OPPORTUNITIES

Health Care Video

In Our Own Words: Improving Care for People with Disabilities

Released as an unlimited run for health care providers everywhere, "In Our Own Words: Improving Care for People with Disabilities" is a twopart video series on Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid's YouTube channel. The first installment, Communication, began June 14. The second, Understanding, dropped June 21. Both are subtitled in Spanish. Enlightening and powerful, the voices featured in this production reveal with sheer frankness what works and what doesn’t work for members of the disability community in health care settings. Produced in partnership with the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration and Special Olympics Minnesota, the intended audience for the series are health care professionals. But anyone can learn and benefit. Distributors will be Mid-MN Legal Aid's Minnesota Disability Law Center—direct to providers—but key distributors will be health care recipients themselves. The channel has many other useful free videos. FFI: https:// www.youtube.com/results?search_ query=mid+minnesota+legal+aid+channel

Conference

Register for symposium

The PACER Symposium on Students with Mental Health and Learning Disabilities is 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Wed, Aug.

ENJOY !

Post your event online Access Press is moving more event listings online. That is possible with our redesigned website. There is a word limit and we ask that those posting information include event costs as well as accommodations. Are ASL and AD offered? Is there companion seating? A quiet room? Fidgets? COVID-19 protocols?

Accommodations are much more than a ramp for many of us. That kind of information can help someone decide whether or not to attend an event.

To post an event, go to www. accesspress.org, click the resources tab at top right, and go to the post an event line.

Consider that a small web or print ad can also generate interest in an upcoming event. For questions about ads, email ads@accesspress.org

Access Press reserves the right to reject events if they do not meet our guidelines. Call the editor at 651-644-2133 ext. one or email jane@accesspress.org with events questions.

Cowchella returns Cowchella, a disability literary and music festival, is 4-8 p.m. Thu, Aug. 3 at Springboard for the Arts, 262 University Ave W, St. Paul. The event features five new neurodiverse Cow Tipping books, live readings by more than 30 authors with intellectual/developmental disabilities including last year's Cow Tipping Prize winning author Anthony Hels, music by thelovinglight and headlining band 26 BATS!, local food pop-ups Blazing James BBQ and The SHUI Project, a disability arts

16 at Minneapolis Convention Center. Registration fee is $40, and includes lunch. Clock hours will be available at the end of the symposium. Join PACER for a full day of informative, engaging sessions on current best practices related to children’s mental health and learning disabilities. Parents, educators, administrators, and other professionals will learn strategies to more effectively support students at school and at home.

One keynote presenter is Sheletta Brundidge, Emmy Award-winning comedian, radio host, television anchor, newspaper columnist, and best-selling author of children’s autism books. She is also the mom of children with autism, and founder of ShelettaMakesMeLaugh. com, an online podcasting company that provides culturally competent commercial production. FFI: FFI: PACER, 952-8389000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org

Children and families

PACER workshops sampling

PACER Center offers many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any disabilities. Some in-person workshops are offered at PACER Center and also offered online. Other workshops are wholly online and livestreamed at this time. Advance registration is required for all workshops. At least 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. Check out PACER’s website and link to the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to org fair, and more. the event is indoors, outdoors, and free. Wheelchair accessible, ASL interpretation, quiet areas and water provided.

NAMIWalks steps up

Register for NAMIWalks, 11 a.m. Sat, Sept,. 23 at Minnehaha Park, Mpls. Enjoy food trucks, music and more. The walk itself starts at 1 p.m. In 2022, NAMIWalks

Minnesota was one of the top three walks in the United States, bringing in 539,186.55! The 2023 goal is starting at $500,000. Walk as a team or individual. Register now. FFI: https://www.namiwalks. org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive. event&eventID=1393

Do the Woofaroo

The Can Do Woofaroo is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat, Sept. 23. Walk begins at 11 a.m. The outdoor, family fun event includes a fundraising walk and many activities. people and well-behaved dogs are welcome. registration for the fundraising walk is underway. Register as a team or individual. Each the event website for updates. FFI: https://candowoofaroo2023. causevox.com/

Open Flow Forum

The Artists with Disabilities Alliance meets via Zoom 7-9 p.m. the first Thu of the month. Upcoming dates are Aug. 3 and Sept. 7. Virtually join artists with disabilities and supporters to share visual art, writing, music, theater and artistic efforts or disability issues. Facilitators are Tara Innmon and Andy Sturdevant from Springboard for the Arts. Anyone needing accommodations including ASL interpreting or captioning should contact pick and choose sessions designed for their needs. Access Press only provides a sampling of the workshops offered.

