What are the opening hours?

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

Ability Montana

Home
United States
Helena, MT
Ability Montana

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

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.

10/28/2026

Your experiences matter, and your voice deserves to be heard! The 2026 National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) is now open! Conducted annually by researchers at the University of Kansas, this national survey gives people with disabilities and chronic health conditions an opportunity to share their experiences with healthcare, housing, transportation, community participation, and more.

The survey is open to adults 18 and older with a physical, mental, emotional, or health condition, including those who may not identify as having a disability.

By sharing your experiences, you can help researchers better understand the challenges and opportunities facing people with disabilities across the country. Take the survey at the link below and help make sure your voice is represented!

https://kusurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1N5kQS3F4mjZycK

10/22/2026

Alice and Cassie recently had the chance to visit kindergarten classrooms at West Elementary School and spend time with some of Butte’s youngest community members. Together, they talked about disability, inclusion, and the many different ways our bodies work and move, read "Bodies Are Cool", and explored the idea that our differences are something to appreciate, not something that should keep anyone from fully participating in their community.

It was a meaningful morning filled with curiosity, thoughtful questions, and conversations about kindness, accessibility, connection, and making sure everyone has a place in our community. Thank you to West Elementary for welcoming Ability Montana into the classroom!

10/19/2026

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and it's a time to recognize the value and talent people with disabilities bring to workplaces, businesses, and communities. For Ability Montana Independent Living Specialist Ricky, Leanne’s story started with a bigger question: what could independence look like for her?⁠
⁠
The answer began with art. Leanne’s work has a style all its own, somewhere between alternative art and horror. What started as something personal and creative gradually became the foundation for something more. With support, she began exploring what it might look like to build a business around her art, grow an audience, and create work on her own terms.⁠
⁠
Over time, Leanne connected with Vocational Rehabilitation, joined a business networking group, developed her social media presence, and began learning what it means to be both an artist and an entrepreneur.⁠
As Ricky put it, independence does not always come from one enormous breakthrough. Sometimes it is built through hundreds of small decisions: making another piece of art, posting another creation, attending another meeting, learning another part of the business, or simply deciding to keep going.⁠
⁠
That is what Leanne continues to do. With every step, she is building more than a business. She is building greater independence, confidence, and ownership over what comes next.⁠
⁠
See Leanne’s work at Thedarknightsco: https://thedarkightsco.printify.me/

10/14/2026

Disability Mentoring Week is coming up October 26–30! High school students with disabilities will have the opportunity to explore different career paths, connect with local employers, participate in job shadows and hands-on activities, and learn more about what work can look like across a variety of industries.

Career areas include construction trades, hospitality and recreation, education and child care, health careers, professional and financial services, and advanced manufacturing and computing.

If you know a student who may be interested, help us spread the word!
Sign up using the QR code or link below!

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx

10/12/2026

Big news for our Helena community: Ability Montana has purchased a building of our own! Our previous Helena office at 825 Great Northern Blvd. is CLOSED as we prepare our new space at 910 Helena Ave. The new building is being made fully accessible, including the addition of an elevator and other accessibility improvements, and we expect to welcome consumers there in Spring 2027.⁠
⁠
During the transition, we are still here to support you. A document drop box is available at the new building and our Helena phone line will also remain available at 406-442-5755. Our current temporary and BY APPOINTMENT ONLY in-person location in Helena is the Disability Rights Montana office. Thank you for your patience as we make this exciting move. We can’t wait to welcome you to our new home next spring!

10/08/2026

The 5th Annual “Let’s Talk Disability, Butte” live monologue show is coming up so soon! In this reel, one participant shares how being part of Let’s Talk Disability helped her feel more confident in who she is.⁠
⁠
That’s what this event is all about! Creating space for real stories, building connections, and amplifying voices. ⁠
⁠
Join us on either October 15th or 16th (or both!) from 6–8 p.m. at the Montana Tech Auditorium for this year’s Let’s Talk Disability, Butte. NOTE that doors open at 5:30pm and the show starts right at 6pm, so get there early! Get tickets now or for $10 at the door! ⁠

https://abilitymt.org/events?event=lets-talk-disability-butte&view=list

09/30/2026

Great news for accessible recreation in Montana! 🚵♿ Ability Montana is honored to receive a $24,995 grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's Quality of Life Grants Program, which helped fund the purchase of a Bowhead Ranger adaptive electric bike!

Designed for riders who steer and control speed with their hands, the Bowhead Ranger gives people with disabilities new opportunities to explore Montana's trails, reach favorite outdoor destinations, and experience the freedom of adventure with greater independence.

We're incredibly grateful to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for investing in accessibility and helping make the outdoors more inclusive for all. Read more about this exciting partnership at the link below!

https://abilitymt.org/blog/reeve-foundation-grant

09/24/2026

Accessibility isn't just about checking a box, it's about creating spaces where everyone feels welcome. Many businesses have the right intentions, but overlook common barriers that can make it difficult for people with disabilities to fully access their services. The good news is that many of these issues are easier to address than you might think.

In our latest blog, we cover some of the most common accessibility challenges businesses face, practical ways to improve accessibility, and why inclusive design is good for your customers AND your business.

Read the full blog at the link below and take the next step toward creating a more accessible community!

https://abilitymt.org/blog/common-accessibility-issues-business

09/21/2026

What a night! Our first-ever Evening of Empowerment brought nearly 200 people together at the beautiful Hart Ranch for an evening centered around community, connection, and raising critical funds to support Ability Montana’s work across the state.

Together, we raised an incredible $115,000 to further our mission and help create greater opportunity, access, and independence for Montanans with disabilities.

The evening was made even more memorable with an amazing dinner by Chef Eduardo Garcia, live music from James Salestrom, inspiring stories, and a room filled with generosity and vibrant energy. One of the biggest moments of the night? A private dinner with Chef Eduardo Garcia was auctioned not once, but three times at $10,000 each—raising an incredible $30,000!

An event like this takes so many people working behind the scenes. To everyone who attended, bid, donated, sponsored, volunteered, shared their talents, and helped bring our very first Evening of Empowerment to life: thank you. We’re incredibly grateful for this community and for everyone who believes in the work Ability Montana is doing throughout our state.

📸 Thank you to Ravensframe Media for beautifully capturing the night!

09/17/2026

Recently, invited Ability Montana to audit the Kircliff experience on Lone Peak, and it was an incredible opportunity to see thoughtful accessibility in action.

Ricky (ADA Coordinator) and George (IL Specialist) headed up the mountain to experience Kircliff firsthand, talk through accessibility, and learn more about the intentional development happening across the resort. And Kircliff itself is seriously cool! It's a high-alpine experience at 11,166 feet with sweeping views and an observatory designed to make the summit experience accessible to more people.

We’re grateful to Big Sky Resort for inviting us into the conversation and excited about the potential to keep this partnership going, including helping with a future trail audit.

Accessibility is better when it’s built with lived experience at the table, and we’re looking forward to seeing where this collaboration can go.

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/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ability Montana posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.