She's the wheel deal: Page 11
Volume 24, Number 7
www.accesspress.org
July 10, 2013
Olmstead hearing draws many ideas for new plan
Effective July 1
by Jane McClure
by Jane McClure
Minnesotans have until this fall to weigh in key quality of life issues, as part of the state’s Olmstead Plan. Their comments will help shape a plan that is to be unveiled Nov. 1. Release of an 83-page draft plan and the opportunity to comment drew a large crowd June 19 to the DS Event Center in St. Paul. Representatives from eight state departments presented updates on plan activities. Several members of the public weighed in with suggestions and concerns on topics including housing, employment and self-advocacy. All states are required to have an Olmstead Plan, as a Olmstead - p. 5
July 1 was a significant date for many Minnesotans with disabilities who rely on medical supplies for daily living. That’s when new federal regulations on competitive bidding for Medicare program suppliers were to take effect for the Twin Cities region. The result thus far has been a lot of confusion for clients and suppliers. People are questioning where their supplies will come from and if costs will increase. While some suppliers contend that needed medical goods can be provided with little disruption and at the same or lower costs, clients and other suppliers are worried about the quality of products, the possibility of long shipping delays and how equipment will be serviced if repairs or replacement parts are needed. For seniors and people with disabilities, it may mean severing long-term relationships with suppliers and finding new ones. For some suppliers, there are fears of lost business and ultimately economic survival. “There’s really a lot of concern about vendors serving Minnesota, who are from other states,” said Anne Henry, attorney for the Minnesota Disability Law Center. Competitive bidding- p. 4
“Don’t knock the weather. If it didn’t change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn’t start a conversation” — Kim Hubbard
Elevator link to light rail line is moving on up
Partners in Policymaking has graduated its 20122013 class. New participants are wanted for 2013-2014. Page 11
Wary disability community eyes competitive bidding changes
community,” said Metropolitan Council Chairperson Sue Haigh. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said city officials are working with artist Jo Ann Verberg to incorporate art into the structure. “Equally important is providing a means for people at all mobility levels to enjoy all that downtown has to offer,” he added. The stairway-elevator tower project has a 15.5 percent Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal. PCL, the low responsive bidder among five bidders, passed the DBE review. PCL also built the line’s operations and maintenance facility in Lowertown. The light rail line, which is about 93 percent completed, will link downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis along Washington and University avenues via the state capitol and the University of Minnesota. It opens next year. Testing of the line has started and will continue until it opens. How to get the stair-elevator tower project paid and built for The long-awaited downtown St. Paul elevator and stairway connection had vexed people with disabilities for several months as neither between the skyways and light rail is depicted here. the Metropolitan Council nor City of St. Paul had committed Illustration courtesy of Metropolitan Council funding to the project. Pleas were also made to the 2013 Minby Access Press staff nesota Legislature. The tower will be built in an area that is open space now. The Efforts to link the Central Corridor or METRO Green Line old Bremer Bank was torn down in 2011 to make way for the light rail service to St. Paul’s skyway system took another step station. Its skyway link was torn down and replaced that same ahead June 26. The Metropolitan Council awarded PCL Conyear, but without an elevator and stairway access. struction an $1.8 million contract to build a stairway-elevator Anyone using the tower will have to travel outdoors to get to tower to connect the skyway system to Central Station. It will Central Station or to the nearby bus stops. Lucy Thompson, a provide a connection to and from Fifth Street and bus and light planner for St. Paul, said the bus stops are some of the busiest rail service. in the area. Having good access to and from them is important. Construction is to begin later this summer, so the link can be Downtown resident and disability community activist Rick completed before light rail service begins in mid-2014. Cardenas led the charge for the elevator access and had perThe link is paid for through an $800,000 federal grant provided suaded state lawmakers to bring forward bills requiring that the to Metro Transit and $969,620 from the light rail project budget. elevator access point be provided. Cardenas said he is pleased Recently the City of St. Paul and Metropolitan Council approved that the project has been funded and is moving forward. a maintenance agreement for the link, which will cost each entity But one long-term issue the disability community must watch about $75,000 per year. The city and council also have agreeis how the block is ultimately redeveloped. That could mean the ments on nearby property redevelopment and bus passenger planned tower is either replaced as part of a development or inwaiting improvements. corporated into a new larger building. That in turn means “Few public entries exist into the skyway system in downtown watching to see that hours of access aren’t reduced, which is a St. Paul, making this project a benefit not only for the Green Line but also other transit riders, pedestrians and the disability Moving on up - p. 12
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities. MN Permit No. 4766 Address Service Requested
NEWS DIGEST
It’s time for our Directory of Organizations! Find the resources you need. Pages 7-10 Associated Bank Liberty Branch is the first sponsor of the Charlie Smith Award banquet. Find out how your business or group can get involved. Page 3 The state has a special education teacher shortage. Read about it in Regional News in Review. Page 6 He made a record number of skydives and now wants to celebrate. Page 13
INSIDE Accessible Fun, pg 13 Events, pg 14 People & Places, pp 11-12 Radio Talking Book, pg 15 Regional News, pg 6
Pg 2 July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
EDITOR’S DESK
Tim Benjamin Ah. The summer has finally begun. Each year it amazes me how quickly we can change from cold sweater weather to hot, where’s-my-lightest-shirt weather. This year, I’m just glad the change finally happened. There seems to be incredible confusion around the competitive bidding program that Medicare started July 1 in our region. It seems to me, that this is a disaster waiting to happen. Trying to fix a broken system (Medicare reimbursement) with a clumsy plan that forces people to buy products from non-local vendors that may not know or be able to assess their needs does not seem like it’s destined for success. There is no question that the Medicare reimbursement system is broken, but competitive bidding is not the answer. In another area that we’ve been concerned about for some time, we’re not alone. You may remember our earlier articles on the U.S. District Court decision in the Bradley Jensen lawsuit followed by the state’s closing of the Minnesota Extended Treatment Options program. The court required Minnesota to create an Olmstead Plan to ensure that people with disabilities have options to live independently and to work in
their communities. The governor issued an Executive Order on January 28, 2013 that established a subcabinet to develop Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan. Now the independent consulting firm hired to report to the court on compliance with its decision has expressed concern about the plan being prepared in a timely fashion. The plan is due Nov. 1, 2013 and the consultant’s report stated, “There’s a good chance that it will be delayed, again.” In his order, Gov. Mark Dayton pointed out that it is essential to provide services and supports in the most integrated setting. It’s a huge endeavor and must be done correctly. Some of Reform 2020 may hinge on this Olmstead plan. I think we have to remain concerned and keep monitoring the progress on the plan. If you are not up on the details of the Jensen case and the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, we have an article on the front page that will give you some good background. There are huge ramifications for the quality of life of Minnesota’s people with disabilities. Soon we will print an article summarizing the independent consultant/investigator and their status report on compliance. Another area of concern, the Social Security disability program has been highlighted by Watchdog Minnesota. New figures show that Minnesotans receiving Social Security Disability payments in 2012 are up 54 percent compared to a 44 percent overall increase nationally. Government officials say demographics drive the increase in disability claims and applications, start-
ing with aging baby boomers. “The sheer number of baby boomers is going from about 35 million now to about 70 million in a couple of decades,” said Doug Nguyen, a Social Security Administration spokesman. Some point out that the number of Social Security disability cases has moved upward with the unemployment rate. Minnesota had a 25 percent spike in beneficiaries between 2007, just before the recession, and 2012. Now Minnesota ranks 29th among states in total number of Social Security disability recipients. Some 60,000 state residents filed applications for disability benefits or underwent a review in order to continue receiving monthly payment. Another factor behind the glut of disability applications that surfaced recently may be the role of legal firms that advertise their services to potentially disabled clients on television. The role of these companies came under scrutiny in a hearing on the backlog of 1.3 million cases under review by administrative law judges. “I no longer feel that I am serving the American public,” Thomas W. Snook, a U.S. Administrative Law Judge in Miami, told the committee. “I feel I am serving the claimants’ representatives, especially a few large law firms; and I am powerless to do anything about it.” The debates are going to increase: Is disability for some just a “convenient” excuse for not joining the workforce? Can disability be manufactured by law firms? Are some people with disabilities more deserving of social support than others? Let’s discuss amongst ourselves, and with many others. Keep cool and safe. ■
HISTORY NOTE
Legal Aid celebrates 100 years of community service In 2013 Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, which provides access to legal assistance to residents of 20 counties in central Minnesota, marks its 100th year of advocacy. The agency has a long tradition of representing the legal rights of people with disabilities, senior citizens and low-income Minnesotans. “The work of our staff does make a real difference in the lives of our clients,” said Cathy Haukedahl, executive director of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. “As state support for our program has dwindled, the need for our services has expanded. From 2000 – 2010, the
Volume 24, Number 7 • Periodicals Imprint: Pending ISSN Co-Founder/Publisher Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-1996) Co-Founder/Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief Charles F. Smith (1990-2001) Board of Directors Brigid Alseth, Steve Anderson, Kristin Jorenby, Kim Kang, Elin Ohlsson, Halle O'Falvey, Carrie Salberg,Walt Seibert and Kay Willshire Cartoonist Scott Adams
Advertising Sales Michelle Hegarty 612-807-1078 Executive Director Tim Benjamin Assistant Editor Jane McClure Business Manager/Webmaster Dawn Frederick Production Ellen Houghton with Presentation Images Distribution S. C. Distribution
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. Access Press is a monthly tabloid newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd. Circulation is 11,000, distributed the 10th of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 450 copies are mailed directly to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders. Subscriptions are available for $30/yr. Lowincome, student and bulk subscriptions are available at discounted rates. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at the St. Paul, MN 55121 facility. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Access Press at 161 St. Anthony Ave, Suite 901, St. Paul, MN 55103. Inquiries and address changes should be directed to: Access Press care of The Kelly Inn Offices; 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910; St. Paul, MN 55103; 651-644-2133 Fax: 651-644-2136 email: access@accesspress.org www.accesspress.org
number of people in poverty in the area we serve increased by 48 percent. Through these challenging times, our staff has remained strongly committed to securing justice for our clients.” Legal Aid opened its doors on April 15, 1913, starting as a single paid attorney in Minneapolis. That attorney was John Benson. Benson had clerked at the Minneapolis law firm of Cobb & Wheelwright. He rejoined the firm in 1914. It later became Faegre and Benson and is now Faegre Baker Daniels. Benson was well-known for his concern for those less fortunate. Although his name was dropped in a 2012 law firm merger, it lives on in the firm’s intranet service and in its John Benson Pro Bono Award for attorneys who provide outstanding free service to those in need. In 1931, the organization’s name was changed to the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis. The organization’s services grew and expanded. What is now the Minnesota Disability Law Center got its start in the 1970s. In 1972, Legal Aid was involved in the Welsch versus Likins case, to secure appropriate treatment for people with developmental disabilities in large institutions. The next year Legal Aid joined a federal pilot program to provide legal services for people with disabilities. In 1975, a na-
