Community living supports and services for Montanans with disabilities

Updated 4/23/08 Back to Professional Resource Directory, Table of Contents

Community Living Supports and Services - Resources for Montana Disability Professionals

Community Inclusion | Housing | Transportation

Community Inclusion

Access Group, Inc. specializes in changing and removing negative attitudinal barriers in interactions with people with disabilities. A unique learning system and training program delivered by persons with disabilities changes behaviors and provides results either through in-person training sessions or do-it-yourself activities. Access Group publishes Ramping Up for Profit$, a book designed to help business owners tap into the market of people with disabilities. 149 pages, softcover.

Adaptive Environments Educational non-profit organization committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing experience for people of all ages and abilities. Adaptive Environments' work balances expertise in legally required accessibility with promotion of best practices in human centered or universal design.

Addup.org Central online resource for information on projects and products across the Administration on Developmental Disabilities Network. Based on the needs of University Centers of Excellence on Disability, Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Councils, and Protection and Advocacy organizations.

Administration on Developmental Disabilities Administers the following programs:

State Councils on Developmental Disabilities Composed of individuals with significant disabilities, parents and family members of people with developmental disabilities, and representatives of state agencies that serve individuals with developmental disabilities. Councils develop and implement statewide plans to address the federally-mandated employment priority and optionally any of three other Federal priorities (case management, child development, and community living) as well as one optional State priority.

Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities:

Montana Directory of Services for People with Developmental Disabilities

National Association of Developmental Disability Councils. Provides those with developmental disabilities the opportunity to make choices regarding the quality of their lives and be included in the community. NADDC provides support and assistance to member Councils in each state.

University Centers for Excellence. Conduct interdisciplinary training, promote exemplary community service programs, provide technical assistance at all levels from local service delivery to community and state governments, and conduct research and dissemination activities. University Centers for Excellence provide community training and technical assistance to family and individual support service organizations, and work with individuals with developmental disabilities, family members of these individuals, professionals, paraprofessionals, students, and volunteers.

The University of Montana Rural Institute: A Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research and Services

American Association for HomeCare works to strengthen access to care for Americans who require medical care in their homes. AAHomecare represents healthcare providers, equipment manufacturers, and other organizations in the homecare community. AAHomecare members serve the medical needs of Americans who require oxygen equipment and therapy, mobility assistive technologies, medical supplies, inhalation drug therapy, home infusion, and other home medical equipment, therapies, services, and supplies in the home. Membership reflects a broad cross-section of the homecare community, including providers of all sizes operating approximately 3,000 locations in all 50 states.

American Network of Community Options and Resources:

Briefing Report and Chartbook on Wage and Benefits Trends Affecting the Growing Crisis in Recruiting and Retaining the Direct Support Workforce Agencies serving people with developmental disabilities cannot attract and retain qualified direct support workers when wages in competitive markets are increasing at a much faster rate. While demand for direct support workers continues to increase especially due to an aging population and an increase in individuals with disabilities seeking support services, their hourly wage is far below that of peers in comparable job categories.

Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living. APRIL is a national network of rural independent living centers, other programs, and individuals concerned with the unique aspects of rural independent living.

Campus Community Partnerships for Health Nonprofit organization that promotes health through partnerships between communities and higher educational institutions. Has a growing network of over 1000 communities and campuses in the U.S. and the world that are collaborating to promote health through service-learning, community-based participatory research, broad-based coalitions and other partnership strategies. These partnerships are powerful tools for improving health professional education, civic engagement and the overall health of communities.

Center for Universal Design National research, information and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops and promotes universal design in housing, public and commercial buildings, and related products.

Clearinghouse for the Community Living Exchange Collaborative provides information and training and technical assistance to state and territorial recipients of Systems Change Grants for Community Living.

Consumer-Directed Model Training Manual and Personal Care Attendant Handbook Developed by the Arkansas Independent Choices program, the Consumer-Directed training manual provides ideas and suggestions on hiring, training, and managing a personal care attendant. The Personal Care Attendant handbook provides training material to help personal care attendants do their jobs. Both manuals address hiring, communication and management issues.

Nursing Home to Community Program: A Discharge Planning Manual Designed to orient long-term care providers to the nursing home discharge process. Defines roles of the key partners who are involved in returning residents to community living and documents a standard protocol for accessing and maximizing partner resources.

