July 2009 Edition - Access Press

www.accesspress.org

Inside ■ Directory of Organizations - pp 5-8 ■ Seating affects health - pg 11 ■ Family may lose home - pg 4

H i s t o r y

N o t e

“ America is more than just a country, it's an idea. An idea that's supposed to be contagious. ”

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— Bono (1960 - )

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Mpls. MN Permit No. 4766

Volume 20, Number 7

Minnesota’s Disability

Community Newspaper

July 10, 2009

Fore! Don’t let disabilities keep you off of the links

by Clarence Schadegg Golf is a sport many people with disabilities can enjoy, thanks to adaptive equipment and people dedicated to sharing their love of the game.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Sister Kenny Institute’s golf league and the 26th year of its annual golf tournament. The Sister Kenny golf league started in 1979 with about half a dozen participants; now there are 150.

This year’s tournament for people with disabilities is at the Braemar Golf Course, Edina Aug. 21. Golfers may play nine or 18 holes. Teams are put together based on handicap, golf scores averaged throughout the season.

Golfers play at Braemar and as of June, at a new league at Island Lake Golf Course in

Shoreview. “We provide lessons and adaptive equipment to participants. For people new to the game of golf, we discuss the rules of the game, etiquette and pace of play,” said Paige Safranski, coordinator of the Sister Kenny leagues and tournament. Play is at Braemar Mondays and Island Lake Thursdays.

“The nice thing about our league is that if you go on the course, you do not need to play all nine holes. Golf is not played solely on the driving range. We encourage players to go on the course even if it is for just a few holes,” Safranski said.

At the annual tournament, golfers have the option of playing nine or 18 holes.

John Valliere, general man-

ager of Braemar, understands disabilities as his father had polio. “If Sister Kenny was alive today, she would look down upon us all and probably say, “This is what I envisioned.

My life’s labor, conquering polio and moving on,” Valliere said. “Personally, I remember all the wonderful people I have met with disabilities who demonstrated such fortitude, such determination when others would have given up,” said Valliere. “I remember the hours upon hours the volunteers and staff have helped these folks recreate and doing it all with a smile When the ball became airborne—it was a precious moment. You can never take that away from my heart.”

Greg Schulze, Island Lake

Golf Course manager, said, “We were ecstatic to be involved with such a great league. This league means a lot to me. As a PGA professional and member of the Minnesota Growth of the Game Committee, it is our mission to bring the great game of golf to as many groups of people as possible. Our dream is not simply to increase the participation, but most importantly to increase the number of smiles and laughs of the league members. I hope they will continue with us as long as we are here.”

The Sister Kenny Golf Program was founded by Suzann Hagel. “We have a variety of adaptive equipment for people” said Hagel. “Whether it’s a mobility impairment, or sight impairment, we help

A Sister Kenny golfer enjoyed a day on the links. people to learn what the techniques are to be able to enjoy playing golf”.

Safranski took over the program four years ago and Hagel became her assistant. Safranski and Hagel staff both league nights. Volunteers assist with lessons, driving golf carts and tracking golf balls for individuals with visual impairments.

Observing as the golfers play, it’s easy to understand their love of the game. Wally Hinz, who golfed prior to becoming blind, has participated in the Sister Kenny league and tournaments for about 12 years. “You don’t have to see the ball to play golf. It helps, but is not necessary,” he said.

Fore! - cont. on p. 3

Unallotment completed, disability community hit again

by John Tschida More cuts are coming that will adversely affect Minnesotans with disabilities. After a bruising and divisive regular session of the 2009 Minnesota Legislature, recent ‘unallotment’ decisions made by Gov. Tim Pawlenty to balance the state budget will take millions more from disability services.

“Families and businesses are battling their way through this prolonged economic downturn by reexamining their budgets, cutting expenses, and tightening their belts. State government must do the same,” Pawlenty said at a June 16 press conference.

While the Legislature passed a balanced budget in the waning hours of the 2009 session, Pawlenty vetoed a tax proposal to balance the state books. As a result, the $2.7 billion gap remaining needs plugging. The governor decided that rather than calling a special session of the Legislature, he would use his unallotment powers to do so.

Unallotment is a process that authorizes the governor to trim state appropriations without the approval of the Legislature. Just how expansive that

authority is has been the subject of a few recent public hearings of the Legislative Advisory Commission (LAC), a panel comprised of senior members from both the House and Senate. Lawmakers have repeatedly questioned the reach of the governor in cutting certain programs, such as General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC). Tom Hanson, commissioner of the Department of Management and Budget, who serves as secretary of the LAC, has repeatedly said the administration is well within the bounds of the current statute to make the decisions that will cut another $2.7 billion from the state budget.

Democratic lawmakers vehemently disagree, saying the governor has overstepped the boundaries of his statutory authority. After a few testy exchanges June 30 between Hanson and Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher, the speaker said she would be introducing legislation in 2010 to clarify that the unallotment statute was never intended for such expansive cuts, and to “bring it in line with that of most other states.”

Most cuts affecting the disability community will hit the human services part of the budget, not unlike what happened during the 2009 session. Forced to make difficult decisions while trimming the most rapidly expanding portion of the state budget, lawmakers passed a mix of service and provider payment cuts, in some cases eliminating programs altogether.

(Please see June issue of Access Press for details.) The governor used the same strategy in unallotting additional funds, in some cases compounding the cuts to the exact same programs and providers.

PCA program hit, again Many changes were made to the personal care attendant (PCA) program that will limit the number of individuals served by the program as well as the hours direct care workers may work in a given month.

Lawmakers capped the latter at 310, and with the unallotment changes, the hours were further reduced to 275.

The state expects to save an additional $2.1 million as a result of the change, which will

be the “direct result of individuals not getting access to their authorized PCA hours,” said Anne Henry, staff attorney at the Disability Law Center, at a June 29 DHS Managed Care Advisory Committee meeting where changes to the PCA program were discussed.

Those with complex conditions requiring high daily PCA care (up to 14.5 hours) are expected to bear most of the cost savings, because multiple PCAs will be needed to serve a single individual, and hard to staff 2-4 hour night and weekend shifts likely will need to be filled to meet their remaining needs.

Provider cuts revisited Legislators slashed payments for most Medical Assistance (MA) and GAMC funded medical services by 3 percent, waivered services by 2.58 percent, and medical specialists by 5 percent. The governor will cut another 1.5 percent from medical services (which includes most rehabilitation therapies) and another 1.5 percent from specialists.

Certain exceptions will be

made, including rates for primary care and mental health services. Together these will save $9.1 million over the next two years.

Additionally, MA supplementary payments for critical access dental services were also eliminated for fiscal year 2011, which will save $6.2 million.

While cuts to provider reimbursement rates may not seem to have a direct impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities, it can have a profound effect on access to services. The dental service payments being trimmed were implemented a few years ago for the express purpose of increasing access to these often hard-to-find providers. MA, GAMC, and Minnesota Care payments have historically lagged well behind those of private insurers. The combination of cuts made by both the Legislature and governor will cause some disability service providers to either limit the number of clients they are willing to see who rely on publicly funded health insurance, or they may choose to stop accepting them entirely.

MnDHO spared, for now Over the last eight years, the Minnesota Disability Health Options (MnDHO) program has been the state’s only integrated managed care program for people with physical disabilities with the financial flexibility to coordinate both medical and long-term social services. It sustained a $4.7 million cut for the next biennium during the 2009 session.

The initial unallotment recommendations made by the governor proposed an additional $2 million cut, which threatened to close the program. Now serving 1,200 people in the metro area, about 55 percent of whom are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, the program has a high consumer satisfaction rate and very low rates of disenrollment.

Financing of the program has changed over the years, and a recent move toward risk adjustment for both medical and long-term care services (with a goal of better aligning costs of and payment for care) has been challenging. But all program partners (DHS, Cuts - cont. on p. 3

2

July 10, 2009

Tim Benjamin, Editor The Americans with Disabilities Act has its 19th anniversary this July 24th, and guess what? Access Press is 19 years old now, too. It’s always good to have this annual reminder of how the Minnesota disability movement resulted in this paper at the very same time that the ADA was born on the national front.

Many of those who were the authors and advocates of the ADA legislation are gone, but

they would be so happy to see the personal and social accomplishments that the ADA has resulted in. If you know someone who had a role in the movement back then, be sure to extend special thanks to them this month.

While the ADA anniversary is a time to celebrate, it’s also a time to recognize that many pieces of the original ADA have never been achieved, and that with funding cuts, some of our rights are being threatened.

In all human rights movements—civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights—there have been times when it seems like things have stalled. We must work to help President Obama recognize the need to create real deadlines, and to push Congress to force the enactment of all of the provisions of the ADA. President Obama had the example of his fatherin-law, Frasier Robinson, who lived and accomplished much with MS. We need to ensure that he remembers and society recognizes the contributions that people with disabilities

make in our families and our communities, when given a chance.

Right now, when funding for some of our basic needs is being taken away or decreased, we can lose excitement about our future in fear about the present. It can be hard to see how much has been accomplished by the ADA and how much our country has invested in accessibility programs for people with disabilities when they may be taking away our ability to even get out of bed.

Those of us who depend on personal care assistants and other direct support professionals for assistance in daily living are worried. If PCAs cannot make a livable wage, we won’t have the ability to participate in society, and all of this hard work and investment will have been wasted.

