June 2019 Edition - Access Press

Retirement tribute Page 9

Volume 30, Number 6

June 10, 2019

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Session had victories and defeats

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TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 4766 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Incontinence products

Medical supplies and equipment providers were hard-hit in recent years by restrictions from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as state laws. The restrictions have made it difficult for people with disabilities to get the products they need, and has forced longtime supply companies out of business.

Lawmakers repealed the unpopular Preferred Incontinence Purchasing Program (PIPP). The program, adopted in 2017, was widely criticized for not providing choice and flexibility for consumers. Some feared negative health impacts from inferior personal care products. Legislation has also restricted the Department of Human Services from using its competitive bidding authority on this category of products in the future. Those are big wins for providers involved in the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services and Supplies (MAMES).

Also, the legislature chose to comply with the federal 21st Century Cures Act by reducing payments to certain durable medical equipment subject to Medicare's competitive bidding program. The payments will be reduced as of July 1 to the Medicare rate. This is a 25-50 percent reduction for most if not all of these codes. The change affects dozens of items. More on this change will be in the July issue of Access Press.

Insulin

One of the session’s biggest disappointments is the failure to pass an

SESSION To page 3

"You have to be taught to be a second class citizen; you're not born that way."

Lena Horne

NEWS DIGEST

Aya from St. Cloud, foreground, raised her cane during a TakeAction Minnesota teach-in held in response to proposed Senate health care cuts.

Health care provider tax is trimmed, but remains in place indefinitely One of the most contentious issues before the 2019 Minnesota Legislature was the health care provider tax. The tax, which was to sunset at year’s end, was trimmed but saved after being a focus of debate all session.

What was a 2 percent tax will now be 1.8 percent. It will continue indefinitely, but it’s not clear what the long-term impacts of the reduction will be. Still, Gov. Tim Walz, the DFL-dominated House and the Republican-led Senate hailed that as a compromise.

The provider tax was originally set up in the 1990s to cover costs of

MinnesotaCare. It since has been used to cover other health care needs for some of the state’s poorest residents. Walz and Democrats said that important source of funding should continue. Republicans seized the chance to try to eliminate a tax.

The final decision on the provider tax was one of many compromises this session. Another big focused was the health and human services (HHS) bill itself.

The 650-page HHS bill didn’t come forward until late in the day May 24.

BUDGET To page 15

Attend the ADA Celebration Page 10 Provider tax effort Page 4 Robotics team a winner Page 6 The Arc gives awards Page 7

At long last, advocates see big wins on staff wages After years of effort and frustration, an increase in wages for direct support providers is one of the biggest gains at the capitol. The health and human services budget bill signed in May by Gov. Tim Walz includes workforce-related items that the disability community has clamored for.

Walz’s promise to make home and community-based services a priority came true with the passage of legislation including a competitive workforce factor for the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS). Getting the 4.7 percent competitive workforce factor was seen as a crucial move toward resolving the 17 percent gap in wages between care workers and other employment sectors.

The decision and signing of the health and human services legislation prompted an outpouring of thank you messages. ARRM posted a YouTube video of thanks to mark the session’s end and the gains made. The Best Life Alliance, a coalition of more than 130 organizations, people with disabilities, families and their supporters, prepared and distributed thank you letterhead.

Advocates this session hammered home the message that the severe workforce shortage has had profoundly negative impacts on more than 30,000 Minnesotans who rely on support services. More than 100,000 direct support providers work in Minnesota. At any given time, the state has several thousand support staff vacancies.

Having a competitive workforce factor is seen as way to make wages attractive, and keep workers from going into other fields.

Another effort to address the workforce shortage is changes in Consumer-Directed Community Supports (CDCS), which

SEIU HEALTHCARE MINNESOTA

Do you visit a state park? Do you travel on Metro Mobility? Do you have a child in the Medical Assistance Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act program, known as MA - TEFRA? Do you or a family member use incontinence product? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you were likely following the work of state lawmakers this session.

For Minnesotans with disabilities, the end of the Minnesota Legislature’s 2019 session brought decidedly mixed results.

While there is happiness over many gains this year, including additional wages for support staff and preservation of the health care provider tax, there’s also the disappointment over measures that didn’t pass. The shelved priorities range from improved local government website access to legalizing marijuana plants for medicinal use.

The 2019 Minnesota Legislature met for five months and then held a special session, completing its work the morning of May 25 after a 21-hour marathon.

The main event for 2019 was the $48.3 billion two-year budget, which is encompassed by several bills. Health and human services (HHS) spending is the largest share, at about 40 percent.

Here’s an overview of disabilityrelated legislation wins and losses. It was very different from 2018, when a contentious fight between state lawmakers and Gov. Mark Dayton resulted in almost everything falling to the veto pen.

PARTNERS IN POLICYMAKING TAKEACTION MINNESOTA

by Jane McClure

SEIU Healthcare Minnesota members turned out in force for a "Care Not Cuts" rally during the 2019 session.

are seen as providing more shared services options for clients, to potentially reduce the staff time needed. But the centerpiece this session was addressing worker wages.

When Walz released his budget, it included the competitive wage factor. That is expected to increase the part of Medicaid waiver reimbursement rates dedicated to support staff wages, and a more frequent rate adjustment based on Bureau of Labor Statistic data.

Much of the testimony this session in House and Senate committees focused on how very difficult it is to attract and retain employees. At one hearing, Lynn Noren, president and CEO of RISE Inc., said that

while she is supportive of the bill’s intent to improve wages and benefits for direct care providers, she has “great concern” over the lack of a competitive workforce factor. This would make it “very difficult” to compete with other employers, she said.

Any changes to DWRS require federal review. Minnesota has had DWRS in place since the early 1980s, as a way to provide people with disabilities with the chance to live in their home communities, not institutions institutions. The “waiver” part of DWRS is because some federal requirements for the use of Medicaid are waived.

For a long time, counties ran the DWRS WAGES To page 4

Pg 2 June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

EDITOR’S DESK

Tim Benjamin Summer is here and it came fast. One day it was in the 40s and the next it was in the 80s. Where else but in Minnesota would that happen? We may not be extremist people, but we are very used to extremist weather. Now of course, with the warm weather, construction is everywhere, on every road. It just takes one bad pothole season to make us grateful for the road construction crews that work all summer to fix the damage and rebuild roads for a smoother future.

In St. Paul, the legislature has recessed after only a one-day special session. It was a roller coaster right up to the end.

At the beginning of the session, we were all feeling very optimistic, but by

The biggest single accomplishment was the increase in state PCA reimbursement rates.

This was a positive move toward closing the gap in the workforce shortage.

the second week it seemed things were falling apart. Some things that were very much needed, such as financial help for people who couldn’t afford insulin, were disregarded during the conference committee meetings. It was frustrating to feel that we weren’t being heard, but all in all the disability community did pretty well.

The biggest single accomplishment was the increase in state PCA reimbursement rates. This was a positive move toward closing the gap in the workforce shortage.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that the amount of money allocated will pay for the requirements of the PCA union contract. There will also be a new

"I hope Governor Walz and Department of Human Services Commissioner Tony Lourey can strike some new deals to solve the workforce crisis in the disability community."

minimum wage in the PCA Choice program, yet I’ve heard some concerns about the PCA Choice program being able to survive with the difference between reimbursement rates and the higher wage scale.

The legislation that was introduced to create a permanent framework, or matrix, of salary increases that would be annually adjusted for the cost of living and wages in comparable jobs might have solved the ongoing funding imbalance.

It could have been built into the budget and eliminated our need to advocate every year for reimbursement increases.

But it wasn’t passed. We have several articles in this issue that will explain the achievements and the losses during the legislative session.

I hope Gov. Tim Walz and Department of Human Services Commissioner Tony Lourey can strike some new deals to solve the workforce crisis in the disability community. We can’t continue letting people be admitted to nursing homes or suffer other consequences of unprepared and untrained PCAs. I want to congratulate the many new advocates in the disability community for the great work they did this year. If you were at the capitol and involved in this legislative session, you know who they are. It’s very exciting and satisfying to see new individuals with energy

and expertise working along with our longtime standard-bearers. They've all been real champions, stepping up to the plate and clearly and without hesitation explaining the need for legislation, and what the ramifications are if bills are passed or ignored.

Our strategic planning for Access Press’s future is moving along satisfactorily. I would always like to have these processes work faster, but you just can’t rush it. I hope it hasn’t been too much of an inconvenience having our website under construction. Let us know what you’d like to see work better, and what features and content you would like to see in our online presence. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer before we will have a more modern and easierto-use website with all the accessibility features our readers need to navigate through the site. Thank you for putting up with the slow pace.

Enjoy the beautiful month of June and be safe: don’t get into the sun or heat so much as to cause health problems like heat stroke or sunburn or dehydration.

Because I’ve been dealing with a pressure wound, I’ll remind everybody that it doesn’t take much heat or sun to create skin problems in this season. But ok.

PSA over. Relax and make the most of summer! ■

HISTORY NOTE

Controversy over Minnesota's provider tax is nothing new Continuing a health care provider tax that was to sunset at year’s end was a flash point for the 2019 Minnesota Legislature.

The tax will continue, but at a rate of 1.8 percent rather than 2 percent.

Retaining the tax provoked a long and colorful fight at the capitol this session.

But as history shows, debate over the health care provider tax is nothing new.

The health care provider tax was controversial when it was proposed in the 1990s as a means to fund MinnesotaCare.

MinnesotaCare was created to provide health care for the state’s poorest residents, including many people with disabilities.

The tax was implemented starting on January 1, 1993, with hospitals costs targeted first. Doctors and others began paying the tax a year later.

A 1992 Pioneer Press article noted that patients wouldn’t see the 2 percent cost

separated out on their bills. “The price increase ‘will be pretty transparent to patients’ because the legislation that created the state-subsidized program prohibits hospitals from itemizing the tax on patients’ bills,” said David Lee, a spokesman for the Minnesota Hospital Association.

The law required hospitals either to pass on the 2 percent tax to insurance companies or to absorb it themselves.

The tax was opposed by many hospital officials, who contended that it was an improper way to pay for MinnesotaCare.

But most agreed that once state lawmakers acted to implement the tax, they’d go along with it. Then-Gov. Arne Carlson signed the tax into law.

Health maintenance organizations, which represented a major share of the health insurance market in Minnesota

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in the 1990s, agreed to add the tax automatically to the payment plans they had negotiated with various hospitals.

HMOs built the additional costs into their premium structures, he said.

The tax was the subject of numerous legal challenges during its first few years.

Various employee trusts filed lawsuits against the state, to try to get the tax dropped. One major legal challenge was dismissed before the tax took effect in 1993. Another filed that year by a dozen employee trusts was also dismissed.

Yet another legal action was resolved in December 1993 when U.S. District Court Judge David Doty told state officials that they couldn’t prevent doctors and other health care providers from itemizing the tax on patients' bills.

The tax was blamed in some news accounts as driving doctors of out

Minnesota. Some doctors were all too happy to air their complaints in the media.

One news account stated, “At the drop of a job offer elsewhere, some doctors have happily tacked up a shingle in another state. They're gambling on a few good years before managed care catches up with them.

The word is out that there's friction in Minnesota, say clinic managers who recruit new doctors, and right now attracting them is a dismal task.”

The tax and MinnesotaCare in its first years provided needed care for about 300,000 of the state’s neediest residents. ■ The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www. mnddc.org or www.mncdd.org and www. partnersinpolicymaking.com.

June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

SESSION

Pg 3

From page 1

emergency insulin program. Although the effort had bipartisanship support in the House and Senate, it wasn’t enough.

Supporters vowed that they’ll be back in 2020.

High costs of insulin, and deaths of Minnesotans who had to ration or skip medication, drove the measure forward. It would have required insulin manufacturers to pay for a program that offers emergency access to uninsured diabetics or those who can't afford their medication.

Although there was agreement that such an emergency measure is needed, it wasn’t in the final HHS bill. Nor could agreement be reached early in the morning of May 25 to include it. The measure failed 33-34 in the Senate, and then failed in the House.