Community for All Tool Kit: Resources for Supporting Community Living, Web-Based Version 1.1, August 2004. This Tool Kit is a product of the following collaborators:

American Association on Mental Retardation
The Arc of the United States
The Center on Human Policy
The Council on Quality and Leadership
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
The University of Minnesota's Research and Training Center on Community Living
TASH

Concrete Change International organization dedicated to making all homes "visitable". Visitability means: A friend or family member with a physical disability can easily visit you in your home; basic accessibility features are integrated into all newly built, single-family housing in an affordable, sustainable way; emphasis is on the most essential access features, such as exterior entries and interior doors; and widespread construction change can happen more quickly.

Consumer Direct Personal Care (Billings & Missoula offices, but coverage is statewide) allows individuals of any age with health care needs to remain in their homes and communities and to avoid placement in an institution. This program is for individuals who are capable of directing their own personal care services or appointing a Personal Representative to act on their behalf. Program requirements include: eligibility for Montana Medicaid; need for assistance with activities of daily living; need for assistance with instrumental activities of daily living; authorization by a health care professional that assistance is necessary; and completion of an assessment for placement in the program.

DIMENet: Disabled Individuals' Movement for Equality Network.

Dimensions of Faith and Congregational Ministries with Persons with Developmental Disabilities and Their Families: A Bibliography and Address Listing of Resources for Clergy, Layperson, Families, and Service Providers. This resource guide is divided into areas of congregational ministry and outreach, e.g., worship, outreach, pastoral care, religious education, awareness videos, with sections on respite care, community building, person centered planning, coping with grief, and a new section on resources about history.

Direct Service Workforce Resource Center provides state Medicaid agencies, researchers, policymakers, employers, consumers, direct service professionals, and other state-level government agencies and organizations access to information and resources they may need about the direct service workforce.

Disability Resources Monthly Guide to Disability Resources on the Internet 350 pages of alphabetically arranged disability topics and 50 state resource pages.

Eldercare Locator provides home and community-based services to hard-to-reach older persons. Among these services are nutrition, such as home-delivered meals or meals served in congregate settings, transportation, legal assistance and health promotion counseling and training. This National Family Caregiver Support Program, focuses on those caring for family members who are chronically ill or who have disabilities. The program also helps those who are caring for younger family members, such as grandchildren and those with mental retardation or developmental disabilities.

Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that inspires, strengthens and expands philanthropic leadership and funders’ abilities to support organizations working to improve communities through better development decisions and growth policies. It brings together foundations, nonprofit organizations and other partners to address the range of environmental, social, and economic problems caused by development strategies that fail to consider the big picture.

Inclusion Solutions Simple, effective and affordable access solutions and services for businesses and public entities (such as polling places).

Independent Living Research Utilization Administered by and for people with disabilities, independent living centers provide supports and assistance with community accessibility. ILRU program is a national center for information, training, research, and technical assistance in independent living. Its goal is to expand the body of knowledge in independent living and to improve utilization of results of research programs and demonstration projects in this field.

Institute for Community Inclusion at Children's Hospital Boston supports the rights of children and adults with disabilities to participate in all aspects of the community. Key areas include employment of people with disabilities in community settings; supporting children and young adults with special health care needs; accessing general education, and transition from school to adult life; expanding local recreation and school activities to include people with disabilities; promoting technology that aids participation in school, community and work activities; building organizations’ ability to serve culturally diverse people with disabilities; and examining the impact of national and state policies on people with disabilities and their families.

Institute on Community Integration Based at the University of Minnesota, the Institute improves community services and social supports for individuals with developmental and other disabilities, and their families through research, professional training, technical assistance, and publishing. Publishes Impact newsletter.

Interwork Institute focuses on promoting the integration of all individuals, including those with disabilities, into all aspects of school, work, family, and community life. The Institute conducts research, training, and education using a variety of strategies including distance learning technologies. Education and research efforts involve organizations and individuals in all states, the Pacific Basin, Asia, South America and Europe.

Living Well Under the Big Sky: Montana Disability and Health Program publications on community living:

Rural Facts: Visitability, 2004

Rural Disability and Rehabilitation Research Progress Reports:

Characteristics of the Montana Direct Service Labor Market Rural Disability and Rehabilitation Research Progress Report #27

Montana Providers of Adult Developmental Disabilities Services: Direct Service Staff Demographics, Job Characteristics and Job Satisfaction Report #26, 2004

Montana Providers of Services to Adults with Developmental Disabilities: Urban/Rural Characteristics, and Direct Service Staff Turnover Rates and Replacement Costs Report #25, 2004

National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals Has developed and unveiled its first-ever national credentialing program for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide frontline human services in the community. The NADSP credentialing program gives DSPs the opportunity to commit to the profession of direct support through a three-tiered credential program. The three credentials are DSP-Registered, DSP-Certified and DSP-Specialist. Each level involves additional training and expertise and a commitment to the profession.

