Who and What is
People First of Montana?

by Colleen Nichols, Montana People First Coordinator

People First is an international self-advocacy organization for adults with developmental disabilities. Montana currently has 13 active People First Chapters in Anaconda, Billings, Butte, Boulder, Bozeman, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Libby, Malta, Missoula and Ronan with a membership of over 250. No other organization in Montana is helping as many adults with developmental disabilities advocate for themselves and disability systems change.

Since 1995, the Montana Citizen Advocacy Coalition (MCAC) has coordinated People First groups across Montana. Financial support for MCAC and the People First chapters comes from the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities (MCDD — formerly DDPAC) and the Montana Advocacy Program (MAP). The MCAC is a non-profit organization that exists to develop and maintain a coalition of existing Citizen Advocacy programs throughout Montana. The MCAC’s mission is “to protect and advocate for persons who have developmental disabilities.” The goals of the MCAC are to promote the rights, dignity, value and full community inclusion for Montana citizens who have a developmental disability.

As our system begins to implement the principles of self-determination: freedom (to plan a real life), authority (to control a targeted amount of resources), support (for building life in one’s community) and responsibility (to give back to one’s community), it is apparent that People First members can and will become stakeholders in the creation and promotion of the direction self-determination takes in Montana. Self-advocates should be the decision makers and planners in all of their daily living activities, they should be empowered to have real control over their lives.

The MCAC promotes self-advocacy efforts of people who are developmentally disabled by providing support for existing chapters of People First of Montana, and assistance is available for communities interested in establishing People First groups. In Montana the MCAC has aggressively embraced the responsibilities of establishing People First chapters, training and technical assistance to new and existing chapters, quality assurance within chapters and fund distribution to People First chapters throughout Montana.

People First operates with a part-time Advisor in each community. Advisors assist with logistics or to facilitate group processes when needed. Each group elects their own officers and runs their meetings. The Advisors are an invaluable resource to members and go above and beyond their reimbursed duties. They attend IP’s, advocate for members and are one of the reasons for the success of People First in Montana.

The Montana People First Senate is the statewide representative organization that allows the 13 chapters to speak with a unified voice on state policy issues. Members from the chapters created the Senate by writing and adopting a Constitution in 2001. This fall the Montana People First will hold statewide elections for the five Montana People First officers.

If you would like more information about People First of Montana, please contact Colleen Nichols at 406.443.4896.

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Sidebar: People First of Montana Goals

Personal development • Each member will learn and use self-advocacy skills.

Local chapter development • People First will develop, support and strengthen local chapters.

Annual State Conference • People First will assist in planning, organizing and supporting the State Conference on Developmental Disabilities.

Systems advocacy • People First will work together towards goals we agree on.

Public education • People First members will teach others about the purpose, beliefs, goals and needs of People First.

Stable state structure • People First will provide for a stable state administrative structure and funds to carry out the plans of People First.