Having a second special session to address the need has been raised.

Familiar issues, big wins

The HHS omnibus bill addresses measures that disability advocate groups have worked on for years, to keep Minnesotans with disabilities and their families from living in poverty. One victory is funding to increase the Medical Assistance spenddown to 100 percent of federal poverty guidelines by July 1, 2022.

That has been a goal of the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities and other groups for years.

Funding was provided to reduce parental fees for MA-TEFRA and HCBS waivers by 15 percent. Money is also earmarked to streamline MA-TEFRA enrollment and renewal. MA-TEFRA has long been criticized for forcing families into poverty, so that they can obtain services for their children. The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) cash assistance program will also see increases.

Elders

Elders will see more protections, thanks in large part to a series of articles by the Star Tribune that exposed problems.

Assisted living facilities will now be licensed. Minnesota is the last state to put such licensing in place.

Elders also now have the right to have cameras in their living spaces. That is part of a larger consumer protection measure in a bill of rights for elders.

Rare diseases council

A rare disease advisory council was created during the regular session, to advocate for the research and treatment of rare diseases. The Chloe Barnes Advisory Council’s establishment was led by Hopkins mother Erica Barnes, whose young daughter Chloe died of metachromatic leukodystrophy, a rare degenerative neural disorder similar to ALS. The little girl died within six weeks of her diagnosis, right after she had her second birthday.

Erica Barnes’ advocacy first began by Chloe's Fight Rare Disease Foundation to fund University of Minnesota research on rare genetic childhood diseases. “Knowing that 1 in 10 Minnesotans are affected by a rare disease and knowing there 7,000 rare diseases and 500 treatments, that is just a really bad ratio,” she told KARE-11 News earlier this year.

Medical marijuana

The state’s medical marijuana program will be allowed to expand, with the ability for the state’s two medical cannabis

TAKEACTION MINNESOTA

Mental health advocates can celebrate many gains. One big win was a major increase in funding for suicide prevention, with $5.6 million in the first biennium and $7.46 million in the second biennium.

Another key win is a funding increase for school-linked mental health services. There will be $1.21 million in the next two years and $9.6 million in the following biennium along with expansion of who can apply for grants, what grant funding can be used for and an analysis of the program going forward. Also, there is $250,000 for youth shelter-linked mental health treatment.

Sustaining the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and gaining funding for intensive children’s mental health treatment and 150 new psychiatric residential treatment facility beds are other accomplishments. See the entire list at https://namimn.org/your-voicemade-a-difference/

SEIU HEALTHCARE MINNESOTA

Mental health

The "Care Not Cuts' rally included testimony from those who would be most affected by the Minnesota legislature's actions. Inset: The TakeAction "teach-in" drew passionate responses to proposed cuts.

manufacturers to open twice as many dispensaries, buy hemp locally and write off some expenses.

Opioids

State lawmakers on the last day of the regular session agreed to create a fund for opioid addiction treatment and prevention.

About $20 million is to be raised annually through fees assessed to the drug companies. Prevention strategies to reduce opioid addiction and deaths are a focus, along with helping children and family affected by the opioid crisis.

Bonding

A quest to gain $19.5 million in access improvements for Minnesota state parks was set aside, along with the rest of a roughly $500 million bonding bill. Evennumbered years are typically bonding years in Minnesota, but a wide range of statewide infrastructure needs prompted House members to bring a bill forward.

Minnesota Council on Disability has made state parks access one of its priorities, and had hoped to build on success from 2018. The proposal will be brought back in 2020.

The lack of a bonding bill also means that accessibility improvements needed for the state capitol complex tunnel system will also have to wait for at least another year. Parts of the tunnel are hard to navigate for people who use wheelchairs and walkers.

Transportation

Despite a high-profile launch, efforts to raise the gas tax by 20 cents per gallon were curbed by the Senate. Walz and House leadership said the tax, which they touted as the way to get state roads and bridges fixed, will be back in 2020.

A push for a Twin Cities area tax increase to support mass transit also stalled. So did efforts to promote autonomous or driverless motor vehicles, which are seen as boon for people who cannot drive themselves to destinations.

One bright spot is that the state budget will now provide a separate appropriation for Metro Mobility. That will alleviate pressure on the budget for the regular bus and rail system. Metro Mobility also received a one-time funding increase for the next two-year budget cycle to meet increased demand.

Another change is that Metro Mobility will expand its service into Lakeville.

Another change allows Metropolitan Council and Minnesota DHS to share data to access federal funds for eligible Metro Mobility rides.

“I’m pleased we were able to prioritize people with disabilities, by fully funding Metro Mobility and separating it from the regional transit budget,” said Metropolitan

Council Nora Slawik. “Demand for Metro Mobility service continues to grow, and this separate line item will assure Metro Mobility doesn’t compete with funding for regular route transit. Community prosperity relies on fully funding Metro Mobility and our bus system.”

Special education

Increased funding for special education, resulting in $91 million over base in the

first biennium (2020-2021), and over $142 million over base in second biennium (2022-2023) is a victory for advocates.

There is $90 million to address the crosssubsidy, which is how much school districts have to pay to cover unfunded state and federal mandates. The gap has grown to more than $800 million statewide.

Look for more legislative roundup coverage in the July issue, as new laws start to take effect. ■

June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

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FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Thanks to work of many, health care provider tax is saved Thanks to the hard work and tenacity of hundreds of advocates across the state, health care for more than one million Minnesotans – including seniors, people living with disabilities, kids, families and people working for low wages – was protected this session when policymakers agreed to preserve Minnesota’s health care provider tax.

The provider tax was under threat of “sunsetting” in December based on an agreement made to end a state government shutdown in 2011. Without action by policymakers this year, the state would have faced a $700 million per year loss in health care funding. This would have threatened the health care of Minnesotans who get affordable care through Medical Assistance (Minnesota’s version of Medicaid) and MinnesotaCare. The tax sunset also could have jeopardized other priorities that Minnesotans value.

For decades to come, Minnesotans will continue to be able to get the health care they need, when they need it because people from across the state spoke up about

the importance of Minnesota’s health care provider tax. The Minnesota Budget Project was proud to work alongside This Is Medicaid coalition members such as Brain Injury Alliance, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, The Arc Minnesota and others to ensure that policymakers focused on what this issue was about: the health and well-being of our friends, families and neighbors.

Patsy Murphy, an advocate with the Brain Injury Alliance, said she thrives because of Medicaid. “Being able to see a doctor when I need one and to get the medication I need has helped me control my seizures and gain back cognitive function I lost after my injury,” she told reporters at a press conference in March.

“Medicaid helped me in my time of crisis to stay independent and active in my community.”

Another advocate who spoke at several rallies and advocacy opportunities was Riley Schumacher of St. Cloud. He has common variable immune deficiency and is able to cover his various treatments

through Medicaid. “The care was lifesaving for me as an infant, and as I got older, [Medicaid] has helped me afford treatment for fibromyalgia, asthma and my mental health,” he said. “I would struggle to afford treatment otherwise.”

TakeAction Minnesota, labor unions, and patient and consumer advocacy groups rallied more than 150 organizations from across the state to sign a letter to policymakers urging them to maintain the health care provider tax. “This loss of funding would jeopardize health care access for thousands of low-income Minnesotans, threaten the stability of the health care sector and negatively impact the state budget,” the letter stated.

Pediatricians, nurses, social workers, and hospital administrators also rose to the call to protect this critical funding for health care. More than 200 health care professionals – those who collect the provider tax – reminded policymakers that without action to maintain the provider tax, they risked cutting services, reducing access and taking health care away from

Minnesotans in every corner of the state.

Advocates with This Is Medicaid and allied groups across Minnesota have much to celebrate with this year’s victory on the health care provider tax. We also understand that the state must do more to meet the diverse health care needs for all Minnesotans. For example, there are shortages of health care providers in rural areas and persistent racial inequity in both access to care and health outcomes. This is made more difficult by the fact that policymakers agreed to a lower rate for the tax (1.8 percent versus the current 2 percent). However, we’ll not stop working to protect Medicaid and the health care it ensures for the people of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Budget Project is a nonpartisan initiative of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits promoting research and advocacy solutions so that all Minnesotans have access to opportunity and economic well-being.

Laura Mortenson, Minnesota Budget Project, member of This Is Medicaid Coalition

Recognize and advocate for more support for our staff Editor’s note: Tracy Bird, a person served at disability service provider Rise, talks about the impact direct care staff have had on her life and why supporting them at the capitol is so important all year long.

by Tracy Bird Whether state lawmakers are at the capitol or in their districts, it is more important than ever that people contact their legislators about preserving disability services in Minnesota. Currently, a shortage of direct support professionals and other care providers has meant that many people who rely on disability services for income, life enrichment, and housing care have been unable to receive adequate supports. This shortage is due to a 17 percent disparity between the wages of direct care staff and similar jobs that require comparable education and training. Being a direct support professional is difficult and stressful work, and turnover rates are high due to the low wages.

In 2018, both the House and the Senate approved an increase to address the wage disparity, but this was vetoed in the final omnibus bill. This session, the Minnesota Legislature had the opportunity to rectify this, by increasing funding, currently proposed at a rate increase of 4.7 percent.

That will be implemented as a competitive workforce factor to help fill the gap in wages. The bills passed this session also implement a two-year cycle of future rate adjustments which allows for rate increases to be linked to inflation so that wages stay competitive.

As someone who relies on my direct care staff, I know firsthand the impact these services can have on a person’s life.

I’ve known Katie, my direct support professional, for a number of years. She and I consider each other family, and she goes above and beyond to make sure that we are all able to get the most out of our jobs and our lives. Working at Rise and with the support staff here has provided me with stability and routine and I feel very

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Here’s a cautionary tale for paratransit riders This is my cautionary tale for your readers: Last fall I was riding on Metro Mobility provided by First Transit. I don’t know if the driver was at fault or the strapping equipment was, but after a sudden braking and a quick acceleration, my wheelchair flipped over backwards. The back of my head smashed on the floor, I briefly lost consciousness, and I spent a night in the hospital with bleeding on the brain.

Because Minnesota has no fault insurance law and because I am partial owner and insurer of a lift van, my insurance had to pay the first $18,000 of the hospital bill, for an injury caused by Metro Mobility. A personal injury lawyer did offer to sue on my behalf, but I turned that down, naively believing that the remainder of the hospital bill would be paid by the insurance company for Metro Mobility – I was only looking for the hospital costs to be covered and not seeking personal compensation.

The final $2,000 is due at the hospital. does Metro Mobility’s insurance pay that pittance? No! They sent a nasty letter implying that I am somehow cheating them and that my roommate’s insurance should pay it!! This for an injury caused on Metro Mobility. What does my roommate have to do with that?

I would now advise anyone injured on Metro Mobility to immediately accept any lawyer’s offer to sue them.

Sadly yours, Laura Hill, Roseville

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blessed to work in a place where people understand me.

Without Rise’s services and the support of direct care staff like Katie, I don’t know where I would have ended up. Maybe in dead-end jobs, but probably not working at all. With Katie’s support, I have been able to stay involved in my community, I’ve made friends, and I have a job I love that I get to go to everyday. If action had not been not taken in the legislature this session, many people like me will be in danger of losing their livelihood and so will their direct care staff who already do so much without getting paid what they deserve for all the positivity they provide.

Katie is always there for us, she cares, and she’s been there for us when we’ve needed her. Now it’s our turn to support her and advocate for this rate increase.

I was among those who urged lawmakers to take action and give disability services a critical and overdue increase in funding. In the 2019 bills, this money is specifically designated to go to the wages

of direct care staff, which will not only benefit their quality of life, but also the quality of life of thousands of Minnesotans like me who rely on their support.

Without these proposed changes to how disability services are funded, these services would be depleted and provider's ability to sustain their programs would be in jeopardy.

