www.accesspress.org History Note
Inside
“For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else.”
■ MN-CCD responds–pg 3 ■ Audit debated–pg 5 ■ Stay warm, safe–pg 8
—Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) Page 2 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Mpls. MN Permit No. 4766
Volume 20, Number 2
Minnesota’s Disability
Community Newspaper
February 10, 2009
No set district policy
St. Paul schools deny service dog in classroom by Mike Cohn
N
ewman, a Golden retriever, is trained to help Wally LaBerge, an eight-year-old boy with autism. The two have been together since May 2008. Having Newman as his service dog keeps Wally focused and calm. Victoria and Tim LaBerge, Wally’s parents, want Wally to have the best educational experience he can. However the St. Paul Public School District recently denied Newman the opportunity to do his job during the school day.
Years ago Wally’s parents realized that he had a love for dogs. After attending a seminar on service dogs that help children with autism, Victoria and Tim realized that Wally could benefit greatly with the aid of a service dog. After a year of waiting, Newman came into the household and into the St. Paul school system. But after a sixweek test last year, the LaBerge family was told that Newman wouldn’t be allowed to remain with Wally in school. St. Paul Public Schools officials said they cannot comment on specific cases, citing student privacy. But Cecelia Dodge, the school district’s director of special education, was able to speak generally about service dogs in the schools. The district has no set policy on service dogs. “We consider each request on a case-by-case basis,” she said.
Wally is just like any other kid in most respects. He likes music, helping his mother cook, playing and fighting with his brother Charlie, going to the art museum and writing short stories on his computer to share with friends and family. Before Newman came into the family home, it seemed that life revolved around Wally’s autism. Now, with Newman, going outside or into the com- In a test involving a student, munity is more enjoyable for school officials will look at factors including whether or everyone.
not a student is observed to be making progress with the help of a dog. Another issue that has to be considered is how the student and his or her service dog relate to other students. Some students may be frightened by the dog that is there to help another student.
“We love that parents and advocates come forward with ideas,” said Dodge. “Together we’re going to find things that work for their children.” She said the district always continues to look for solutions for individual students and that it would not rule out revisiting a student’s need to have a ser“Each child is so unique,” vice dog in the future. Dodge said. With special education students, each child’s Newman was trained by Heardisabilities have to be consid- ing and Service Dogs of Minered carefully. What works for nesota (HSDM). Training one child may not work for starts when dogs are puppies. another. Final training takes a few months, followed by work with Service dogs for persons with the dog handler’s family. Alan autism are a newer trend, Dodge Peters, executive director of said. It’s a trend that educators the agency, said dogs are speare watching and discussing cially trained based on the on the national level. As par- client’s needs and disability. ents and advocates for persons Fewer than half of the agency’s with disabilities learn about clients experience problems or the dogs and how they help resistance to use of a dog. Peautistic children, “it’s become ters said HSDM will intervene a bigger issue.” It is also an on behalf of its clients. The issue the schools must weigh LaBerge case is the first in carefully when Americans with which a HSDM dog was Disabilities Act (ADA) regu- trained for work at a school. lations come into play.
Wally LaBerge and Newman to focus on tasks and to help him balance while walking; all in the idea of being part of the “mainstream” community. Before Newman came into the picture, the family avoided situations that had a lot of stimulus and excitement that might have triggered an episode for Wally. This year, they were able to go to one of the state’s biggest gatherings of excitement and people, the Victoria and Tim want Wally Minnesota State Fair, with no to be included in the commu- incident, thanks to Newman. nity to the fullest extent. Newman’s job is to help Wally Denied - cont. on p. 15 It is hard for the family to understand why the St. Paul school system won’t allow Newman to aid Wally. The LaBerges don’t know specifically how many autism assistance/autism service dogs there are working with children in Minnesota public schools or how many other parents are working to have dogs in schools.
Disability community eyes devastating cuts by Jane McClure
P
roposed cuts to Minnesota’s health and human services programs would reduce spending by 15 percent over the next two years, impacting many services Minnesotans with disabilities rely on every day. Dozens of advocacy groups, self-advocates, service providers and family members are descending on the state capitol during the 2009 legislative session to argue against proposed cuts to special education, an array of supportive services, medical and dental care and other programs. Human services comprise about 28 percent of Minne-sota’s general fund, yet disability advocates note that the services have sustained 60 to 70 percent of the recent cuts made to balance the state budget. The budget
news is likely to get worse be- waited for years for services for their family members, makfore it gets better. ing countless sacrifices to pro“We were saddened to see that vide the care on their own. people with disabilities and the They now face even longer elderly didn’t crack the waits due to proposed cuts. At governor’s top five priorities, a Jan. 28 press conference at said John Tschida. He is Cour- the State Office Building, some age Center’s vice president of audience members held signs public affairs and research. with numbers on them, to sym“Human services funding is bolize those waiting for sertaking a huge hit—$1.3 bil- vice. lion in cuts. No other area of the budget comes close to this Others held signs stating, “The level of pain. This budget fails wait starts here” and “Your to acknowledge the state’s wait will be…” Arc of Minnechanging demographics and sota and Lutheran Social Serthe need for future planning.” vices, along with other members of the Minnesota CoaliOne key battleground is home tion for Citizens with Disabiliand community waivered ser- ties (MN-CCD), held the press vices for persons with devel- conference to spotlight two opmental disabilities. About bills that could help families 5,000 people are on waiting waiting for services and to lists for the community-based draw attention to the plight of services. Some families have those doing without.
“This is an extremely challenging year for individuals with disabilities,” said Jean Bender. The parent of an adult son with Down syndrome, Bender is also president of Arc of Minnesota. Bender’s son receives services but isn’t eligible for other services that would improve his life. His family had to design his program because traditional support service didn’t work. She had to resign from her job to direct her son’s care and all family members had to make sacrifices to help out also. Bender called the proposed cuts “unwise” because Minnesota will lose $1 dollar in federal matching funds for every state dollar cut in waiver services. For other families, fees are too high, following a dramatic fee increase six years ago. That forced some fami-
lies to drop services. Other families still struggle to pay the fees. Still other families have nothing at all. Steve and Maureen Hayes of Plymouth have waited for almost eight years for their son Brett to receive a Developmental Disabilities Waiver. “Brett needs help with every activity in his life—washing, showering, diapering, feeding, watching TV, walking—everything,” Steve Hayes said. “And as our son gets older and stronger, his care becomes more demanding.” As he and his wife grow older and cope with health issues of their own, they become increasingly concerned about how they will care for their 18-year-old son “Yet we are told that since Brett doesn’t come from a ‘critical’ situation, he is un-
likely to get a waiver allocation any time soon,” Hayes said. “It seems unless we prove our family situation is dysfunctional, or broken, or both of us are completely unable to care for Brett, that he will never receive the services he needs to thrive in this community,” he continued. “Brett needs to live in a group home...but that isn’t possible without a waiver. All we are asking for is some assurances that Brett’s basic needs will be met,” Hayes said. Wendy Susan, whose son has Down syndrome, described the complicated and confusing waiver program. Her family has had to carry two insurance policies to help with their son’s care because of these complications in waivered services. Overview - cont. on p. 15