February 2024 Edition - Access Press

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February 2024

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Landmark court case is recalled

COURT CASE To page 3

Book has kind message Page 7 Long COVID a focus Page 3 Assisted suicide, transportation and more opinions Page 4 King Award winners Page 6 BLIND, INC.

by Luther Granquist Fifty years ago this month Judge Earl R. Larson issued his first decision in Welsch versus Likins, a class action brought by residents confined in six Minnesota state institutions for persons with what was then called mental retardation. This lawsuit challenged the lack of appropriate treatment, in large part because of wholly inadequate staffing, and the failure to provide services in the least restrictive environment. In this order Larson declared that the claims had a sound legal basis. But whether more staff were needed or whether changes had to be made in the institution’s programs required the plaintiffs to prove that mere custodial care was not good enough.

Custodial care was the most the state system offered, as the Minnesota Association for Retarded Children (Arc Minnesota’s name then) had reported after surveying actual on-duty staff at Cambridge, Brainerd and Faribault State Hospitals in September 1964. In early 1965, Dr. H. P. Bobb at Brainerd said that 39 percent of the residents there received only custodial care (“assures that the resident will not suffer serious injury or physical neglect and attempts to maintain him as he is” but does not enable him to “learn and grow as he should”).

Far more, 59 percent, received only what he called “survival care” (“provides residents with the physical care and supervision necessary to preserve life” but cannot “assure that residents will not suffer serious injury or physical neglect”).

As community-based services expanded, the state hospitals’ populations dropped. Most of the persons discharged were the more capable residents who provided significant help in operating the institutions. Nevertheless, in 1971 the Minnesota Legislature, emphasizing this population reduction, eliminated hundreds of positions throughout the entire state hospital system.

Larson’s order in February 1974 followed the first trial in the Welsch case, one that dealt only with Cambridge State Hospital. Expert witnesses presented this thoughtful and compassionate jurist with testimony about the potential of the men, women, boys and girls living there and about the conditions they faced.

Those witnesses included Gunnar Dybwad, who had observed institutions and services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities around the world, and James Clements, who had been a key witness in cases involving Partlow State School in Alabama and the infamous Willowbrook State School in New York. Other witnesses were Bruce Balow and John Rynders from the University of Minnesota; Travis Thompson, who testified about his work with men languishing in Dakota Building at Faribault State Hospital; and Mary Hubbard, who told how Project Teach, before it was terminated, gave young boys and girls at Cambridge State Hospital the opportunity to learn and grow.

Larson listened as Eleanor Welsch quietly told him and a hushed courtroom about how she and her husband, Dick, alternately left their daughter, Patricia, at Cambridge State Hospital and struggled to care for and to teach her at home.

This evidence, Larson wrote, was “overwhelming and convincing” that “everyone, no matter the degree or severity of retardation, is capable of

NEWS DIGEST

BLIND, Inc. clients took turns preparing and serving meals as part of their education.

BLIND, Inc. announces services suspension, future uncertain

by Jane McClure A mainstay of Minnesota’s disability community has suspended operations.

Leadership of Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions or BLIND, Inc. announced that the nonprofit has temporarily suspended all of its programs and services. What is described as a temporary shutdown began January 1.

The nonprofit’s leadership issued a statement: “We take this action with heavy hearts.

After extensive deliberation over our current financial and organizational obligations,

MDI announces expansion Page 9 Brewery to close Page 8

we believe suspending operations at this time in order to make future plans is the best and most responsible available course of action. This decision comes after a review of compounded circumstances that have developed over a period of years, leaving our organization with inadequate resources to advance our mission at this time.”

Social media posts brought an outpouring of sadness as well as support for BLIND, Inc. Concern was expressed for program clients, BLIND, INC. To page 5

Session’s start brings a focus on capital assets and policy The curtain rises on the 2024 Minnesota Legislature February 12, for a bonding and policy year. Gov. Tim Walz released his bonding recommendations January 16. State academies and other access-related needs were cited, but many local requests were left out.

It’s also an election year for the Minnesota House. That means several members have already announced their retirements at year’s end. In one case, there is a resignation taking effect the day before the session’s start.

Rep. Kurt Daudt (R-Crown), who served as Speaker of the House from 2015 to 2019, announced in January that he will resign his District 27B seat effective February 11. Details on a special election haven’t been announced.