I hope everyone recognizes the importance of these services, and that everyone did everything they could to get this bill passed. Whether it's organizing friends and family, or contacting legislators directly, I ask that everyone work together to continue to ensure that legislators know the impact of disability services, and that they understand how devastating it would be to allow this workforce shortage to continue. If we do not continue to prioritize this funding, it will hurt both the disability community and Minnesota as a whole.

WAGES

wages for workers serving clients who need the highest hours of care.

Responding to the news was Dalene Annen, a home care worker from rural Winnebago. “I am excited for the inclusion of our new contract in a final agreement.

This contract will help boost wages, benefits and training for over 25,000 home care workers across our state who care for seniors and people with disabilities. … As someone who lives in Greater Minnesota, we see every day how hard it is to find qualified home care workers, with many people having to travel two or three towns to get to their clients. Right now, there is a care crisis because too many people don’t want to do this hard, important work for the current pay and benefits.” ■

From page 1 programs, so there were cost variations.

That raised red flags for federal officials more than a decade ago.

SEIU Healthcare Minnesota also celebrated tits workers’ gains gains. More than 25,000 home care workers represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota are covered in a two-year contract that was part of the omnibus HHS bill.

Provisions in the contract include reimbursement rates and client budgets increasing 2.37 percent for everyone, with those making the minimum wage seeing a 10.4 percent wage increase from $12 to $13.25; $750,000 for trainings and orientation to help workers gain and build skills; increased paid time off; and an additional increase in

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

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FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Many gains on mental health issues, but much remains undone Our mental health system is still under construction.

Too many people are unable to access the mental health treatment they need in the communities where they live, pushing people to more expensive parts of our system like a hospital emergency department or the criminal justice system.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Minnesota is pleased to report that the House, Senate, and Governor Walz were able to reach a bipartisan compromise and make numerous, critical investments in our mental health system. Top NAMI priorities include funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics or CCBHCs, intensive mental health services for children including covering the lost federal funding for residential mental health treatment, keeping the provider tax, a major investment in suicide prevention at the Department of Health, and a funding increase for school-linked mental health services.

The 2019 session also saw the passage of key NAMI policy priorities. For over a decade, federal mental health parity regulations have required insurers to cover mental illnesses, such as depression or substance use disorder, no more restrictively than other illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease. Despite these laws, private health plans continue to discriminate treatment for mental ill-

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Letters and guest commentaries must be signed by the authors or authors. With letters, a writer’s hometown is published but not a street address. Please send contact information in case the editors have questions about a letter or commentary. Contact information isn’t published unless the writer specifically requests that the newspaper do so. Pictures of the author can be published with a guest commentary but aren’t required.

Access Press asks that letters and guest commentaries be specifically written for the newspaper. Letters must have a focus on disability issues and ideally, a focus on those issues as they affect Minnesotans. Form letters will not be published.

Because Access Press is a non-profit publication and must follow regulations on political partisanship, political endorsement letters are not published. That is true for candidates’ endorsements as well as for ballot questions.

Before making a submission writers are always encouraged to contact the newspaper to discuss ideas or to ask questions about From Our Community submissions, at 651-644-2133 or access@accesspress.org. Let the newspaper staff know if accommodations are needed to submit a letter or commentary.

Letters and commentaries reflect the view of the authors and not the views of the staff and board of directors of Access Press.

The Capitol Ridge Inn Offices Deadline for 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910 the print edition St. Paul, MN 55103 of the newspaper Phone: 651-644-2133 is the 25th of Fax: 651-644-2136 Email: access@accesspress.org each month, with Website: www.accesspress.org publication the following month.

nesses through more restrictive determinations of medical necessity, narrow networks, and prior authorizations.

Bipartisan mental health parity legislation will allow the Department of Commerce to request additional information from health plans to ensure that they are following the law.

The Public Safety Omnibus bill also includes a long-overdue effort to reform the use of restrictive housing or solitary confinement in Minnesota prisons.

Legislation championed by Rep. Nick Zerwas (R-Elk River) and NAMI Minnesota will create new and significant protections for Minnesota prisoners. These include requirements that only the most severe or persistent rule violations will place an inmate in segregation, that every inmate receives a mental health screening before they are placed in solitary confinement, daily mental health checks, the creation of a step-down program for inmates to work their way out of solitary confinement, and mandatory data reporting to the legislature about the use of solitary confinement. These basic protections will improve prison safety and provide new protections for inmates with a mental illness.

There is much to celebrate in the 2019 legislative session, but numerous important priorities for the mental health community were left unaddressed. Reimbursement rates for mental health providers remain unsustainably low, our mental health workforce needs in rural Minnesota and communities of color are still unmet, and too many communities do not have access to First Episode Psychosis programs and other highly effective community-based treatment options.

“Mental health is not a partisan issue and divided government in Minnesota was able to deliver many key victories for the mental health community,” said Sue Abderholden, NAMI Minnesota’s executive director, “Investments in CCBHCs, children’s mental health treatment, and school-linked mental health services are all steps in the right direction. But with a rising suicide rate and a 15 percent increase in the homeless population, now is no time to rest on our laurels. We’ll be back next session to make sure that we continue to build our mental health system.”

For more information, contact Abderholden at 612202-3595 or sabderholden@namimn.org

June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

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REGIONAL NEWS Builders visit White House

Will drive-throughs be curbed?

Minneapolis city officials are continuing their efforts to ban new drive-through services. The city’s Planning Commission was expected to vote on a proposed ban in early June and then send it to the City Council for final action.

The commission in May expressed support for a zoning code amendment that would prohibit new drive-throughs citywide. Existing drive-throughs would not be affected by the amendment, which was brought forth by City Council President Lisa Bender.

“We know that we need to reduce our emissions significantly,” Planning Commission President Sam Rockwell said. “Reducing that infrastructure that encourages driving is important.”

In the proposed amendment, city staff cited “noise, extended idling, proliferation of curb cuts, conflicts with pedestrians and traffic generation” as some of the problems stemming from the long lines sometimes seen in drive-throughs at fast-food restaurants, pharmacies and other businesses. The change builds on language the city adopted in 2016 to restrict where new drive-through lanes can be located.

But while that would provide safety for pedestrians, it would also raise red flags for people with disabilities, who are sometimes unable to walk to destinations.

They rely on drive-through lanes to pick up needed goods and obtain services.

The city now allows drive-throughs in six of its zoning districts, Minneapolis in recently has recently and approved a fairly small number of requests for new drivethrough lanes.

Existing drive-through lanes would be grandfathered in and could remain.

The Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which was passed by the City Council last year but has yet to be

red marker to cover up scratches that happened en route.

“It was so cool, definitely a once-in-alifetime experience,” said Cami Schachtele, 17.

Rocco, who was born with a rare form of dwarfism, charmed the crowd of Washington notables and Wall Street execs Farmington students gather around one of their customized wheelchairs. by driving the car Jackson, a Farmington boy with a genetic around and waving at the cameras. condition similar to cerebral palsy. The “It was one of the most amazing Jacksons were unable to attend the experiences of my whole life,” said event, so Rocco’s family, who just met Nicole Cash, one of the students chosen the robotics team a month ago, traveled out of the team of 26 to go to the White in their place.

House. “It was super exciting. I’m so (Source: Pioneer Press) proud of our whole team.”

The team’s first project was for Cillian

FARMINGTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

The Farmington High School robotics team went to the White House in May, as recognition for building a customized wheelchair for a Burnsville boy. First Lady Melania Trump honored the team as part of her Be Best initiative.

“This is truly what it means to be best,” she said. “Thank you for what you have done to change the little boy’s life.” The boy and his family also attended the event.

Starstruck and still reeling from the last-minute invite, the four students and their coach, Spencer Elvebak, wearing their red and black Rogue Robotics shirts and dark jeans, presented the modified chair to Rocco Zachow-Rodriguez, 5, on the White House lawn.

“The kids and I were sitting about eight seats away from the president,” Elvebak said. The wheelchair got a once-over by a bomb-sniffing dog and White House aides supplied a

formally adopted, stated the city would ban new drive-throughs and gas stations.

The plan placed a strong emphasis on improving walking, cycling and public transportation options.

(Source: Star Tribune)

Police officer offers help

St. Paul Police Officer Mat Jones hopes his story will help others who are struggling with mental health issues. Jones responded to a 911 call in August 2018. Someone shot a man attending a funeral in the chest. As Jones approached to help the shooting victim, he said a group began yelling at him.

Some shouted racial slurs.

On his knees, beside the victim, Jones used a T-shirt to apply pressure until paramedics arrived. He later learned his efforts stopped the victim from going into cardiac arrest. Then, about a week after responding to that call, Jones said he broke.

“I had really bad nightmares about approaching the young man and the crowd being hostile,” he said. In his dream, the crowd pulled him away from helping the victim, and disarmed him.

Eventually, he asked for help and was diagnosed with PTSD. Now Jones is on a mission to change the stigma surrounding mental health. “We have this idea in policing that nobody understands what we are going through other than other cops, but we also tend to give each other a hard time about being soft about these things and that is a culture that needs to change,” he said. “Why is that when you are struggling mentally with something we don't ask for help? That is part of the stigma. That is a big thing. I am a big tough cop I can handle this. I am not gonna show you I have a weakness and that is what we need to get over.”

(Source: KARE-11 News)

Accessible pool to open

The new Pine Island pool will go down like a cannonball off the diving board. “I think they’re excited,” Mayor Rod Steele citing strong public response. “I think they’re intrigued. The lines for swimming registration were out the door (of City Hall) and down to Subway.”

Part of that excitement, Steele said, probably comes from the fact the city did not have a swimming pool in 2018.

Another part is the anticipation of seeing the new pool after the city limped along for so many years on a pool that leaked water underground and failed to meet federal standards for accessibility.

The need for a new pool became apparent in 2011 when the pool was found to be noncompliant with Americans With Disabilities Act standards. There was no way for anyone in a wheelchair to access the pool, for example. The pool house bathrooms were also not handicapped accessible.

The city began looking at a new pool option and finally went to voters in 2016 for a $2.4 million pool project, timing to not conflict with a school district bond referendum.

Steele said the $2.4 million price tag covered the basics and some nice extras but not everything. The city will continue to raise funds for chairs, tables and umbrellas. The infrastructure for a water slide is in place, but the money for a slide is not available yet.

(Source: Rochester Post-Bulletin)

Earplugs cause hearing damage Hundreds of veterans across the country, including dozens from Minnesota, are accusing Maplewoodbased 3M of selling the military “dangerously defective” ear plugs that failed to protect Marines and soldiers from long-term hearing related

disabilities, according to court and government records.

A flurry of lawsuits are being filed in the wake of the company's settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice last year in which it paid $9 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly sold the dual-ended Combat Arms Ear Plugs, Version 2, “without disclosing defects that hampered the effectiveness of the hearing protection device,” according to a government news release.

3M did not admit any wrongdoing as part of that settlement.

“We deny this product was defectively designed,” a company spokesperson said, adding they will “defend against the allegations in these lawsuits.”

More than 630 lawsuits have been filed and will be heard in a federal court in Florida. An attorney involved with the multi-district litigation says roughly 30 have been filed by veterans who live in Minnesota.

Sarah Kay Carlson, an Army veteran from St. Paul, filed her lawsuit in April, claiming 3M exposed her and thousands of other Marines and soldiers to “extremely dangerous and disabling noise.”

Carlson, who was deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the late 2000s, provided security to convoys targeted by mortar shells that sounded like, “fireworks … but closer.”

(Source: KSTP-TV)

Accessible taxi company closes

One of the largest accessible taxicab companies in the Twin Cities metropolitan area has apparently shut down with no notice to state regulators. Green & White/ Suburban Taxi is no longer in operation, according to cabdrivers familiar with the St. Paul company. The company was unique because it offered medical transports and specialized services to people with disabilities.

The company had been in business for three decades. Shane Delaney, a spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, said the company did not notify state officials it would be letting workers go, which is required of employers of a certain size.

“Our attempts to contact the company have been unsuccessful,” Delaney said.

