LIFTT

CONNECTION News & Views from Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow Fall 2016

The 2016 General Election is

scheduled for November 8.

In addition to the Presidency,

Montana’s lone seat in the United

States House of Representatives,

Governorship, All 100 seats in the

Montana House of Representatives,

25 of 50 seats in the Montana Sen-

ate and numerous local offices are

all up for grabs.

Voting in an election is an im-

portant tool that exists for citizens

to determine the course of action

that their government will take.

If they are to ever exercise a

true place of political power in

American life all otherwise quali-

fied persons with disabilities avail

themselves of to vote but sadly

many do not.

Studies have shown that the gap

in voter registration between peo-

ple with disabilities and the rest of

the population is around 10% and

the gap in actual voting is closer to

20%

It is with this in mind that the

American Association of Persons

with Disabilities (AAPD), The Na-

tional Council on Independent Liv-

ing (NCIL), ADAPT and other na-

tional disability organizations have

come together to form REV UP!

(Register, Educate, Vote, Use your

Power!), a campaign to increase

voter participation among people

with disabilities.

In addition to voter registration

efforts, REV UP! is also committed

to: eliminating barriers to vot-

ing, protecting accessibility of vot-

ing technology and polling plac-

es; educating voters about issues

and candi-

dates; ; engaging candidates and

the media on disability is-

sues, and protecting eligible voters’

right to participate in elections.

As one of several hundred Cen-

ters for Independent Living and

other grassroots organizations par-

ticipating in REV UP! on a local

level, LIFTT has been and will

continue to be helping people with

disabilities register to vote, sign up

to receive paper and electronic ab-

sentee ballots and in general make

sure that all who wish are able to

exercise their right to vote regard-

less of disability status. LIFTT will

also be making efforts to raise im-

portant issues affecting the disabil-

ity community to candidates at all

levels and of all parties

For more information about how

LIFTT can help you REV UP! this

election season, contact Jed Barton

@ (406) 294-5186, jedb@liftt.org

or visit liftt.org/revup

REV UP & VOTE November 8!

LIFTT Connection Fall 2016 2

Montana211.org launches :A

new online statewide directory of

community services is now availa-

ble at http://www.montana211.org.

The website aims to provide Mon-

tanans with accurate 24/7 infor-

mation on how to access services

such as basic needs, physical

health, mental health, children and

families, aging, and disabilities no

matter where they might be across

the state.

Fall Back on Nov 5/6: Remem-

ber to set your clocks backs one

hour on the night of November 5/6,

as we make the transition from day-

light savings to standard time.

Community Health Needs Fo-

rum: Do you have an idea(s)

about how to make Billings a

healthier place? There will be a fo-

rum for the public to have a chance

to offer their input as part of a wid-

er community health needs survey

process. The forum will be held on

Thursday November 10 from 11

a.m. to 1 p.m. in Royal Johnson

Community Room at the Billings

Public Library (510 N. Broadway)

Want more info from LIFTT?

Sign up to receive occasional up-

dates from our website. Go to

http://www.liftt.org/about/subscribe

-to-news-from-liftt/. You can also

find us on Twitter: @LIFTT and

Facebook: http://

www.facebook.com/LIFTTMT

MT IL Action Alert System:

Montana’s Centers for Independent

Living have updated our Action

Alert service which notifies and

provides links to action steps for

advocates when issues of im-

portance to Montanans with Disa-

bilities arise in the public discourse.

To sign up for the new system and

receive Montana IL Action Alerts

in your email, go to http://

www.liftt.org/advocacy and fill out

the form on the right sidebar.

Community Room Hours: The

LIFTT Community Room in our

Billings office is open for people

with disabilities to access peer as-

sistance, computers and other re-

sources each Monday, Wednesday

and Friday (excluding holidays)

from 1 to 3 p.m. For more info call

(406) 252-5181.

Office Closed: The LIFTT of-

fice will be closed for the following

holidays: Monday October 10

(Columbus Day), Friday Nov 11

(Veterans Day), Thursday & Friday

Nov 24-25 (Thanksgiving), Mon-

day December 26 (Christmas Day

observed) and Monday January 2,

2017 (New Year’s Day observed)

Do you need help finding

Housing?

Lists of available, affordable

& accessible housing

Staff & peer assistance with

public housing &

rental applications

Computer access available

Tuesdays

10:30 am– Noon

Billings LIFTT

Community Room

More Info/RSVP

(406) 259-5181

LIFTT Connection Fall 2016 3

Your Stories Needed! Have you or somebody you

know had issues regarding your/

their Medicaid eligibility?

Does the current income limits

for the Medically Needy Medicaid

program mean that you are required

to “spend down” a large portion of

your income just to receive needed

services?