National Association of Qualified Mental Retardation Professionals Addresses the historical, conceptual, methodological and ethical issues confronting the QMRP of today.

National Association of Social Workers.

National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, Inc.

National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult (NCWD) provides training, technical assistance, policy analysis, and information to improve access in the workforce development system. A few of NCWD's areas of expertise include: designing access for all; accommodations and assistive technology; developing employer relationships; helping customers find jobs; job-related support; legal requirements and guidelines; and disability policy. The NCWD has published Finding Transportation Solutions: Questions to Consider, an excellent source of questions and ideas for consideration regarding job-related transportation issues.

National Council on Independent Living Oldest cross disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. NCIL represents over 700 organizations and individuals including: Centers for Independent Living, Statewide Independent Living Councils, individuals with disabilities, and other organizations. NCIL is a membership organization that advances the independent living philosophy and advocates for the human rights of, and services for, people with disabilities to further their full integration and participation in society.

Personal Assistance Services Center Provides research, training, dissemination and technical assistance on issues of personal assistance services (PAS) in the United States. PAS refers to help provided to people with disabilities to assist them with tasks essential for daily living, including bathing, dressing, getting around, toileting, eating, shopping, remembering things, and other activities.

Project Civic Access U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division: First Steps for Cities and Counties Toward Solving Common ADA Problems

Quality Mall Information on developmental disability-related services and programs, publications, videotapes, training curricula, and web sites.

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC: Rural) uses scientific methods to develop solutions for problems faced by Rural Americans with disabilities and those who serve them. Problems include access to transportation and housing, employment and self-employment, independent living services, health and wellness facilities, and inclusion in community planning and activities.

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Positive Behavioral Support Provides extensive information and documents on definitions, features, and procedures in positive behavioral supports.

Research Information for Independent Living. Research reviews written in non-researcher language, news groups, and discussion groups.

Technical Assistance Collaborative National non-profit organization works to achieve positive outcomes on behalf of people with disabilities, people who are homeless, and people with other special needs by providing state-of-the-art information, capacity building, and technical expertise to organizations and policymakers in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, human services, and affordable housing.

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Housing

AARP Home Design Resources Lists Certified "Aging in Place" Specialists, profiles "livable" communities, has tips and checklists for making homes accessible and safe.

Center for Housing and New Community Economics. Improves and increases access to integrated, affordable, and accessible housing coordinated with, but separate from, personal assistance and supportive services. CHANCE offers alternatives to approaches that segregate, congregate, and control people with disabilities.

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access Improves the design of environments and products by making them more usable, safer and appealing to people with a wide range of abilities throughout their life spans.

Visit-Ability: Basic Access in Every New Home Presented on February 19, 2008, in Missoula, Montana by Eleanor Smith, Founder of Concrete Change and the Visitability movement (PowerPoint presentation in pdf format)

Visitability: A National Perspective, Local Possibilities Presented on February 20, 2008, in Helena, Montana by Eleanor Smith, Founder of Concrete Change and the Visitability movement (PowerPoint presentation in pdf format)

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) .

Moving to Work Demonstration Program allows public housing authorities to design and test ways to promote self-sufficiency among assisted families; achieve programmatic efficiency and reduce costs; and increase housing choice for low-income households.
Department of Housing and Urban Development - People with Disabilities Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs, services and activities that receive federal financial assistance. Web site provides resources that inform persons with disabilities about their rights under Section 504 and related statutes, the exercise of those rights, and information and resources available from HUD. Also provides recipients of HUD financial assistance with information regarding their obligations under Section 504, an overview of relevant regulatory provisions and information about steps they may take to ensure that they are in compliance.
Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities: Guidance for Practitioners Last in a series of Housing and Urban Development reports specified by Congress to use paired testing to measure the level of discrimination in the United States.
Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST This is a HUD initiative designed to promote compliance with the Fair Housing Act design and construction requirements. The program offers comprehensive and detailed instruction programs, useful online web resources, and a toll-free information line for technical guidance and support.
Residential Remodeling and Universal Design: Making Homes More Comfortable and Accessible 1996 HUD report (large pdf file)

Easy Living Home Voluntary program encourages easy access to homes for everyone through a unique certification program that brings builders and home buyers together with homes that are easy to build, easy to live in and easy to sell.