Former driver Michael Powell — who drove a wheelchair van for the company for two years — said he was one of the last to go this spring. Powell said services like Uber and Lyft had eroded the industry.

“We’re really not a taxi service anymore, we’re really a medical transportation company,” Powell said.

And so he did, watching as the company’s workforce shrank over those two years from 200 to about 50.

Then one of the company’s major medical accounts — Powell declined to say which one — decided to cut ties earlier this month. That appeared to be

REGIONAL NEWS To page 15

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

The Arc Minnesota honors leaders Minnesotans who protect and promote the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were honored in May at St. Paul’s University Club. The Arc Minnesota Leader Awards were presented at the organization’s annual meeting, with nine individuals and organizations feted for exceptional service to the Arc’s mission.

The Arc Minnesota is in its second year as a statewide organization, resulting from the merger of several Minnesota chapters. This is also the second year for the awards.

Each person and organization honored demonstrated a commitment to furthering the Arc’s mission by promoting and protecting the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, actively supporting them and their families in a lifetime of full inclusion and participation in their communities.

Daniel Hood The Arc Minnesota Board Member Tom Judd, CEO Andrea Zuber and Human Resources Director Dustin Smith presented the awards. Winners are: • Arc’s Value Village Volunteer of the Year – Alice McMartin, New Hope • Arc’s Value Village Partner of the Year – Seasonal Specialties, Eden Prairie • Intern Leader Award – Carolina De La Rosa Mateo, Minneapolis • Intern Leader Award – Claire Pledl, Minneapolis • Public Policy Leader - Maren Christenson, Minneapolis • Organization Mission Leader Award – Dominium, Plymouth • Individual Mission Leader Award – Val Koster, Rochester • Self- Advocacy Leader Award - Daniel Hood, Alice McMartin St. Paul • Lifetime Leader Award – Nathan Scott, Sherburne

Access Press June 2019.pdf

Dominium

1

5/30/19

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Nathan Scott Val Kloster

Seasonal Specialties

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

Pg 8

PEOPLE & PLACES The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) recently named Lisa Riley of MSS, as its Direct Support Professional (DSP) of the Year in Minnesota. Riley joined more than four dozen nation-wide recipients of the award. They were chosen from a field of nearly 350 outstanding nominees. The awards were presented at the ANCOR spring conference in May in Portland, Oregon.

“I am thrilled and honored to accept this award,” Riley said. “We need tools to give everybody the opportunity to communicate what they want first,” she added. “I really like inspiring my coworkers, too, when it comes to thinking about caring for the individual and what they may be needing.”

Riley has been with MSS since 2014. In addition to her work providing direct support, she covers different programming activities and is the assistive technology coordinator.

“MSS is overwhelmingly proud of Lisa, for her award recognition of course, but more importantly for her dedication and commitment to true community inclusion for the individuals we support,” said Julie Johnson, MSS President/CEO. “We cannot think of anyone who more clearly demonstrates the power of person-centered supports, and we’re so grateful that ANCOR has recognized Lisa with this highprofile honor.”

Awarded annually since 2007, ANCOR’s DSP of the Year awards recognize outstanding professionals who provide long-term supports and services to individuals with intellectual and developmental

Final round of artist grants set Six Minnesota artists have been awarded 2019 Early Career Artist Grants of $2,000 each by VSA Minnesota. The 23rd annual awards, funded by the Jerome Foundation, recognize excellence by Minnesota artists with disabilities and encourage them to create new work.

This is the final round of the awards through VSA Minnesota.

Selected from 28 applicants, grantees are Timothy Bruehl,

MSSMN

Riley named Direct Support Professional of the Year

ANCOR President Robert Budd presented the award to Lisa Riley. disabilities. The awards and the accompanying presentation at ANCOR’s Annual Conference were created to celebrate the important role DSPs play in ensuring individuals with I/DD can be included and empowered in their communities, and to raise awareness about a direct support workforce in crisis. Nationally, turnover rates near 50 percent amount to a significant shortage of DSPs. “I started my career in the field of disability supports as a DSP, and so I know just how critical DSPs are to supporting individuals in their quest to live their best and most fulfilling lives,” said Robert Budd, President of

ANCOR. “DSPs rarely receive the recognition they deserve, and for that reason I’m proud of our association for recognizing Lisa and all of her significant contributions to the lives of the individuals supported by MSS.” Barbara Merrill, ANCOR’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “I often describe DSPs as ‘community navigators.’ Far more than just caregivers, DSPs do it all. From navigating civic life to supporting individuals to create a sense of community around them, DSPs make magic in their communities every single day. These awards represent just a fraction of the recognition that individuals like Lisa deserve.”

Minneapolis, painting; Kevin Eldstrom, Cedar, sculpture; Owen Marciano, Minneapolis, drawing and painting; Gabriel Rodreick, Minneapolis, music composition/ performance; Acadia Stephan, Lindstrom, multi-media art books and Lacey Woida, St. Paul, photography. All grantees are firsttime Jerome grant recipients.

From 1996 to 2019, 144 grant awards have gone to 112 emerging/ early career individuals, including 28 repeat winners, 76 visual artists, 34 writers, 24 performers/composers,

and 10 multi-media artists.

The Jerome Foundation, created by artist and philanthropist Jerome Hill, seeks to contribute to a dynamic and evolving culture by supporting the creation, development and production of new works by emerging and early career artists.

VSA Minnesota is a nonprofit organization working to make the arts accessible to people with disabilities. It will close at the end of September, after 33 years

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

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PEOPLE & PLACES Pamela Hoopes, retiring deputy director of the Minnesota Disability Law Center and member of the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Disability Advisory Committee, was honored in May by Secretary of State Steve Simon. Simon presented a National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award to for her advocacy on behalf of voters with disabilities and her work to ensure that all Minnesotans can participate in their democracy.

“I am truly honored to present Pamela Hoopes with a NASS medallion award,” said Simon. “It is the central mission of my office to make voting as easy as possible for all eligible Minnesotans. Pam’s work in furthering this mission is unparalleled and all Minnesotans owe her a debt of gratitude for strengthening access to voting. On behalf of myself and the Office of the Secretary of State, I wish Pam well in retirement and thank her for her years of service to Minnesota voters and the entire disability community.”

Hoopes has been a champion for people with disabilities since 1989. She has served on the Office of Secretary of State’s Disability Advisory Committee both under Secretary Mark Ritchie and Secretary Simon. In this capacity, she has led a coalition involving both public and private partners, in coordination with the Office of Secretary of State, in a survey of the accessibility of polling places throughout Minnesota. This polling place accessibility survey has helped jurisdictions identify ways to improve the accessibility of their polling places and to advocate at the legislature for additional resources to improve voter accessibility.

She has been an advocate for voters with disabilities in the courts, at the

STATE OF MINNESOTA

Pamela Hoopes honored for years of service

Secretary of State Steve Simon, right, honored Pamela Hoopes for her decades of service to Minnesotans with disabilities.

legislature, and in the community.

In her role at the Disability Law Center, Hoopes has led trainings and advocacy campaigns around increasing access to voting for Minnesotans with disabilities. Her leadership has improved the voting experience for people with disabilities, and she has served as an invaluable resource to the Office of Secretary of State.

Hoopes started with MidMinnesota Legal Aid as a staff attorney with the Disability Law Center and has since served more than 20 years as the deputy director of the Disability Law Center.

The NASS Medallion Award allows individual Secretaries of State to recognize outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of the National Association

of Secretaries of State (NASS) within the states. The award was created to honor individuals, groups or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS in the areas of elections, with special emphasis on voter education and participation; civic education, including the teaching, promotion and study of that subject; service to state government, specifically as it relates to the duties of the office of the Secretary of State and a commitment to giving – a business or individual whose philanthropic contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of life in a local or regional area within a state, or within an entire state.

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

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ADA MINNESOTA

ENJOY!

Celebrate 29 years of the ADA 2019 marks 29 years since the federal Americans with Disabilities Act was signed. Minnesotans always commemorate this date in history, so it’s time to party like it’s 1990.

The 2019 event is 1-4 p.m. Friday, July 26 at Hamline University’s Anderson Center, 774 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul. The celebration is free and open to the public.

Festivities include a performance and address by

Duluth performer Gaelynn Lea. ASL, audio-description and open captioning services will be offered. To request other accommodations, call Cindy Tarshish at ADA Minnesota, at 651-603-2015 or email cindyt@ mcil-mn.org. Various websites will include updated information, including the Minnesota Council on Disability, at www.disability.state.mn.us

Accessible Space, Inc. Accessible, Affordable Housing

Dystonia Zoo Walk Dystonia is a movement disorder in which a person's muscles contract uncontrollably. It can affect the entire body in different ways. A walk to raise funds and awareness offers 8:30 a.m. registration Sat, June 16 at Como Zoo, 1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul. Event starts at 9:30 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. Cost is $25 per adult and $15 for children under age 12. Fee includes all day admission to the zoo, t-shirt and refreshments. Last year’s Zoo Walks drew more than 5,000 people nationwide. The events don’t require walking. Instead it’s a time to enjoy a morning at the zoo and meet others facing dystonia. The Zoo Walk is organized by members of the Minnesota Dystonia Support Group. FFI: www. dystonia-foundation.org/twincities-zoo-walk Arc in the Park The Arc Minnesota hosts the annual Arc in the Park picnic 5-7:30 p.m.

Wed, June 26 at Como Park, St. Paul. Ring in summer with an evening of music, food, ice cream and fun activities for people of all ages. Arc in the Park is a great opportunity to get involved and connect with other families and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Free but reservations required. FFI: arcminnesota.org/arc-in-the-park AuSM Connections Jigsaw Puzzle competition Love puzzles? Put those jigsaw puzzle skills to the test at the AuSM Connections Jigsaw Puzzle Competition held at the Mall of America Rotunda Sat, July 13. Teams of four will compete for the fastest puzzle completion time. All proceeds support Autism Society of Minnesota programs and services. Prizes will be awarded in both the Adult and Family divisions to the teams completing their puzzle in the quickest time. Teams will keep their competition puzzle. Preregistration required. FFI: www.ausm.org Juneteenth Celebration Hennepin County Library is celebrating Juneteenth, an important moment in African American history, with a family-friendly event of art making, cultural demonstrations, storytelling, singing, drumming, theater and more. ASL offered 5-7 p.m. Tue, June 18, at Webber Park Library, 4440 Humboldt Ave. N., Mpls. Free. FFI: 612-543-6750, www.hclib.org Spring Fling to Honor Kevin Kling Interact Center for the Visual & Performing Arts hosts a celebration of 20 years of collaboration with beloved actor, storyteller and writer Kevin Kling.

Event include a cocktail hour, dinner, entertainment including pianist Dan Chouinard, art and a surprise unveiling. Interact artists will model bags, scarves, jewelry and more for purchase. 6 p.m. cocktail hour, with dinner and program 7-9 p.m. Thu, June 13 at Calhoun Beach Club, 2730 W. Lake St., Mpls. Tickets $100. FFI: 651-209-3575, www.InteractCenter.com LOVE Is Alive & Kickin Alive & Kickin senior ensemble presents an evening about love, at Bloomington Center for the Arts, Schneider Theater, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Fri-Sat, June 14-15 and 2 p.m. Wed, June 12; Thu, June 13; and Sun, June 16. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, June 15.

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

Pg 11

OPPORTUNITIES

Disability issues take on urgency CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Mental health and learning disabilities forum PACER Center hosts a symposium about children and young adults with mental health and learning disabilities, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon, Aug. 12 at Mpls. Convention Center. The symposium is designed to help parents and professionals better identify and address mental health and learning disabilities in children and youth. It will provide high-quality training and resources regarding children’s mental health and learning disabilities, effective treatment, and positive teaching and intervention strategies.