Our own governor’s cuts, or unallotments, to the Department of Human Services and to the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) program are already affecting my life. The agency I use is concerned about

allowing any one PCA to go over the 275-hour-per-month limit, and so it has cut schedules for PCAs. This is already decreasing the pool of available PCAs, and I’ve been training more and more people who are less qualified to understand issues of care that can endanger my health or even my life.

As just one example, I was bleeding the other day, as I could see on the PCA’s glove.

But I couldn’t see the source, and the new PCA didn’t think it significant. Neither of us knew if this was the start of a new skin wound. I’ve just had one wound close after three years of daily care by a visiting nurse. Another might mean bed rest for months.

Many direct support professionals have been able to support themselves and their families only by working double shifts, or for multiple clients.

A maximum of 275 hours per month probably pays around $3,000 per month before taxes, for about 60 hours of work per week. After taxes, it may be just enough for housing, food,

a car payment and gas. Forget health insurance, kids’ clothing, educational costs, and the occasional entertainment or vacation. So the new maximums will cause a lot of PCAs to find other jobs that will permit them to make a living. And we will lose PCAs that know our individual care routines and who can maintain our continuity of care. Many of us will end up hospitalized, and that will cost us all much more in taxes. Of course, the hospitals are getting cut too, so they won’t have the resources to take adequate care of the vulnerable people that Governor Pawlenty has forced into these situations. President Obama should sign that community service attendant act, now.

So back to our birthday.

Access Press was founded in 1990 by Charlie Smith and his family. For many years Access Press was published out of their basement. In about 1997, Charlie moved the paper to the Griggs Midway building, at the corner of University and Fairview, and we’ve been here

ever since. You’re always welcome to come in and see how we put this thing together every month. We love to see readers!

And we hope you’ll love to see our new Access Press web site at www.accesspress.org.

It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here. It’s not completely “finished” yet (is any Web site?), and we will be adding even more interactive features. You’ll be able to comment on articles; we will be posting new articles throughout the month; and you can get updates of new articles on our site through RSS feeds. You’ll even be able to get Access Press on your iPhone. There will be more access to calendars and to the Directory of Organizations. And articles won’t be limited by word count, so we can bring you more in-depth news. I encourage everyone to go to the site and see what works and doesn’t work for you. Let us know what you’d like to make it more usable!

■

History Note

Children’s needs met by opening of Faribault in 1879

by Luther Granquist Cyrus Bartlett, the Superintendent of the Minnesota Hospital for the Insane in St. Peter, complained in 1875 that probate judges had committed “idiots and young imbeciles” there for whom a mental hospital could offer no treatment.

He said these “troublesome” children were committed because there was no other place for them to go.

• In 1873, the probate judge for Meeker County sent Nels there, an eight-yearold boy who had suffered a head injury three years earlier. He was committed because he became “restless, running about from

trouble,” but with a “bright place to place without any look.” apparent object” and destroyed clothing and ev- • In 1876, the probate judge in Houston County comerything that came in his mitted Maggie, an 11-yearway. old girl from Brownsville.

• The probate judge in Otter Tail County sent nine-yearHer parents had died. She did not speak. According old Johan to St. Peter in to the Examination on July 1875 for “imbecility” Charge of Insanity form and “weakness of mind” completed by the judge, from “teething fits” and “She rushes about in a rest“convulsions” which less way all over town and caused him to be unable to makes herself an annoytake care of himself. The ance – plays quietly by herfirst entry in his one-page self.” record from St. Peter deIn a later report, Bartlett and scribed him as “restless and mischievous—in constant two members of the State motion & delights in throw- Board of Health emphasized ing things about & making that these children and others

Access Press Co-Founder/Publisher (1990-1996) .................................................. Wm. A. Smith, Jr. Co-Founder/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief (1990-2001) ....................... Charles F. Smith Board of Directors . Brigid Alseth, Mike Chevrette, Kelly Matter, Christen Munn, Anita Schermer, Carrie Selberg, Tom Squire and Kay Willshire Editor ......................................................................................................... Tim Benjamin Assistant Editor ......................................................................................... Jane McClure Business Manager ................................................................................. Dawn Frederick Cartoonist ..................................................................................................... Scott Adams Production ...................................................... Ellen Houghton at Presentation Images Webmaster ...................................................................................................... Alice Oden Distribution ......................................................................................... S. C. Distribution Advertising Sales Manager ................................................................... Raymond Yates Access Press is a monthly tabloid newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd. Circulation is 10,000, distributed the 10th of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 650 copies are mailed directly to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders. Subscriptions are available for $30/yr. Low-income, student and bulk subscriptions are available at discounted rates.

Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material does not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.

Paid advertising is available at rates ranging from $12 to $28 per column inch, depending on size and frequency of run. Classified ads are $14, plus 65 cents per word over 12 words.

Advertising and editorial deadlines are the last day of the month preceding publication, except for employment ads, which are due by the 25th.

Inquiries should be directed to: Access Press • 1821 University Ave. W. • Suite 104S St. Paul, Minnesota 55104 • 651-644-2133 • Fax 651-644-2136 Email: access@accesspress.org • Web site: www.accesspress.org

like them ought not to be there.

The Legislature responded in 1879 by appointing a commission to identify the “idiotic and feeble-minded children and youths” at St. Peter who would be “proper subjects for training and instruction” and directing the trustees of the School for the Deaf in Faribault to set up a school for them there. That commission selected Nels, Johan, Maggie and 11 other children. On July 25, 1879, 130 years ago this month, these children moved to the Minnesota Experimental School for Imbeciles in Faribault, the first special education program in Minnesota for children with cognitive limitations.

The superintendent of this school, a young doctor from Connecticut, George Henry

George H. Knight, Salisbury, Chairman of the Committee on Public Health and Safety Knight, urged the Legislature to make the program permanent, which they did in 1881.

In that session, the Legislature also appropriated funds for a larger building, the first of many buildings of what ultimately became the Faribault Regional Treatment Center. ■

Dr Knight's published Bio: Dr. Knight studied medicine in New York. and afterwards. became superintendent of the State Institute for Feeble Minded in Minnesota. In September, 1855, Dr. Knight was appointed superintendent of the Connecticut School for Imbeciles at Lakeville, CT. Dr. Knight had a high reputation in the community in which he lives and wherever he is known, as a citizen, physician and careful trainer of those whose misfortune it is to be affected with clouded or immature developed intellects.

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.part nersinpolicymaking.com

July 10, 2009

3

Unallotment: Charlie nominations due Here are the latest numbers

By Jane McClure July 1 was the day when Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s unallotment plan took effect, as the governor made $2.7 billion in cuts, shifts and changes to state spending. Unallotment, which is allowed by state law, became necessary to balance state spending after the governor and state lawmakers couldn’t agree on budget plans during the 2009 legislative session.

The cuts are expected to hit the disability community hard, in the areas of health care, medical assistance and reimbursements to hospitals. The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is among the groups continuing to discuss the cuts and the impacts they will have.

Want to know more about the impact of cuts? Go to the mnccd.org home page and look for the “2009 Legislative Session Proposed Disability Services Related Cuts” tab. It is on the upper left side of the homer page and will be updated regularly. It contains a comprehensive list of the 2009 unallotment changes, and other state law changes, that affect persons with disabilities in Minnesota.

Some programs did see changes from numbers announced in early June. County mental health grants and community services block grants used by counties to cover health and human services cuts,

CUTS Cont. from p. 1 UCare and Axis Healthcare) remain committed to its success.

More cuts to come?

The largest part of the unallotted $2.7 billion budget hole was plugged with a $1.7 billion shift in education payments, which doesn’t address the state’s long-term need for solvency. State officials admit that the current cuts do nothing to balance the books beyond the current two-year funding cycle, and that much of the current crisis was resolved with billions in onetime federal stimulus funding.

With the state and national unemployment rate continuing to rise, the demand for state service continues to increase. When the 2010 Legislature reconvenes on February 4, 2010, significant budget challenges will need to be addressed. ■ John Tschida is Vice President, Public Affairs and Research at Courage Center, Golden Valley.

took a bigger hit than originally anticipated. Other programs, including one for persons in treatment for methamphetamine addition, were spared.

Overall, health and human services were cut more than $200 million in 2010-2011, affecting numerous programs.

For example, personal care attendant (PCA) services took a $25 million cut. Limits to hours of work for PCA, cuts to those eligible for service and other changes will be felt. A $61.693 million cut will be felt in longterm community support services. Much of this money is matched by federal Medicaid dollars so that match is in jeopardy.

General Assistance Medical Coverage (GAMC) will end on March 1, 2010, affecting many people and the institutions that care for them. Suspension of development disability waiver allocations,

FORE! -

elimination of chemical depending grants for some counties, elimination of emergency grants for low-income and disabled individuals, and reductions in dental care, occupational therapy, physical; therapy and speech therapy will also have an impact.

Unfortunately, the state may not be out of the woods yet. In a letter sent to state lawmakers in late June. State Office of Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson said that the “imminent unallotment and administrative actions are not taken lightly.”

And he warned that the state could be facing even greater deficits in the future. A $2.7 billion gap between anticipated revenues and expenditures for the next budget cycle could be followed in fiscal 2012-13 by a larger deficit of $4.426 billion. ■ Jane McClure is assistant editor of Access Press.

Access Press and its board of directors are seeking nomination for the 2009 Charlie Award. The award honors the late Charlie Smith, founding editor of Access Press. The award is given people or organizations that provide exceptional service to Minnesota’s disability community.