Daudt, who represents portions of several counties in east-central Minnesota including the city of Princeton, said in a statement that serving the people of Minnesota “has been the greatest honor of my life.” He thanked his friends and neighbors for their trust in him during his time at the capitol. Daudt was first elected in 2010.

The upcoming retirements include lawmakers who have been champions of disability issues. As Access Press went to press, 13 House members announced that this will be their final session. The list includes Representatives Jamie Becker-Finn (DFLRoseville), Brian Daniels (R-Faribault), Pat Garafalo (R-Farmington), Matt Grossell (R-Clearbrook), Shane Hudella (R-Hastings), Debra Kiel (R-Crookston), Michael Nelson (DFL-Brooklyn Park), Jerry Newton (DFL-

Rallies will again be in-person this session.

Coon Rapids), Liz Olson (DFL-Duluth), Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona), John Petersburg (R-Waseca), Brian Pfarr (R-LeSueur) and Laurie Pryor (DFL-Minnetonka).

While the retirements have drawn attention, much focus has been on bonding.

Walz’ proposal is for a $982 million public infrastructure plan. It’s much smaller than the $2.6 billion bonding package approved in 2023.

That package set a state record.

FILE PHOTO

Volume 35, Number 2

At a news conference Walz called his bonding proposal, “my big show for this legislative session.”

Legislators will no doubt jockey to get projects from their districts in, so the list is a work in process at this point. The list also leaves out many state needs. It’s estimated that the state has about $6.4 billion in deferred capital SESSION To page 3

February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

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EDITORIAL

We're still waiting for equitable ways to participate in our communities Hi, remember us? We’re back with a familiar plea for the 2024 Minnesota Legislature.

Back in December 2021, Access Press made the case for changes to the Minnesota Open Meeting law. At that time we were in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We said, “If the COVID-19 pandemic has had any kind of bright spot, it is in the area of remote work and virtual accommodations. We people with disabilities have fought for such work and community access for many years.”

We also said, “Many of us lost out on opportunities for meaningful work and to be involved in our communities. Our health and disability needs were all too often pushed aside.”

If the pandemic has had any kind of silver lining, it is that we Minnesotans with disabilities and our peers around the world can fully work and participate virtually.

In recent months we sadly watched as virtual work options were cut back or eliminated by many companies. This leaves many of us with disabilities out of job opportunities.

We at Access Press are just as concerned that nothing has been done at the state level to open other doors for people with disabilities. The Minnesota Open Meeting Law needs to change. It hasn’t.

The Minnesota Open Meeting Law at times creates barriers for people with disabilities to fully participate in local and state government. We have the capability for virtual meetings of all types, statewide.

Why not fully use them?

The right to have access to and participate in a wide array of government hearings and meetings is something that opened up more during the pandemic. Groups met virtually.

Once the pandemic emergency was ended, many of those opportunities were taken away.

We at Access Press are just as concerned that nothing has been done at the state level to open other doors for people with disabilities.

The Minnesota Open Meeting Law needs to change. It hasn't.

State lawmakers must be open to change which allow full community participation, especially by people who cannot physically get to a meeting.

The pandemic allowed an array of groups, including local government advisory committees, to meet virtually. The ability to virtually join a local planning commission or library board or advisory committee on disabilities was a great thing for many of us.

We could more easily have a say on issues that affect our lives, be those issues a zoning change, a new city regulation or a policy discussion. Pandemic restrictions gave people the option to be on groups and to present testimony.

We appreciate and praise the Minnesota Legislature and many city councils and county boards around the state that allow virtual testimony. But we’d like to see other boards, committees and commission able

to have this option. We’d also like to see more options to have members be able to participate virtually.

We Minnesotans with disabilities already deal with so many barriers. The doors to the halls of power sometimes don’t open for us, literally and figuratively. When we can get to a meeting, we may deal with a lack of American Sign Language interpretation, closed captioning or accessible agendas. We might not even be able to use the podium if it is too high.

Our editor recently had to leave a city meeting she was covering because too many people were drenched in scent, in spite of a sign on the meeting room door asking people to be mindful of wearing excessive

scent and how it affects others. She got very sick. Yet she cannot stay home and watch every meeting because all meetings aren’t livestreamed.

Livestreaming more meetings and allowing more people to more broadly participate in government need to happen. It would not only help people with disabilities.

It would help working parents, elders and people whose work hours would otherwise prevent them from getting involved.

We continue to hear of and see first-hand groups that cannot meet quorum and do business, because they do not have a virtual meeting option. Not having a quorum delays important decisions.