Registration fee $35. Lunch provided. Administrator and teacher CEU hours will be available. FFI: 952-838-9000, www.pacer.org Video can help families in crisis NAMI Minnesota recently released its newest video, Mental Health Crisis Planning for Families. The video helps parents learn to recognize, prevent, plan for, and manage their child’s mental health crisis. It is patterned after NAMI’s booklet and class of the same name. The 15-minute video can be viewed in English or Spanish and was made possible by a grant from the Hope & Grace Initiative, a project of the New Venture Fund. FFI: 651-645-2948, or go to videos at namimn.org Autism workshop in Austin Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) hosts a workshop focused on autism and transitioning to adulthood 8 a.m.- 4 p.m., Thu, June 13 at the Hormel Historic Home in Austin. The workshop, geared for parents and caregivers, educators, support professionals, and individuals with autism, will include sessions on positive behavior supports, emotion regulation, employment, and independence. The workshop fits with the mission of the Autism Friendly Austin initiative. Preregistration required, $30 and $15 for persons with ASD. FFI: www.ausm.org PACER workshop sampling PACER Center offers many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any disabilities. Workshops are at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, unless specified.

Workshops are offered throughout the state, with some workshops available online. Advance registration is required for all workshops. At least 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. Many workshops are live-streamed. Check out PACER’s website and link to the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to pick and choose sessions designed for their needs. Workshops are free but advance registration required. FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org

INFO & ASSISTANCE

Suicide prevention is focus NAMI Minnesota offers many resources related to suicide. QPR is a free, one-hour presentation that covers the three steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide - Question, Persuade and Refer. Classes are noon-1 p.m. Wed, June 12 and 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tue, June 25 at NAMI Minnesota, 1919 University Ave. W., Suite 400, St. Paul. it is also offered 11 a.m.noon Fri, June 15 at Korean Service Center, 2417 Larpenteur Ave. W., Lauderdale. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught gatekeeper training program in the United States, and more than one million adults have been trained in classroom settings in more than 48 states.

A free SafeTALK Suicide Prevention Workshop is 3-6 p.m. Thu, June 13. at NAMI Minnesota, 1919 University Ave., in the basement conference room, St. Paul. Learn how to support someone’s desire for safety by recognizing the warning signs of suicide, identifying people who are at risk, and applying the TALK steps (Tell, Ask, Listen and KeepSafe) to connect a person to suicide first aid resources.

The workshop is evidence-based and allows time for both practice and discussion. safeTALK is based on research that shows people experiencing thoughts of suicide often send out subtle invitations to help them stay safe. Preregister for any of the events. FFI: 651-645-2948 or see classes, at www.namihelps.org Hope for Recovery Workshop NAMI Minnesota hosts a free workshop that provides information on mental illnesses, treatments, crisis management, suicide prevention, the mental health system and local resources along with practical strategies for helping a loved one or friend. It will be held 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat, June 22 at NAMI Minnesota, 1919 University Ave. W., Suite 400, St. Paul. Workshop includes learning the LEAP strategy for improving communication: Listen, Empathize, Agree-on what you can, and Partner. This workshop is for family and friends of a teen or adult living with a mental illness and people living with a mental illness who are doing well in their recovery. Preregister. FFI: 651-645-2948 or see classes, www.namimn.org MCIL hosts classes and activities The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living provides many life skills classes as well as fun outings and events for people with disabilities.

MCIL is at 530 N. Robert Street, St Paul and most activities are there or

start there. Classes and events are listed on the website, www.mcil-mn. org. Click on “Classes Groups and Sessions” for updated information or to print their calendar. Please give two weeks’ notice if the alternative format or other accommodations are needed. Events are free, accessible and mostly scent-free. The People of Color with disabilities group meets 5:30-8 p.m. the third Thu of each month. FFI: 651-603-2030 Free adult mental health course NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) hosts a free mental health first aid for older adults training course 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thu, June 13 at NAMI Minnesota, 1919 University Ave. W., Suite 400, St. Paul. Learn about common mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders with a focus on older adults. Learn basic first aid skills needed to help a person who is experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.

The workshop is not intended for professionals who have a background in mental health. Lunch is not provided. Bring a bag lunch. Preregistration required. FFI: 651-645-2948, or classes at www.namihelps.org Classes and support in Sauk Rapids Independent Lifestyles, Inc., 215 North Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids, offers many groups and classes, for free or a small fee. New is free adult coloring and conversation, 3-4 p.m. the third Tue of each month. Bring supplies or use those at the center.

Also new is the Adult Social Activity, with snacks, crafts and bingo, 1-3 p.m. on the fourth Wed of each month. Advocates for Independence meet 2-4 p.m. first and third Wed, for persons with disabilities who wish to increase leadership and assertiveness skills.

Learn self-dense and improve fitness with a free one-month introductory classes, for both adapted martial arts and Tae Guk Known Do. Wear loose clothing and bring a bottle of water. Scott Ridlon is instructor. FFI: 320-267-7717, 320-281-2042 Mental health support offered NAMI Minnesota offers more than 500 free educational classes and presentations statewide each year, along with help in navigating the mental health system. NAMI also has more than 70 free support groups for people living with a mental illness and their families.

A Get to Know NAMI class is offered 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wed, May 15, NAMI Minnesota, 1919 University Ave., Suite 400, St. Paul.

Meet NAMI staff and volunteers and hear firsthand how NAMI’s work directly affects the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families. Learn about education and support programs and how to advocate for better mental health policies. RSVP. Kay King, 651-6452948 x113, kking@namimn.org In the Twin Cities NAMI has about two dozen family support groups, more than 20 support groups for people living with a mental illness, anxiety support groups, groups for veterans and other groups. Led by trained facilitators, groups provide help and support. Parent resource groups are facilitated by a parent who has a child with a mental illness and who has been trained to lead support groups. A group meets 6:30-8 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday at Eagle Brook Church, 2401 East Buffalo St., White Bear Lake. FFI: Jody Lyons 651-645-2948 x109.

Family support groups help families who have a relative with a mental illness. A group meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wed at Centennial United Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, Roseville.

FFI: Anne Mae. 651-484-0599.

Open Door Anxiety and Panic support groups help people cope with anxiety disorders. One group meets 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. the second and fourth Thu in Room 104, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul. Another group meets 6:30-8 p.m. the first and third Thu at Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke St., St. Paul.

A peer support group is offered for LGBTQ adults living with a mental illness. The group meets 1-2:30 p.m. Sat, Living Table United Church of Christ, 3805 E. 40th St, Mpls. FFI: David, 612-920-3925, 651-645-2948.

Young Adult NAMI Connection is a free support group for persons ages 16-20. One group meets 7-8:30 the first and third Thu at Friends Meeting House, 1725 Grand Ave., St. Paul. A group also meets 7-8:30 p.m. on the first and third Thu at Dental Office of Dr. Crandall & Associates, 2300 East Highway 96, White Bear Lake. The group is

facilitated by young adults who live with mental illnesses and are doing well in recovery. A full calendar of all events is offered online. FFI: 651645-2948, www.namihelps.org Vision loss group offers activities Vision Loss Resources provides free and low-cost activities in the Twin Cities for people who are blind or visually impaired. Life skills classes for those with low vision; card games, craft classes, book clubs, walking groups, dinners out, special outings and technology classes are among the offerings. Participants need to RVSP to participate, at least three working days prior to an event. The calendar is also available on the Vision Loss Resources website and as a printable large-print PDF document for those who wish to print their own or additional copies.

A new policies handbook will be introduced in February. It has been developed to help everyone understand VLR policies, practices and eligibility requirements. Copies will be available in both the St. Paul and Minneapolis locations. All participants attending Community Center activities will need to sign the one-page summary and community center participation agreement form. FFI: RSVP hotline, 612-843-3439; activity line and audio calendar, 612-253-5155, www.visionlossresources.org St. Cloud Area Parkinson's Disease group St. Could Area Parkinson’s Disease Support Group typically meets 1-2 p.m. third Mon of each month at ILICIL Independent Lifestyles, 215 N. Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids. Mon, May 20 and June 17. Meetings are open to those diagnosed with Parkinson’s, their families, caregivers and the general public. The free group provides support, education, and awareness about the disease. FFI: 320-529-9000 Hope for Recovery workshop NAMI Minnesota offers Hope for Recovery workshops, six hours of resources and help for family and friends of a teen or adult living with a mental illness. Next workshop is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat, April 13 in St. Paul. The workshops are also helpful for people living with a mental illness who are doing well in their recovery. Obtain information about mental illnesses, treatments, crisis management, suicide prevention, the mental health system and local resources along with practical strategies for helping a loved one or friend. This includes learning the LEAP strategy for improving communication: Listen, Empathize, Agree-on what you can, and Partner.

Preregistration required. Bring a bag lunch. FFI: www.namihelps.org Adult support groups offered AuSM offers free support groups for adults with autism spectrum disorder. Groups include those for adult family members, women with autism spectrum disorders and independent adults with autism. Check the website for upcoming groups. Groups meet at the AuSM offices at 2380 Wycliff St. FFI: 651-647-1083 ext. 10, www.ausm.org

VOLUNTEER

Keep children cool Help low-income children, infants to age 5, have a fun summer. Collect and/or purchase items like a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and mosquito spray and help the Community Action Program in Ramsey and Washington counties. Volunteers of any age, individuals and groups are welcome.

Complete a short-term registration form at www.caprw.org/volunteer and obtain a full list of items. FFI: 651-603-5979.

Book readers sought Volunteers are a valuable resource at Radio Talking Book, broadcasting local news and information programs to blind and print-impaired listeners from sites around the state and at the Communication Center in St. Paul.

The goal is to provide accurate and timely information to our thousands of listeners throughout Minnesota and across the nation. FFI: Roberta Kitlinski, 651-539-1423 Be a tutor Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps are seeking 1,700 tutors for the 2019-20 school year by asking residents to Help Minnesota Be More. Give Your Time As A Tutor. Both full- and part-time tutors are being recruited to begin a year of paid service this fall. By joining Reading OPPORTUNITIES To page 14

FUN IS GOOD ON ST. PAUL'S FRONT PORCH!

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

Pg 12

ENJOY! ProAct Golf Classic

Dedicated golfer and ProAct supporter Tim Dunleavy has attended numerous golf classic events through the years.

ENJOY! From page 10

To Let Go and Fall Theater Latte Da presents the story of a poignant reunion between two ballet dancers, at Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. NE, Mpls. AD and ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Thu, June 13. Tickets reduced to $17.50 for ASL and AD patrons and one guest. FFI: 612-339-3003, www.latteda.org Heaven Flying Foot Forum presents a musical about love and loss during the Bosnian War, at Park Square Theatre, Proscenium, 20 W. 7th Place, St. Paul. Assistive listening devices available. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, June 14. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Fri-Sat, June 21-22, and 2 p.m. Sun, June 23. AD and OC single ticket discount is half-price for patron and one guest with code ACC (regular $40, $60). Other discounts available. FFI: 651-291-7005, www.parksquaretheatre.org Planetarium Show: Out of This World!

Bell Museum, 2088 Larpenteur Ave. W., St. Paul, hosts a tour of the solar system. ASL offered 2:30 p.m. Sat, June 15. Tickets $6-$8. Planetarium tickets go on sale three weeks before the date of the show. Pre-purchasing is recommended because shows sell out. FFI: 612-626-9660, www. bellmuseum.umn.edu Stiletto Squares: The Divas Edition!

Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus presents a drag show/game show combination for Twin Cities Pride, at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 4th St. S., Mpls. Assistive listening devices, large-print and Braille programs available on request. ASL offered 8 p.m. Sat, June 15. Tickets reduced to half-price for ASL patrons (regular $25-48 in advance). Ask about designated seating. FFI: 612-624-2345, www.tcgmc.org Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Theatre in the Round Players present the story of a New Yorker and his adventures in the American West, at Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls. Large-print programs and assisted-listening devices available at every performance. AD offered 2 p.m. Sun, June 16. Tactile tour at 1 p.m. upon request. Tickets $22. Discounts available. FFI: 612-333-3010. www. theatreintheround.org Science Museum Sensory Friendly Sunday Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, hosts Sensory Friendly Sundays, 9 a.m. Sun, June 16 and Sun, July 14. Early access to galleries, and a lights-up, sounds-down Omnitheater show, which starts at 9 a.m.