The award is presented at the annual Access Press banquet, which is a popular social event for the disability community. The banquet has been held since 2004 and grows in numbers each year. Growth in banquet attendance means this year’s event is at a new, larger location. The 2009 banquet will be on November 6 and held at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott, 2020 E. American Blvd, Bloomington, MN. Reservation forms will be online and in the newspaper in the weeks ahead.

The Access Press banquet is not only a time to honor those who serve the disability community and to mark past accomplishments; it is also a time to look ahead to the future.

Charlie Smith Award nominations are due Monday, Aug. 31 at the Access Press office.

A copy of the form appears on page 8 of this issue. Otherwise, get forms online or by stopping by the Access Press office at 1821 University Av., Suite 104, St. Paul, MN 55104.

Request a form by sending an email to dawn@accesspress. org or by calling 651-6442133. Access Press can provide assistance in filling out the forms.

Past winners of the Charlie Smith Award are: 2008: Pete Feigal, Co-Founder of Tilting at Windmills 2007: Jim and Claudia Carlisle, People Enhancing People 2006: John Smith, University of MN 2005: Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MN-CCD) 2004: Rick Cardenas, Co-Director of Advocating Change Together (ACT) 2003: Margot Imdieke Cross, Minnesota State Council on Disabilities

You can remain anonymous when nominating someone for the award. But you need to submit your name and contact information so Access Press may contact you if there are any questions about your nomination.

This year’s banquet has a new feature—a silent auction and raffle benefiting Access Press. Many nice prizes, including events tickets, artwork, goods and services, have been received. More donations would be appreciated.

Why not use the silent auction and raffle to spotlight your business or group? Donors will receive publicity on the new Access Press Web site and in pre-event publicity. Proceeds from this event benefit Access Press and will be used to sustain newspaper operations.

For questions about the silent auction and raffle, contact Dawn at 651-644-2133 or dawn@accesspress.org ■

Cont. from p. 1

Terry Glarner, who was paired up with Hinz at the 2008 Sister Kenny tournament, said, “So Wally can get a feel for the distance, we walk off the distance. Seven paces, my pace is about a yard. He knows its 21 feet, for example. Or three feet.

And then he adjusts how hard he hits the ball.”

If a golfer uses a wheelchair, Braemar Golf Course has single-person golf carts that are designed for golf. The

course has single-rider golf carts, which are designed for somebody with a mobility impairment to sit on and play an entire round of golf. James Dodge uses a wheelchair because of his mobility impairment. “I had been a golfer when I was able-bodied, golfed a lot.” Now Dodge uses a battery-charged electric cart he drives across the golf course.

The cart is about four feet long and two feet wide. The cart

stays charged enough for eight off of the back if you want, it’s league can contact Safranski at hours. “It has a single-person a 360 rotation.”

612-863-5712 ext 2 or paige. rider. It has a long swivel seat Anyone interested in golfing safranski@allina. com ■ you swing off of one side. The or volunteering with the golf seatbelt holds you in place.

You don’t fall off. It’s designed to go anywhere on the green. It opens up a whole world of opportunities for people who can’t stand,” said Dodge. “The one I have has a little lift onto the seat. The swivel seat holds you upright…you can swivel all the way around and swing

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.

To schedule an appointment please call (612) 726-9341.

4

July 10, 2009

Regional news in review . . .

Family may lose accessible home

Minnesota Senior Federation dissolves

are still underway to see if there are other nonprofits that want to assume other elder advocacy functions. “There definitely will be a vacuum with the Senior Federation gone,” said Jean Wood, executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging.

Here is an update on MSF programs that have found new homes: • Senior Partners Care: Under the program, about 1,700 lowand moderate-income people on Medicare get care from doctors and hospitals that agree to take Medicare as total payment with no co-pay or deductible. It will be transferred

by July 1 to Volunteers of America of Minnesota, a broadbased human services agency (612-617-7817).

• Health Care Choices for Minnesotans on Medicare: The annual publication is the only one that lists all Medicarerelated health insurance plans for older and disabled Minnesotans. It will be published this fall by the governor-appointed Minnesota Board on Aging.

• Upper Midwest Pension Rights Project: It provides free pension education, counseling and claims assistance, and is provided with Iowa and Wisconsin groups. It will be taken over Aug. 1 by the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging.

• Senior Rx Care, an Internet link to Canadian and U.S. pharmacies for low-cost drugs, at online at www.seniorrxcare.com or by phone at 1-877-828-7555.

HealthPartners dental insurance plan will continue, but without the 10 percent discount for members (1-877-8384949). AAA will continue to honor MSF discounts for membership and insurance (1-888-765-2554). [Source: Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Minnesota Senior Federation]

It’s official: The 9,000-member Minnesota Senior Federation has voted to dissolve, citing increased debt and declining membership. Members voted in June to make the dissolution official. It was to go into effect July 1. The 37-year-old agency, once considered a national leader in senior advocacy efforts, is about $200,000 in debt.

MSF officials have been working with MAP for Nonprofits to transfer many Federation programs to other groups. Talks

One of the men involved in an attack against a developmentally disabled Lakeville man was sentenced in June in Dakota County District Court. John Maxwell Maniglia, 20, pleaded guilty in April to kidnapping and violently beating Lakeville resident Justin Hamilton. Maniglia will serve 96 months in prison.

A family that was given an accessible home in Ramsey is losing that home to foreclosure. The Barb and Larry Arends family has three children with disabilities and won the house in a contest two years ago. But the family found out this spring that the property is in foreclosure and was set for sheriff’s sale in late June.

The organization that sponsored the contest, the now-defunct Independent Luxury Benefit Fund, has blamed the mess on the housing market collapse. It also cites the Arends’ own financial situation. But the Arends are objecting and the City of Ramsey, which helped promote the Hope House contest, has filed a complaint with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.

More than 60 businesses donated items for the house and schools helped locate eligible families. Under the original agreement the benefit fund founder was to hold the house’s mortgage in trust for 10 years. Then the house would belong to the family. The family was responsible to pay taxes, utilities and home insurance. One aspect of the dispute is over what expenses and how the much the Arends family was to be paying.

The Arends family is also saying they didn’t know the house had a mortgage when they moved in. The fund organizers are now saying the Arends family is welcome to pay the mortgage on its own. Otherwise, the property goes back to the bank.

[Source: Star Tribune]

Assailant sentenced to 96 months

The attack occurred over a period of two nights in October 2008 in a rural area of southern Dakota County. Hamilton was beaten with sticks, burned and kicked.

“We are pleased that this defendant has been held responsible for his actions in this violent kidnapping and assault,” Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom stated in a press release. The crime drew widespread attention and prompted an outpouring of support for Hamilton, who suffered permanent physical and emotional injuries.

Maniglia was one of four people charged in the assault. The assault was provoked by Maniglia’s then-girlfriend, who falsely claimed that Hamilton had assaulted her.

Four others were charged in the crimes. One, 16-year-old Natasha Dahn, whose false claims of assault by Hamilton led to the violence, was sentenced in juvenile court in November.

One more trial in the matter will be held this month. The jury trial for Jonathan Michael Diepold, 22, of Northfield, also charged in the assaults, is scheduled for July 22. Glen Richard Ries, 34 Northfield, and Timothy John Ketterling, 22, Prior Lake, had pre-trial proceedings in June.

[Source: Northfield News]

Radio Talking Book radios delayed New radios that are to be provided through State Services for the Blind, through the Radio Talking Book Program, have been delayed, the state agency announced in June. The radios are needed to listen to programming provided through the state program.

The radio suppliers have recently identified a problem with parts for the new units. Work is underway to fix those problems.

The radios were to have been delivered earlier this year. Now deliver is projected for late September.

Access Press publishes highlights of each month’s Radio Talking Book schedule. The newspaper is featured in its news programming.

Anyone with questions can contact State Services for the Blind at www.mnssb.org or 651-642-0885 or 1-800-652-9000.

[Source: State Services for the Blind] ■

July 10, 2009

5

Directory of Organizations Minnesota’s Disability Community Newspaper VOICE LINE ADVOCACY

Advocating Change Together (ACT) V-651-641-0297 Arc Greater Twin Cities V-952-920-0855 Arc of Minnesota V-651-523-0823x115 Assoc. of Residential Resources in MN V-651-291-1086 Courage Center V-763-588-0811 Hearing Loss Assoc. of America (HLAATC) V-763-537-7558 MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities V-651-523-0829x112 MN Developmental Achievement-Center Assoc V-651-647-9200 Telephone Equipment Distribution Program V-651-297-1507 (MN Dept. of Human Services) TF-800-657-3663

ASSISTED-LIVING PROGRAMS Dungarvin, Inc. — Minnesota

COMMUNITY LIVING

Cooperating Community Programs DeafBlind Services Minnesota Dungarvin, Inc. — Minnesota Howry Residential Services Mary T. Inc. Metro Work Center, Inc. Opportunity Partners Reach for Resources S MN Independ. Living Enterprises/Services

V-612-378-2742 V-763-588-0811 V-651-641-0491 V-612-869-3995

TTY-800-669-6442 TTY-763-520-0245 F-651-645-2780 V-651-457-4756

www.braininjurymn.org www.CourageCenter.org www.tandemresidential.com www.opportunitypartners.org

V/TTY-763-479-3555

F-763-479-2605

www.vinlandcenter.org

V-651-917-8322 V-612-362-8454 V-651-699-6050 V-651-917-9111x204 V-763-754-2505 V/TTY-612-729-7381 V-952-938-5511 V-952-988-4177 V/TTY-507-345-7139

F-651-917-8311 TTY-612-362-8422 TTY-651-695-5802 F-651-917-1018 TF-888-255-6400 F-612-729-7382 TTY-952-930-4293 F-952-988-6728 TF-888-676-6498

www.theccpinc.com www.dbsm.org www.dungarvin.com www.howryinc.com www.marytinc.com www.metroworkcenter.org www.opportunitypartners.org www.reachforresources.org www.smilescil.org

V-651-209-3350 V-612-362-4437

F-651-641-8623

www.ccpcdcs.com www.cipmn.org

V-651-748-7436 V-612-752-8100 V-218-722-9700 V-320-259-5717 V-612-331-4584

V-507-494-0905 TTY-612-752-8019

V-320-529-6500x6271 www.mrc-mn.org www.mrc-mn.org www.mrc-mn.org www.upstreamarts.org

CCP Self Directed Services Community Involvement Programs

EDUCATION

Community Education Network on Disabilities Minnesota Resource Center Minnesota Resource Center - Duluth Minnesota Resource Center – St. Cloud Upstream Arts

Assistive Technology of Minnesota CCP Works! (Cooperating Community Prog.)