tional protection and advocacy system was created for people with disabilities, and Legal Aid was designated to provide services. Legal Aid’s Disability Law Center continues to be the protection and advocacy system for Minnesotans with disJohn Benson abilities. In 1974, Legal Aid expanded its service area to include the St. Cloud area and in 1979 added the Willmar area. It now serves 20 counties in central Minnesota from the South Dakota to the Wisconsin border, providing free civil legal services to people and families with low incomes and/or disabilities. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid took on its current name in 2012 following mergers with its St. Cloud and Willmar-area affiliates. Today the organization has 60 attorneys in offices in Minneapolis, St. Cloud and Willmar. Each year it serves many families and individuals. At its centennial event and Law Day Dinner in May, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice provided the keynote address. The event highlighted the contributions of the staff of MidMinnesota Legal Aid who have long provided legal help to Minnesotans unable to afford representation elsewhere. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid is supported by contributions from fellow lawyers, law firms, corporations, individuals, the local, state and federal governments, the United Way, and foundations. More than 85 percent of the support received goes directly to providing services to clients. The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mncdd.org and www. partnersinpolicymaking.com■
July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
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Nominations due
Sponsors makes the award banquet a success Associated Bank Liberty Branch is the first sponsor signed up for the Access Press Charlie Smith Award Banquet. In Home Personal Care is the second sponsor to sign up. The banquet is Nov. 1 at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott in Bloomington. Associated Bank is a proofreader sponsor. In Home Personal Care is an editor-in-chief sponsor. The Access Press Board of Directors also wants to remind everyone that nominations for the annual Charlie Smith Award are due Aug. 7. A nomination is a great way to honor a person or group for providing outstanding service to Minnesota’s disability community. Go to the newspaper website at www.accesspress.org to find out how to submit a nomination. Email csawards@accesspress.org with questions or call the newspaper office at 651-6442133. The newspaper staff can help anyone needing accommodations to submit an award Help make the banquet a success by being a sponsor. Three levels of sponsorship are offered: Keyliners Level - $200. The keyliner is the person who pasted up newspaper pages. If you are a keyliner sponsor: • Your logo will be displayed at a table • Your organization/ company name will be listed in the 2013 Charlie Award Banquet program • Your organization/company will be recognized in our November & December 2013 newspapers • You will have one (1) free website ad (your month of choice), a value of $100 Proofreaders Level $300. The proofreader would check newspaper pages for errors. If you are a proofreader sponsor: • Your logo will be displayed at a table • Your organization/company name will be listed in the 2013 Charlie Award Banquet program • Your organization/company will be recognized in our November & December 2013 newspapers
ADA event is July 26 in St. Paul Minnesota’s annual celebration of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is 1-3 p.m. Friday, July 26 at the Elmer L. Anderson Human Services Building, 540 Cedar St., St. Paul. All are invited to celebrate at this free, fun event, which marks the ADA’s 23rd anniversary. ASL interpreters will be available in the fully accessible venue. Those needing accommodations should put in their requests as soon as possible. Enjoy light refreshments and storytelling by Amy Salloway, a Minneapolis actor, writer and storyteller. Salloway is a two-time grant winner through the VSA Minnesota Emerging Artist grant program. Attendees will also want to hear informative presentations. Commissioner Kevin Lindsay of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights will present “Increasing hiring opportunities for people with disabilities.” Gregory Gray of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) will discuss “What is happening in Minnesota regarding the Olmstead Act.” Jill Keen of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights will present an update on recent service animal legislation. Many volunteers and groups make the ADA Celebration possible including Access Press; ADA Minnesota; Disability Viewpoints; Metropolitan Center for Independent Living; Minnesota DHS; Minnesota State Council on Disability; Minnesota State Services for the Blind; DHS Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services; and VSA Minnesota For more information, or to request accommodations, contact Cindy Tarshish at 651-603-2015 or cindyt@mcil-mn.org ■
• You will have two (2) free rotating website ads (your months of choice), a value of $200 • Your organization/company will be listed on a special banner (on display) during the 2013 Charlie Award Banquet Editor-in-Chief Level - $400. This denotes the leader of the newspaper. If you are an editor-in-chief sponsor: • Your logo will be displayed at a table. • Your organization/company name will be listed in the 2013 Charlie Award Banquet program • Your organization/company will be recognized in our November & December 2013 newspapers • You will have two (2) free rotating website ads (your months of choice), a value of $200 • Your organization/company will be listed on a special banner, on display during the 2013 Charlie Award Banquet
• Your organization/company will be recognized by our emcee during the 2013 Charlie Award Banquet • A table will be named in your organization/ company’s honor the evening of the event • A free Access Press subscription, a value of $30 • One (1) Directory of Organizations listing, good for one year, a value of $60 Donations are needed for the newspaper’s annual silent auction and “pick your prize” raffle. Past prizes have included theater and sports tickets, gift certificates, art and more. Access Press Office Manager Dawn Frederick handles the sponsor, silent auction and raffle. Contact Dawn at dawn@access press.org or at 651-644-2133 to be a sponsor or to make a donation. ■
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TO THE EDITOR
Disability community concerns were heard in Central Corridor rail planning To the editor: Upon reading the May 10 article, “Light rail connection issues raised,” one would think the disability community was left out of the Green Line (Central Corridor LRT) planning and that our concerns/issues went completely unknown and unheard. One certainly would think that the sidewalks along the LRT corridor were left in their original and deteriorated condition. Both notions are very misleading! What the article doesn’t make clear is that the survey by the District Councils Collaborative (DCC) is totally about the neighborhood sidewalks that lead into the LRT corridor and is not about the sidewalks along University or Washington Avenues. The LRT construction replaced everything along the alignment from building face to building face. It included the construction of new roadways, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, curb ramps, accessible signals and lighting all along the corridor. This article makes the LRT project seem like it left out the disability community altogether, and there is nothing further from the truth. Both Margot Imdieke-Cross (MSCOD) and I were at the table from inception of the engineering as members of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) through the beginning of construction and
were there to ensure accessibility needs were fully met, or exceeded, before and during construction. The DCC project is about the surrounding neighborhood sidewalks, the next step in taking accessibility out from the newly constructed sidewalks along the line and into the neighborhoods. This article leaves this very important distinction blurred! As a matter of fact, the article leaves the reader to think the intersections mentioned in an article are part of the LRT project. While I agree the survey completed by the DCC is important, it doesn’t take anything away from the accessibility of the Green Line itself, a fact I feel is left out of the article. The DCC survey was a neighborhood project for areas that feed into the corridor but did not include the corridor itself as that was taken care of during LRT construction. There was also an article in the Pioneer Press on May 10, showing Rick Cardenas with his arms up in victory after learning Metropolitan Council staff and the city of St. Paul had reached agreement on the upkeep for a planned skyway elevator and stairs at the Central Station in downtown St. Paul. This fact was also left out of the Access Press article. Even if the article was written before the skyway elevator deci-
Competitive bidding - from p. 1 “If even one person is injured due to competitive bidding, it’s unacceptable,” said Mike Bailey, chief executive officer of St. Paul-based Handi Medical Supply. Dozens of advocacy groups around the country are opposing competitive bidding, including the American Association of Homecare Providers, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the Brain Injury Society of America and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. People for Quality Care, an Iowa-based group, is tracking developments around the country, at www.people forqualitycare.org and on the group’s Facebook page. In mid-June House Resolution 2375 was introduced in Congress. It would delay implementing round two of competitive bidding until a number of issues can be resolved. The Transparency and Accountability in Medicare Bidding Act was introduced by U.S. Rep. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-Penn.) and Bruce Braley (D-Iowa). More than 200 members of Congress had signed on to support the measure as Access Press was going to press. Competitive bidding is also the focus of a growing number of lawsuits around the country. This spring Key Medical Supply of Shoreview took its dispute over competitive bidding to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Key Medical sued Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and Marilyn Tavenner, Acting Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), but had the lawsuit dismissed earlier this year in U.S. District Court. The court made the ruling due to lack of subject manner jurisdiction. In his ruling.
Judge Donovan Frank expressed concerns about the competitive bidding program. Frank stated that while he lacked authority to rule on the program’s legality, the federal government is ignoring the harm it could be inflicting on people with disabilities. For its part, CMS has indicated that the first round of competitive bidding saved the Original Medicare program more than $200 million and resulted in better value for Medicare and beneficiaries, with lower prices and continued access to quality items from qualified suppliers. CMS also notes it is implementing a national mail order program for diabetic testing supplies. “Qualified, accredited suppliers with winning bids are chosen as Medicare contract suppliers,” the CMS website stated. “Beneficiaries with Original Medicare who obtain program items in program areas will usually need to get these items from contract suppliers if they want Medicare to help pay for the item, unless their current suppliers become grandfathered suppliers (non-contract suppliers that choose to continue to provide certain rented equipment under the terms of the program).” But advocacy groups contend that too many concerns aren’t being addressed and that calls aren’t being returned. Another concern is, if a person lives in Spring Valley, Wisc., a rural town in the competitive bidding area and needs a scooter or basic group 2 power chair, the closest vender is 26 miles to Red Wing or 65 miles to Mounds View. Are vendors going to come to rural areas in a timely manner with no known reimbursement, if repairs are needed? The new regulations are tied to the Medicare Modernization Act Law of 2003, which required the (CMS) to establish a competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment prosthetics, orthotics and supplies. This program went through development, had its first round in nine states starting in 2008 and began round two on July 1. Round two involves 100 Metropolitan Statistical areas in all 50 states. In these areas, including the 13-county Twin Cities region, only contracted suppliers are allow to distribute competitively bid items. This includes all or part of Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, Dakota, Scott, Carver, Wright, Sherburne,
sion, this could have been added as an editor’s note prior to printing to update readers and not leave them thinking the elevator was virtually an impossible dream, especially as the Access Press article is dated May 10. Had these additional facts been incorporated in the article, there would be no way the article could retain a negative headline. I want to assure you and your readers that the corridor itself across the entire LRT alignment from building face to building face was reconstructed during LRT construction and that each station design had accessibility among its top concerns during planning and construction. These facts and a more appropriate headline would leave the reader with a much more positive feeling about the light rail itself. Ken Rodgers ■ Editor’s note: Mr. Rodgers works for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Access Press goes to press several days before the distribution date, which is the 10th of the month. The newspaper had gone to press before the decision on vertical access was made.