Tickets $8.95 to $24.95. Discounts for individuals, families and groups with limited incomes and free for working direct support staff when visiting with a client. Other tools for making a museum visit successful for visitors with autism and other sensory processing issues include pre-visit social narratives available for download online, SF companion scripts for Omnitheater films, noise-dampening headphones, SF visitors’ guide, and a renovated wellness room designed to give visitors a private, out-of-the-way space to nurse a child, pray or simply recharge away from the hustle and bustle of a busy museum. Located on Level 4 near the Native American exhibition, the room is outfitted with soft lighting, a door that locks, a changing table, rocking chair, and other seating. Ask at the exhibits entrance for sound dampening headphones, a timer, or a kit containing headphones, fidgets, gloves, and sunglasses. It is available to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. The program was created in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota (AusM). FFI: 651-221-9444 or 800-221-9444, www.smm.org Zenon Dance Company: Final Performance Season Zenon Dance Company wraps up 36 years of modern and jazz dance, at Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, Goodale Theater, 528 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, June 16. Tickets $34, $19 tickets for deaf and hard of hearing patrons with the discount code DHH37.

Other discounts available FFI: 612-206-3600. Zenon info: 612-338-1101, www.zenondance.org LOVEJETS and FLANNELWOOD: A Double Book Launch Reading!

Poets celebrating 200 years of Walt Whitman and author and deaf activist Raymond Luczak’s latest novel will be read at Quatrefoil Library, 1220 E. Lake St., Mpls. ASL offered 7 p.m. Tue, June 18. Venue is wheelchairaccessible. Free. FFI: 612-729-2543, www.qlibrary.org The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical An award-winning musical about Greek gods and the complications they create is presented at Ordway Music Theater, 345 Washington, St. Paul.

Braille, large-print programs and infrared listening systems available at Patron Services in Ordway’s first level lobby. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Thu, June 20. ASL and AD offered 2 p.m. Sat, June 22. Tickets $40-$104; If using ASL or OC, recommended seating locations (subject to availability) are: ORCHRGT G 307-310, ORCH-RGT H 308-311, ORCH-RGT J 309-312. FFI: 651-2244222, https://ordway.org

Golfers are invited to Southview Country Club in West St. Paul, as it hosts the ProAct Golf Classic Mon, Aug. 26. The fundraising event helps support ProAct and its many programs for people with disabilities. “The course and activities really make for a fun event that caters to both the occasional and serious golfer,” said ProAct President and CEO Steven Ditschler. “We are always encouraged by the support we receive from returning golfers, and those who are new to our annual event.”

The team tournament begins with lunch and registration in the late morning, followed by a shotgun start, skills contests and team prizes, before wrapping up with silent and live auctions and a gourmet dinner. Registration for the fourperson scramble event runs from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., with an early lunch starting at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at noon. Cost is $150 per golfer, which includes lunch and dinner, a golf cart, use of the clubhouse and practice facilities. A portion of the tournament golf cost is tax-deductible, and a variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. The price for the dinner alone is $35. To register, please visit proactinc.org or contact Patty Carlson at 651289-3149 or pcarlson@proactinc.org

Twin Cities PRIDE Festival The annual Twin Cities Pride festival at and around Loring Park, Mpls., offer many accommodations. The events listed here are a sampling and more information is available online. Many events are free. Pride features ASL. Events are wheelchair-accessible, with wheelchair charging stations. Escape Space hosted by AuSM. ASL offered 6-10 p.m. Sat, June 22 at PRIDE in Concert with TLC, Sweet Sirens, The Vigalantease Collective, and an attempt at the Guinness Book of World Records for number of drag performers on a stage at one time. $20 advance general admission.

ASL offered 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun, June 23, Twin Cities Pride Parade. New route on 2nd Avenue (Hennepin Avenue is under construction), starting from 3rd Street S., turning right on 12th Street, ending at Harmon Place. ASLinterpreted at the grandstand.

ADA wheelchair-accessible seating area near Loring Park stage.

Wheelchair charging at operations at Grant and Willow. Loaner manual wheelchairs available to borrow at operations. Metro Mobility drop-off at Harmon and Maple. Accessible parking spots at Loring Park located on the map. Vent features more than 400 exhibitors, food and beverage booths and more. FFI: www.tcpride.org Queertopia 2019: Sustained [EMERGE]ncy Queertopia presents its 14th year of presenting performances during Pride week, at In the Heart of the Beast Theatre, 1500 E. Lake St., Mpls. ASL and AD offered 7:30 p.m. Thu, June 20. Tickets $15 advance / $18 at door. Deaf and hard of hearing patrons on June 20 reduced to $5 with code DeafQueer.

FFI: queertopiatc@gmail.com Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical Children’s Theatre Company and the old Vic presents a girl’s story about being herself, at Children’s Theatre Company, United Health Group Stage, 2400 3rd Ave. S., Mpls. SF offered 7 p.m. Fri, June 21. SF performances provide a supportive and welcoming environment for children and families affected by autism spectrum disorders and other sensory, social, and cognitive disabilities.

Features include reduction of loud or jarring sounds, reductions in flashing or strobe lights, and modification of the house lights. Audience members are free to talk or move during the show and extra staff and volunteer support is provided. Designated quiet room and take a Break Space, guidance and sensory supports (fidgets, earplugs, noise cancelling ear-muffs) available in the lobby before the show. Audience members are welcome to bring their own manipulatives, seat cushions, comfort objects, and extra support items. Families may select their own seats, but if special assistance or a buffer seat is needed, call 612-874-0400 or email access@childrenstheatre.org. Tickets start at $15.

Assistive listening devices, induction loop system, Braille programs and sensory tours available upon request. Other discounts available. FFI: 612-874-0400; www.childrenstheatre.org Luubaan Stories Mixed Blood Theatre hosts Luubaan Stories, A Storytelling Festival 2-10 p.m. Sat June 22, at Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 S. 4th St., Mpls. The festival will encapsulate all the stories, experiences and lessons collected by Mixed Blood’s Project 154, a program to address barriers to healthcare through the use of theater practices and traditional Somali storytelling. The day will include storytelling workshops, learning centered on community health needs, and will

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feature Mixed Blood trained storytellers. Many fun activities are offered. Ask about accommodations. FFI: 612-338-6131. www.mixedblood.com Planetarium Show: Habitat Earth Bell Museum, 2088 Larpenteur Ave. W., St. Paul, hosts a show about the dynamic connections between Earth’s ecosystems. OC offered 12:30 p.m.

Wed, June 26. ASL offered 3:30 p.m. Thu, July 11. Sat, June 15. Tickets $6$8. Planetarium tickets go on sale three weeks before the date of the show.

Pre-purchasing is recommended because shows sell out. FFI: 612-626-9660, www.bellmuseum.umn.edu The Importance of Being Earnest Rochester Civic Theatre Company presents a comedy about doubles and deceptions, at Rochester Civic Theatre Main Stage, 20 Civic Center Dr. SE, Rochester. ASL offered 7 p.m. Fri, June 28. Please indicate ASL seating when booking tickets. Tickets: $31. Discounts available. FFI: 507-282-8481, www.rochestercivictheatre.org Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant Park Square Theatre presents the world premiere play about a cancelled beauty pageant and its impacts, at Park Square Theatre, Andy Boss Thrust Stage, 20 W. 7th Place, St. Paul. Assistive listening devices available. AD offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, June 28. OC offered 7:30 p.m. Fri-Sat, July 26-27; 2 p.m. Sun, July 28. Tickets AD/OC single ticket discount is half-price for patron and one guest with code ACC, regular $40, $60. Other discounts available. FFI: 651-291-7005, www.parksquaretheatre.org Resistance and Resilience: Voices of the People One Voice Mixed Chorus presents a concert about human rights movements, at Ordway Concert Hall, 345 Washington, St. Paul. Featured songs will be drawn from spirituals, blues, hip hop, and other songs from the civil rights movement. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Sat, June 29. Tickets: $24-$49.

ASL tickets 50 percent discount off regular pricing. Best viewing of ASL interpretation is main floor right. FFI: 651-224-4222, www.onevoicemn.org Tour for People with Memory Loss The first Tuesday of every month, the historic James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave., St. Paul, offers a sensory-based tour designed for people with memory loss and their caregivers. Each themed tour, usually an hour or less, highlights three rooms. Private group tours are available for care facilities.

Upcoming tours are 10 a.m. July 2 and Aug. 6. Free but reservations required. FFI: 651-259-3015, hillhouse@mnhs.org.

Junie B. Jones the Musical Jr. Steppingstone Theatre presents the story of adventurous first grade Junie B. Jones, at SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development, 55 Victoria St. N., St. Paul. AD offered 7 p.m. Fri, July 5. ASL offered 3 p.m. Sun, July 7.

Tickets $10 when VSA is mentioned. Regular $16. FFI: 651-225-9265, www. steppingstonetheatre.org Roald Dahl’s WILLY WONKA Stages Theatre Company presents the story of a magical candy factory, at Hopkins Center for the Arts, Mainstage, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. AD and ASL offered 2 p.m. Sat, July 6. Tickets $16, discount for AD and ASL patrons at $12. SF offered 10 a.m. Sat, July 13. Tickets: $10 tickets for sensory-friendly performances not available online; to reserve, call 952979-1111, option 4. Other discounts available. FFI: 952-979-1111, option 4, www.stagestheatre.org Guys and Dolls Guthrie Theater presents a musical story about gambling, romance and Broadway, at Guthrie Theater, Wurtele Thrust, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD and ASL offered 1 p.m. Sat, July 13, with free sensory tour available at 10 a.m. OC offered 1 p.m. Wed, July 17; Sat, July 27 and Sun, July 28. AD and OC offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, July 19. ASL offered 7:30 p.m. Fri, July 26. Tickets regular $15-$93, reduced to $20 for AD and ASL, $25 for OC. FFI: 612-3772224, www.guthrietheater.org Sensory Friendly Sunday at the Walker Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls, hosts Sensory Friendly Sundays, 8-11 a.m. Sun, July 14 and Aug. 11. Free. It is a monthly, free event for kids, teens and adults with autism spectrum disorder or sensory sensitivities and their families, offering the opportunity to make art together, explore the

ENJOY! To page 13

June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

Pg 13

PEOPLE & PLACES Apply now for pioneering Partners in Policymaking program Minnesotans with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities are encouraged to apply for a comprehensive advocacy training course, Partners in Policymaking program at no cost. Starting in September, the nationally recognized leadership training offers eight sessions over nine months.

Deadline to apply is Monday, July 8. Applications can be downloaded at http://mn.gov/mnddc/ partnersinpolicymaking/class37/application.html “Our goal is that graduates gain a clear understanding of disability law and policies. The training increases their self-confidence in advocating for their needs,” said Colleen Wieck, executive director of the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. “As they have learned to speak up for people with disabilities, many have become leaders in their own communities.”

The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities introduced the Partners in Policymaking program in 1987, and, through expansion to other states and countries, has trained more than 27,000 people worldwide.

This highly acclaimed leadership training taps into national experts and utilizes group participation. It has been described by many participants as life-changing.

In the program’s 32-year history, more than 1,000 Minnesotans have become leaders in their own communities. Participants become effective advocates for themselves, their children and others with disabilities.

Sessions cover the history of disability and selfadvocacy movements, inclusive education, supported living, competitive employment, and avenues to influence county, state and federal legislative processes. For convenience, the monthly two-day sessions are held on Fridays and Saturdays, from September to May. No session is held in December).

The March session is on a Sunday and Monday, when participants prepare for, and meet with legislators at the capitol.

Costs for the Partners program are covered by a federal grant. Childcare and respite allowances are given, and overnight accommodations are provided for those who travel from outside the metro area to attend. Mileage is reimbursed, and meals are provided. Sessions are held at the Crowne Plaza Aire, at 3 Appletree Square in Bloomington, near Mall of America and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Limited to 40 Minnesotans per year, participants are selected by a panel of Partners graduates and

∏f

In Memoriam f∏

Barrett was a pioneer

Greg Barrett is remembered as a pioneer in community inclusion. Barrett, 71, died last month.