Community Connections Partnership Community Involvement Programs Cooperating Community Programs Courage Center East Suburban Resources Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota

F-651-523-0829 F-651-647-9353 F-651-251-6388 TTY-866-206-6555

www.selfadvocacy.org www.arcgreatertwincities.org www.thearcofminnesota.org www.arrm.org www.CourageCenter.org www.hlaatc.org www.mnccd.org www.mndaca.org www.tedprogram.org

www.dungarvin.com

CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS

EMPLOYMENT/VOCATION

TF-800-641-0059 F-952-920-1480 TF-800-582-5256 TTY-800-551-2211 TTY-763-520-0245

E-MAIL/WEB SITE

TTY-651-695-5802

Brain Injury Association of Minnesota Courage Center Tandem Residential TBI Metro Services — Richfield & W. St. Paul

Vinland National Center

www.accesspress.org

V-651-699-6050

BRAIN INJURY

CHEMICAL HEALTH

•

SECOND LINE

V-763-479-8239 V-763-540-6833x305 V-763-540-6833x302 V-952-851-6181 V-651-917-8322 V-763-588-0811 V-651-351-0190 V-651-379-5800

F-480-393-5587

Computerized Desktop Publishing: Advertisements Brochures Catalogs Flyers Logos Newsletters Newspapers and More!

Ellen Houghton • 952-404-9981 presentationimages@comcast.net

TF-866-535-8239 www.atmn.org F-651-917-8311 www.theccpinc.com www.communityconnectionspartnership.org V-952-851-6193 www.cipmn.org F-651-641-8623 www.theccpinc.com TTY-763-520-0245 www.CourageCenter.org www.esrworks.org F-651-379-5803 www.goodwilleasterseals.org

Directory of Organizations - cont. on next page

BDC Management Co. is now accepting applications for our waiting lists at the following affordable communities Albright Townhomes Buffalo Court Apartments Elliot Park Apartments Evergreen Apartments Franklin Lane Apartments Hanover Townhomes Lincoln Place Apartments Olson Towne Homes Prairie Meadows Talmage Green Trinity Apartments Unity Place Vadnais Highlands Willow Apartments Woodland Court Apartments

Minneapolis Buffalo Minneapolis Hutchinson Anoka St. Paul Mahtomedi Minneapolis Eden Prairie Minneapolis Minneapolis Brooklyn Center Vadnais Heights Little Falls Park Rapids

(612) 824-6665 (763) 684-1907 (612) 338-3106 1-800-661-2501 (763) 427-7650 (651) 292-8497 (651) 653-0640 (612) 377-9015 (952) 941-5544 (612) 623-0247 (612) 721-2252 (763) 560-7563 (651) 653-0640 (320) 632-0980 1-888-332-9312

1 BR 2 BR 2 BR 1 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 BR 2 BR 1 BR 2 & 3 BR 2 BR 1 BR (sr) 2 BR 3 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 BR

(Please call each individual site for specific building information.

All listings are accessible.)

6

July 10, 2009

Dir ector y of Or ganiza tions Director ectory Org anizations Minnesota’s Disability Community Newspaper VOICE LINE EMPLOYMENT/VOCATION (continued)

Kaposia Inc. V/TTY-651-224-6974 Lifetrack Resources — Minneapolis V-612-788-8855 Lifetrack Resources — St. Paul V-651-227-8471 Lifeworks Services, Inc. TF-866-454-2732 Merrick, Inc. V-651-789-6231 Metro Work Center, Inc. V/TTY-612-729-7381 Midway Training Services V-651-641-0709 Midwest Special Services, Inc. V-651-778-1000 Minnesota Diversified Industries V-651-999-8200 Minnesota Resource Center V-612-752-8102 Minnesota Work Incentives Connection V-651-632-5113 Opportunity Partners V-952-938-5511 ProAct Inc. V-651-686-0405 ProAct – Red Wing V-651-388-7108 Rise, Inc. V/TTY-763-786-8334 TBI Metro Services — Richfield & W. St. Paul V-612-869-3995 TSE, Inc. V-651-489-2595 University of Minnesota Disability Services V-612-626-1333

GOVERNMENT

MN Gov. Council on Developmental Disabilities V-651-296-4018 Minnesota State Council on Disability V/TTY-651-361-7800 Social Security Admin. & St. Paul PASS Cadre V-651-290-0054 Telephone Equipment Distribution Program V-651-297-1507 (MN Dept. of Human Services) TF-800-657-3663

HEALTH CARE PLANS Cornerstone Solutions UCare

HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES Dungarvin, Inc. — Minnesota In Home Personal Care Mary T. Inc.

Directory of Organizations - cont. on next page

www.accesspress.org

F-651-224-7249 F-612-788-8577 TTY-651-227-3779 TTY-651-365-3736 F-651-789-9960 F-612-729-7382 F-651-641-0976 F-651-999-8242 TTY-612-752-8019 TF-800-976-6728 TTY-952-930-4293 F-651-686-0312 F-651-388-9223 F-763-786-0008 V-651-457-4756 F-651-489-0410 F-612-625-5572

TF-877-348-0505 TTY-800-945-8913 F-651-290-3811 F-651-251-6388 TTY-866-206-6555

E-MAIL/WEB SITE www.kaposia.com www.lifetrackresources.org www.lifetrackresources.org www.lifeworks.org www.merrickinc.org www.metroworkcenter.org www.midwaytraining.org www.mwsservices.org www.mdi.org www.mrc-mn.org www.mnworkincentives.com www.opportunitypartners.org www.proactinc.org www.proactinc.org www.rise.org www.opportunitypartners.org www.tse-inc.org http://ds.umn.edu

www.mncdd.org www.disability.state.mn.us www.socialsecurity.gov www.tedprogram.org

TF-866-601-8962 V-800-707-1711

TTY-800-627-3529 www.cornerstone-solutions.org TTY-800-688-2534 www.ucare.org

V-651-699-6050 V-763-546-1000 V-763-754-2505

TTY-651-695-5802 www.dungarvin.com F-763-546-1018 www.inhomepersonalcare.com TF-888-255-6400 www.marytinc.com

HOUSING— CONSTRUCTION/REMODELING Accessibility Design Accessible Homes, LLC. Equal Access Homes, Inc. Susan Lasoff & Associates

•

SECOND LINE

V-952-925-0301 V-612-978-1054 V-651-249-7751 V-612-872-7520

F-952-926-7712 F-651-554-3085 F-651-450-1330 F-612.338.2801

www.accessibilitydesign.com www.accessiblehomesllc.net www.EqualAccessHomes.com

July 10, 2009

Dir ector y of Or ganiza tions Director ectory Org anizations Minnesota’s Disability Community Newspaper VOICE LINE HOUSING — RENTAL

Accessible Space, Inc. HousingLink Mary T. Inc. National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc www.nhhiaccessiblehousing.com

V-651-645-7271 V-612-522-2500 V-763-754-2505 V-651-639-9799

www.accesspress.org

SECOND LINE

E-MAIL/WEB SITE

TTY-800-466-7722 F-612-521-1577 TF-888-255-6400 F-651-639-9699

www.accessiblespace.org www.housinglink.org www.marytinc.com

V-651-603-2015 V-952-920-0855 V-763-479-8239 V/TTY-651-361-7800 V-952-838-9000 V-651-646-7588

TF-888-630-9793 F-952-920-1480 TF-866-535-8239 TTY-800-945-8913 TTY-952-838-0190 TF-877-528-5678

www.adaminnesota.org www.arcgreatertwincities.org www.atmn.org www.disability.state.mn.us www.pacer.org www.ucpmn.org

V-612-334-5970

TF-800-292-4150

www.mndlc.org

INFORMATION AND REFERRAL RESOURCES ADA Minnesota Arc Greater Twin Cities Assistive Technology of Minnesota Minnesota State Council on Disability PACER Center, Inc. United Cerebral Palsy of MN

•

LEGAL

MN Disability Law Center

Tamarack Habilitation Technology

V-763-795-0057

TF-866-795-0057

www.tamarackhti.com

Community Involvement Programs V-612-362-4434 Courage Center V-763-588-0811 Healthy Life Coaching (HLC) V/F-320-963-5976 Howry Residential Services V-651-917-9111x204 Lifetrack Resources — St. Paul V-651-227-8471 People Inc. Epilepsy & Mental Health Services V-651-338-9035

