Hot Weather Tips

FAQ @ DLL

Untapped Resources

The Food Support Program

by the Disability Linkage Line

Q: I need help paying my bills. Can I get some financial help?

A: Disability Linkage Line (DLL) receives numerous calls from people living on fixed incomes who struggle making ends meet during the month. Besides looking at financial resources, DLL explores other supports that help someone’s income stretch further. One such benefit, the Food Support Program, is an often untapped resource that can add money into someone’s pocket for other bills. According to a report by the Legal Services Advocacy Project (LSAP),

only 59% of Minnesotans who qualify for Food Support are actually enrolled in the program. What is Food Support?

The Food Support Program helps Minnesotans with low income get the food they need for sound nutrition and wellbalanced meals. The program is meant to provide some additional help, not meet all of someone’s food budget needs. Once enrolled, the program issues benefits electronically through what looks like a credit nesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities) and transportation concerns. They then split up into two teams to follow through on each issue. The transportation group high-

or ATM card. Food support benefits can be spent like cash in most food stores.

How Do I Know If I Qualify?

If you answer “Yes” to any of the following questions, you MAY qualify for Food Support.

·Do you and everyone who lives with you receive

Supplemental Security Income (SSI), General Assistance (GA) or Minnesota

Supplemental Aid (MSA)? ·Do you get either Transition

Year Child Care or Basic

Sliding Fee Child Care assistance? ·Do you participate in the

Diversionary Work Program

(DWP)? If you did not answer “Yes” to any of those questions, you still may qualify. To find out, get on the internet and complete the eligibility screening tool at www.foodstampsstep1.usda.gov. (Your local library usually has computers you can use.)

How do I apply?

TRIP - Cont. from p. 8

To apply for the Food Support

lighted concerns such as bus stops not always being pedestrian-friendly. Some stops do not have sidewalks and others do not have traffic control for pedestrians. The group working on MA income and asset Program, call your local county office and request an application. If you need help finding the application on-line, call DLL. Either way, you will need to complete the application and give it to your county human services office. You will also need to be interviewed and provide proof of items such as your income, assets and housing costs. If you are unable to go to your county office for an interview, you can authorize a friend or relative who is familiar with your circumstances to apply on your behalf. If you are unable to authorize someone, you can request to be interviewed over the telephone.

If you have additional questions about Food Support or other community resources, please call DLL at 1-866-3332466. DLL provides free, disability-related information and assistance for Minnesotans. ■

DLL does not endorse any particular Web site or provider. They assume no responsibility for transactions between the readers of this article and listed organizations.

standard increases focused on current MA qualifications and reasons for change.

The group members researched who their lawmakers were by using the Minnesota Legislature Web site. Participants also made phone calls to Metro Mobility to research issues such as weekend rides. The two groups practiced to-

Living Independently

Beat The Heat

by Lisa Schmidtke

Summer time in Minnesota means an end to icy sidewalks, plenty of walks (or rolls) around the lakes and HEAT. It’s about this time of year that I start getting inquiries about energy assistance and cooling vests. For the elderly and those with conditions such as MS and Spinal Cord Injury, heat is a serious topic—so let’s address it early.

To find resources for staying cool in your home, visit the Minnesota Department of Commerce Web site. In addition to energy incentives, grants and financial assistance, their Minnesota Weatherization and Field Guide provides Best Practices for Improving the Comfort, Safety, and Efficiency of Existing Homes. Their Home Energy Guide Techniques, Tactics & Tips will teach you how to cool efficiently to lower monthly energy bills and also help the environment. This guide presents a wide range of energy saving strategies, including passive cooling methods, effective use of fans, guidelines for purchasing air condition-

gether preparing what they would say when meeting with legislators.