Can we argue this on the basis of the Minnesota Human Rights Act and/or federal Americans with Disability Act (ADA)? The challenge is that those really don’t address virtual accommodations as they should.

We said it in 2021 and in 2023 and we’ll say it again. It is time to change the Minnesota Open Meeting Law. State lawmakers must be open to changes which allow full community participation, especially by people who cannot physically get to a meeting.

Don’t leave us out. Don’t leave us out of decisions that affect our daily lives. Don’t block us from having a seat at the table and having meaningful input.

Session is starting!

Here’s a quick reminder from us at Access Press. The legislative session starts February 12. It’s a policy year, a bonding year and a time to lay groundwork for future budget issues. Get involved with the group or groups of your choice and have a say this session.

And ask us about the possibility of a guest commentary.

HISTORY NOTE

Learn more about the historic Welsch versus Likins court case This issue of Access Press contains a story

by Luther Granquist about a landmark court case for Minnesotans with disabilities.

Granquist wrote the newspaper’s History Note for several years and worked at the Minnesota Disability Law Center. He was counsel for the plaintiffs in the case.

Access Press is pleased to welcome him back for this issue, to recount the history of Welsch versus Likins. This month’s History Note provides additional resources for readers wishing to learn more.

In August 1972, six residents of different Minnesota state hospitals, due to their developmental disabilities, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. The residents alleged that conditions in the institutions violated their constitutional rights under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the

Constitution.

Failure to provide an adequate program of habilitation violated the residents’ right to treatment under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, as was the failure to develop less restrictive, community-based alternatives for care and treatment. Certain restrictions and conditions at the institution violated the cruel and unusual punishment clause of the Eighth Amendment.

Richard Welsch in 1972 sought help from the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis for his daughter, Patricia Marie. She was a resident of Cambridge State Hospital. He told Neil Mickenberg, an attorney there, that Patricia was at that “hellhole” and wondered if the attorney could do anything about it.

Welsch had heard that Mickenberg and Jeffrey Hartje, another Legal Aid lawyer, had been told by state hospital professional staff

that Cambridge and Faribault State Hospitals were ripe for the kind of lawsuits that had been brought in other states.

On August 30, 1972, with the support of the Arc Minnesota, they sued state officials charging that the residents at Cambridge, Faribault and four other state institutions were denied their rights to habilitation and to live in less restrictive community settings.

The lawsuit lasted for 17 years. The trials in the 1970s centered on Cambridge State Hospital. A trial in 1980 involving Faribault, Moose Lake, Brainerd and Fergus Falls State Hospitals led to a settlement that included Rochester, St. Peter and Willmar State Hospitals. Another settlement in 1987 led to a final dismissal of the case in 1989.

Coverage of the court case gave the public an eye-opening picture of the difficult and at times tragic lives of people who lived in state

institutions.

Want to learn more about Welsch versus Likins? The Minnesota Governor’s’ Council on Developmental Disabilities (MNCDD) website has lots of case history. Go to https:// mn.gov/mnddc/ for the main website.

The council published a 45th anniversary history of the court case. Go to https:// mn.gov/mnddc/extra/welsch-45th.html Another good resource is the website Disability Justice. Here is a link to some case history: https://disabilityjustice.org/ suits-involving-the-cambridge-state-hospitalcambridge-minnesota/welsch-v-likins/ The History Note is a monthly column produced in cooperation with the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Past History Notes and other disability history may be found at www. mnddc.org

EDITORIAL: 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 and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.

DEADLINE: 15th of each month.

Website: accesspress.org email: access@accesspress.org phone: 651-644-2133 Editor............................................................................................................................................................................................. Jane McClure Board of Directors................................................................................................................ Tim S. Benjamin, Mark Daly, Brendan Downes, .......................................................................... Catherine Hunter, Jane Larson (Chair), Brandon Miller, Lynda Milne, Kay Willshire Business Operations and Advertising Manager.........................................................................................................Mary Graba Production........................................................................................................................................................................................ In-Fin Tuan Digital Production..................................................................................................................................Tricia Donovan, Scott Stadum Co-Founder/Publisher Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-96) Co-Founder/Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief Charles F. Smith (1990-2001) Editor-in-Chief/Executive Director Tim Benjamin (2001-2020)

CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION: Distributed the 1st of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 750 copies are mailed to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders.