V-612-362-4452 TTY-763-520-0245 M-612-998-6452 F-651-917-1018 TTY-651-227-3779 TTY-651-338-1160

www.cipmn.org www.CourageCenter.org www.healthsangels.com www.howryinc.com www.lifetrackresources.org www.peopleincorporated.org

TTY-763-520-0245

www.CourageCenter.org

MENTAL HEALTH

PHYSICIANS Courage Center

V-763-588-0811

RECREATION — ADAPTIVE HOBBY/EXERCISE/SPORTS/ARTS V-763-588-0811 V-651-389-9312 V/TTY-612-332-3888

RECREATION — TRAVEL/CAMPING Camp Winnebago Friendship Ventures Ventures Travel, LLC Wilderness Inquiry

V-507-724-2351 V-952-852-0101 V-952-852-0107 V-612-676-9400

TTY-763-520-0245 F-651-639-1088 TF-800-801-3883

www.CourageCenter.org www.2008msyoucandoit.org www.vsaartsmn.org

F-507-724-3786 TF-800-450-8376 TF-866-692-7400 TF-800-728-0719

www.campwinnebago.org www.friendshipventures.org www.venturestravel.org www.wildernessinquiry.org

REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY THERAPISTS) Courage Center Courage Center – Burnsville Courage Center – Forest Lake Courage Center – St. Croix DeafBlind Services Minnesota Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare In Home Personal Care Lifetrack Resources — St. Paul Telephone Equipment Distribution Program (MN Dept. of Human Services)

V-763-588-0811 V-952-898-5700 V-651-464-5235 V-651-439-8283 V-612-362-8454 V-651-291-2848 V-763-546-1000 V-651-227-8471 V-651-297-1507 TF-800-657-3663

RESIDENTIAL/GROUP HOME PROGRAMS

Capstone Services, LLC V-651-645-0042 Community Involvement Programs V-612-362-4403 CCP – Home Based Support V-651-917-8322 Dungarvin, Inc. — Minnesota V-651-699-6050 Fraser V-612-861-1688 Howry Residential Services V-651-917-9111x204 Mary T. Inc. V-763-754-2505 Opportunity Partners V-952-938-5511 People Inc. Epilepsy & Mental Health Services V-651-338-9035 Phoenix Residence V-651-227-7655 Restart Inc. V-763-588-7633

SERVICE DOGS

Hearing and Service Dogs of MN Helping Paws, Inc.

TTY-763-520-0245

www.CourageCenter.org

TTY-612-362-8422 www.dbsm.org TF-800-719-4040 www.gillettechildrens.org F-763-546-1018 www.inhomepersonalcare.com TTY-651-227-3779 www.lifetrackresources.org F-651-251-6388 www.tedprogram.org TTY-866-206-6555

F-651-645-2780 V-612-362-4417 F-651-641-8623 TTY-651-695-5802 F-612-861-6050 F-651-917-1018 TF-888-255-6400 TTY-952-930-4293 TTY-651-338-1160 F-651-227-6847 F-763-588-7613

www.capstoneservices.net www.cipmn.org www.theccpinc.com www.dungarvin.com www.fraser.org www.howryinc.com www.marytinc.com www.opportunitypartners.org www.peopleincorporated.org www.phoenixresidence.org www.restartincmn.org

V-612-729-5986 F/TTY-612-729-5914 V-952-988-9359 F-952-988-9296

www.hsdm.org www.helpingpaws.org

Directory of Organizations - cont. on next page

Serving Adults and Children with Long-Term Needs since 1991 Services: Personal Care Assistants (PCA)  Home Health Aides (HHA)  Live-ins  PCA and PCA Choice Provider We accept:  Medical Assistance  AXIS/UCare  Waivered Services  Private Insurance 

Contact us TODAY to reserve this space!

651-644-2133 or

MEDICAL SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT

Courage Center Miss You Can Do It Pageant VSA arts of Minnesota

Want to be seen on potential clients' tables for 3 months at a time?

IN HOME

PERSONAL CARE

8441 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 130 Golden Valley, MN 55426

763-546-1000

www.inhomepersonalcare.com

advertising@accesspress.org

7

8

July 10, 2009

Dir ector y of Or ganiza tions Director ectory Org anizations 2009 CHARLIE SMITH AWARD NOMINATION DEADLINE: 8/31/2009 In honor of founding editor Charlie Smith’s accomplishments, Access Press seeks nominations for this annual award to recognize individuals or groups that demonstrate an exceptional degree of commitment to the disability community.

2009 Nomination Criteria Networking: Achieving, promoting and increasing communication among groups.

Achievement: Enriching the personal, social and economic lives of persons with disabilities in order to overcome barriers and build healthier communities.

Leadership: Improving the lives of others by helping lead the effort to eliminate attitudinal, social, economic and/or physical barriers for persons with disabilities.

Nomination forms are on the NEW Access Press Web site at www.accesspress.org, or call 651-644-2133.

Charlie Smith made a difference.

Others do too. Nominate them!

Minnesota’s Disability Community Newspaper VOICE LINE SOCIAL SERVICES Restart Inc.

TECHNOLOGY

Assistive Technology of Minnesota Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare PACER Center, Inc. STAR Program Tamarack Habilitation Technology Telephone Equipment Distribution Program

V-763-588-7633

V-763-479-8239 V-651-291-2848 V-952-838-9000 V-651-201-2640 V-763-795-0057 V-651-297-1507

VISION IMPAIRMENT Vision Loss Resources

www.accesspress.org

SECOND LINE

E-MAIL/WEB SITE

F-763-588-7613

www.restartincmn.org

TF-866-535-8239 www.atmn.org TF-800-719-4040 www.gillettechildrens.org TTY-952-838-0190 www.pacer.org TF-888-234-1267 www.starprogram.state.mn.us TF-866-795-0057 www.tamarackhti.com TTY-866-206-6555 www.tedprogram.org

TRANSPORTATION — RENTAL/SALES/MODIFICATION IMED Mobility

•

V-651-635-0655

TF-800-788-7479

www.imedmobility.com

V-612-871-2222

F-612-872-0189

www.visionlossresources.org

A GREA T RESOURCE! GREAT

Dir ectAbility.com DirectAbility is a comprehensive, ever-expanding, award-winning, Internet directory devoted to disability-related products, services, resources and information throughout the state. Online at www.directability.com.

Link up with us. Join in on discussions Donate to Minnesota’s disability community newspaper

Kent’s Accounting Service, LLC Kent Fordyce 612-889-2959 • fordyce6@aol.com Fax: 952-472-1458 6371 Bartlett Blvd, Mound, MN 55364 Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 & 2005

www.facebook.com Facebook is a free social networking Web site that allows people to connect with friends, share ideas and support issues and causes. Sign up and search for Access Press

July 10, 2009

9

Accessible performances The following performances will be Audio Described (AD) for people who are blind or have low vision, or interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Selected performances offer reduced admission prices for the patron and one companion. When calling a box office, confirm the service (ASL or AD), date, time, ticket price and anything else needed, e.g. length of performance, etc. If you attend a show, please share your feedback with the performing organization, interpreter, and VSA arts of Minnesota.

Accessible performance information is compiled by VSA arts of Minnesota, 612-332-3888 or www.vsaartsmn.org

See www.accesspress.org for complete listing and for Accessible Movie Theaters Grease July 10-26 Mounds View Community Theatre at Irondale H.S., 2425 Long Lake Rd, New Brighton.

ASL: Sat., July 18, 2 p.m. on request at least two weeks in advance. Tix: Reduced to $9; (reg. $16, $12 senior (65+) & student, $8 children 10 and under); Phone: 651-638-2139; E-mail: goseemvct@aol.com Web: www.mvct.org Flower Drum Song: Through July 12 Mu Performing Arts at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, McKnight Theatre, 345 Washington, St. Paul. AD: Sat., July 11, 2 p.m. Tix: $24-27; Phone: 651-224-4222, TTY 651-2823099 Web: www.muperform ingarts.org or www.ordway. org/accessibility/ The Wiz July 15 - August 2 Trollwood Performing Arts School at IMAGINE Theatre, 801 50th Ave SW, Moorhead.

AD: Fri., July 17, 8:30 p.m.

ASL: Fri., July 24, 8:30 p.m.

Tix: $11-25; Phone: 218-4776502 or 477-6500; E-mail: Trollwood@fargo.k12.nd.us Web: www.trollwood.org The Music Man July 16-19 Stillwater Community Theatre at Stillwater Area H.S., 5701 Stillwater Blvd. N. ASL: Sun., July 19, 2 p.m. Tix: $12; senior $7, student/child $5. Web: http://ce.stillwater.k12.mn. us/Community_Theatre.html

Once Upon a Mattress July 23 - August 8 Off Broadway Musical Theatre at New Hope Outdoor Theatre, 4401 Xylon Ave. N., New Hope. ASL: Fri., July 31, 9 p.m. (Aug. 1 rain make-up) Tix: Free; Phone: 763-5315151; TTY 763-531-5109; Email: srader@ci.new-hope. mn.us Web: www.ci.newhope.mn.us

sity Performing Arts Center, Johnson & 10 th (Howard) streets. ASL: Sun., July 19, 4:30 p.m. Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $20-30); Phone: 507474-7900, at Festival office, 79 E. 3rd St. in downtown Winona or on Web: www. grsf.org

Meet Me in St. Louis Through July 26 Lyric Arts Company of Anoka, 420 E. Main St. ASL: Sat., ADA Celebration: July 11, 7:30 p.m. (request at 19th Anniversary least one week before openJuly 24 ing) Tix: Reduced to $13 (reg.