TBI staff contacted representatives to arrange meetings. On April 12, group members met with Rep. Jean Wagenius in a State Office Building hallway during a committee break. Rep. Sandy Peterson also spoke with group members and of-

RESOURCES

Agapë Transition Services: 612-849-8811 Arctic Heat: www.arcticheatusa.com Body Cooler: www.housecalls-network.com Xcel Energy: www.xcelenergy.com Hennepin County: wwwa.co.hennepin.mn.us MN Depart. of Commerce: www.state.mn.us MN Valley Action Council: www.mnvac.org

Sr Community Services: www.seniorcommunity.org Silver Eagle: www.coolingvests.com.au

ers, and tips on efficient operation and maintenance of air conditioning equipment. If you’re a senior or low-income household living in Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca, or Watonwan counties, the Minnesota ValSilver Eagle offers cooling vests, headwear, blankets and even cooling products for ani-

ley Action Council will help you pay your energy bills. For financial assistance in Hennepin County, contact their Health, Housing and Social Services department. You can also go straight to the source. Xcel Energy provides programs to assist at-risk and special-needs households. Through the collaborative efforts of state and local agencies, low-income advocates and Xcel Energy’s Personal

fered to help organize a meeting with the Met Council and to work on transportation concerns. She told TBI group members they were the third group this session to speak with her regarding transportation and encouraged them to contact her when the session you might as well go someSenior & Disabled Citizens in

ended.

There were two rallies the same day, and the group attended both: one in the Rotunda put on by Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, and another for transportation on the Capitol steps.

The TBI group members were empowered by the process. “It took many steps to get there, but we did it,” said program heat seriously and as they said

participant Joanne Weise.

John Popko was asked if he enjoyed meeting with the legdisabilities and their care-givassume no responsibility for

islators. “Fine,” he said, and when asked if he would do it again, responded with a thumbs up.

Kris Hanson added: “You learn to hurry up and wait, and the true meaning of patience.” ■

Angela Rose is a Community Integration Service (CIS) instructor for TBI Metro Services, a division of Opportunity Partners. More information is available at Accounts department, customers can get help with bill payment problems and gain access to weatherization services for their homes. These services promote the efficient use of energy, while making energy bills more affordable.

Staying cool by holing yourself up is not an option for many. Going to the grocery store, getting prescriptions and working outside the home are necessities that can be dangerous when temperatures reach into the 90s. Let alone gardening, working outdoors or just watching a baseball game. Cooling vests have special technology sewn right into them to help the wearer stay cool for two to eight hours. mals. The Arctic Heat Cooling Vest was used by the USA Olympic Teams in Athens 2004. Body Cooler offers neck wraps, wrist bands and a stylish cooling vest option for ladies that features a calico-print fabric in soft colors.

While you’re out and about place cool! Malls, senior centers and libraries are all free and, most importantly, air conditioned. So are the public transportation vehicles. For a 2006-2007 Specialized Transportation Service Directory for the Metro Area, visit the Senior Community Services Web site.

Enjoy the summer, take the in the 70s, “Stay Cool!” ■

Lisa Schmidtke is president and founder of Housecalls Network, a directory of resources to help seniors, people with ers live independently. Housecalls Network does not endorse any particular provider. They opportunitypartners.org.

transactions between readers and listed organizations. FFI:

lisa@housecalls-network.

com, 952-221-0722, www. housecalls-network.com.

bretard with the n-word or other racial or ethnic slur of your choice. It really is that offensive. Instead of being brave and new, BNW is taking a giant step into the bad old days of the 50s.”

Marisa Wiesman, of St. Paul, tural references as a mirror of

agreed, “It hurts me deeply to hear people use the terms ‘retard’ and ‘retarded’….[It] disappoints me to see that the ‘R’ word is so carelessly and publicly used in a community as progressive and supportive to people with disabilities as the Twin Cities.” Cassie Quinlan from Massachusetts challenged the BNW’s comedic sense, writing, “Seems to me like a cheap shot - a way to have a cool, catchy title to promote your show ….” And Nora Fox Handler of Seattle suggested that BNW “...try a word that does not offend zations are interested in doing

people with disabilities and their families.”

Response from BNW

The BNW defended the title by highlighting their mission and political satire.” In reply to one of the letters, Erin Farmer, BNW’s director of marketing/audience development said, “…we sometimes use language that many consider offensive, for the purposes of satire and parody, or simply to mimic bad-taste culsociety.”