Isanti, Anoka and Chisago counties in Minnesota and St. Croix and Pierce counties in Wisconsin. The change affects Medicare beneficiaries with original Medicare. Medicare Senior and Senior Advantage plans are not affected. Nor are other plans including UCARE for Seniors, Medica for Seniors, HealthPartners for Seniors and Secure Blue. The products covered by competitive bidding are in nine categories: oxygen supplies and equipment, CPAP and BiPap therapy, walkers, diabetic equipment and supplies, hospital beds, Group Two support surfaces (low air loss), negative pressure wound therapy, enteral equipment and nutrition therapy, and Group Two power wheelchairs, scooters and manual wheelchairs. Bailey said these are some of the most-used items. Medical supply companies have had different reactions to competitive bidding. Although Handi Medical did win a contact, the company opted not to sign it. Bailey said the price offered by CMS was 15 to 20 percent below their bid amount. “We felt that at their [CMS] price points, we would have been forced to compromise the services we provide.” Concerns about having to cover such a large geographic area and the prospect of providing fewer product choices to customers were other red flags Vendors who successfully bid on these items and signed contracts with CMS took reductions of as much as 63 percent, said Bailey. “These are very significant reductions.” Not only do the reductions raise concerns about quality of products themselves, there are also concerns about where suppliers for a specific area are located. Bailey noted that for all products, many designated suppliers aren’t in Minnesota. That raises concerns about the ability to have supplies shipped in a timely manner. “We’ve been working on this for five years, we’ve been to Washington, DC and to the Boston area, many times” Bailey said. Providers currently renting equipment to Medicare clients covered under competitive bidding may elect to grandfather in some customers and continue providing service. Two of the designated products, diabetic test supplies and enteral nutrition, don’t allow for grandfathering. Medical supply companies have spent the last several months informing clients about the new regulations. Anyone with questions about affected supplies and whether their supplies are affected should contact their supplier. Anyone with questions about competitive bidding can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), visit www.medicare.gov or call their State Health Insurance and Assistance Program (SHIP) for more information. Another useful website is the CMS toolkit, at http://tinyurl.com/CMS-toolkit ■
July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
Panelists at the Olmstead meeting took questions and outlined issues related to the plan. Access Press Photo
Olmstead - from p. 1 result of a June 1999 U.S, Supreme Court decision. The State of Georgia was sued for unnecessarily institutionalizing people with intellectual disabilities. The court ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires states to provide services to people with disabilities in the “most integrated settings” appropriate to their needs. That means people have the right to live in their communities with appropriate services and supports, and not be institutionalized. Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan got a head start as a result of the December 2011 settlement of a lawsuit against Minnesota Extended Treatment Options. By executive order, Gov. Mark Dayton established the Olmstead Sub-Cabinet and asked the group to develop and implement a comprehensive plan supporting freedom of choice and opportunity for people with disabilities. The sub-cabinet has been meeting to develop the draft plan. Each state department has prepared a summary of information on its Olmstead-related activities. The overviews typically include a description of current services, goals to be reached, activities addressing accessibility needs, and descriptions of barriers to achieving integration. Some overviews include proposals for community engagement. Others list the fiscal impacts of providing accommodations or other services, and how services will be monitored and evaluated. To meet as many needs as possible, the sub-cabinet has been focusing on ways state agencies and departments can work with one another to improve services
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through the Olmstead plan. Each department representative talked about the process thus far and what’s ahead. “People with disabilities want to see greater coordination among departments,” said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsay. Another desire is for more state hiring of people with disabilities, which in turn could set an example for the private sector. Greg Gray of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) said that Olmstead “cannot be all things to all people.” He described the plan as a road map to services. Gray said that to improve state services, DHS has been identifying programs and services where it has the most interaction with people with disabilities, then comes up with goals to meet those needs. It also has identified a number of barriers to achieving integrated settings. Some of the challenges for DHS include making systems less difficult and complex to navigate, and reversing the bias toward provider-controlled supports, employment, housing and transportation. Questions raised June 19 ranged from housing access to calls for more focus on eliminating barriers to employment. One speaker cited the difficulty of trying to juggle personal care attendant schedules with work schedules for people with disabilities. Others called for the group to track ongoing federal Department of Justice decisions and how those could have an impact on the state plan. Joan Willshire, director of the Minnesota State Council on Disability (MNSCOD) asked if there is any tracking of how many people may want to locate in more integrated settings. She also asked, “Are we looking at demographics?” Cynthia Bauerly of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) said the full draft plan will include “as much data as we can gather and find.” Lindsay urged MNSCOD and other state councils to share as much data as they have. Mary Kay Kennedy of Advocating Change Together (ACT) brought in a number of questions from ACT’s self-advocates. One question she asked centered on more leadership training as part of Olmstead planning. “The plan has the potential to radically change inclusion,” she said. The June 19 event was the first of several public forums to be held throughout the state this summer. The next is 9-11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2 in Moorhead at the Hjemkomst Center, 202 1st Ave, N. Another northern Minnesota meeting is 1-4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13 at Duluth City Hall Council Chambers, 411 West 1st St. The sub-cabinet then goes to Rochester 1-4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18 at Heintz Center Commons, Rochester Community and Technical College, 1926 College View Road. The final listening sessions are in the Twin Cities, 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10 and 3- 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8 at Elmer Andersen Building, Room 2380, 540 Cedar St., St. Paul. Check the link to the plan to see if additional meetings are scheduled. People may also read the plan and comment online. Anyone wanting to see the draft plan can go to http://bit.ly/19CtjNO ■
News from DHS
Legislative session benefits people with disabilities by Lucinda Jesson, Commissioner Minnesota Department of Human Services
The 2013 legislative session ended with an impressive list of reforms and investments for human services, and thousands of Minnesotans—including those with disabilities—will directly benefit. Reforms this session will provide greater opportunities for people with disabilities to have fulfilling work, develop meaningful relationships and live in homes that they choose. The Legislature fully approved Governor Mark Dayton’s proposals to advance Reform 2020, a comprehensive, bipartisan effort to transform Medical Assistance (MA) in ways aimed at improving services for people with disabilities and older adults while better meeting the challenges of rising health care costs. Successfully implementing these reforms, which require federal approval, will better ensure the future sustainability of Minnesota’s nation-leading long-term care system. For people with disabilities, Reform 2020 legislation will mean: · More accessible, flexible services to better serve people in their homes and communities through a new program called Community First Services and Supports, which replaces the personal care assistance program. This will be supported by improved assessments for home and community-based services throughout the state. · Better information and assistance for people with disabilities and older adults to navigate long-term care options so they can decide if moving from an institution to the community is right for them. · New employment supports for targeted populations, including young people with disabilities who are transitioning to adulthood. · Streamlined reporting of vulnerable adult maltreatment through creation of a single,statewide toll-free number to call with reports of suspected abuse. · Improved services for children with autism through a new MA benefit. This will include services to improve communication skills and capacity for social interaction and reduce problem behaviors at a critical time in their development. The Legislature also acted to strengthen the continuum of care for people with mental illness, substance abuse disorders and co-occurring disorders. Funding was approved to help people with serious mental illnesses at the
state’s psychiatric facilities in Anoka and St. Peter move to the community. Transitioning people from these facilities when they are ready will not only help those individuals to realize their potential but will help ensure space is available in acute care hospitals for those who need it most. Capitalizing on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Legislature invested in an MA clinical care coordination and expansion of mental health crisis response services. Funding was also approved to expand the number of primary care clinicians trained to use SBIRT—Substance Abuse Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment. Among other highlights of the 2013 session are new laws that take opportunities in the ACA to serve more Minnesotans in a cost-effective way. We were able to preserve and improve MinnesotaCare, a cornerstone of our state’s health care system for decades. Changes this session allow for health care coverage of 235,000 more Minnesotans in our public programs, including 40,000 children. Improvements were also made across the full continuum of services for children and families, including investments in child care quality and safety as well as permanency for children. For families of children with disabilities, legislation eased financial burdens by reducing or eliminating parental fees for MATEFRA for many families. MA-TEFRA provides coverage for children with disabilities whose parents have too much income to qualify for other publicly-funded health care programs. Changes made this session build on the work begun to bring accountability and transparency to the work of our agency with creation of the Office of Inspector General. New investments expand our capacity to detect and fight MA fraud and ensure integrity throughout our programs. With this year’s legislative action comes significant work in implementing changes, including development of a stronger, more flexible, responsive and sustainable long-term services and supports system. Just as partnerships with people with disabilities, their service providers and others were critical to success this session, it is essential we work together to shape results in the months and years ahead. ■ This information is sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
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REGIONAL NEWS Schools struggle to hire teachers Schools across Minnesota with soaring numbers of students who have serious behavioral or emotional problems face the dilemma of not being able to find or retain qualified teachers. The number of special education students in the state has increased by 10 percent in the last five years, and many have acute conditions that were once addressed outside of classroom settings. But as schools try to meet demand, the number of licensed special education teachers in Minnesota is in sharp decline. The number has dropped by almost 10 percent during that same time. Working with special education students is becoming more difficult and dangerous, according to teachers. Crowded classrooms that lack support staff, which makes it more challenging to help special education students. Some teachers have been injured by students. Others have been frightened by behaviors. “Some of our teachers are leaving after a couple of months,” Mary Roffers, who teaches disabled children at Hiawatha Elementary School in Minneapolis, told the Star Tribune. She has been bitten, punched and pushed by students. “They just can’t do it.” More than 800 of the state’s 8,900 licensed special education teachers quit during the most recent school year the state tracked. The state granted just 417 new licenses for special education teachers, the fewest in at least five years. In some parts of Minnesota, special education teachers are driving hundreds of miles a week to serve students at schools with no one on staff who can help them. One psychologist logged 22,000 miles between schools this academic year. Other schools have no better option than to have specialists work with students over the Internet. New state requirements for those who work with students with autism, increased paperwork and larger class sizes are also taking a toll. ■ [Source: Star Tribune]