Annual celebration of the $16-20); Phone: 763-422Americans with Disabilities 1838 Web: www.lyricarts.org Act. Janet Peters talks on accessible Web sites, and Jamie The Musical of Musicals Taylor talks on Accessible Through July 26 Technology Standards. Re- Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 freshments & performance at Civic Center Drive SE. ASL: MN Dept of Health, Missis- Sat., July 11, 8 p.m. Tix: $22, sippi Room, 1645 Energy Park $19 senior (65+), $12 student Drive, St. Paul. ASL: Fri., July (25 & under); Phone: 50724, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (Request 282-8481 Web: www.roches

by July 17) Tix: Free; RSVP. tercivictheatre.org/ Phone: 651-361-7800 or 800Seussical 945-8913 v/tty. Web: www.

Through July 26 adaminnesota.org Cross Community Players at Maple Grove Sr H.S., 9800 The Skin of Our Teeth Fernbrook Lane N., Maple Through July 25 Girl Friday Productions at Grove. ASL: Fri., July 17, 7:30 Mpls. Theatre Garage, 711 W. p.m. AD: Fri., July 24, 7:30 Franklin Ave. AD: Fri., July p.m. Tix: Half price for ASL 10, 7:30 p.m. Tix: Reduced to patrons (reg. $16, $14 senior$15 (reg. $15-20); Phone: 62+, $10 student/child); AD 612-729-1071; E-mail: info@ patrons will receive 2 compligirlFri.productions.org Web: mentary tickets for July 24 if www.girlFri.productions.org you call the messageline by July 20. Phone: 763-391The Tempest 2787; E-mail: mail@cross Through July 25 players.org Web: www.cross Great River Shakespeare Fes- players.org tival at Winona State University Performing Arts Center, Johnson & 10th (Howard) streets. ASL: Sun., July 12, 4:30 p.m. Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $20-30); Phone: 507474-7900, at Festival office, 79 E. 3rd St. in downtown Winona or on Web: www.grsf.org

The Wizard of Oz Through July 19 Applause Community Theatre at Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965HolyokeAve.ASL:Thurs., July 16, 7 p.m. Tix: $13; senior/student $11; Reduced price available; Phone: 952217-9534; E-mail: sabinceo Love’s Labour’s Lost @gmail.com. Web: www.ap Through July 26 plausecommunitytheatre.com Great River Shakespeare Festival at Winona State Univer-

Full lives for people with disabilities

Substance abuse treatment

for adults with cognitive disabilities Comprehensive program characterized by adaptation to learning styles, ‘whole person’ health and well-being approach to recovery, and slower-pace with frequent repetition.

Residential and outpatient services available.

Phone/TDD 763.479.3555 www.vinlandcenter.org

Minnesota Fringe Festival July 30 - August 9 Audio Described and ASLinterpreted shows to be announced in July. Phone: 612872-1212. Web: http:// www.fringefestival.org

Fri., July 31, 7:30 p.m. ASL: Fri., Aug. 7, 7:30 p.m.; Thurs., Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. Captioning: Fri., Aug. 21, 7:30 p.m. Tix: Reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for captioning users (reg. $18-34); Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY 612-3776626 Web: www.guthrie theater.org/accessibility

The Syringa Tree July 31 - August 31 Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. AD: Thurs., Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale Aug. 6, 7:30 p.m. Tix: ReThrough August 2 duced to $10 (reg. $24-36); Phone: 612-822-7063 Web: SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development, 55 www.jungletheater.com Victoria St. N., St. Paul. AD: Fri., July 17, 7 p.m. ASL: Sun., Is There a Doctor in the July 19, 3 p.m. Tix: $11; child/ House? senior $9; Phone: 651-225Through August 29 U of M Showboat Players at U 9265; E-mail: boxoffice@step of M Showboat at Harriet Is- pingstonetheatre.org Web: land Regional Park, Showboat www.steppingstonetheatre.org Landing, St. Paul. ASL: Sat., Room Service July 25, 2:30 p.m. Tix: $20; EThrough August 2 mail: showboat@umn.edu; Phone: Padelford Packet Boat Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Company, 651-227-1100 Ave., Mpls. AD: Sun., July 26, 2 Web: www.riverrides.com or p.m., tactile tour 1 p.m. Tix: $20, senior/student discount; Phone: www.Showboat.umn.edu 612-333-3010 Web: www. theatreintheround.org When We Are Married Through August 30 The Wizard of Oz Guthrie Theater, 818 2nd St. Through August 2 S., Mpls. AD: Sat., July 25, 1 p.m.; Sensory Tour 10:30 a.m.; Stages Theatre Company at

Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet. ASL: Sun., July 12, 2 p.m., and Wed., July 22, 10 a.m. AD: available on request Tix: $15, $11 child (age 2-17) & senior (age 60+) plus $1.50 fee per ticket service fee; Phone: 952-979-1111 Web: www.stagestheatre.org Minnesota State Fair Aug. 27 – Sept. 7 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul. ASL & AD: A number of events are interpreted daily.

Requests to interpret or audio describe Grandstand shows must be made two weeks in advance. Assistive listening devices are available for Grandstand events. Pick up at the guest services office in Visitors Plaza (valid state ID and credit card required). Tix: Online, at the Minnesota State Fair box office, phone or web.

Phone: 651-288-4400, 651288-4448 or TTY 651-6422372; Ticketmaster 651-9895151. E-mail: tickets@mn statefair.org or accessibility@ mnstatefair.org or guest services@mnstatefair.org.

Web: www.mnstatefair.org or www.ticketmaster.com (convenience charge) ■

10

July 10, 2009

Upcoming events To list an event, email access@accesspress.org ADA Anniversary In recognition of the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the MN State Council on Disability (MSCOD), ADA MN , VSA Arts of MN and the MN Department of Public Health MCSHN are co-hosting an ADA Celebration 10:30 a.m.1 p.m. Friday, July 24 at the Dept of Health, Snelling Office Park Building, Mississippi Room, 1645 Energy Park Drive, St. Paul. Keynote speaker will be Janet Peters, Project Coordinator with the Great Lakes ADA Center (DBTAC) on An Introduction to Accessible Technology. She has 15 years of experience and knowledge in the area of assistive technology and accessibility issues with technology. She has worked with business entities, state and local governments, and education institutions to advocate for equal access for individuals with disabilities. Bring a bag lunch and enjoy entertainment, light refreshments & beverages provided. Indicate what disability-related accommodations you need. RSVP

by July 17. FFI: Katie, 651361-7800(v/tty) or 1-800-9458913(v/tty)

proaches to reintegration issues. The groups are free and meet weekly with facilitators are trained veterans who understand the daily challenges for vets and stresses involved in the reintegration process.

Vet Connection groups are sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Minnesota with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

A Vet Connection group for women meets Tuesdays; FFI: Kris Ringler at 612-616-7031.

A Vet Connection group for men meets Sundays; FFI: Micah Ternet at 612-750-8426

Explores digital books PACER Center offers All About Digital Books, a free Webinar for parents and professionals who have students with print-related disabilities.

It is 2-4 p.m. Thursday, July 16. You must pre-register.

Learn about digital books, the formats available, the software and hardware needed for access and other issues. FFI: 952 -838-9000 or 952-838-0190 (TTY), 1 800-537-2237, www. pacer.org

TSE 8th Annual Golf Tournament TSE, Inc hosts its 8th annual golf tournament on Saturday, August 1st at Applewood Hills Golf Course in Stillwater.

Event sponsors are sought as are golfers. Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams, and many other contests. Everyone wins something! Help support TSE and enjoy a day of golf. FFI: dpeters@tseinc.org, www.tse-inc.org

UCP Golf Tournament United Cerebral Palsy hosts its 13th annual golf tournament on Monday, July 20 at Oak Marsh Golf Course in Oakdale.

Event sponsors are sought as are golfers. A range of sponsorship and advertising options are available. FFI: ucpmn stacey@hotmail.com, www. ucpmn.org Get home/community services People who are disabled and under the age of 65 are invited to a free information session, “Waiver Overview for Individuals Under 65.” The session is 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July 16 at Hennepin County Library, North Regional, 1315 Lowry Av. N., Mpls. FFI: 612596-6631 or www.henne pin.us (put “adsinfo” in the search box) Vet Connection Groups Vet Connection groups are available and open to all veterans interested in learning more about coping tools or ap-

Guild Inc. offers services Schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder and mental illnesses are more common than you might think. Guild Incorporated is a nonprofit which works with individuals with mental illness to help them restore their health and move along their paths of recovery.

Upcoming Get to Know Guild informational sessions are 11 a.m. Thursdays, July 30 and Aug. 13; 8a.m. Thursday, July 16 or 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27th. Reservations requested.

FFI: George, 651-925-8454; gbroostin@guildincorporated.org

Monday, July 20 at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Mpls. The workshop is free and provides information about inclusion of children in required testing; tutoring, state report cards on school, federal requirements for schools and questions to ask that may improve outcomes for children.

The session is free but you must pre-register. FFI:952-8389000, 952-838-0910 TTY, 10800-537-2237, www.pacer.org Adaptive technology classes Free adaptive technology classes are offered by Hennepin County Library, at the downtown Minneapolis library, 300 Nicollet Mall.

