Abeler, Hoffman share award PEOPLE & PLACES

The 2023 Betty Bednarczyk Courage Award co-recipients are Senators Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) and John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin).

SEIU HealthCare Minnesota and Iowa (SEIU HCMNIA) presents the award annually in honor of Betty Bednarczyk, a longtime union leader. She was one of the first woman leaders of any union in Minnesota. Nationally she rose to the top to become secretary/treasurer of SEIU, the first woman to hold a top position in the union.

Each year the SEIU HCMNIA board members dedicates the “Betty Bednarczyk Courage Award” in her memory to an outstanding individual who is an ally to

Mental health, behavioral health and recovery are 2023 Bush Fellow topics

Three of the 24 2023 Bush Fellows will focus on disability-related issues in their upcoming studies. The Bush Fellowship, given by the Bush Foundation annually, is a recognition of extraordinary accomplishments and support for potential. It is an investment in people so that they can make a difference in their communities.

Noel Nix knows from experience that good intentions and ideas are not enough to create lasting change; meaningful action is also necessary. In his positions as a St. Paul City Council aide, Ramsey County Commissioner assistant, and now director of community initiatives for St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, he has advanced comprehensive approaches to community development. He sees that the work to create equitable community change within powerfully entrenched systems takes a tremendous toll on the mental health of people in public service, especially people of color. He believes that the push for changing these systems so that they work better for everyone is inextricably linked to the mental health of those leading the work. He seeks to equip himself with the knowledge and skills to integrate mental health practice into the public sector environment. He will pursue advanced education, build a network of mental health care practitioners who support transformational leaders, and study successful community-based mental health care models.

Farhia Budul embraced her culture, community and faith to achieve recovery. Her experience led her to develop culturally specific recovery support for her fellow East Africans in Minnesota. As one of the first Somali women in Minnesota to openly share her own story, she has become a source of hope and healing for dozens of people. She believes that while people may initiate sobriety in treatment, recovery happens and is sustained in the community. Having battled her own addiction, she understands the pain and isolation that can accompany substance

Tefra

From page 1 have previously paid TEFRA frees of several thousand dollars a year to help with care for a daughter who has a rare chromosomal difference called ring 21 chromosome with q-deletions.

The family has used TEFRA to modify a van and their home, including a special bed. TEFRA also helps pay for her food, therapies and classes. They say being able to continue using the assistance without the fee will make a big difference.

Learn more the Wakefields at https:// kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/new-law-set-tosave-hundreds-of-mn-families-thousands-ofdollars-tefra-fee-eliminated/

Learn about TEFRA at https://mn.gov/ dhs/people-we-serve/people-with-disabilities/ health-care/health-care-programs/programsand-services/ma-tefra.jsp the union’s mission and goals. use disorders. She also understands how a more compassionate and inclusive approach can help others facing similar struggles. With her fellowship, Budul will amplify her own story to create greater awareness of addiction, spread hope for recovery, and help eliminate stigma related to the disease. She will engage in transformative learning experiences, access valuable resources, and connect with a diverse network of experts and mentors.

Hoffman is currently the chair of the Human Services Finance committee, the committee that voted to approve and fund a life-changing new contract for union home care members. A 48 percent wage increase moves members from $15.25 all the way to $20/$22.50 with real orientation program.

Abeler and Hoffman work closely on many huma services, staffing and disability service issues. Abeler is the ranking minority member on the Human Services Committee, and serves on Education Policy and Health and Human Services committees.

Neerja Singh believes that no public policy decision should be made without authentic community engagement. As a behavioral health leader in the Minnesota Department of Human Services, she wants those most impacted by policies and practices to have an active voice and power in making decisions. She also believes traditional and cultural sources of knowledge must be incorporated into decision-making processes. In her leadership role, she has led the design and implementation of successful programs to respond quickly to pressing community needs. To lead further change in the government sector, and in Minnesota’s mental health and addiction care service delivery system in particular, she will increase her skills in civic engagement and her capacity to initiate community-led reforms. She will learn from mentors who have challenged the status quo and seek training to better understand how to invest in communities that have the greatest needs.

Vang moves to advocacy post

Mai Vang, who has filled many roles in Minnesota’s deaf and disabilities communities, has moved to a new role at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). She is now the American Sign Language (ASL) Social Security Advocacy Services coordinator. With her experience working in deaf organizations, Vang knows the firsthand where accessible services for the deaf community are lacking. She hopes to provide more services that are open to the deaf community, and more reliable resources.

Vang comes to DHS after three years working for ThinkSelf Adult Basic Education and Advocacy, a deaf-led organization. The organization provides independent living skills to deaf adults. Even before that, her experience working with Deaf Mentor Family Services within Lutheran Social Services made her realize she wanted a human services career.

Vang is currently a board member for United Hmong with Disabilities, a newly established national organization that focuses on educating the Hmong community about disabilities. She is also on the Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the deaf advisory committee that focuses on how to improve ASL interpreting in Minnesota.

She is also in the current cohort of the Partners in Policymaking Class 40. The program is helping her learn how to better advocate for herself and her community, and network with different organizations, agencies and counties.

Vang is a graduate of Metropolitan State University with a bachelor’s degree in human services. Her major was human services family studies.

Finalists are announced

The 2023 Rising Star and ARRM Cares award finalists have been announced. Finalists were recognized at the Forward Annual Conference July 26. Winners will be announced September 11 during National Direct Support Providers (DSP) Week.

The Rising Star Award is for DSPs with three years of experience or less. the finalists are Quinn Bang (CCRI—Creative Care for Reaching Independence); Brace Gotshalk (Living Well Disability Services), Nena Johnson (Dungarvin Inc.), Marie Olson (SMB Disability Solutions), Ryan Orstad (DRCC) and Matthew Zemple (EON).

Finalists for the ARRM Cares Award are Ruth Bingham and Annette Ripley (Living Well Disability Services), Nicole Carlson (CCRI—Creative Care for Reaching Independence), Martha Hartman (Harry Meyering Center), Katie Hensel (EON), Guy Johnson (Opportunity Partners) Diane Mailand and Beatrice Morehouse (Dungarvin Inc.), Shelley Peltier (The Phoenix Residence Inc.), Linda Ripley (Tender Loving Care of Duluth), Carol Smith (Mount Olivet Rolling Acres – Mora) and Sue Stone (Mary T. Inc.). This award is for longer-tenured DSPs.

Connolly to MDH post John Connolly, currently the chief strategist for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, has accepted the position of assistant commissioner for the Minnesota

Department of Health (MDH).

In his current role, Connolly has been engaged in contract negotiations with Medicaid managed care plans for enhanced services for foster care youth and children with disabilities, and for people with behavioral health conditions, re-entering the community from incarceration, or experiencing homelessness. He also led a large portion of the county’s pandemic response including the procurement and equity-focused distribution of 20 million COVID-19 tests across the county.

Prior to his current position, John served as the deputy secretary of behavioral health for the California Health and Human Services Agency. There he led the creation and strategic planning work of the Secretary’s Behavioral Health Task Force, a broad group of stakeholders convened to advance and integrate services with a focus on children, people experiencing homelessness, and people involved in the criminal justice system.

Connolly holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago, a master’s in education from the Bank Street College of Education, and a doctorate in health policy from Harvard University.

He will be moving to Minnesota, and will start his new position on September 11.