Student loses more than a backpack
Pioneering teacher retires
A Blaine High School student with autism is speaking out after someone stole her backpack from school. The items in it helped her manage her autism and get through the school day. People have offered to replace the items, but it was still a hard lesson to learn. Julia Hendrickson just finished her junior year. “I started crying,” Hendrickson told FOX 9 News. She had forgotten to lock her locker. The backpack contained at least $200 in goods— including an iPod, earphones, a Walkman, her school books and two jackets. One pink jacket was an award for her hard work in the Pageant of Hope, which showcases the talents of girls with special needs and disabilities. She loved the jacket so much she sometimes slept in it. Hendrickson’s mother, Catherine, vented her frustrations by penning a public letter to the crook on Facebook. Since then, it’s been shared more than 2,500 times. ■ [Source: FOX 9 News]
Robin Boeke was at Minnesota State University working on her special education licensure in the 1970s when she first saw a film about a child with autism. Special education itself was brand new. “At that time, when people heard about autism, they would think of the classic child who maybe had no speech, was hard to engage. As far as in schools, that’s really the only kind of autism we were talking about then,” said Boeke, longtime autism coordinator for Mankato Area Public Schools. “The term Asperger’s for instance, wasn’t even in our special education vocabulary until the 1990s.” Boeke retired this spring after a 37-year career, which was highlighted by the Mankato Free Press. “She’s a person who truly personifies the glass is half full. I mean, the glass is always half full, three-quarters full,” said John Klaber, director of special education. “She’s been the face of our autism services in this district for years.” ■ [Source: Mankato Free Press]
Student faces criminal charges
Veterans’ disability payments, care eyed
A Hopkins High School student is charged with two felonies after prosecutors say she coerced a fellow cheerleader, who has cognitive disabilities, into acts of prostitution. Montia Marie Parker, 18, is charged with second degree sex trafficking and promotion of prostitution involving a 16-year-old schoolmate. According to the criminal complaint, the victim was looking for ways to earn money. Parker contacted the victim through Facebook, got her contact information and pictures and placed an ad in the website Backpage.com In March Parker arranged for the victim to leave school on two occasions and meet men for sex. The scheme was uncovered when the victim’s mother received a message about an unexcused absence from school. When she checked her daughter’s cell phone she uncovered texts exchanged between her daughter and Parker discussing acts of prostitution. The victim’s mother contacted police. ■ [Source: KARE 11 News]
When it comes to making the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) work better, veterans often know best. A group of St. Cloud area veterans made that clear to U.S. Sen. Al Franken, DFL-Minn. and other officials during a recent meeting. The discussion came at a meeting of local veterans, county veterans’ service officers, veterans’ advocates and former VA staffers at the Stearns County Service Center in Waite Park. The meeting was held by Franken as one of many across the state to gain feedback on two veterans’ initiatives Franken is advancing. One bill, sponsored in the U.S. House by Rep. Tim Walz, DFL-Mankato, would speed processing of claims for benefits such as disability payments. Another initiative aims to improve health care access for veterans in rural areas. The Franken-Walz bill to speed claims processing aims to tackle a backlog of benefit claims coming into the VA system from aging veterans of the Korean and Regional News/Veterans’ - p. 15
ADVOCACY Advocating
July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
ADVOCACY Advocating Change Together (ACT)
V-651-641-0297
TF-800-641-0059
www.selfadvocacy.org
Arc Greater Twin Cities
V-952-920-0855
F-952-920-1480
www.arcgreatertwincities.org
Arc of Minnesota
V-651-523-0823x115
TF-800-582-5256
www.thearcofminnesota.org
Association of Residential Resources in MN
V-651-291-1086
TTY-800-551-2211
www.arrm.org
Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0725
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
MCIL
V-651-646-8342
MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
V-651-523-0829x112
F-651-523-0829
www.mnccd.org
MN Developmental Achievement-Center Assoc
V-651-647-9200
F-651-647-9353
www.mndaca.org
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
www.pacer.org
www.mcil-mn.org
ASSISTED-LIVING PROGRAMS Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
V-651-645-7271
TTY-800-466-7722
www.accessiblespace.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
www.dungarvin.com
Mary T. Inc. Catered Living
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
BRAIN INJURY Brain Injury Association of Minnesota
V-612-378-2742
TTY-800-669-6442
www.braininjurymn.org
Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0312
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
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Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs
V-763-754-2505
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Tandem Residential
V-651-641-0491x315
F-651-645-2780
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TBI Metro Services - Richfield & W. St. Paul
V-612-869-3995
V-651-457-4756
www.opportunitypartners.org
V/TTY-763-479-3555
F-763-479-2605
www.vinlandcenter.org
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsm.llc.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
www.dungarvin.com
Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
CHEMICAL HEALTH Vinland National Center
COMMUNITY LIVING
MCIL
V-651-646-8342
Metro Work Center, Inc
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
www.mcil-mn.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
TTY-952-930-4293
Reach for Resources
V-952-988-4177
F-952-988-6728
www.reachforresources.org
REM Minnesota
V-952-945-4952
F-952-922-6885
www.remminnesota.org
So. MN Independent Living Enterprises & Services
V/TTY-507-345-7139
TF-888-676-6498
www.metroworkcenter.org www.opportunitypartners.org
www.smilescil.org
CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4437
www.cipmn.org
Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-651-365-3736
Community Education Network on Disabilities
V-651-748-7436
V-507-494-0950
V-320-529-6500 x6271
Institute on Community Integration
V-612-624-6300
F-612-624-8279
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MRC - Minnesota Resource Center
V-612-752-8100
TTY-612-752-8019
www.mrc-mn.org
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
F-612-353-6638
www.upstreamarts.org
V-651-641-0709
F-651-641-0976
www.midwaytraining.org
TF-866-535-8239
www.lifeworks.org
EDUCATION
EMPLOYMENT/VOCATION Ally People Solutions Assistive Technology of MN - DBA Equip A Life
V-763-479-8239
CCP Works! - Cooperating Community Programs
V-651-379-9744
Chrestomathy, Inc.
V-952-974-0339
Community Connections Partnership (CCP)
V-763-540-6833x302
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-353-4595x101
www.equipalife.org
www.theccpinc.com/employment_support.aspx F-952-974-0307
www.chrestomathyinc.org www.communityconnectionspartnership.org
V-612-353-4595x102
www.cipmn.org
CONTINUED
Your home, your independence . . . 763-546-1000 At In Home Personal Care, we pride ourselves not only on the help we provide, but also on our ability to listen. We understand that each of our clients has different needs at different times. Our quality home care services are formed around a plan that works for you and your individual situation. Serving Adults and Children with Long-Term Needs since 1991
8441 Wayzata Blvd; Suite 130 Golden Valley, MN 55426
“ I have been an In Home client for at least 20 years. During that time I have received excellent, reliable, consistent care from PCAs and HHA’s trained and supervised by In Home.” - Jean T (Client)
Pg 7
Pg 8 July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
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EMPLOYMENT/VOCATION (continued) Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0564
East Suburban Resources, Inc.
V-651-351-0190
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org www.esrworks.org
Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota
V-651-379-5800
F-651-379-5803
www.goodwilleasterseals.org
Kaposia Inc.
V/TTY-651-224-6974
F-651-224-7249
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Lifetrack Resources - Minneapolis
V-612-788-8855
F-612-788-8577
www.lifetrackresources.org
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
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Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-651-365-3736
www.lifeworks.org
Merrick, Inc.
V-651-789-6231
F-651-789-9960
www.merrickinc.org
Metro Work Center, Inc.
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
www.metroworkcenter.org
Midwest Special Services, Inc.
V-651-778-1000
F-651-772-4352
www.mwsservices.org
Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI)
V-651-999-8200
F-651-999-8242
MRC - Minnesota Resource Center
V-612-752-8100
TTY-612-752-8019
www.mdi.org www.mrc-mn.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
TTY-952-930-4293
Partnership Resources, Inc.
V-952-925-1404
F-952-925-6055
www.partnershipresources.org
Partnership Resources, Inc. - Minneapolis
V-612-331-2075
F-612-331-2887
www.partnershipresources.org
Partnership Resources, Inc. - Older Adults Program V-952-746-6206
F-952-746-6209
www.partnershipresources.org
ProAct Inc.
F-651-686-0312
www.proactinc.org
V-651-686-0405
www.opportunitypartners.org
Rise, Inc.
V/TTY-763-786-8334
F-763-786-0008
www.rise.org
TBI Metro Services - Richfield & W. St. Paul
V-612-869-3995
V-651-457-4756
www.opportunitypartners.org
TSE, Inc.
V-651-489-2595
F-651-489-0410
www.tse-inc.org
University of Minnesota Disability Services
V-612-626-1333
F-612-625-5572
Work Incentives Connection
V-651-632-5113
TF-800-976-6728
Minnesota State Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800
TTY-800-945-8913
MN Gov. Council on Developmental Disabilities
V-651-296-4018
TF-800-627-3529
www.mncdd.org
STAR Program
V-651-201-2640
TF-888-234-1267
www.starprogram.state.mn.us
http://ds.umn.edu www.mnworkincentives.com
GOVERNMENT www.disability.state.mn.us
HEALTH CARE COORDINATION AXIS Healthcare
V-651-556-0887
F-651-556-0880
www.axishealth.com
Cornerstone Solutions
TF-888-562-8000
TTY-800-627-3529
www.cornerstone-solutions.org
Medica
V-800-266-2157
TTY-800-855-2880
www.medica.com
UCare
V-800-707-1711
TTY-800-688-2534
www.ucare.org
Break-Thru Home Care, Inc.
V—763-502-1505
F-763-502-6777
www.breakthrucare.com
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
HEALTH CARE PLANS
HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Mary T. Inc. Home Health Care
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
People Enhancing People (PEP)
V-763-586-0049
F-651-234-0864
www.pepeople.org
HOUSING-CONSTRUCTION/REMODELING AccessAbility Options, Inc.
V-763-571-6789
F-800-632-0798
www.accessoptionsmn.com
Accessibility Design
V-952-925-0301
F-952-926-7712
www.accessibilitydesign.com
CONTINUED
July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
Pg 9
HOUSING-CONSTRUCTION/REMODELING (continued) Accessible Homes, LLC.
V-612-978-1054
F-651-554-3085
www.accessiblehomesllc.net
Equal Access Homes, Inc.
V-651-249-7751
F-651-450-1330
www.EqualAccessHomes.com
McCarthy Builders & Remodelers, Inc.
V-612-250-0816
www.McCarthyBuildersandRemodelers.com
SRR Construction, LLC
V-612-419-5787
www.SRRConstruction.com
HOUSING-RENTAL Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
V-651-645-7271
TTY-800-466-7722
www.accessiblespace.org
Ebenezer Park Apartments
V-612-879-2233
F-612-879-8889
www.fairviewebenezer.org/minneapolis
HousingLink
V-612-522-2500
F-612-521-1577
www.housinglink.org
National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc
V-651-639-9799
F-651-639-9699
www.nhhiaccessiblehousing.com
Villas and Townhomes by Mary T. Inc.
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
V-763-479-8239
TF-866-535-8239
www.atmn.org
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL RESOURCES Assistive Technology of Minnesota Minnesota State Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800
TTY-800-945-8913
The Natl Multiple Sclerosis Society - MN Chapter
V-612-335-7900
TF-800-582-5296
www.disability.state.mn.us
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
STAR Program
V-651-201-2640
TF-888-234-1267
www.starprogram.state.mn.us
V-651-294-0710
TF-800-886-7201
F-651-644-9137
V-612-334-5970
TF-800-292-4150
www.mndlc.org
www.mssociety.org www.pacer.org
INSURANCE Lee F. Murphy Insurance Group
LEGAL MN Disability Law Center
MEDICAL SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT Handi Medical Supply
V-651-644-9770
F-651-644-0602
www.handimedical.com
HME Medical Shop
V-800-258-6313
F-800-258-6313
www.hmemedicalshop.com
Key Medical Supply
V-651-792-3860
F—651-792-3867
www.keymedicalsupply.com
Liberty Oxygen & Medical Equipment
V-952-920-0460
F-952-920-0480
www.libertyoxygen.com
Phoenix Medical Services Inc.
V-651-636-0848
F-651-636-5746
www.PhoenixMedical.org
Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc.
