareness. Every year, a new cohort of individuals from each community share their personal stories about t...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Finding a Center for Independent Living near you: Call us toll-free at Ability Montana at 1-800-735-6457 or visit mtcil.org . Caffeinate and Advocate: Weekly group at Ability Montana to discuss updates, practice testimony, or learn more about the legislative process. Fridays from 9:00-11:30 am. In person at the Butte Office (820 W Platinum, Butte MT) or online...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Caffeinate and Advocate: Weekly group at Ability Montana to discuss updates, practice testimony, or learn more about the legislative process. Fridays from 9:00-11:30 am. In person at the Butte Office (820 W Platinum, Butte MT) or online via Zoom (call 406-782-4834 to be sent the link). Bills we mentioned in this episode: HB 184: Modify language in the MCA that...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Disability Right's History Documentary: Crip Camp is available to watch for free on Youtube. Crimp Camp (Youtube) Caffeinate and Advocate: Weekly group at Ability Montana to discuss updates, practice testimony, or learn more about the legislative process. Fridays from 9:00-11:30 am. In person at the Butte Office (820 W Platinum, Butte MT) or online via Zoom...

On this episode of Get Connected, Cassie and Andrew (a new member of the Ability Montana team!) sit down with Josh and Michael from State of Mind. State of Mind is a project from the Co-Lab for Civic Imagination at the University of Montana. It is a statewide theatre and public dialogue tour aimed at community listening, tackling stigmas around mental and behavioral health, sharing resources and e...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Caffeinate and Advocate: Weekly group at Ability Montana to discuss updates, practice testimony, or learn more about the legislative process. Fridays from 9:00-11:30 am. In person at the Butte Office (820 W Platinum, Butte MT) or online via Zoom (call 406-782-4834 to be sent the link). Bills we mentioned in this episode: HB 386: Revising laws related to continu...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Caffeinate and Advocate: Weekly group at Ability Montana to discuss updates, practice testimony, or learn more about the legislative process. Fridays from 9:00-11:30 am. In person at the Butte Office (820 W Platinum, Butte MT) or online via Zoom (call 406-782-4834 to be sent the link). Bills we mentioned in this episode: HB 245: Revise the Montana HELP Act work...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Share your Medicaid Expansion Story: Catalyst Montana Website Caffeinate and Advocate: Weekly group at Ability Montana to discuss updates, practice testimony, or learn more about the legislative process. Fridays from 9:00-11:30 am. In person at the Butte Office (820 W Platinum, Butte MT) or online via Zoom (call 406-782-4834 to be sent the link). Bills we menti...

On this episode of Get Connected, Cassie and Kendra sit down with Molly from the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities at the University of Montana. The Rural Institute aims to build access and opportunity for people with disabilities through education, research, evaluation, and service. Listen to the episode to learn more about how this looks in action! For more information about their servic...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Caffeinate and Advocate: Weekly group at Ability Montana to discuss updates, practice testimony, or learn more about the legislative process. Fridays from 9:00-11:30 am. In person at the Butte Office (820 W Platinum, Butte MT) or online via Zoom (call 406-782-4834 to be sent the link). Bills we mentioned in this episode: HB 168: Provide state funding for presch...

Resources mentioned in this episode: Share your Medicaid Story: Click Here Sign up to support Montana’s current Medicaid program: Click Here See upcoming events from Catalyst Montana and sign up for their Action Alerts: Click Here   Next week’s events: January 14th at 7pm: Disability Rights Montana Panel: Healthy Communities, Stronger Montana: The role of Medicaid for individuals & rural commu...