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Reynaldo Thompson stood before a large crowd of public officials, mental-health workers and mental-health clients under the vaulted, heavy-beamed ceiling of Bozeman’s newest mental-health facility Tuesday afternoon and thanked those in attendance.

The crowd -- which included a state senator and representative, city and county commissioners, a District Court judge, attorneys, public-safety officials and mental-health workers -- had gathered to celebrate the opening of the Hope House and the Dorothy Eck House.“I am totally blessed today,” Thompson, a client of Gallatin Mental Health Center, said.

“I came from a place where I thought Warm Springs would be my home,” he said, referring to the state psychiatric hospital. “But now I’ll be living independently.”

I used to envy my friends who had children with learning disabilities and Asperger Syndrome. I watched their sons and daughters move from special education classes to regular classes--some even landed in our school district's gifted and talented program. My understanding at the time was that since these kids were on the "graduation track", they would likely go to college, enter the work force and go on to live independently. I would later learn that academics alone are not enough.

In many states, determining whether or not an adult with a disability qualifies for significant assistance comes down to one factor: IQ score. Trouble is that IQ and ability don’t always match up. The conundrum is particularly pronounced among individuals with autism and mental illness who often have normal intellectual intelligence, but have significant social or emotional needs that prohibit them from living independently, advocates say.

This fund offers financial assistance to young adults with Down syndrome who want to enroll in postsecondary programs or take classes that will help them with employment, independent living and life skills. To date, over thirty students have received grants from the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to help cover the costs of pursuing their postsecondary education and enrichment goals.  More information is available at http://www.ndss.org/

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 16, 2010

This project explores the life stories of thirteen leaders in the self-advocacy movement and their perspectives on key issues and leadership challenges. Part of the broader disability rights movement, the self-advocacy movement is unique in that it has been led and informed by the individual and collective experiences of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Despite its widespread existence nationwide and internationally, few works have explored the rich history, culture, and significance of the self-advocacy movement. To help fill this void, Joe Caldwell, Ph.D., Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, undertook this life history project and donated transcripts to The Bancroft Library for its Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement collection. More about Self-Advocacy Movement oral history project.

Click here to download the flyer for this event (PDF) What: Transitioning from life after high school is a big process. You are not alone! Come meet other youth, parents, teachers and professionals to see all the resources that are waiting to work with you. Transition Teams are encouraged to attend. Topics covered: Youth and Adult/Professional Tracks Resource Fair with vendors for independent living, Employment/ training, Recreational, Benefits planning, and more! When: November 9-11, 2011 Where: Heritage Inn Great Falls, MT For registration and additional conference details: www.montanayouthtransitions.org

Skylehr Stiles, a 20-year-old Belgrade man with cerebral palsy.Today, July 24, is "Skylehr Stiles Appreciation Day," proclaimed last week by Bozeman Mayor Jeff Krauss."Skylehr Stiles is an inspiration for people with intellectual disabilities to strive to live independently," the mayor's proclamation states.

Click here to download the Sponsorship Letter (PDF) Click here to download the Registration Form (PDF) The 4th annual MYTransitions Conference will be held at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls, MT on November 9-11, 2011. The conference organizers, MYTransitions, is a non-profit committee of various agencies and individuals in Montana who are dedicated to working with youth with disabilities to establish meaningful and diverse transitions into adulthood. This year's conference will be focused on the needs and interests of individuals with disabilities and their families, and will include a Real Life Fair and various workshops related to community services and independent living options. We are committed to helping Montana's youth reach their full potential and want to make this opportunity available to as many individuals and families as possible. Your donation toward scholarships or conference expenses will help make that goal possible. To help defray the travel costs for youth with disabilities and their families and/or the costs of the conference, please complete the attached application and return it to MYTransitions, 1617 Euclid Ave., Helena, MT 59601 or as an attachment to mylfjuneh@bresnan.net. For questions or for more information, please feel free to contact June Hermanson at Ph. 406-442-2576. For conference registration information, go to www.montanayouthtransitions.org. Thank you for your partnership and investment in Montana's future.

ZoncoArm manufactures Mobil Arm Supports for people with upper-limb disabilities which can help with rehabilitation, and can add more freedom and independence to such activities of daily living as feeding, using a computer, and controlling the joy stick of a power wheelchair.

Click here to register for this event What: This is a repeat (and updated) performance of last year's tremendously popular webinar featuring young adult presenters organized by Summit Independent Living.  Join Ashlee, Michael, Mary, Mike, Barclay, Molly and Kim to learn about: The importance of considering healthy relationships as part of transition planning Friendships, dating, and marriage How to meet other young people How parents can help young adults make safe and healthy choices What resources are available to learn more about this topic   And much more! When: Tuesday, May 3, 2011 1:00-2:30pm Mountain After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

For First Time in Nation's History, Federal Government Recognizes Added Costs Associated to Living With a Disability WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - December 17, 2014) - Last night, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014 by a vote of 76 to 16. First introduced in 2006, and subsequent sessions of Congress, the ABLE Act will allow people with disabilities (with an age of onset up to 26 years old) and their families the opportunity to create a tax-exempt savings account that can be used for maintaining health, independence and quality of life.