Born in Minneapolis as the seventh of 11 children, Barrett grew up on the family farm in Richfield. He was considered to be a pioneer recipient of services for people with developmental disabilities. He attended public school in Richfield, which wasn’t common in the 1950s.

His family moved to a Lakeville area farm in the 1960s, where Barrett continued his education. He graduated from high school there, earning blue ribbons in track and field in Special Olympics.

Barrett received employment training in sheltered workshops, referring to his training as “nuts and bolts.” He worked at hotels and restaurants.

Because of his parents' sustained advocacy for including people with disabilities in everybody's everyday life, Barrett was one of the first to move into a community-based group home providing long-term residential services in 1970. He lived in several South St. Paul locations and then in 1993 moved into the intentional community of Community Homestead, Osceola. WI. He later moved into a facility in St. Croix Falls. Barrett loved dogs and cats, particularity a dog named Nippy. He was an avid sports fan who always rooted for the Minnesota Twins baseball team. He took pride in gardening and farming and was known to be able to plant a row of potatoes in record time.

Barrett is survived by four brothers, three sisters and more than 60 extended family members. Services have been held.

Nick Cocchiarella group

representatives of the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. The first session for the 2019 to 2020 program year is September 13 to 14. Local experts and nationally recognized leaders in school inclusion, community organizing, governmental processes, and disability issues are among the presenters. Those selected to participate in the program must attend all sessions and complete homework assignments.

“This program is based on the belief that systems change is best brought about through the efforts of those most affected by them, and we seek to arm these individuals with the tools needed to be successful in the public policy arena,” said Wieck.

For further information, contact Brenton Rice at brenton@togevents.com, or 651-242-6589.

Tori Boyer family

ENJOY! From page 12

galleries, watch a short film, or just hang out in a different setting. The galleries will be closed to all other visitors, allowing guests to enjoy the museum in a safe environment where accommodations such as quiet spaces, headphones and fidgets can be provided. In order to ensure an optimal experience and avoid crowds, reserve space ahead of time online. This program was created in consultation with AuSM and the University of Minnesota’s Occupational Therapy Program. FFI: 612-375-7610, www.walkerart.org Bakken Museum Sensory Friendly Sundays Bakken Museum, 3537 Zenith Ave S, Mpls. offers Sensory Friendly Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. the second Sun of every month. Next date is May 12. The days allow people with autism spectrum disorders and sensory processing differences to have an enjoyable and interactive learning experience in a comfortable and accepting environment. Events will include modified programming for diverse sensory needs and specialized staff training. Bakken Museum is the world's only library and museum devoted to medical electricity. Its SF program was developed in consultation with the Autism Society of Minnesota. The museum will continue be open to the general public from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Suns. Activities are free with museum admission, which starts at $10 for adults and includes discounts for children and seniors. FFI: www.thebakken.org Legally Blonde Lyric Arts Company of Anoka presents a comedy about love and law, at Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, 420 E. Main St., Anoka. Assisted listening devices are available on request. ASL offered 2 p.m. Sun, July 14. Reserve by Sun, June 23. Lyric Arts reserves seats in Row I for parties including persons using wheelchairs or with limited mobility. ASL interpreters are provided at the first Sun performance of each regular season production if a reservation is made three weeks before the show. If no ASL seating has been reserved, the ASL interpretation will be canceled and seats will be released to the general public.

When ordering tickets, please indicate the need for seating in this section.

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Tickets $30-34; $5 discount for ASL seats. FFI: 763-422-1838, www.lyricarts.org More events information VSA Minnesota’s Accessible Arts Calendar has been distributed monthly by email and online for many years in order that people with disabilities may participate in and enjoy plays, concerts, exhibits, readings, and other events with accommodations they need. The listings are on our website, on Facebook, and summarized on our voicemail each week. http://vsamn.org.

Please note that in September 2019 VSA Minnesota will cease operations.

The organization is working with potential stewards of its programs to make transitions. The arts calendar will be handled by the Minnesota Access Alliance. Anyone with suggestions or a willingness to assist in this transition, can contact VSA Minnesota at 612-332-3888 or access@vsamn.org or info@vsamn.org.

VSA Minnesota VSA Minnesota is a statewide nonprofit organization that works to create a community where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in and access the arts, at http://vsamn.org. The website has a comprehensive calendar at the upper right-hand corner of its homepage. For information on galleries and theater performances around the state join the Access to Performing Arts email list at access@ vsamn.org or call VSA Minnesota, 612332-3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY). To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call 612- 332-3888 or 800-801-3883.

Access Press only publishes performance dates when accommodations are

June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

Polar Plungers start time of chills, thrills

Pg 14

RADIO TALKING BOOK

Summer Reading Get ready for summer reading! Books and magazines on the reading list, or even instructions for new electronic gadgets can be read by Audio Services at State Services for the Blind. Some materials may already be recorded and can be tracked down. Call Audio Services at 651-539-1422 or 1-800-652-9000.

Books Available Through library services Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The catalog is online at www.mnbtbl.org, click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books via an inter-library loan by contacting their home state’s Network Library for the National Library Service.

Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived programs, on the Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb or on handheld devices via the SERO app (iOS or Android). Call the Talking Book Library for a password to the site. To find more information about Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network events go to the Facebook site, Minnesota Radio Talking Book. Call 1-800-722-0550, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon through Fri with questions.

Audio information about the daily book listings is also on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for the NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424.

Access Press is featured on It Makes a Difference, 9 p.m. Sun. The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Many more programs and books are available.

OPPORTUNITIES

From page 11 Corps or Math Corps, individuals will be helping more than 35,000 students statewide. Reading Corps and Math Corps are statewide initiatives to help every Minnesota student become a successful reader by the end of third grade, and proficient in math by the end of eighth grade. Tutors are being sought for three different levels of commitment: 35, 25 or 18 hours a week. Tutors receive a stipend every two weeks and

Donate to the State Services for the Blind at mn.gov/deed/ssbdonate Chautauqua* Tuesday - Saturday 4 a.m.

No One Man Should Have All That Power, nonfiction by Amos Barshad, 2019. The most powerful people aren’t always our elected officials or civic leaders, but instead are the influential figures who wield control from the shadows. Read by Tom Speich.

Eight broadcasts; begins Wed, June 19.

Bookworm* Monday – Friday 11 a.m.

Late in the Day, fiction by Tessa Hadley, 2019. The 30-year bond between two couples comes apart when one of the friends dies unexpectedly. Read by Judy Woodward.

Nine broadcasts; begins Thu, June 20.

The Writer’s Voice* Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

Abandon Me, nonfiction by Melissa Febos, 2017. Author Melissa Febos writes of the bonds of love, and connections with family, lovers, heritage and oneself. Read by Holly Sylvester. Eight broadcasts; begins Wed, June 19. - S Choice Reading* Monday – Friday 4 p.m.

The Last Romantics, fiction by Tara Conklin, 2019. A famous poet tells a young fan the story of her troubled childhood, and the bond that grew between her and three siblings.

Read by Judith Johannessen. 14 broadcasts; begins Wed, June 26.

PM Report* Monday – Friday 8 p.m.

A Rage for Order, nonfiction by Robert F. Worth, 2016. Reporter Robert F. Worth can earn up to an additional $4,200 for student loans or tuition, which can be gifted to a family member if the tutor is 55 or older. Many tutors also qualify for additional benefits like free health insurance and child care assistance. Sign up soon as tutors start work in August. FFI: www.minnesotareadingcorps. org, www.minnesotamathcorps.org Help with Tapemark tournament The Tapemark golf tournament has a change in date, moving from June to Sept. 20-22 at Southview

analyzes 2011’s Arab Spring when upsurges in Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Syria heralded sweeping changes – though they were far from what the protesters intended. Read by Susan Niefeld. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, June 17.

SILVER ($150-$499)

Fred & Phyllis Benjamin (in memoriam) Marjorie Goldberg Tag & Keli Krogseng Carrie Salberg Hennepin County Library

Stephanie Cunningham Stephen Grams Sandi Lane John & Suzanne Severson Reach for Resources

Rose Adams Mel & Georgia Duncan Marjorie Huebner Gene Martinez Virginia Schwartzbauer

Lawrence B. Dunham Steve Kuntz Meysembourg Family ADA Minnesota Courage Kenny Institute Kaposia Vinland National Center

BRONZE ($75-$149)

Craig Dunn Mike Gude William & Joen Overby Sharon & Paul van Winkel

FRIEND ($50-$74)

Steve Anderson (in honor of) Nancy Eustis Beth Johnson John Marty David Sherwood-Gabrielson

Ellen Boucher Ann Griffith Monir Johnson Sue Norman Diane Sprague

Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents The Longevity Plan by Dr. John D. Day and Jane Ann Day; followed by The Compassionate Achiever by Dr. Christopher L. Kukk, both read by Beverly Burchett.

For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents The Nowhere Emporium by Ross Mackenzie, read by Mike Piscitelli.

Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver, read by Myrna Smith.

The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents Wild and Rare by Adam Regn Arvidson, read

by Andrea Bell.

Good Night Owl* Monday – Friday midnight Come With Me, fiction by Helen Schulman, 2019. Amy Reed becomes a test subject for a computer application that lets her explore past life choices she didn’t pursue. Read by Jack

All times listed are US Central Standard Time.

Abbreviations: V – Violence, L – Offensive Language, S – Sexual Situations, RE – Racial Epithets, G – Gory Depictions Open the door to education Help adults reach their educational goals and earn their GED. Tutor, teach or assist in a classroom with the Minnesota Literacy Council. Give 2-3 hours a week and help people expand their opportunities and change their lives through education. Provides training and support and accommodations for volunteers with disabilities. FFI: Allison, 651-2519110, volunteer@mnliteracy.org, http://tinyurl.com/ adult-opportunities

Country Club, West St. Paul. The event, which raises money for people with disabilities, relies on many volunteers to make the tournament a success. Spots are available for volunteers with disabilities. Be a start assistant, help with registration or do other tasks. Volunteers get a food and beverage voucher and a T-shirt. There is a dress code for volunteers, who need to be ready to help, rain or shine. FFI: Michelle Theisen, The Arc Minnesota at 952-9153670 or michelle@tapemarkgolf.org

GOLD ($500-$999) Accra Ally People Solutions Jim and Cindy Choice, Inc.

Chrestomathy, Inc. Musselman Lynn Noren IMED Mobility PAI, Inc. TSE, Inc. WACOSA

Debra Shriver Minnesota Diversified Industries Dick Van Wagner Occupational Development Center, Inc. (in honor of) Tamarack Habilitation Technologies Mark Traynor Bill & Alex Bartolic Rick & Susie Macpherson Andrea McKee Linda Wolford Companion Housing Program Just-Comfort Inc.

Minnesota Diversified Industries

Weekend Program Books

Potpourri* Monday – Friday 11 p.m.

Topgun: An American Story, nonfiction

by Dan Pedersen, 2019. On the 50th anniversary of the Topgun Naval Fighter School, its founder shares the story of how it revolutionized the art of aerial combat. Read

by Don Gerlach. 13 broadcasts; begins Mon, June 17.

SUBSCRIBE & SUPPORT Access Press *

BENEFACTOR ($1000 & up) Paul Mueller Central Minnesota Community Foundation Kay Willshire MN Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Ghita & Bill SEIU/MN Dept of Human Services Worcester Handi Medical Supply UCare The Benefity In Home Personal Care MOHR Fund MRCI Client-Directed Services

Jeff Bangsberg & Anita Boucher Dianna Krogstad Dorothy McCoy Anne Henry & Jerry Peterson Best Life Alliance Institute on Comm. Integration MN Brain Injury Alliance

Stay Up with Hugo Best, fiction by Erin Somers, 2019. Aspiring comedian June Bloom accepts a Memorial Day weekend invitation from Hugo Best, a late-night TV host she grew up idolizing. Read by Jodi Lindskog. Nine broadcasts; begins Thu, June 27. – L, S

Off the Shelf* Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

If, Then, fiction by Kate Hope Day, 2019. Four neighbors in an Oregon town come across alternate versions of themselves, as a nearby dormant volcano threatens to reawaken.