Getting Ready for My Child's IEP Meeting is 6:30-8 p.m. Tue, Aug. 15. The workshop for parents of children ages 3 to 5 will help prepare families for active participation in developing their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) Location: Online. FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org

Open House

Can Do Canines Open House

Can Do Canines hosts two open houses 6-8 p.m. Tue, Aug. 8, from 6-8 p.m., potential clients, volunteers, or anyone who might be interested in supporting the organization can visit Can Do Canines, 9440 Science Center Drive, New Hope. The event includes assistance dog demonstrations, a presentation by a volunteer, and the chance to talk with certified assistance dog teams and various staff members. Learn how dogs are trained to help with various disabilities change the lives of people with disabilities.

At 5-8 p.m. Tue, Aug. 22, Can Do Canines unveils its newly purchased Whelping and Growth (WAG) Center, 8127 Yale Avenue, New Germany. The additional site will be used to whelp new litters of assistance dogs. For several years, Can Do Canines volunteers have opened up their homes to care for dogs before and after they give birth. The new center will have a breeding coordinator and volunteers. learn about

Sturdevant at Springboard. Funding is available for access needs. FFI: 651-2940907, resources@springboardforthearts. org, openflowmn@gmail.com.

Resources to Enjoy!

The Enjoy! listings are for arts events as well as banquets, fundraisers, walks and other fun events by and for disability services organizations. Schedules may be subject to change, so check with a venue or organization before making plans. Arrange for disability accommodations well in advance at any event.

Disability service organizations typically send e-news blasts and have social media. Both are other ways to find out about events. The Minnesota Access Alliance (MNAA) provides an Accessible Arts & Culture Calendar for arts patrons who use accessibility accommodations such as audio description, captioning, ASL interpreting and sensory-friendly accommodations. Link to more details at https://calendar.mnaccess. org. Be sure to check the listing or venue to find out any COVID-19 protocols and if an advance reservation is needed for an accessibility service.

Accessible events can be submitted to the MNAA Calendar (and MinnesotaPlaylist.com)

To receive a free monthly events calendar, email mactfactor@icloud.com and/or info@mnaccess.org. Ask for the entire events list or specific lists for ASL interpreting, captioning, audio description, sensory-friendly accommodations or disability-related topics.

For other accessibility resources or upcoming webinars presented by MNAA, sign up for emails at https://mnaccess.org the center before it opens. FFI: www. candocanines.org

Info & Assistance

Many classes available

NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has set up a wide variety of free and in-person online mental health classes. Choices include Hope for Recovery, Transitions, Ending the Silence, Understanding Early Episode Psychosis for Families, In Our Own Voice, Family to Family, Positive Psychology, Creating Caring Communities, smoking cessation, a suicide prevention class called QPR –Question, Persuade and Refer, a special QPR class for Agricultural Communities and many more.

NAMI Minnesota’s Online Support Groups moved to a new and improved platform, HeyPeers. HeyPeers provides a safe, easy to access environment exclusively designed for online support group meetings.

The classes and online support groups are designed for family members and caregivers, persons living with a mental illness, service providers, and also the general public. Find a complete listing of these classes and how to join in by going to namimn.org and clicking on “Classes” or go straight to https://namimn.org/ education-public-awareness/classes/ scheduled/

Radio Talking Book

From page 10 relationship. Read by Peter Danbury. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 21. – L

RTB After Hours*

Monday – Friday 11 p.m.

The Dating Playbook (rebroadcast)

Fiction by Farrah Rochon, 2021. When a personal trainer agrees to fake date her client, all rules are out the window in this fun romantic comedy. Read by Pat Muir. 11 broadcasts; begins Tue, Aug. 8. – L, S

The Romance Recipe, fiction by Ruby Barrett, 2022. An irreverent LGBTQ+ rom-com about a restaurant owner and a reality-tv star. Read by Holly Sylvester. 10 broadcasts; begins Wed, Aug. 23. – L, S

Weekend Program Books

Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents a rebroadcast of Good Anxiety by Wendy Suzuki, read by Beverly Burchett.

For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sat, presents Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, read by Jan Anderson – L.

Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Customs by Solmaz Sharif, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by Prognosis by Jim Moore, read by Mary Knatterud.

The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents When the Minnehaha Flowed with Whiskey by Karen E. Cooper, read by Yelva Lynfield.