In response to another letter, Julia Schmidt, BNW’s president, indicated that they were “considering doing a community dialogue around this issue.” They have since set up a Web-based forum (BNW forum.freepowerboards.com).

Protestors noted the irony of the forum’s ground rules, which state, “… We want to make sure the discussion remains civil and productive, so please, no personal jabs at any other participants ….”

Next Steps, Local and National

Many individuals and organiof producing “original social

more to combat the rising use of the “R” word in media and society.

On May 30, representatives of ACT, the Arc of Minnesota,

NEWS - Cont. from p. 6 New Bus Routes to Courage Center Announced

As mentioned last month, Metro Transit service to the Courage Center changed as of June 2, 2007. Here are some further details about the shift: Buses marked 14 with the letter C, G, and D will now go past Courage Center from downtown. You can catch them along 7th St, but there is no pickup at Hennepin on 7th, which is a change. The bus letter designation is as follows: 14C goes past Courage Center to Noble and takes a right to the Robbinsdale transit station (42nd & Broadway); 14D passes Courage Center and onto Duluth St to Douglas (Honeywell), then North to 36th, and East to Noble onto the transit station; finally, 14G ends at the Park and Ride on Duluth and Lilac.

From the Courage Center, take either 14A or 14E, depending on how far past downtown you want to go. While ‘A’ will take you all the way to 54th and Bloomington Avenue in South Minneapolis, ‘E’ ends at 38th Street and Hiawatha. [Source: Courage Center]

‘Pillow Angel’ Surgury Illegal, Admits Hospital

Last week, the Children Hospital and Regional Medical Center admitted that they broke Washington state law three years ago by performing a hysterectomy on Ashley, a girl with severe cognitive and physical disabilities, who is now 9 years old. Her parents refer to her as their “Pillow Angel.”

“Washington law specifically prohibits the sterilization of the ICI, and the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living met to discuss a coordinated response to the BNW situation. The group recommended a three-step project. The first step will be for ACT and other groups to host a community dialogue and invite BNW staff to participate. The purpose of the dialogue will be to respectfully share views and clarify issues. The meeting will be videotaped and used for the second step: The creation of a short, educational video. The purpose of the video will be to raise challenging questions about the “R” word, but not to decide the issue for viewers. The third step will be the development of a tool kit (including the video) that community groups, schools, and churches can use to host discussions.

ing to educate schools and local media outlets about the “R” word and provide them with inclusive, “person first” language guidelines. For example, Joe Bissen, sports copy editor of the Pioneer Press and parent of a child with a disability, has been charged by the paper’s newsroom style committee to draft a proposal on reporting about people with developmental disabilities.

In recent years, groups around the country have successfully fought the use of the “R” word. Several major media outlets, including Fox network and the New York Post, have adopted policies against its use. Many states have taken action to remove the “R” word and similar offensive terms from all state laws and policy documents.

Organizers in the Twin Cities will contact counterparts around the country about working cooperatively on this issue of oppressive language, perhaps by forming something like a “Persons With Disabilities Anti-Defamation League.” Other local groups are work-

Every protestor interviewed for this article expressed hope that this controversy will lead to a positive outcome, whereby our disability community can illustrate the powerful role of language in defining and creating an accepting society. ■

minors with developmental disabilities without zealous advocacy on their behalf and court approval,” stated Mark Stroh, executive director of Washington Protection and Advocacy System, the organization which investigated the incident.

The hospital blames a miscommunication stemming from a note written by Ashley’s parents’ attorney, which indicated that a court order was not required for the operation.

“Not being lawyers, we just assumed that the opinion must have been sufficient, and that it had been reviewed by someone who would know that,” said Dr. Douglas Diekema, who served on the hospital’s ethics committee.

Despite lacking the court’s blessing, Diekema says the hospital made the right decision in performing the treatment on Ashley. “Nobody has been able to say that what we did to Ashley has harmed her,” he said.

