Building Montana's Employment First movement
Real jobs. Real pay. Real belonging.
Montanans with disabilities deserve the same shot at competitive, integrated employment as anyone else — and the same right to a full life in their community. This page tracks Montana's Employment First work and our path toward a chartered Montana APSE chapter.
Why This Matters in Montana
32
States with active APSE chapters
2,000+
National members & growing
2026
Montana Employment First Action Plan due
WHAT IT MEANS
Employment First is a commitment, not a program.
It means that working in the community — alongside people without disabilities, for real wages — is the first and preferred outcome of publicly funded services for working-age Montanans with disabilities.
In a rural and frontier state, that takes creativity. Distance, transportation, and local economies all shape who can get to work and how. Montana is expanding telework, self-employment, and community-based jobs so opportunity isn't limited by geography.
Employment First systems are built on a simple presumption: everyone is capable of contributing, everyone gets to choose their own path, and people grow through real experience — not permission to try later.
Employment First does not mean Employment Only.
- People have the right to work and the right to participate in civic, educational, recreational, and social life.
- Community Life Engagement is the companion to Employment First — building skills, relationships, and confidence before, during, and beyond a paycheck.
- A person can receive disability benefits and still build a career.
The Standard We're Working Toward
Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
Three conditions define what a "real job" means under Employment First.
Montana Employment First Action Plan due
2026
Competitive
Paid at or above minimum wage, with pay and benefits equal to coworkers without disabilities doing similar work.
Integrated
Work happens in community settings, alongside people with and without disabilities, with real opportunities to advance.
Employment
Paid at or above minimum wage, with pay and benefits equal to coworkers without disabilities doing similar work.
Guiding Principles
What Montana's Employment First framework presumes.
Montana Employment First Action Plan due
2026
Zero Exclusion
Everyone is presumed capable of work and contribution.
Self-Determination
Individuals control their own career path and goals.
Dignity of Risk
People learn and grow through real experiences, not just plans.
Montana Employment First Action Plan due
2026
Person-Centered
Supports are tailored to the individual, not the system.
CIE is the Goal
Real jobs, real wages, real inclusion — the first and preferred outcome.
Health & Work
Employment is a social determinant of health, mental and physical.
Path Forward
Where the work stands today.
Montana Employment First Action Plan due
2026
406 JOBS Framework
Paid at or above minimum wage, with pay and benefits equal to coworkers without disabilities doing similar work.
NEON Partnership
Montana is one of 13 states in the National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network, receiving technical assistance on data, rate structures, and policy alignment.
Montana Employment First Action Plan due
2026
Working Group Convened
Representatives from VRBS, DPHHS, Medicaid, OPI, providers, tribal partners, and families are meeting to guide implementation.
Action Plan — Target 2026
A phased plan with priority strategies, timelines, and accountability measures for aligning policy, funding, and practice statewide.
Partners & Resources
Organizations advancing this work in Montana.
Three conditions define what a "real job" means under Employment First.
Montana Employment First Action Plan due
2026
Montana Department of Labor & Industry
Workforce Services & 406 JOBS coordination
Vocational Rehabilitation & Blind Services
Competitive Integrated Employment services
Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities
Policy & systems advocacy
The Harkin Institute
National technical assistance partner
Disability Rights Montana
Public policy & advocacy
Ability Montana
Center for Independent Living, SW Montana
Opportunity Resources, Inc.
Community rehabilitation & employment services
Flathead Industries
Community rehabilitation program, NW Montana
Job Connection, Inc.
Supported employment, Billings area
Montana Empowerment Center
Parent Training & Information Center
Common Questions
A few things people ask us.
Is this an official APSE chapter?
Not yet. This page tracks our work as we build toward a chartered Montana chapter of APSE, the national Association of People Supporting Employment First. Until then, we don't use APSE's name or logo as our own.
What does Employment First actually change?
It shifts the default. Instead of segregated or facility-based services being the norm, competitive integrated employment becomes the first and preferred outcome that public systems plan and pay for.
How can my organization get involved?
Reach out through the contact link below. We're looking for employers, providers, self-advocates, and families who want a seat at the table as this chapter takes shape.
Help build Montana's chapter.
Whether you're an employer, a provider, a self-advocate, or a family member — there's a role for you in making competitive integrated employment the standard across Montana.