V-763-795-0057
TF-866-795-0057
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4434
V-612-362-4452
Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0312
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
www.dungarvin.com
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
National Alliance on Mental Illness of MN
V-651-645-2948
TF-888-NAMI-Helps
People Incorporated Mental Health Services
V-651-774-0011
TTY-651-774-6535
Vinland National Center
V/TTY-763-479-3555
F-763-479-2605
www.tamarackhti.com
MENTAL HEALTH www.cipmn.org
www.fraser.org www.lifetrackresources.org www.namihelps.org
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 2013 & 2005-2012
www.PeopleIncorporated.org www.vinlandcenter.org
CONTINUED
Desktop Publishing: Advertisements Brochures Catalogs Flyers Logos Newsletters Newspapers and More! Ellen Houghton • 952-404-9981 presentationimages@comcast.net
Pg 10 July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
Thanks to all of you for supporting Access Press FRIEND SPONSOR ($50 and above) Anonymous Monte Blair Ellen Boucher Martha Brown Jerry Caruso Teresa Dock Mel & Georgia Duncan Robert Engstrom Steve & JoAnn Erbes Nancy Eustis Thomas & Mimi Fogarty Claudia Fuglie Lael Gatewood Marjorie Goldberg Pamela Hochrein Laurie Jarvis Barb Kane Noreen Linney Gene Martinez Christopher Meyer Lee Ohnesorge Henn. Cty Commissioner Mike Opat William & Joen Overby Annette Pantel Linda Paulson Kelly Rathcke Virginia Schwartzbauer John Sherman Amanda & Mark Tempel Equity Services of St. Paul BRONZE SPONSOR ($75 and above) Brigid Alseth Susan Bulger Rick Cardenas Mike Chevrette Stephanie Cunningham Christopher Duff Craig Dunn Anne Henry Mary Kay Kennedy Dianna Krogstad Dave & Carol Larson Richard & Vicki Dalle Molle Scott Neamy Donn Poll & Eric Nelson Mark & Mary Payette Ann Roscoe John Schatzlein Patty Woodey Blue Worm Labs CAPPS Dept-Northwestern Hennepin County Library
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PHYSICIANS Wound Healing Center
V-715-268-0175
Capable Partners Inc.
V-763-439-1038
Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0537
Mind Body Solutions
V-952-473-3700
Mixed Blood Theatre Company
V-612-338-6131
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
www.upstreamarts.org
V-507-724-2351
Camps of Courage & Friendship
V-952-852-0101
Hammer Travel
V-952-277-2458
Margaret’s Missions
V-651-583-4471
Ventures Travel
V-952-852-0107
TF-866-692-7400
www.venturestravel.org
Wilderness Inquiry
V-612-676-9400
TF-800-728-0719
www.wildernessinquiry.org
info@familyfoundationsmn.com F-507-724-3786
www.campwinnebago.org www.campscouragefriendship.org
TF-877-345-8599
www.HammerTravel.org www.margaretmission.com
REHABILITATION (Physical, Occupational, Speech, Audiology Therapists) Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-588-0811
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsm.org
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-291-2848
TF-800-719-4040
www.fraser.org www.gillettechildrens.org
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
www.lifetrackresources.org
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
www.capstoneservices.net
RESIDENTIAL/GROUP HOME PROGRAMS Capstone Services, LLC
V-651-641-0042 x211
F-651-645-2780
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4403
V-612-362-4417
www.cipmn.org
Dakota Communities
V-651-9688-8808
F-651-688-8892
www.dakotacommunities.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
Mary T. Inc. Human Services Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.dungarvin.com www.fraser.org www.marytinc.com
Mt. Olivet Rolling Acres
V-952-474-5974
F-952-474-3652
www.mtolivetrollingacres.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
TTY-952-930-4293
www.opportunitypartners.org
Phoenix Residence
V-651-227-7655
F-651-227-6847
www.phoenixresidence.org
Restart, Inc.
V-952-767-3350
F-952-767-3351
www.restartincmn.org
F-763-331-3009
www.can-do-canines.org
F-952-988-9296
www.helpingpaws.org
V-952-226-2063
www.PawPADS.org
SERVICE ANIMALS V-952-988-9359
Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs)
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES Ebenezer Care Center
V-612-879-2262
www.fairviewebenezer.org/minneapolis
SOCIAL SERVICES Metro Meals On Wheels
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July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7 Pg 11
Shakopee woman is ‘Best Mom on Wheels’
PEOPLE & PLACES
Nora Boyle, center, is shown with her children Debi and Owen and her husband Jesse. Photo courtesy of the Boyle Family
A Shakopee woman is the 2013 winner of the “Best Mom on Wheels” contest sponsored by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Many of Nora
Boyle’s friends and family members say she is the “the best person on wheels.” Boyle was humbled by her win, after reading all of the entries. “Every mom tries to be their best, so this means a lot,” she said. “I’m really excited, but I wish there was a way for all these moms to win.” This was Boyle’s second nomination in two years. Until the 10 finalists were announced, she was unaware that her mother, Susan Hoffman, had nominated her. “I had friends sharing it and friends of friends,” explains Boyle, of all the votes. “I work at a school as a special education paraprofessional and my story was on the news. Kids were saying ‘I saw you on TV! I voted for you!’” The votes meant more than just being crowned the Best Mom on Wheels and winning a $500 gift card from Tilt-A-Rack. “One second grader saw me in passing and said, ‘You’re not just the Best Mom on Wheels, you’re the best person on wheels,’” said Boyle.
Boyle and her children, Debi age 12, and Owen age 10, don’t think of her any differently. “We do lots of stuff anyone else does,” she said. “We go to the zoo, museums, take day trips, and do arts and crafts. The kids are very helpful. Sometimes it’s easier having them with me. They help put my wheelchair in the SUV.” Boyle’s children have never known their mom to be a mom that walks. At age 16, she was injured in a motor vehicle accident. “Like my son said on TV,” said Boyle, “‘My mom is just like any other mom. She is just a tiny bit different.’” Her parents join her children and husband Jesse as Boyle’s biggest supporters. But she has many friends in her home area, in part because of her extensive community involvement. Boyle holds full-time job and is a Girl Scout leader. She is kept busy with her children’s activities and is involved in many projects. She enjoys scrapbooking, cooking and travel. She enjoys challenging herself and has tried activities including bungee jumping and skydiving. ■
Partners in Policy Making training helps advocates While many new graduates are starting careers or higher education, Partners in Policy Making’s latest graduating class is off to a bright future of advocacy. The eight-month leadership training program for adults with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities recently graduated its latest class. The deadline to apply for the 2013-2014 session is July 15. Now offered in almost every state and many foreign countries, Partners in Policymaking was created by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities 26 years ago. Nearly 850 Minnesotans have completed the program and more than 23,000 have participated worldwide. “Many graduates credit this program for helping them gain self-confidence and a greater understanding of disability law and policies, enabling them to be better advocates for their needs. Many have stepped up to become leaders in their own communities and take on greater roles in speaking for people with disabilities,” said Colleen Wieck, executive director of the Governor’s Council. Adults with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities are urged to apply. The program is paid for through a federal grant and is free to participants. Meals and mileage are covered. Child care, respite allowances and overnight accommodations are provided for those who have to travel some distance to participate. Presenters include nationally recognized leaders as well as local experts. The history of the disability and self-advocacy movements, inclusive education, sup-
ported living, and influencing county, state and federal legislative processes are among topics covered. The two-day meetings are on weekends, making it easier for people to participate. Participants are required to attend all eight sessions and complete homework assignments. Sessions are at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott, Bloomington. The 2013-2014 sessions begin Sept. 27-28. The class is limited to 40 participants. The class is selected by a panel of program graduates and council representatives. Plymouth resident Ashley Bailey has cerebral palsy. She completed the 2012-2013 program and calls it invaluable. “I learned about the power of speaking up and giving your ideas to those who are elected,” said Bailey. She is concerned about the policy for the personal care attendant (PCA) waiver with rigorous guidelines that do not consider individual circumstances. Bailey highly recommends the program to others. “It is so important to learn that you have a voice.” Fellow spring graduate Mary Beth May is a Coon Rapids resident. Her disability resulted from brain surgery. May could have been one of the instructors. She gained experience 15 years earlier in giving testimony to legislative committees that lead to changing eligibility guidelines to obtain community services for brain injured clients. May developed “a new appreciation for what others have to deal with. It is important to speak out for what you believe is right and what you think you deserve,” she added. Maple Grove resident and parent of a daughter with
St. Paul student wins award Louie McGee, a seventh grader at Highland Catholic School in St. Paul, is one of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards winners. Just 10 young people from around the nation won the award, out of more than 28,000 applicants.
McGee, 12, has significant vision loss. He was honored for his fundraising work as one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers of 2013. For six years he has led Team Louie for the Twin Cities Vision Walk. The People & Places/Studen wins award - p. 12
autism, Jennifer Reiter, found the program valuable to “learn how to communicate with my daughter and to not think of her as ‘less’.” Discussions on the difference between “existing and thriving” environments motivated her find more ways to include her daughter in activities. “It is empowering for parents,” said Reiter. The Reiter family “Meeting other parents helps you feel that you are not alone and you begin to get a new footing.” Markeeta Keys is a Brooklyn Center resident and parent of children with disabilities. She highly recommends the program to other parents. “You need this experience to talk about equal access, rights and benefits for all.” Cedar resident Barb Tooze has a son on the autism spectrum and has a disability herself. “It was a true blessing,” said Tooze. She shared her personal eightyear struggle with the local school system to get education for her son who had increasing daily anxieties about going to school. When a qualified tutor she found to help with the morning transitions was denied by the local school, she found a school specializing in autism that is meeting his needs and helping him thrive. That school is more than 50 miles away. Aware of her own disability resulting from fibromyalgia and Lupus, Tooze wanted others to learn from her advocacy experience. “I cherish every day I have with him and I want the best for his future, with People & Places/Partners in Policy Making - p. 12
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
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We are accepting applications for our large number of mobility impaired accessible units. Please call us for more information.