Montana’s Centers for Inde-

pendent Living (MTCILs) want to

hear from you!

As part of our continuing advo-

cacy efforts, MTCILs will be col-

lecting stories from consumers re-

garding their experiences with the

Office of Public Assistance in get-

ting and maintain their Medicaid

status as well as stories regarding

how the “spend down” requirement

to maintain adequate Medicaid cov-

erage effects the ability of consum-

ers to keep up with other cost living

expenses.

If you would like to submit a

story about your Medicaid eligibil-

ity experiences go to: http://

cqrcengage.com/summitilc/app/

share-your-story?

2&engagementId=236273 and fol-

low the prompts to enter your story.

If you would like to submit a

story about how the “spend down”

effects you go to: http://

cqrcengage.com/summitilc/app/

share-your-story?

6&engagementId=196673

MTCILs hope to gather as many

stories from as all parts of Montana

as possible.

If you do not have computer ac-

cess or otherwise need assistance in

telling your story contact Jed Bar-

ton, (406) 294-5186 or

jedb@liftt.org

LIFTT Connection Fall 2016 4

G’MA Helen’s Cookies

Submitted by Jeri Craig

Ingredients

2 cups Butter

2 Cups Sugar

2 Cups Brown Sugar

4 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla

2 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Baking Powder

4 Cups Flour

2 Cups Oatmeal

2 Cups Corn Flakes

2 Cups Raisins or Dried Cran-

berries

1.5 Cups Cocoanut

1. Melt Butter

2. Mix in Sugar Brown Sugar

3. Beat in Eggs

4. Add Vanilla, Baking Powder,

Baking Soda, and Flour

5. Mix in Oatmeal Cornflakes,

Raisins or Dried Cranberries, and

Coconut,

6. Place on ungreased pan by ta-

blespoon full

7. Bake at 350°F for approx. 12

minutes.

Recipe idea? Send it to jedb@liftt.org

Join LIFTT for a free six week

workshop on chronic condition

management entitled “Living Life

Well.”

Using a curriculum developed

by Stanford University for the Ar-

thritis Foundation, “Living Life

Well” is designed to assist people

living with chronic conditions de-

velop strategies to:

Discover new ways to improve

your health, decrease pain and

elevate your mood

Set and achieve small attaina-

ble goals

Communicate better

with your family and physician

Healthy eating strategies

Connect with other people and

build lasting friendships

The class will be held on each

Friday from September 9- October

14. Each session is 2 1/2 hours and

will run from 1:30-4:00 pm.

Classes will be held at

the Aspen Grove apartment com-

plex (262 Wicks Lane) in Billings.

If you sign up please plan on

attending all six sessions of the

class

For more information about

“Living Life Well” or to reserve

your spot please call Beri @ (406)

969-3850 or Melissa Hollenbeck-

Wilson @ (406) 294-5208, melis-

sah@liftt.org

REV UP!

Register!

Educate!

Vote!

Use your Power!

To find info about registering to vote, accessible voting resources and engage in the

political process look for LIFTT staff and peers community events across our area, or

contact Jed Barton @ 294-5186 or jedb@liftt.org

LIFTT Connection Fall 2016 5

All Hallows Eve will soon be

upon us. That means trick-or-

treaters will be taking to the streets

in search of Candy! Candy! Candy!

To do your part to ensure that all

the little ghosts and goblins get in

on the fun here are some sugges-

tions for trick-or-treating accommo-

dations from patch.com

If a child is blind, take the time

to describe the type of candy

you have in the bowl to make

sure that they get to choose the

type they want.

Do not try to pet or distract any

service dogs that are accompa-

nying trick-or-treaters. They are

working to assist an individual

with a disability and your dis-

traction takes away from their

ability to assist their owner

If a child has a hearing impair-

ment remember to face them so

they can clearly see your mouth

when you are talking, even if

they have an interpreter present.

Have sugar-free & peanut-free

candy or snack options. This

will make sure that children

with diabetes and other dietary

restrictions can still participate

in the festivities.

Google FARE’s Teal Pumpkin

project for more details.

If your front door/porch isn’t

accessible to a more accessible

area to hand out candy. This

may mean setting up at the bot-

tom of your porch stairs or even

in your driveway.

Keep your pets inside the house

when trick-or-treaters arrive.

Be patient and treat the child

the same as you would any oth-

er child. Even though they

might have a disability, they

are NOT their disability.

Making Halloween Fun for Everyone!

The National

Council on In-

dependent Liv-

ing recently got

word that H.R. 3765, “the ADA

Education and Reform Act of

2015”, is expected to be voted on

during September.

HR. 3765 is a dangerous bill,

and Americans with disabilities

need to come together in order put

pressure on members of congress to

make sure it doesn’t pass!