Classes are free but you must pre-register for these classes for persons who are blind or have low vision. Learn to use the JAWS powerful screen reader with Micro-soft Office as well as many other applications, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, July 15. Learn about Open Book and enter a brand new world of reading at 4-6 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 27. A class on using the Internet for blind and

low-vision persons is offered 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12.. In addition to classes there are often volunteers available to introduce patrons to the equipment and software available. Volunteer hours vary, so it’s best to call ahead.

The Blind and Low Vision Computer User group meets in Room N402 1-3 p.m. the second Saturday of each month. Attend a meeting and network with others. Funding for Adaptive Technology classes is provided by a generous grant from the Hudson Family Foundation. FFI: 612630-6469, www. hclib.org Caregivers Support Group Parents and caregivers of children with fetal alcohol syndrome can join a caregiver’s support group organized by , Arc Greater Twin Cities. The free group meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at Arc Greater Twin Cities, 2446 University Ave. W., Suite 110, St. Paul.. The group is an opportunity for participants to support one another, share successful

parenting techniques, discuss the challenges and hopes of raising a child with FASD, and become better educated about the disorder. The FASD Relative Caregivers Support Group is sponsored by Arc Greater Twin Cities and the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Regional Network. FFI: Janet Salo, 952-920-0855 Jeans to Gems Save the date of Saturday, Sept.

26 for the 5th annual Opportunity Partners gala, Jeans to Germs. The event is at the Minneapolis Marriot SW, Minnetonka. FFI: 952-938-5511; www.OpportunityPartners.org A Fetching Good Time Hearing and Service Dogs of MNhosts The Fetching Ball, a gala fundraiser celebrating the organization’s 20th year. The event is Saturday, Nov. 7 at Marriot Hotel SW in Minnetonka. Keynote speaker is author Karin Winegar. Tickets will be on sale soon. Individual and corporate sponsorships are available. FFI: Tickets, Jessica, 612-729-5986 ext. 152,

jandeau@hsdm.org; Sponsorships, Janet, 612-729-5926, jcobus@hsdm.org Help others manage finances RSVP/Volunteers of America of Minnesota and AARP Foundation need volunteers with good budgeting and organizational skills to help manage finances of older or disabled low-income individuals. Have a few hours a month to volunteer? Money Management Program staff will train and match you with someone in the community. FFI: Money Management Program Coordinator, 612-617-7821 Be a literacy volunteer Last year, MN Literacy Council volunteers helped more than 24,000 adults achieve their learning goals. Tutor immigrants, refugees and life-long Minnesotans in reading, writing and English. Tutor one-toone, in a small group or as a classroom assistant. Training, ongoing support provided. Opportunities are available throughout Minnesota. FFI: 651-645-2277, ext 219. or volunteer@theMLC.org ■

Radio Talking Book • July 2009

Books Available Through Faribault Choice Reading*Monday – Friday 4 p.m.

The following is a sampling of the many books read on The Clothes on Their Backs, Fiction by Linda Grant, 2008. The Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network. All books broadcast child of refugees, Vivien reinvents herself through reading. on the network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Against her father’s wishes, she befriends an uncle who wants Talking Book Library in Faribault. The library is currently to share his life story. Read by Ann Hoedeman. Nine broadexperiencing difficulties and books are not being duplicated. casts. Begins July 21.

When this changes it will be announced. Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived programs PM Report*Monday – Friday 8 p.m. from the last week, on the Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call The Second World, Nonfiction by Parag Khanna, 2008. Until the staff for your password to the site. recently, America has dominated world economics. That has Access Press is one of the publications read at 9 p.m. Sundays been replaced with a geopolitical marketplace in which the during g the program It Makes a Difference. Another news European Union and China compete with the United States to program, Nothing but the Truth, will be reinstituted this summer, shape world order on their own terms. Read by Malcolm at 10 p.m. Sundays. It is hoped this will fill the gap in listeners’ McLean. 16 broadcasts. Begins July 15. interest in news. The program takes an in-depth look at today’s high-profile court cases, political and financial scandals, Night Journey*Monday – Friday 9 p.m. unsolved crimes and other controversies. The Reading Room, The Apostate’s Tale, Fiction by Margaret Frazer, 2008. In the Ease in using computers PACER Center hosts a ses- the former Saturday 10 p.m. program, is moving to Sunday spring of 1452, nuns at St. Frideswide’s priory are preparing for sion on Microsoft Windows night at 10 p.m., and Wanderings, which had been on Sunday the end of Lent when long-vanished Sister Cecely returns. Nine and PC accessibility 6:30-9 at 10 p.m. will be heard overnight at 2 a.m. Saturday morning. years before, she left with a man. Now her lover is dead and she has returned with her son. Read by Joy Fogarty. 10 broadcasts. p.m. Thursday, July 30 and a Chautauqua*Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m.

Begins July 27. session on Accessibility on the Mac 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. A Splintered History of Wood, Nonfiction by Spike Carlsen, Off the Shelf*Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

6. The Windows session is at 2008. Without wood, we wouldn’t have fire, heat and shelter. If the PACER Simon Technol- civilization hadn't developed, our lives would be vastly different The Gift of Rain, Fiction by Ran Twan Eng, 2008. Philip Hutton ogy Center, 81612 Norman- from today. Read by Art Nyhus. 15 broadcasts. Begins July 13. befriends Hayato, a Japanese diplomat in Penang. When war begins, Philip realizes his mentor and friend is a spy. V - Read dale Blvd., Mpls. and the Mac Past is Prologue*Monday – Friday 9 a.m.

by Bob Malos. 20 broadcasts. Began July 2. session is at the Apple Store, Mall of America, Blooming- This Republic of Suffering, Nonfiction by Drew Gilpin Faust, Evening Odyssey*Monday – Friday 11 p.m. ton. Depending upon the type 2008. During the Civil War, 620,000 soldiers died. Today’s of computer and software you equivalent would be six million. The many deaths changed our The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Fiction by Junot Díaz, use, you can learn how to ac- understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. 2007.Oscar is an overweight ghetto nerd, doomed by a generations-old family curse. L - Read by John Beal. 11 broadcasts. cess information through vari- Read by Alvin Apple. 11 broadcasts. Began June 23.

Begins July 21. ous programs. Each session Bookworm*Monday – Friday 11 a.m. offers the chance for hands-on Good Night Owl*Monday – Friday midnight learning. Space for both ses- Dewey, Nonfiction by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter, 2008. sions is limited and you must Dewey Readmore Books was the library cat of Spencer, Iowa, Black & White and Dead All Over, Fiction by John Darnton, pre-register. FFI: pacer@ but his story started very ignobly: being stuffed into the 2008. A newsroom editor, with a reputation for killing stories pacer.org; 952-838-9000, returned book slot. Read by Connie Jamison. 9 broadcasts. with his pen, is found killed with that same tool. V,L - Read by Neil Bright. 16 broadcasts. Begins July 27.

952-838-0910 TTY, 1-0800- Began July 7.

537-2237, www.pacer.org Potpourri*Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

After Midnight*Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m.

Home, Nonfiction by Julie Andrews, 2008.Born to a vaudevil- Nation, Fiction by Terry Pratchett, 2008. Mau is the only one left No Child Left Behind Learn about the federal No lian mother in 1935, Julie Andrews spent a childhood on radio, after a giant wave sweeps his village away. He finds Daphne, the Child Left Behind Act. Infor- in music halls, and giving concerts all over England. She made sole survivor of a ship destroyed by the same wave. Drawn by mation for parents of children her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend. Read by Constance their fire, other refugees slowly arrive, all hungry, all frightened.

Read by Wally Peters. 11 broadcasts. Begins July 14. with disabilities and profession- Crane. 13 broadcasts. Begins July 29. als will be presented 7-9 p.m.

Abbreviations: V - violence; L – offensive language; S - sexual situations

July 10, 2009

Safe seating: Preventing injury; getting comfort

When and where do you sit for the longest periods of time?

Many people respond in terms of cars, restaurants or airplanes. If you use a wheelchair, however, you probably have a different point of view.

In fact, you might spend 16 or more hours a day sitting and that could be cause for concern.

If you live and work from a wheelchair and your seating system is inappropriate for you, you might be at risk of a major health hazard. A pressure-related wound can cause a chain reaction of infections, hospitalizations, surgeries and months of bed rest.

The most vulnerable sites for pressure-ulcer formation in people who sit for long periods are the areas of highest compression, usually bony areas. Roughly 80 percent of ulcers (or pressure sores) develop over the base of the spine (sacrum), the top of the thigh bone (greater trochanter) and the two sit-bones at the bottom of the pelvis in the buttocks (ischial tuberosities). Wounds to the greater trochanter appear at the lower and outer edges of the hips, over the bony areas. Wounds at either ischial tuberosity are usually near the crease separating the buttocks from the thighs (gluteal fold). Occasionally, a wound appears at the back of the knee (popliteal).

Commercial/Custom Seating Commercial seating—such as deep contour gel or air-flota-

tion technology—can be effective in preventing wounds, but such technologies require vigilant maintenance. Commercial seating is usually sized for a wheelchair. It can be perfect for a symmetrical person, (which no one is) but difficult to customize when the pelvis is higher on one side (pelvic obliquity) or when the pelvis is further back on one side (pelvic rotation).

Customizing commercial seating can cause problems for people who have compromised, fragile skin or positioning challenges, such as sacral sitting or spasticity-related hip extension. People who have spina bifida, a spinal cord injury, or multiple sclerosis are likely to lack feeling (be insensate) in the area. They can not feel when the cushion need air or is over-inflated and they won’t sense when gel is pushed out of the areas where it’s most needed.