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Pg 12 July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
Find more on page 13
PEOPLE & PLACES
Preps wrap up spring sports
The Minnesota State High School League’s spring sports wrapped up with the state track and field meet in June. Adapted softball and bowling tournaments are held in the spring, for physically impaired (PI) and cognitively impaired (CI) divisions. Wheelchair athletes can compete at the state track and field meet. In adapted bowling, Simley won the PI title and Lake City won the CI title. St. Paul City Conference schools took three of four singles titles. St. Paul Johnson swept the singles championships in the CI division. Senior Dwight Johnson won the boys’ title with a 508. Junior Veronica Hodges earned the girls’ crown with a 473. St. Paul Humboldt senior Tony Campanaro posted a 503 to win the boys’ PI title. Simley senior Abby Cochran had a score of 518 to win the girls’ PI title. Her total helped the Spartans win the team championship as well. Minneapolis North senior Ronnie Kennedy and sophomore Dushon Spicer won the doubles title in the CI division with a 869. Austin sophomore Kaylee McDermott and freshman Rachel Cook took first place in doubles in the PI division with a 901. In adapted softball, Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka defeated Dakota United, 10-5, for the Robins’ record fifth consecutive PI state title. Both teams came into the title game undefeated. In the CI division, the Blazing Cats of Burnsville, Farmington, Lakeville and New Prague high schools, defeated North Suburban 12-5. It was the Cats’ firstever state crown. At the state track and field meet, one wheelchair athlete won a title. Blake Collier of St. James Area High School won the Class A boys’ shot put. ■ Student wins award- from p. 11 team has raised $40,000 for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. He is the walk’s youth chairman. Last year McGee organized the Dining in the Dark fundraiser at his school. About 300 students wore masks while eating dinner, and learned about living with vision loss. McGee is using half of his $10,000 award to support the Foundation Fighting Blindness. He was honored in a ceremony at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. D.C. His school was presented with a crystal trophy in June to recognize his work. In addition to the trophy for his school, McGee received a personal award of $5,000, an engraved gold medallion and a $5,000 grant from the Prudential Foundation for a charitable organization of his choice. He also received a silver medallion and $1,000 personal award after being named one of Minnesota’s top two youth volunteers of 2013 in February. McGee was diagnosed with Stargardt disease at age 5. The condition causes loss of central vision. He is active on his school track and swim teams, and is a good student. ■
Partners in Policy Making - from p. 11 and without me.” She encourages others to apply for the class. “You get to meet others who are in the same situation you face and you find support in many ways. You learn what this society is all about and what you need to do to bring about change and advocate for people with disabilities.” “This program is based on the belief that systems change is best brought about through the efforts of those most affected by them, and we seek to arm them with the tools needed to be successful in the public policy arena,” said Wieck. For further information or to receive an application form, go to the web page, www.mngts.org/partners inpolicymaking or contact Carol Schoeneck at Government Training Services, 1-800-0569-6878, ext. 205, or at 651-222-7409, ext. 205. She may be e-mailed at cschoeneck@mngts.org ■
Mary Beth May was awarded her Partners in Policymaking certificate by program faculty member Dan Reed. Photos courtesy of Partners in Policymaking
Those who improve lives are honored Eight Minnesota individuals and organizations were recognized for their work in improving and enriching the lives of seniors and people with disabilities at the 2013 Age and Disabilities Odyssey Conference in Duluth in June. The annual conference is sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Minnesota Board on Aging. The 2013 winners were chosen from the largest-ever group of nominees. “The 2013 Odyssey award winners are excellent examples of individuals and organizations coming together to better serve aging Minnesotans, people with disabilities and their caregivers,” said Minnesota DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. “It is wonderful to see the difference these people and organizations are making in their communities.” “We can all learn from and be inspired by the exemplary work of these award winners,” said Don Samuelson, chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. Three awards were given in the service category, for exemplary practices, services and/or advocacy for older Minnesotans, people with disabilities and their communities. Sarah Mruz, direct support professional for Mains’l Services, Inc., Brooklyn Park, provides outstanding service to clients. Mruz “maintains the utmost respect for the dignity and rights of the consumers, all while addressing their needs,” according to her nomination. She also is praised for allowing her clients to make independent decisions, no matter the outcome, and for her problem-solving skills. VINE Faith in Action, Mankato, has the ability to identify and meet needs in its community. VINE’s mission is to “promote quality of life and a culture of caring,” Called “a pillar in its community for elders and people with disabilities,” VINE provides services including rides to medical appointments, housekeeping for people post-hospitalization and peer mentoring. Dr. Terrance Capistrant was recognized for his work raising funds to establish the Capistrant Center Moving on up - from p. 1 frustration found in other parts of the skyway system. Some skyway access points, especially buildings with elevators, close earlier than others, forcing people in wheelchairs or with other mobility devices to take long trips out of their way. St. Paul City Council Member Dave Thune represents downtown. He said providing the access is critically important, even more so for people with disabilities. “We need to have a downtown that is accessible to everyone,” he said. “It can’t be any other way.” ■
for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders at Bethesda Hospital, St. Paul. After a long career as a neurologist, Capistrant currently volunteers in an advisory role and as a patient educator at the center. Individuals are given community awards for improving policies, services or quality of life practices for elders, people with disabilities and their communities. Katy Boone, planning and promotion supervisor at Carver County Public Health Department, works to improve services for baby boomers. Through her work with city officials and interviews with Carver County residents, Boone identified intersections between baby boomers’ needs and the city’s goals to develop a comprehensive set of programs and policies in order to improve services. Examples include training for local officials regarding seniors’ housing and the development of a comprehensive plan for Carver County. Barbara Fonkert, planning coordinator for Homeland Security Emergency Management at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, received the award for her key role in creating the “Functional Needs Planning Toolkit,” which identifies a wide variety of resources to aide emergency planners to meet the needs of people with disabilities. The toolkit also encourages emergency planners to involve people with various needs in their planning. The innovation category recognizes an organization or individual that has championed innovations in direct services, coordination of services, and community-based partnerships, and increased the resilience, interdependence and quality of life for elders, people with disabilities and their communities. Northwoods Caregivers, which serves seniors and people with disabilities in the Bemidji area, is one winner. The nonprofit partnered with Bemidji State University students. They customized and created a database that automates time reporting, data entry and billing. Northwoods Caregivers has reduced errors, saved time for office staff and homemakers, and made more time for outreach to potential clients and referring partners. Debra Schipper is founder of West Metro Learning Connections. She is its chief executive officer, director and lead autism spectrum disorder specialist at West Metro Learning Connections, Inc. It addresses the specific needs of high-functioning young people with autism for personalized social, communication, and behavior skill development. In the past decade 1,000 children have participated in the program and are now leading happier and more social lives. One organization was given the policy award, for demonstrating public policy leadership resulting in improved quality of life for elders, people with disabilities and their communities. ACT on Alzheimer’s, a statewide public-private community collaboration, was honored for efforts to advance awareness and dispel myths about the disease. The collaboration provides support to communities through tools and resources that make them more dementia-friendly for people with the disease and their caregivers. More than 50 organizations and 150 individuals participate in ACT on Alzheimer’s, putting Minnesota at the forefront nationally in preparing for Alzheimer’s. ■
Find more People & Places on page 13
July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7 Pg 13
Fundraising skydiver celebrates his feat
ACCESSIBLE FUN Welcome to the Access Press Accessible Fun listings. Readers looking for additional opportunities to enjoy the arts have these options: For information on galleries and theater performances around the state, join the Access to Performing Arts email list at access@vsamn.org or call VSA Minnesota, 612-332-3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY). To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call 612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883. On the web accessible performance listings are found at www.vsamn.org/calendar.html, www.mrid.org, www.accesspress.org, or http://c2net.org (c2: caption coalition, inc.), which does most of the captioned shows in Minnesota and across the country. Connect with performances on Facebook. Sign up to connect with Audio Description Across Minnesota on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Audio-DescriptionAcross-Minnesota/202035772468). Sign up to connect with ASL Interpreted and Captioned Performances Across Minnesota on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ pages/ASL-Interpreted-and-Captioned-PerformancesAcross-Minnesota/257263087700814.
Golf tournament The 17th Annual Paul Adelman Children with Disabilities Golf Classic & Paul’s Party are Mon, July 23 at Oak Ridge Country Club, Minnetonka. Events start at 11 a.m., including golf, hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auctions, a wine wall raffle, and lots of fun. WCCO’s Aristea Brady is emcee. Proceeds help children with disabilities at several Twin Cities locations. FFI: Sheila Johnson, 612-708-0591, sheila@pauladelmanendowmentfund.com to register for golf and/or Paul’s Party; Floyd Adelman for sponsorship opportunities at 952-935-5801 or floyd@pauladelmanendowmentfund.com.
Annie Rosetown Playhouse presents the tale of a plucky orphan at Como Lakeside Pavilion, 1360 Lexington Parkway N., St. Paul. ASL show is 7 p.m. Fri, July 19. Tickets are $12, senior/student 13+ $10, Student age 6-12: $8, Child $5. FFI: 651-792-7414 ext. tickets, X2; tickets@rose townplayhouse.org, www.rosetownplayhouse.org/
Shrek the Musical Trollwood Performing Arts School presents the story of everyone’s favorite green ogre, his donkey friend and all of the other favorites, at Bluestem Center for the Arts, IMAGINE Amphitheater, 801 50th Ave. S., Moorhead. AD show is 8:30 p.m. Fri, July 19. ASL show is 8:30 p.m. Fri, July 26. Tickets are general admission $15; senior/student $13; child 4-10 $10; age 3 & under free. Reserved $20, $25 & $30. Tickets available at Trollwood Performing Arts School, IMAGINE or Hornbacher’s (general admission only). FFI: 218-477-6502, Trollwood@fargo.k12.nd.us, www.trollwood.org
Camelot 4 Community Theatre presents Lerner and Lowe’s beloved musical at Orono High School, 795 N Old Crystal Bay Rd., Orono. ASL show is 2 p.m. Sun, July 21. Tickets in advance: $13, senior $11, student $9; at the door $2 more. FFI: 952-449-8302; info@steppingstone theatre.org, www.4communitytheatre.org
Kevin Burkart has set a world record and now he wants others to help him celebrate. Anyone interested in Parkinson’s disease, finding a cure, and helping with his cause is involved to a beach party at 2 p.m. Mon, July 15 at 14624 Oakland Beach Ave SE, Prior Lake. Enjoy free food and beverages, water skiing, and a slip n’ slide. B license water jump training is available. Or just relax and enjoy the one-armed skydiving videos. Burkart completed 151 record-breaking one-armed skydives in one day June 19 and raised more than $120,000 to benefit Parkinson’s disease. He jumped for his father, who has Parkinson’s. He jumped from 5 a.m. until almost 10 p.m., with each jump taking about four minutes. He climbed to 2,000 feet of altitude in one minute on a fast turbine aircraft, and then returned to the ground in about two minutes, changing gear in one minute and then getting back into the plane. After opening the canopy Burkart utilizes a carabiner to connect the steering toggles so he can steer with one arm. If he pushes to the right the canopy goes left, if he pushes to the left the canopy goes right. For his quick turn fast skydives he adds a stirrup that drops down to his right foot that he uses to put the canopy in a spin to quickly return to earth. Skydive Twin Cities provided the staff, pilots and ground crew to keep Burkart jumping. Proceeds from the event are shared equally by the National Parkinson Foundation of Minnesota, providing care today for those living with the disease, and the National Parkinson Foundation that is trying to find a cure for tomorrow. The Geriatrical Theatrical Plymouth Playhouse presents the story of Louis, who is grudgingly wooed into senior cooperative living, at the theater at 2705 Annapolis Lane N. Plymouth. AD show is 1 p.m. Thu, July 25. Tickets are $30-$40 (senior $27$37, age 6-17: $15-$20). FFI: 763-553-1600 x1; www.plymouthplayhouse.com.