This bill would be a major set-

back for the disability community.

While the new version of the bill

removes the contentious criminal

fine, it would still make it harder

for people with disabilities to exer-

cise our rights.

The bill would give businesses

that have denied access for over 26

years additional time to comply

with the ADA, while removing any

incentive for businesses to come

into compliance before receiving a

notification.

These businesses will face no

consequences for their years of dis-

crimination, while millions of peo-

ple with disabilities will continue to

be unable to participate in basic

activities in our communities.

We need to ensure that this bill

does not get passed out of the full

House. We must make sure that

EVERY Representative hears from

their constituents and understands

the dangers of this bill!

Please tack a few minutes to

contact Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT)

@ (202) 225-3211 or https://

zinke.house.gov/contact/email and

tell him: VOTE NO ON H.R.

3765!

Tell Zinke: NO on ADA Notification!

LIFTT Connection Fall 2016 6

Living Independently for Today

and Tomorrow (LIFTT) is pleased

to once again offer a four session

workshop entitled "Living Well

with a Disability."

Using a curriculum developed

by the Disability & Health pro-

gram at the University of Mon-

tana's Rural Institute, "Living Well

with a Disability" introduces a goal

-setting approach and teaches

problem-solving skills.

"Living Well" also provides

tools for managing health and

making healthy lifestyle changes,

increasing physical activity, devel-

oping and maintaining healthy re-

lationships, improving nutrition,

avoiding depression and frustration,

and advocating for community

change that will help maintain

gains.

Persons completing all sessions

of the work shop will receive a

certificate.

Classes will be held each Thurs-

day from October 6 to October

27 from 10 a.m.. to Noon at the

Billings LIFTT office (1201

Grand Avenue)

Space in this class is limited .

For more information, to register

or request an accommodation

contact Brent Morris at 259-

5181, or brentm@liftt.org during

regular business hours.

Living Well with a

Disability

Where: Billings LIFTT

Office 1201 Grand

Avenue

When: Thursdays

October 6-27, 10 a.m. to

Noon.

Contact: Brent Morris:

294-5189,

brentm@liftt.org

New Face: Veito Moretti

Welcome Aboard LIFTT’s new CFC/

SDPAS Program Manager Veito Moretti!

Veito Moretti joins LIFTT as a

Community First Choice/ Self Directed

Home and Community Based Services

program manager and says that he

looks forward to getting to know the

consumers and caregivers and assisting

them in navigating the HCBS process.

Veito comes to LIFTT as part of a

long and varied career that includes

service in the United States Army and

work in local television production.

Most recently he worked with

youth helping to facilitate the Technol-

ogy and Community Garden programs

at the Billings Boys and Girls Club.

Veito lives in Billings, has two chil-

dren, enjoys organic gardening and

volunteering for various community

projects. A native of the Pacific North-

west, he roots for the Mariners baseball

team and continues to lament the move

of basketball’s Seattle SuperSonics to

Oklahoma City a few years back.

Veito’s office hours will be Monday–

Friday 8-5. You can reach Veito @

(406) 690-6324 or veitom@liftt.org

LIFTT Connection Fall 2016 7

Soaring

Over

Life’s

Situations Soaring over Life’s Situa-

tions (SO.L.S.) is

LIFTT’s Billings co-ed

adult peer group. S.OL.S.

is open to any adult with

any disability.

In addition to providing

a safe space for people

with disabilities to inter-

act with and support

one another, S.O.L.S.

members participate in a

number of community

service, advocacy and so-

cial activities.

For more information

about S.O.L.S. contact

Tanya Thomas @ 406-

294-5209 or tan-

yat@liftt.org

How many votes does Mon-

tana have in the Elec-

toral College?

A. 1

B. 3

C. 7

D. 5

Answer: 3 (B): States receives

one vote in the Electoral Col-

lege per United States Senator

and Member of the House of

Representatives it has. Mon-

tana has one house member

and two senators’ therefore

three Electoral College votes.

ABOUT LIFTT

Living Independently for To-

day and Tomorrow (LIFTT) is

a nonprofit 501 (c) (3), inde-

pendent living center serving

18 counties in Eastern Mon-

tana.

LIFTT provides advocacy and

resource services to people of

all ages and all disabilities.

For more information

about our programs and

services or to donate:

Call: (406) 294-5186

Online: liftt.org

LIFTT

1201 Grand Avenue

Suite #1

Billings, MT 59102-4281

PLACE STAMP HERE

REV UP and Vote! (Page 1

News Briefs (Page 2)

Your Stories Needed (Page 3)

Living Life Well! Chronic Pain Class (Page 4)

Trick or Treating for All! (Page 5)

New Face at LIFTT (Page 6)

Word Search and Trivia (Page 7)

And More!