The Washington Department of Health is investigating whether further action, if any, should be taken against the hospital or physicians. Ashley was diagnosed with severe brain damage shortly after birth. Her hysterectomy was one of a number of methods her parents have implemented to stunt her growth so they could care for her at home more easily as she grows. [Source: UCPeople, United Cerebral Palsy ]

The “R” Word Debate Online

•UPI on Fox TV banning the “R” word: www.upi.com/

NewsTrack/Entertainment/2006/03/10/fox_tv_ban

s_the_word_retarded_from_air/5070/ National Down Syndrome Society successfully petitions Fox Broadcasting to ban the use of the word “retarded” (March 2006). •The Boston Globe: www.boston.com/news/local/

massachusetts/articles/2007/03/25/lets_not_use_

words_that_wound_1174660840/ Beverly Beckham, columnist for The Boston Globe and grandmother of a child with Down syndrome, writes about the “R” word going mainstream in pop culture. •Urban Dictionary: www.urbandictionary.com/ define.php?term=celebretard Online slang dictionary created by web users which includes the term “celebretard.” Click on link for “retard” and you will find a debate on the term. •SFGate.com (San Francisco Chronicle):www.sfgate.com/

cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=3&entry_id=11735

Short editorial statement with web user comments highlighting debate over the term “celebretard.” •The BBC (UK): www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/yourspace/ worstwords/ Results of poll done by Ouch!, the BBC’s Web site for the disability community, to determine the words most offensive to their readers. •The Huffington Post: www.huffingtonpost.com/topics/ retarded Rick Cardenas of ACT sent this link highlighting various usages of the “R” word in recent news stories and online blogs.

Understanding ADHD Begins Where Traditional Literature Ends

“They Say I Have ADHD, I Say Life Sucks!”: Thoughts from Nicholas, a new book by Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers, is an insightful narrative that reveals how ADHD impacts a child’s life socially, academically, emotionally and physically.

“They Say…” is based on the author’s years of experience in meeting children who have ADHD, her own experiences as a child, and her son who has ADHD. Readers follow Nicholas and his animated clock companion through a typical day, a day in which he talks too much, loses a friend or two, forgets his homework, loses track of time, gets sent to the principal’s office and feels all-around inadequate. Ray-Byers’ writing—as informed by her own daily experience—provides readers with a close glimpse into the mind of a child who has ADHD.

Ray-Byers, a speech-language pathologist, wrote the book to inspire empathy in parents, teachers, administrators, and even psychological and neurological specialists. She also strived to demonstrate the thoughts and feelings behind many of the behaviors exhibited by children who have ADHD and to put into words what most young children can not. “They Say I Have ADHD…” is a valuable reference for anyone who works with children who have ADHD and an effective discussion piece for parents and their children. [Source: Booksurge LLC]. ■

Accessible Space, Inc. ASI

HOUSING WITH CARE

Accessible, affordable housing & supportive living options for adults with qualifying disabilities or seniors 62 & older

ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPORTIVE LIVING SERVICES* • Rent based on 30% of monthly income • A variety of supportive services are • Wheelchair accessible, 1 & 2 BR apts. available for adults with a physical • 1 BR apts. for seniors age 62 and older disability, mobility impairment, • Approved pets welcome! or traumatic brain injury, including • Locations throughout the Metro Area, 24-hour shared personal care Greater MN, and throughout the Nation attendant staff at many locations.

GREATER MINNESOTA LOCATIONS Austin • Brainerd • Champlin • Duluth • Grand Rapids • Hibbing Marshall • Rogers • Rochester • St. Cloud • Stillwater • Willmar

(651) 645-7271 or (800) 466-7722 ~ TTY/TDD (800) 627-3529 Housing Info: ext. 295 ~ Employment Info: ext. 297 (EOE/AA) Apply for housing or employment on-line: www.accessiblespace.org

Diamond Hill Townhomes

We are currently accepting applications for our waiting list at Diamond Hill Townhomes, a great property located near the Minneapolis International Airport.

We have two and three bedroom townhomes that are HUD subsidized and rent is 30% of the total household's adjusted gross income.

We have a large number of mobility impaired accessible units and we are scheduling appointments for persons in need of a mobility impaired accessible unit immediately.