Pride and Prejudice Guthrie Theater presents Jane Austen’s classic tale of the Bennett sisters and their quest for marriage, at the Guthrie Theater, Wurtele Thrust Stage, 818 2nd St. S., Minneapolis. AD show is 1 p.m. Sat, July 27 (with sensory tour) and 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug. 2. ASL show is 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug. 9, and Thu, Aug. 15. Captioning is 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug. 16 and 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21. Tickets are reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for Captioning (regular $24-62). FFI: 612-377-2224, TTY 612-377-6626, www.guthrietheater.org.
Jeffrey Hatcher’s Hamlet
Alice in Wonderland
Illusion Theater presents a flashback of sorts for playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, who adapted, staged and performed in Hamlet as a fifth grader in Ohio. The flash-forward has Hatcher revisiting that experience and playing himself as the storyteller at Illusion Theatrer, 528 Hennepin Ave, 8th floor, Minneapolis. ASL show is 7 p.m. Sun, July 28. Tickets are $17. FFI: 612-339-4944, www.illusiontheater.org
Lakeshore Players Summer Youth Program presents Lewis Carroll’s fanciful take at Lakeshore Players Theatre, 4820 Stewart Ave., White Bear Lake. ASL show is at 2 p.m. Sun, August 4. (If no ASL seats are reserved within two weeks of the performance, the ASL-interpretation will be cancelled.) Tickets are $12, senior/student $10. FFI: 651-429-5674; tickets@lakeshoreplayers.com, http://www.lakeshoreplayers.com
Minnesota Fringe Festival – August 1-11, 2013
Fiddler on the Roof
The 20th annual Minnesota Fringe Festival features 176 companies presenting 896 performances of theater, dance, performance art, storytelling and other theatrical entertainment at 16 Minneapolis venues, all accessible to people with mobility impairments. Shows last 60 minutes or less, with a new show starting every 90 minutes. Performing groups come from Minnesota as well as from across the country. The 2013 Fringe Festival schedule with show descriptions will be searchable at www.fringefestival.org after July 1 or available for printing at home. For a daily recording of shows presented with AD or ASL, call VSA Minnesota at 612-332-3888. If you learn through “the buzz” of
Fridley Community Theatre revives the “tradition” of this popular musical at Fridley Community Center, 6085 7th St. NE. ASL show is 3 p.m. Sun, Aug. 4. Tickets are $12, student/senior $10. FFI: 763-502-5100, fridleycommunitytheatre@gmail.com, www.fridleycommunitytheatre.org ■
PEOPLE & PLACES Student’s art takes him to Carnegie Hall An eighth-grader at Valley View in Edina is now a successful and award-winning artist. Harrison Heinks won a gold medal in this year’s National Scholastic Art and Writing competition for his sculpture of shoes. Only 1 percent of the more than 200,000 entries received the award. The piece represents his feelings of loss and loneliness during a family move. Heinks was diagnosed with autism at age 2. His family worried at one point that he would never speak. A few years ago, his family moved to Edina for better educational and community resources. While the move was done for his own good, Heinks said the
move was a difficult experience for him. The award is one of the most prestigious awards for creative teens. Previous winners include Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Stephen King and Lena Dunham. Heinks created his sculpture of a pair of shoes in about 20 minutes. He said it helps that his mother, Kari, who is an art teacher in the St. Michael Albertville school district, has plenty of clay on hand. Art is more than a hobby for Heinks. It is an outlet and a way to share his feelings. Art serves as a way for him to deal with stress and the frustration he faces at times. Heinks was given his medal this spring in a ceremony at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. ■
Radio Talking Book hosts conference The Minnesota Radio Talking Book was host to the annual conference for the International Association of Audio Information Services in June. This organization, under several different names, has existed since the early 1970s. It is inspired by the existence of the Radio Talking Book, which was the world’s first reading service for the blind.
another show that you would love to have interpreted or described, email robin@fringefestival.org and Fringe will attempt to find an ASL interpreter or audio describer. A $4 Fringe button is required of all attendees. Attend one show for $12, get a four-show punch pass for $44, a ten-show punch pass for $100, or an Ultra Pass for unlimited shows for $225. Punch cards are transferable and may be used by multiple people to attend one performance (as long as everyone has a button). Fringe box offices accept cash, checks and credit cards and open 30 minutes before each show time. Advance reservations ($2 fee) guarantee your seat. This reservation fee is waived for people using access services, with the code “access” over the phone or online. Purchase online at www.fringefestival.org, by calling OvationTix at 866-811-4111 or at each venue. FFI: www.fringe festival.org for schedule, ticket buying info and a venue map. Use sort functions to find shows you’ll like, write audience reviews, or create your own Fringe schedule.
The conference moves to a different host city each year. The return to Minnesota had the “Remembering the Past, Looking Forward to the Future” as its theme. One of the presenters at the conference was Minnesota’s engineer emeritus, Robert Watson, who made the Radio Talking Book possible in 1969. ■
Pg 14 July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7
UPCOMING EVENTS Places for puppies are needed Can Do Canines needs to keep a steady flow of puppies entering its training programs so that all in need can have a service dog. That demand means 30 or more puppies will need puppy raiser homes between August and October. Without volunteers to help raise puppies, people who need the assistance of a service dog may have to do without. Starting with a puppy between the ages of 12 weeks to 12 months, the puppy raiser— with the training, support and recognition of the Can Do Canines team—begins the process of preparing the dog for a happy, healthy life of service. The puppy raiser provides the love, care and attention any puppy needs to develop into a well-adjusted adult dog. But they also help familiarize it to the sights, sounds and smells of public areas like those it will encounter daily with its eventual human partner. The goal is to ensure a stable, dependable, trustworthy companion and helper for a person with a disability. At about 18 months of age the dog comes back to the facility where it is further trained in the specific duties it will assume with its specific client. Won’t you help? FFI: http://can-do-canines.org/ puppy-raiser/
Advocacy Olmstead Plan meetings Public meetings and listening sessions throughout Minnesota are set to hear input on the state’s Olmstead Plan. The Olmstead Sub-Cabinet is committed to providing accommodations to people with disabilities so that everyone can participate in the listening sessions. Hear about the plan’s status and make comments. It is important that people come to these meetings to make their voices heard regarding this plan. The events are; 11 a.m. Fri, Aug. 2 at Hjemkomst Center, 202 1st Avenue N., Moorhead; 1-4 p.m. Tue, Aug. 13 at Duluth City Hall Council Chambers, 411 W. 1st St.; and 1-3 p.m. Mon, Aug. 19 at Heintz Center Commons, Rochester Community and Technical College, 1926 College View Road.
Anyone needing accommodations or modifications because of a disability should contact organizers at least two weeks in advance and provide specific information on what is needed, as well as contact information. FFI: opc.public@state.mn.us Partners in Policymaking The Partners in Policymaking program needs applications for its free nine-month leadership training program. Individuals with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities will be trained at no cost in monthly sessions, starting this fall. Deadline is July 15. Over the course of eight sessions, they learn how to become strong, knowledgeable, and effective advocates for themselves, their children, and others with disabilities. The two-day meetings are all held on weekends, from September to May. Cost are covered by a federal grant. Child care, respite allowances, and overnight accommodations are provided for those who have to travel from outside the metro area to attend. Mileage and meals are also covered by the grant. Sessions will be held at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott in Bloomington. FFI: www.mngts.org/partnersinpolicymaking or cschoeneck@mngts.org
Activities for adults Independent living classes offered The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living offers free and accessible classes on living independently for people with disabilities. Most classes are held at 1600 University Ave., #16, the green tile building at University and Snelling, St. Paul, unless specified. Summer means trips to the Nicollet Mall Farmers’ Market, 1-3 p.m. Thu, July 18 and Sat, July 20. A full calendar of all events is offered online. Enjoy field trips, knitting and crafts, wii fun, cooking, and classes to help with everyday living. Classes include Managing Your Living Space 10 a.m.-noon, Wed, July 17, a workshop about managing one’s own space; Know Your Rights in the workplace and in public 10 a.m.-noon, Tue, July 23; and Make Friends by Listening, 10 a.m.noon Mon, July 29. Weekenders outings are for those who are tired of sitting home all weekend. Meet other people who share similar interests and want to meet new people. Guests are welcomed. One upcoming outing is 6-10:30 p.m. Sat, July 20 to see the Target fireworks that are part of the Aquatennial. The group will be between Portland Avenue and the Third Avenue Bridge. Please bring spending money for weekenders events. All other events are free of charge, accessible and mostly scent-free. Please RSVP and give two weeks’ notice of needed accommodations. FFI: Corbett Laubignat, 651-603-2028, corbettl@mcil-mn.org, Cindy, 651-603-2037, cindyl@mcil-mn.org,or www.mcil-mn.org
Youth/families Help for stuttering Parents eagerly anticipate the moment when their child first begins to talk. But as many as five percent of preschool children nationwide have repetitions and prolongations of sounds severe enough to be of concern to their parents. The DVD Stuttering and Your Child: Help for Parents, helps parents detect stuttering and take action toward helping their child. Produced by the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, the film describes what kinds of stuttering young children may exhibit, how parents can help at home, and the role of a speech pathologist in evaluating and treating children who stutter. The video, in English and Spanish, is available through public libraries. FFI: 800-992-9392, e-mail info@stutteringhelp. org, www.stutteringhelp.org or www.tartarmudez.org.