Read by Scott McKinney. Nine broadcasts; begins Tue, June 25. – L, S

for supporting Access Press

Mary Benhardus Michael Bjerkesett (in memoriam) Steven Dahl Dean Doering & Lisa Scribner Julie Huffman

After Midnight* Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m.

The Silk Road, fiction by Kathryn Davis, 2019. Eight siblings, able to read each other’s thoughts, are thrust into emotional conflict when one of them dies suddenly.

Read by Barbara Olson. Five broadcasts; begins Thu, June 20. - V

Night Journey* Monday – Friday 9 p.m.

The Current, fiction by Tim Johnston, 2019.

Two college friends leave Iowa on a winter night to travel to Minnesota. After they fend off a threat at a gas station, their car goes off the road and plunges into a river. Read by Gary Rodgers. 15 broadcasts; begins Mon, June 24. - V

Thanks to ALL OF YOU Janice Chevrette Dean Doering & Lisa Scribner Jim Gerlich Jane Larson Ronna Linroth Lynda Milne

Rossmann. 12 broadcasts; begins Mon, June 24. – L

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MOVING? Don’t miss a single Robert Burkhardt Yoshiko Dart Luther Granquist & Anita Schermer David Kangas Rachel Malone Susie Schatz Lori Schluttenhofer Hammer Residences

issue! Call/email with your address changes. Phone: 651-644-2133.

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June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6 From page 6

the final straw.

Powell paid $500 a month to lease his van, and said the company treated him fairly, giving him back his full deposit.

(Source: Pioneer Press)

Hill City facility scrutinized

A resident of a Hill City assisted living facility resident has died after being brutally beaten by a staff member, according to a state investigation. Authorities said they are close to bringing criminal charges against staff at a northern Minnesota senior home where residents were allegedly beaten, sexually assaulted and denied vital medical care.

The assisted-living facility, Chappy’s Golden Shores in Hill City, had its state license revoked in February following a far-reaching investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health. Since last fall, the agency has released a dozen separate reports alleging serious harm, including physical and sexual abuse, of residents at the now-closed facility.

Taken together, the state investigative reports span hundreds of pages and paint a disturbing portrait of conditions at a remote facility that once housed nearly 40 vulnerable residents, including people with mental and physical disabilities. In one case, a man was beaten so severely that blood poured from his head and he later died of brain injuries, the state alleged. The cases are so alarming that senior advocates have repeatedly cited them as part of a broader push for tighter regulation of assisted-living facilities, which are now unlicensed in Minnesota.

The allegations have also attracted the attention of local law enforcement officials and prosecutors. On Wednesday, Aitkin County Sheriff Dan Guida said he knows of at least five criminal investigations - “all significant in scope” - that could lead to felony and gross misdemeanor charges. He said several search warrants have already been executed.

In another report, state investigators found that management of Chappy’s violated state law by allowing residents to move back into the facility while its home care license was suspended. The facility then failed to provide appropriate care and supervision of the residents, all of whom had medical needs. One of the residents who moved back to Chappy’s had congestive heart failure, kidney disease and diabetes; the resident’s condition quickly worsened, and he had to be hospitalized. Investigators who visited the building found it in disarray, with medical supplies spread about and mold growing in urinals.

The state also documented incidents of financial exploitation.

(Source: Star Tribune)

Convicted felon involved in ADA cases

GRANTS

From page 8 offering arts opportunities and accessibility assistance for individuals and arts organizations.

The grants were awarded through a juried process.

Panelists looked at samples of the artists’ work, resumes, artist statements and project proposals for creating new work. Artists who scored highest in artistic quality and career received awards. Members of the writing and performance panel were Rebecca Dosch Brown, poet, writer and mixed media artist and staff at MNLEND and Institute on Community Integration; Mary Ellen Childs, composer, founder of the percussion ensemble CRASH and program director, McKnight Artist Fellowships for Dancers and Choreographers; Susan Haas, executive artistic director/founder, Open Eye Figure Theatre;

BUDGET

From page 1 The House had proposed a 1,000-page bill. The Senate offering was much slimmer.

In recent years the health care provider tax has provided about $700 million annually for the Health Care Access Fund. That fund keeps many programs affordable.

One interesting note is that after squabbling over the provider tax all session, the budget negotiators agreed to take money out of the Health Care Access Fund and use it for other general fund needs. That agreement means

A convicted murderer, who served 24 years behind bars, is the latest face of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuits in Minnesota. Jerald Boitnott was recently scrutinized by KMSP-TV’s investigative team, who documented him carrying his walker up ice-covered stairs to his home.

Boitnott in 2017 was the plaintiff in lawsuits against Taco Bell, Famous Dave’s, Slumberland, Wendy’s and Aldi. The lawsuits were settled for undisclosed terms and then dismissed. He is now involved in lawsuits against Chili’s, Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The lawsuits are the latest wave of litigation, which some disability rights advocates have opposed. They contend that the claims are less about access and more about making a profit.

St. Michael-based attorneys Patrick Michenfelder and Chad Throndset are working with a law firm from Pennsylvania on the lawsuits.

Boitnott is also suing the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul as he objects to heights of the parking meter pay stations. Boitnott contends the pay stations aren’t the proper height for people with disabilities. The case, which began in May in federal court, could take a year.

ADA-based lawsuits have become big business nationally. In 2018 nationally there were more than 10,000 ADA lawsuits filed in federal district court. That is a 33 percent increase over 2017.

(Source: KMSP-TV)

Guard focus is suicide prevention

The Minnesota National Guard is changing what it does to prevent suicides. It comes after a surge in deaths that made top commanders take a hard look at why they were happening.

After 12 young soldiers, all men and from all corners of Minnesota, died by suicide in less than a year-and-a-half, the Minnesota National Guard asked for help.

PFC Joel Costa was one of the soldiers. He served with the Guard in Duluth for two years. Costa died on Feb. 12, 2017.

His death shocked his family because he seemed happy.

“Basically, we got a call Saturday morning that he didn't show up for drill,” said Costa's mother, Kelly Costa-Daly.

“There was nothing necessarily out of normal, as far as we could see on the outside.”

Costa-Daly is involved with Operation 23 to Zero, which puts boots out to raise awareness about military suicides. Her son's boots were there. She said the 12 suicides, between June 2016 and October 2017.

The motto of the Minnesota National Guard is Always Ready. But, after a dozen deaths, it was ready to ask for help from the Minnesota Department of Health to prevent suicides. Epidemiologist Melissa Heinen conducted fatality reviews of all 12 deaths. She turned back the clock and looked at service records and police reports. She read obituaries and news stories.

The common perception with military suicides is the person might have done tours overseas, saw combat,

Howard Lieberman, storyteller, past Fringe Fest and Patrick’s Cabaret performer/boards; Mark Olson, staff at Institute on Community Integration, Art for All; and Pat Samples, Brooklyn Center, author, speaker, workshop presenter, advocate for creative aging Visual arts panel members were Gabrielle (Raye) Cordes, program assistant, Franconia Sculpture Park; Jenna Gustafson, administrative intern, Franconia Sculpture Park; Jenny Keight, department coordinator, education and public programs, Walker Art Center; Mary Beth Magyar, artist and teacher; Megan McClanahan, inclusion/accessibility coordinator, St. Paul JCC; Leslie Palmer-Ross, director of healthcare and art Services, Art Force; Patti J. Paulson, artist, art curator, Lipstickcar. com creator and Sarah Stowell, director, Lakeville Arts Festival.

that $784 million will be moved out of the fun over the next four years.

Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Tony Lourey observed that slightly downsizing the provider tax and being able to use those funds to provide health care for needy Minnesotans was at the heart of the HHS compromise.

“I don’t know if there was another bill where the House and Senate were further apart than on this bill,” he said.

A history of the tax appears on page 2, in this month’s History Note. A commentary on the tax is on page 4. ■

About our coverage Access Press appreciates the work of all of the groups that provided information, to help us compile our legislative summary coverage. We could not do this without you.

The Arc Minnesota, ARRM, MAMES, Minnesota Council on Disability, MOHR, NAMI Minnesota, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, the publications by the staff at the Minnesota Legislature and many others have help us to track legislative issues this session. Everyone has informed out coverage.

We give special thanks to the Minnesota Consortium for citizens with disabilities and all of its member groups.

The Tuesdays at the capitol mare very helpful for anyone wishing to follow what is happening in state government.

2019 was an incredibly busy and complex session, in large part because so many of the state’s disability advocacy groups were trying to catch up on and rectify the vetoes of previous years.

Access Press typically continues its legislative coverage as bills go into effect and 2019 will be no exception. If there is an issue you’d like us to expand upon, please contact Managing Editor Jane McClure at 651-644-2133 or jane@accesspress.org Thank you for your interest.

suffered from PTSD or had problems transitioning at home. But, that's not what the fatality review found.

Heinen found that the soldiers who died had several life stressors that piled up.

Heinen's fatality review concluded the Minnesota National Guard has plenty of support services, but soldiers are reluctant ask for help.

In late October, the Minnesota National Guard made changes. Now, more counselors attend weekend drills.

Soldiers meet in small groups to talk about mental health and wellness. Officers receive suicide intervention training.

And, National Guard leaders look at soldiers differently.

There have been no deaths by suicide since then.

(Source: KSTP-TV)

Grant focuses on autism

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have received a $3.7 million grant for a study that could lead to earlier, more accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

The university announced in May that the grant, which is from the National Institutes of Health, will go toward research focused on developing population-based risk profiles that could predict whether a child will develop autism spectrum disorder or related conditions.

Currently, the average age of autism diagnosis in Minnesota is five years old, as diagnostic techniques depend on behavioral signs, the university says. If the new research proves effective, it could lead to much earlier diagnosis and, as a result, early intervention at a time when the brain is more malleable.

In addition to the $3.7 million grant, university officials have indicated that the U of M will also be a part of a newly-announced infant brain imagining study, which could also contribute earlier detection of autism spectrum disorder.

(Source: WCCO-TV)

Veteran makes his walking goal

Less than six hours after Wahpeton, N.D., resident Jerry Meadows began walking from Bemidji to St. Cloud for a second time, the 61-year-old disabled veteran reached — and even surpassed — his initial goal of raising $5,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project. Access Press readers might recall his story from the May issue “I left Bemidji at about 8:30 in the morning, and I raised over $1,000 by 2 o’clock in the afternoon … just south of Cass Lake,” Meadows said.

Meadows made it to St. Cloud on foot on April 5 after leaving March 14 from Bemidji to raise money and awareness for the nonprofit. But the Air Force veteran did not reach his goal of $5,000 in donations, so he swore to keep walking until he raised enough money.

His initial walk raised about $4,000.

“I said after $5,000, I get to go home and take my wife with me ... but about 2:30 that afternoon, we packed up — boy, I’m so glad to go home, you have no idea,” Meadows said. He raised over $6,000 as of Thursday afternoon.

(Source: Bemidji Pioneer)

CLASSIFIEDS

REGIONAL NEWS

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Find your new home with At Home Apartments.

Call 651-224-1234 or visit AtHomeApartments. com for an apartment or town home. Equal Opportunity Housing.

Classified rates: $15 (first 18 words) and 65¢ per word thereafter. Classified ads prepaid. Mail to: Access Press, Capitol Ridge Inn Offices; 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910; St. Paul, MN 55103; Phone: 651-644-2133; Fax 651-644-2136; Email: access@accesspress.org

June 10, 2019 Volume 30, Number 6

Coverage for all.

UCare has been de-complicating health plans for people of all abilities for more than 30 years. Get started at ucare.org or call 800-707-1711 | TTY: 800-688-2534

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