People often seek custom seating after they’ve tried various commercial options. A custom, pressure-relieving seat can suspend bony prominences above the hard surface of the seat, helping to prevent pressure ulcers. Custom seating is specifically made to accommodate anatomy, such as pelvic obliquity, while transferring the weight to healthy tissues. Custom seating is best designed and fabricated by checking the skin and using force-sensing array equipment (sometimes called pressure

mapping). Such equipment provides a kind of topographical guide to each person’s body.

Because custom seating is specific to each person’s anatomy, it must be in the same position each time you use it.

Once you are in the seat, selftransfers can be challenging.

That’s because the seat’s contours—which offer suspension, encourage good blood flow, and provide postural support—can sometimes become barriers to a smooth and energy-efficient self-transfer.

By itself, a carefully chosen, well-made seat can’t prevent wounds. If you’ve had a pressure wound in the past, you’re at risk of developing additional sores. Furthermore, the wound site—even when healed—has only 80 percent of the strength and durability it did before the sore occurred.

One key to preventing a wound is persistent, habitual shifts of your weight. Shifting promotes robust blood flow to weight-bearing tissues. Although shifting requirements vary by person, current guidelines recommend shifting one’s weight every 15 to 30 minutes, for at least 30 seconds at a time. To raise blood flow to normal, unloaded levels, the pressure relief should last one to three minutes.

Manual pressure-relief techniques depend on your abilities and upper-body strength.

A complete push-up, using the armrests on the wheelchair and lasting one to three minutes, is difficult, if not impossible, for most of us. But you can accomplish a good weight shift using the “nap in your lap” technique. This requires you to bend at the waist and lean

forward as far as you can while lifting your ischials off the seat.

A power weight-shift system, such as a tilt-in-space power wheelchair, is recommended when manual pressure relief is not possible. Although powertilt systems are effective and easy to use, tilting back at least 65 degrees every half-hour for one to three minutes can be daunting or inconvenient. Some even view it as anti-social. Yet when you consider the relative inconvenience of weight-shifting against a wound-related hospital stay, you’ll see that developing a weight-shifting routine is well worth the effort.

Seeing Is Believing If you can’t feel the results, you might be unconvinced of the effectiveness of a weight shift. Force-sensing equipment helps you find out if you’re physically shifting weight off bony prominences.

Here’s how it works. A seating provider puts a sensing mat between you and your seat then places a computer monitor where it will be easy for you to view. The mat provides information in the form of an active, dynamic and colorful movie, so you can easily see which weight-shifting techniques work best for you.

A seating provider you trust will become one of your most important health-care professionals. You’ll have the best seating results when you find and schedule appointments with that person. Return to your seating professional every six months for an assessment of your seating needs. Schedule an appointment immediately whenever your weight or health changes. ■ April Pate works at Gillette Lifetime Specialty Healthcare

Why friction management matters for skin health

By Catherine Lussenhop Many of us have had to deal with uncomfortable occurrences of blisters and sores.

When they form, your skin can feel extremely sensitive and may even rub away, leaving an open wound. A day of walking in a new pair of shoes can leave the skin on your heels red, raw, and painful. A person who uses a brace or a prosthetic limb may find rub areas on the skin underneath the device. Sitting in a wheelchair or lying in bed for extended periods of time (such as in bed rest) can cause serious sores. These sores can become life-threatening ulcers that penetrate bones or internal organs. Sores are usually treated by reducing pressure, but another—often ignored—component of treatment is something called friction management. Pressure relief is extremely useful in treating sores, but by managing friction as well, you could experience freedom from hot spots and sores.

What does friction have to do with it? Not much, according to the conventional wis-

dom, which identifies pressure as the cause of sores. In fact, bed sores are commonly referred to as “pressure sores.”

This name is all too accurate; too much pressure on one area of the skin can reduce blood flow, cutting off the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the cells there.

But that’s not the whole story. The other force that works with pressure to cause sores is friction. When two surfaces rub or press together, like your sock and the skin on your foot, friction resists the motion. The friction creates something called shear stress on the skin. Shear stresses occur between skin and soft tissues like muscle and fat, and this stress can damage underlying biological supports and weaken skin. While pressure alone can sometimes be enough to cause a sore, the presence of shear stress greatly reduces the amount of pressure needed to cause damage.

Where skin experiences high or repeated friction force and

shear stress, skin damage can occur. In fact, blisters from walking (as opposed to pressure sores) are caused almost entirely by friction. Bony areas are high friction areas and are often most subject to skin damage, since there is less soft tissue for cushioning and that tissue is subject to more shear stress.

It’s important to mention that not all friction is bad. Friction helps us grip the ground as we walk, and it helps keep us seated in our chairs. The problem arises when an area of skin is subject to too much friction and/or shear. For instance, people who use a transfer board to slide in and out of a wheelchair will be subject to a great deal of friction where they rub against the board, even through clothing. Weakened skin also increases problems.

People who have received skin grafts may find that their skin is less elastic and more fragile.

People with diabetes sometimes face nervous system damage and decreased pain

sensitivity, which can mean that they only notice sores after they have become severe.

Moisture also increases friction. One common way for this to happen is for sweat to build up. You might think that applying lotion could reduce friction, and though lotion initially lubricates the skin and reduces friction, it soon spreads too far and is absorbed into the skin.

This creates a moist, even “sticky” surface.

One way to manage friction and shear is to put a layer of low-friction material between the sore and the part of the shoe, brace, seat, etc. that is irritating the skin. This immediately reduces friction force on the sore and gives the skin time to heal. If you’re susceptible to blisters or sores, remember that pressure-relieving remedies help, but they ignore half of the equation.

Reducing friction could make all the difference. ■ Catherine Lussenhop is an intern at Tamarack Habilitation Technologies in Blaine

11

Access To Employment Employment ads are $20-$22 per col. inch. July 31 is the deadline for the August 10 issue. Mail to: Access Press, 1821 University Ave. #104S, St. Paul, MN 55104 FAX 651-644-2136 • Email: access@accesspress.org OUTREACH COORDINATOR The University of Minnesota’s Office of Disability Services seeks a FT Outreach Coordinator to coordinate collateral materials and DS training of faculty, staff and students. Identify and promote the acceptance of Universal Design and accessibility at the U of M, its campuses, colleges, departments and units. Participate in outreach efforts to colleges, departments and coordinate campuses and develop partnerships and opportunities for collaboration with other organizations and institutions. Requirements: • Demonstrated experience in program coordination.

• Three years exp. providing reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities.

• Exp in teaching.

• Exp in project development and management.

• Knowledge of federal and state laws and guidelines regarding access for people with disabilities, principles of universal design and interactional (or social) model.

• Master’s degree in related field preferred.

For more information and to apply for this position, please visit http://employment.umn.edu and reference requisition #161173.

The University of Minnesota is an Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer.

Classifieds Reach 11,000 Active, Interested Readers with Access Press Classifieds. $13 up to 12 words, 60¢/word thereafter. Must be prepaid. Mail with check to: Access Press, 1821 University Ave W, #104S, St. Paul, MN 55104 • 651-644-2133 FOR RENT Holmes-Greenway Housing: Oak Park Village: One-bedOne- and two-bedroom wheel- room wheelchair-accessible chair-accessible apartments. apartments. Section 8 subsiSection 8 subsidized. Conve- dized. Convenient St. Louis nient SE Minneapolis loca- Park location. Call 952-935tion. Call 612-378-0331 for 9125 for availability informaavailability information. Equal tion. Equal Opportunity HousOpportunity Housing. ing.

Lewis Park Apartments: Barrier-free housing with wheelchair users in mind. Section 8 subsidized. One- and two-bedroom units. For more information on availability call 651-488-9923. St. Paul, MN. Equal Opportunity Housing.

Seward Square Apartments: We are currently accepting applications for our waiting list for barrier-free housing, in Minneapolis, that is federally subsidized. For an application, please call 612-338-2680.

Equal Opportunity Housing.

Learning how to prevent ulcers

by Nancy Saatzer As a person who has had chronic progressive multiple sclerosis for 30 years, I have firsthand knowledge of the dangers of sitting too long in one spot. My experience led to stage four ulcers. It happened when my husband and I drove our truck to a Rainy Lake houseboat from Minneapolis. After a week of sitting in a standard wheelchair with no special cushion, we headed back home.

(My power wheelchair with a commercial cushion did not fit on the boat.) A couple of weeks after returning home, I was in the hospital having surgery to debride three stage-four ulcers—one ischial, one sacral and one hip. I spent the next seven months either in the hospital having surgery or in bed being turned from side to side.

After “flap” surgery, a therapist suggested I purchase an airflotation cushion. She mapped

my seating surface and showed me how to maintain the correct air level. The cushion never worked because every time I went over the smallest bump, I had spasms that caused me to shear forward and resulted in a blister. I was then out of position for the rest of the day.

A physical therapist at the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology referred me to the Assistive Technology group at Gillette Lifetime Specialty Healthcare.

Gillette’s staff made me a custom seat cushion. I wish someone had given me such a referral before I went on vacation!

Now I’m going to buy a watch with an alarm and start relieving pressure regularly. I never want to go through ulcers again, especially if I can do something to prevent them. ■ Nancy Saatzer using the services of Gillette Lifetime Assistive Technology

12

July 10, 2009

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