PACER hosts symposium Teachers, administrators and parents interested in learning more about mental health and learning disabilities in young adults and children are urged to register for PACER Center’s upcoming workshop, Tue, Aug. 6 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Av. S, Mpls. Registration fee is $20 and lunch is provided for the daylong event. Space is limited. Keynote speakers are Dr. John Maag, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor specializing in the treatment of adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders, and Dr. John Ratey, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. FFI: 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237 (toll free), www.PACER.org
Information and assistance Seniors can seek healthy food To increase seniors’ access to nutritious foods, the Minnesota Department of Human Services announced the launch of a new one-page application for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Minnesotans age 60 and older. At the end of 2012, only 50.5 percent of seniors eligible for SNAP were accessing it. Currently, more than 500,000 Minnesotans are on SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Application for Seniors is for seniors-only households. The application is one page, two-sided, with additional attachments, including instructions and resource information. Previously, seniors needed to complete a combined application for food, cash and health care benefits, which all others interested in applying still need to complete. The department is working with counties, community groups and outreach organizations to get the word out about the new application. Seniors interested in applying for SNAP should contact their county social service agency. Mental Illness support groups NAMI-MN free support groups for families who have a relative with a mental illness. NAMI has about two dozen family support groups, more than 20 support groups for people living with a mental illness, anxiety support groups, groups for veterans and other groups. Led by trained facilitators, the various groups provide help and support. FFI: 651-645-2948 Partners and Spouses support group meets 6:45 p.m. the first Tue of each month at Falcon Heights United Church of Christ, 1795 Holton St. FFI: Lois, 651-7881920, or Donna, 651-645-2948 ext. 101. Open Door Anxiety and Panic support, meets at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Thu at Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke St., St. Paul and 6:30-6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thu at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553 Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul. FFI: 651-645-2948. NAMI Connection peer support group for adults are led by trained facilitators who are also in recovery lead NAMI Connection groups. One group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tue, . A group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the 4th Tuesday of the month, at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553 Fairview Av., St. Paul (The group previously met at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.) FFI: Shelly, 651228-1645. Bi-weekly adult recovery groups meet at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wed at Centennial United Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, Roseville. FFI: Will, 651-578-3364. A family support group meets in St. Paul on the second Wednesday of each month from at 6-7:30 p.m., at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553 Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul, in room 123. FFI: Sonja, 651-357-2077. A family support group meets in Oakdale on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, from 7:00-8:30 p.m., at Canvas Health, 7066 Stillwater Blvd., in the community room. FFI: Dan, 651-341-8918. A group also meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at Centennial United Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. FFI: Anne Mae, 651-730-8434 Chronic pain support group MCIL offers a peer support group for people who live with chronic pain. The group will start meeting 6:30 the first and third Thursday at MCIL, 1600 University Ave. #16, St. Paul. Group members will discuss what chronic pain is and how it affects people. FFI: Cindy Langr, 651603-2037, cindyl@mcil-mn.org UCare meetings UCare hosts informational meetings about its UCare for Seniors Medicare Advantage plan. Meetings are held all over the region. UCare for Seniors has more than 75,000 members across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. UCare serves Medicare-eligible individuals and families enrolled in income-based Minnesota Health Care Programs, such as Minnesota Care and Prepaid Medical Assistance Program; adults with disabilities and Medicare beneficiaries with chronic health conditions and Minnesotans dually eligible for Medical Assistance and Medicare FFI: 1-877-523-1518 (toll free), www.ucare.org ■
July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7 Pg 15
Radio Talking Book
July Sampling
Books available through Faribault Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. Phone is 1-800-722-0550 and hours are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The catalog is online and can be accessed by going to the main website, www.mnbtbl.org, and then clicking on the link Search the Library Catalog. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books via inter-library loan by contacting their home state’s Network Library for the National Library Service. Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived programs from the last week, on the Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call the staff at 651-642-0500 for a password to the site. See more information about events on the Facebook site for the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network. Facebook is a free social networking web site. Register at www.facebook.com Access Press is one of the publications featured at 9 p.m. Sundays on the program It Makes a Difference.
Weekend Program Books Your Personal World (Saturday at 1 p.m.) is airing 8 Habits of Love, by Ed Bacon, and Weight Loss for People Who Feel Too Much, by Colette Baron-Reid. For the Younger Set (Sunday at 11 a.m.) is airing The Mostly True Story of Jack, by Kelly Barnhill. Poetic Reflections (Sunday at noon) is airing Pity the Beautiful, by Dana Gioia, and Mother Desert, by Jo Sarzotti. The U.S. and Us (Sunday at 4 p.m.) is airing Minnesota Mayhem, by Ben Welter, and Thirty Rooms to Hide In, by Luke Longstreet Sullivan.
Regional news/Veterans’ - from p. 6 Vietnam wars and from returning veterans from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A key provision would bar the VA from requiring a VA medical examination to process disability claims when medical evidence gathered outside the VA system is deemed credible to decide the claims. ■ [Source: St. Cloud Daily Times]
Marine reunited with dog tag A Marine with disabilities from Two Harbors is being reunited with one of his long-lost dog tags. Lanny Martinson was a 23-year-old Marine sergeant in Vietnam when he last had his dog tags. He assumed they were lost in the haste to save his life after he and other Marines walked into a mine field 45 years ago. But a network of people worked via social media to get one of the tags returned to him. “It’s like I left a part of me over there and somehow it’s made its way back to me from a dark place,” he said. His story has brought him a burst of fame among veterans’ communities online. The long-lost dog tag was discovered a couple of years ago in the undergrowth where an airstrip had once been at Khe Sanh, where Martinson stepped on a land mine that destroyed his right leg. He now uses a wheelchair and lives in Texas. ■ [Source: Minnesota Public Radio]
Chautauqua • Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m. The End of Men, Nonfiction by Hanna Rosen, 2012, 11 broadcasts. Begins July 23. Men have been the dominant sex since the dawn of mankind, but it is no longer true. Women are not just gaining on men; they have pulled ahead by every measure. It will be helpful to all to adapt to the new reality and channel it for a better future. L - Read by Nancy Bader. Past is Prologue • Monday – Friday 9 a.m. From the Jaws of Victory, Nonfiction by Matt Garcia, 2012. 17 broadcasts. Begins July 22. The United Farm Workers, UFW, had a meteoric rise and precipitous decline. The union’s grape boycott became the defining feature of the movement and drove growers to sign contracts in 1970. As the union expanded and the boycott spread, Cesar Chavez found it more difficult to organize workers and fend off rival unions. Ultimately, the union was victim of its own success. Read by Jack Rossmann. Bookworm • Monday – Friday 11 a.m. Hand Me Down My Walking Cane, Fiction by Carla Hagen, 2011. Eight broadcasts. Begins July 17. Emil grew up in Faunce Ridge, near the Canadian border. Now the Roosevelt government has asked him to photograph the poverty of the village to sell Congress on resettlement in accord with the New Deal. Read by Carol Lewis.
The Smart One, Fiction by Jennifer Close, 2013. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 29. Weezy and Will raised Martha, Claire, and Max to be kind, smart, and independent. Their parents did their best preparing them for the world. So why is Martha living in her childhood bedroom after a career flameout? Why has Claire canceled her wedding and locked herself in her New York apartment? And how has Max managed to get himself into a girlfriend fiasco? L - Read by Natasha DeVoe. The Writer’s Voice • Monday – Friday 2 p.m. My Mother’s Wars, Nonfiction by Lillian Faderman, 2013. 13 broadcasts. Begins July 22. Like many Eastern European Jewish immigrants of the time, Mary Lifton left her family in Latvia in pursuit of a better life in New York. She found work, and she found love. But worse than his romantic betrayals, Moishe kept her from doing what she needed to do; find a way to get her family out of Latvia before being trapped by Hitler’s Holocaust. Read by Yelva Lynfield. Choice Reading • Monday – Friday 4 p.m. The Fall of Alice K., Fiction by Jim Heynen, 2012. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 16. In her senior year, Alice falls in love with the son of Hmong immigrants. Caught at a moment of personal and community transformation, they must navigate through vastly different traditions while fighting to create new ones of their own. Read by Michele Potts. PM Report • Monday – Friday 8 p.m. The Dictator’s Learning Curve, Nonfiction by William J. Dobson, 2012. 14 broadcasts. Begins July 16. The Arab Spring is only the latest front in a worldwide battle between freedom and repression, a battle that rages in a dozen other countries. Until recently, dictators have been winning hands-down. Read by Leila Poullada. Night Journey • Monday – Friday 9 p.m. Don’t Turn Around, Fiction by Michelle Gagnon, 2012. Nine broadcasts. Begins July 23. Noa wakes up on a table with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there. A computer hacker living off the grid, she needs help to find out who’s hunting her and why. L - Read by Diane Ladenson.
Diamond Hill Townhomes Diamond Hill Townhomes is a great property located near the Minneapolis International Airport. We have spacious two and three bedroom townhomes that are HUD subsidized and rent is 30% of the total household’s adjusted gross income. Our Three Bedroom waiting list is now open and we are currently accepting applications. Our non-accessible Two Bedroom waiting list is also opened. We are always accepting applications for our large number of mobility impaired accessible units. Please contact us for more information.
We look forward to hearing from you! Please call (612) 726-9341.
Off the Shelf • Monday – Friday 10 p.m. Niceville, Fiction by Carsten Stroud, 2012. 14 broadcasts. Begins July 16. A young boy disappears from a sleepy Southern town and Nick, a cop with a dark side of his own, and his wife, Kate, a family practice lawyer are drawn into a shadow world between life and death. V, L - Read by Dan Kuechenmeister. Potpourri • Monday – Friday 11 p.m. Rez Life, Nonfiction by David Treuer, 2012. 13 broadcasts. Begins July 15. Of the over three hundred Indian reservations in the U.S. today, some are rich, some poor, but all are vibrant. L - Read by Dan Sadoff. After Midnight • Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m. Osama, Fiction by Lavie Tidhar, 2012. Eight broadcasts. Begins July 26. In an alternate world without global terrorism, a private detective is hired to track down the creator of a fictional vigilante, Osama Bin Laden. Joe’s identity slowly fragments as his quest takes him across the world. L - Read by Don Lee. Abbreviations V - violence, L - offensive language, S - sexual situations.
CLASSIFIEDS Access Press Classifieds are $14 for the first 12 and 65¢ per word thereafter. They must be prepaid. Mail to: Access Press care of The Kelly Inn Offices; 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910; St. Paul, MN 55103; 651-644-2133 • FAX 651-644-2136 • Email: access@accesspress.org
FOR RENT 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. Oak Park Village: We are accepting applications for the waiting list for one-bedroom wheelchair accessible apartments. Section 8 subsidized. Convenient St. Louis Park location. Call 952-935-9125 for information. Equal Opportunity Housing. Calvary Center Apts: 7650 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN. A Section 8 building now accepting applications for our waiting list. Call 9 am to 4 pm, Mon – Fri 763-546-4988 for an application. Equal Opportunity Housing. Holmes-Greenway Housing: One- and two-bedroom wheelchair-accessible apartments. Section 8 subsidized. Convenient SE Minneapolis location. Call 612-378-0331 for availability information. Equal Opportunity Housing. Affordable Renovated Historic Apartments: Located in DT Minneapolis! Affordable Historic Lofts at 8th & Hennepin in Minneapolis. Opening October 2013, with Studios, 1 & 2 Bedroom plans from $825-1115 (income restrictions apply). Accessible floor plans (Some floor plans), terrazzo floors, 10-14 foot ceilings, huge windows, washer/dryer, and upgraded finishes. FMI: www.cityplacelofts.net or call 612-338-0730
EMPLOYMENT Employment ads are $22-$25 per col. inch. Mail to: Access Press, 1821 University Ave. #104S, St. Paul, MN 55104 FAX 651-644-2136 • Email: access@accesspress.org
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY For more information, go to: www.mylegalaid.org/employment TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST: Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid For more information go to: www.mylegalaid.org/employment SUPERVISING ATTORNEY – LEGAL SERVICES STATE SUPPORT For more information, go to: www.mylegalaid.org/employment ATTORNEY Central Minnesota Legal Services, St. Cloud Office Full Time attorney specializing in family law, and government benefits. Job resp. incl. litigation, community legal education, and community outreach. Post-law school poverty law experience a plus. Spanish/Somali language a plus. Valid driver’s license & vehicle needed as travel req. Licensed in MN or eligible for next bar exam. New grads considered. Salary up to $49,346 D.O.E. Excellent benefits. Send resume, cover letter & writing sample to Judy Hollie, CMLS 430 1st Avenue N #359, Mpls, MN 55401. Applications accepted until filled. EOE
Pg 16 July 10, 2013 Volume 24, Number 7