Montana Home Choice Coalition is a group of Montana citizens; advocates; disability service providers; federal, state, tribal, and local agencies; the housing finance community; realtors; and the home-building industry working to create better community housing choices for all people with disabilities. A.W.A.R.E., Inc. serves as the Coalition's lead coordinating agency.

Montana Housing Reference Guide from the Montana Department of Commerce

National American Indian Housing Council supports tribal housing agencies in their efforts to provide culturally-relevant, decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing for native people in American Indian communities and Alaska native villages.

National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification

Regional Access Mobility Program (RAMP) of Montana is a nonprofit charitable organization which builds interior and exterior wheelchair ramps and other accommodations for accessibility. Services include installing grab bars, widening doors, installing accessible cabinets, installing stair lifts and elevators, and modifying electrical and plumbing systems.

Rural Facts: Visitability, 2004

Universal Design Alliance is a non-profit corporation committed to creating awareness and expanding the knowledge of universal design for all ages, sizes, and abilities to designers, builders, and consumers through educational programs, services, and resources. Members include design professionals, students, businesses, and consumers who want to share and learn about universal design.

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Transportation

American Public Transportation Association Nonprofit international association of organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. The Association’s members seek to serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA provides an Internet website that allows people to identify public transportation in their communities.

Association of Travel Instruction supports providers of travel instruction for the purpose of teaching people with disabilities and seniors to travel safely and independently.

Center for Community Change Transportation Equity Network

Community Transportation Association of America This national advocacy organization focuses on transportation for people without access to mass transit or private automobiles. CTAA supports public and community transportation efforts by serving community planners, transit providers, and citizens with instructional briefs, studies and reports, collected data, legislative facts, professional peer support, advice and mobility assistance. CTAA’s Information Station provides important community transportation news, resources and ideas for transit professionals, human service agencies, and others exploring community transportation issues. It also features a special section related to access to transportation for people with disabilities.

Federal Transit Administration Ensures the availability of a transportation system that is accessible, integrated, and efficient, offers flexibility of choices to riders, and enhances community living. Improves services for low-income, elderly and other transit-dependent travelers including people with disabilities.

Easter Seals Project ACTION Federally-funded national technical assistance project matching the interests of public transportation and people with disabilities. Support is provided by a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration.

National Center for Senior Transportation is administered by Easter Seals and National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Provides resources for aging/human service providers; transportation providers; and for older adults & caregivers.

Montana Coordinated Transportation The goal of this site is to get Montana transportation service providers working together. It is a starting point for providers interested in improving their services by sharing information, services or inventory and/or merging services to fill gaps within each provider's area. Provides the online version of the Montana Coordinated Transportation Handbook, which gives instructions and guidance to all levels of service providers to help them improve service to their customers and operate more efficiently.

National Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) of the Federal Transit Administration is a block grant program for States that helps improve transportation in rural areas. Since many rural riders are elderly (36 percent) and 24 percent of the riders are disabled, many will require specialized transportation and/or passenger assistance. Rural transit agencies, therefore, must provide safe, dependable transit for people of all ages including special services for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Taxis For All–North America United Spinal Association initiative informs individuals with disabilities about the benefits of wheelchair-accessible taxi service and provides advocacy tools to help start such service in any community.

Transportation Research Board The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is a division of the National Research Council, which serves as an independent adviser to the federal government and others on scientific and technical questions of national importance. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research. The Board facilitates the sharing of information on transportation policy and practice by researchers and practitioners; stimulates research and offers research management services that promote technical excellence; provides expert advice on transportation policy and programs; and disseminates research results broadly and encourages their implementation. TRB research projects include disability related topics surrounding transportation and the ADA, and others. Many TRB reports are available for free download from its Internet website.

United We Ride is a program of the Federal Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM), an interdepartmental council that coordinates a variety of federal programs funding transportation for older Americans, people with disabilities and persons with lower incomes. CCAM’s United We Ride Internet website includes information on transportation-focused grant opportunities, state activities, resources, and strategies for coordinating transportation across agencies. A newsletter is also available.

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Living Well under the Big Sky is a partnership between the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and The University of Montana Rural Institute.

We are funded by The Disability and Health Team, National Center on Birth Defects, Developmental Disabilities, and Disability and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information on Living Well Under the Big Sky, contact:

Meg Traci, Ph.D., Project Director
Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC: Rural)
The University of Montana Rural Institute: A Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research and Services, 52 Corbin Hall, Missoula, MT 59812-7056
406-243-4956
matraci@ruralinstitute.umt.edu