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INQUIRIES AND ADDRESS CHANGES should be directed to: Access Press, PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-8006; 651-644-2133; email: access@accesspress.org Website: accesspress.org

February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

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Winter brings cold and snow, and rising levels of cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota January not only brought a blast of cold to Minnesota, it also brought our annual rise in respiratory illnesses. It is historically the worst month for respiratory illnesses. The advent of COVID-19 and its variants creates increased risk.

Still, many people have gone without vaccines or boosters. State health official report that as of mid-January, 1,086,006 people were up to date on their vaccines.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) works in partnership with communities to provide safe and free on-site COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccines continue to be very good at preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Make sure everyone is up to date on any COVID-19 vaccine doses, to have the best protection against COVID-19.

Check for vaccine appointments using Vaccines.gov, where it’s easy to search for appointment by vaccine type. Look for Pfizer vaccine, Moderna vaccine, Novavax vaccine.

It’s also easy to find locations in one’s home area.

Also, contact a primary health care provider or a local pharmacy for vaccine information.

To locate a community vaccination event near you, call the MDH COVID-19 public hotline at 1-833-431-2053 Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, Thursday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) reported that COVID-19 leads the pack when it comes to respirator virus-related hospitalizations. At one point in January almost 40 states had reported high or very levels of respiratory illnesses with coughs, fevers and other symptoms But only 17 percent of those eligible for the latest COVID-19 vaccine have gotten the latest protection against the virus. It provides protection against the JN.1 variant, the dominant virus at this time.

Health officials remind everyone who hasn’t done so to get a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as a flu shot. People ages 60 and up should also get an RSV vaccine.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has been keeping cumulative statistics on COVID-19 since January 20, 2020. As of deadline for this issue of Access Press, they are: *Total positive including reinfections: 1,879,816 *Total deaths: 15,610 *Total cases requiring hospitalization: 93,911 *Total cases hospitalized in ICU: 15,557 Information on COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths are updated weekly on Situation Update for COVID-19 at https://www. health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/stats/ index.html The page also includes a map of counties with confirmed cases, data by race/ethnicity, and

more information.

This total reflects only the results from laboratory testing. There are more cases in Minnesota, and the virus is circulating in communities. It is important for everyone to take steps to protect themselves and others through vaccination, testing, staying home when sick, and more.

The Minnesota Reformer website recently posted a story about U.DS. Sen, Tina Smith (DFL-Minnesota) and her efforts to get federal support to research long COVID-19 during a hearing that highlighted patients suffering from the diagnosis as well as experts studying its impacts.

Smith criticized health insurance companies for not better providing for long COVID patients.

“I often feel that our insurance companies are designed to figure out how to deny care rather than provide care,” Smith said. “And I think these stories illustrate what that means for people living with long COVID.” The Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee broke up the hearing into two panels.

The first featured three patients speaking about their struggles getting diagnosed, finding the right providers and then finding medications or treatments that can actually help them address their symptoms.

They also detailed the challenges they’ve faced with private insurance DAC 2024 Quarter health Page Invite.pdf 1 1/16/2024 8:15:59 PM

companies and Medicaid as well as the mounting costs of treatment.

Rachel Beale, a long COVID patient who lives in Southampton County, Virginia, told senators the disease forced her to leave her career as a human resources director at a community college.

The ongoing symptoms of extreme fatigue, chronic pain and neurological issues, among others, still hamper her ability to function normally or plan for family events, she testified.

“I’ve been sick for almost three years and it feels like there hasn’t been much progress with long COVID research,” Beale said. “I hope that Congress can help with that to move the research forward. But for now, I’m trying to make peace with my situation.”

Beale spoke about how her application for Social Security Disability Insurance has been denied twice, though because the agency isn’t required to tell her why, she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to access the program.

Read the entire news story at https:// minnesotareformer.com/2024/01/18/patientsstruck-by-long-covid-plead-with-u-s-senate-panelfor-more-research-funding/ The story is provided under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Access Press provides coverage of COVID-19 through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health.

SESSION

management areas.

Housing is a focus with a $50 million recommendation for several types of supportive housing and $7.5 million for public housing rehabilitation. The University of Minnesota would receive $102.994 million for asset preservation through the state system And while access improvements are routinely built into projects, the capitol complex tunnel system and its access challenges appear to be among the many projects slated to wait until next time. The tunnel’s steep slope is problematic for people with disabilities.

Disability is one of the organizers. Go to https:// www.disability.state.mn.us/ The state council’s 2024 agenda can be found at that website as well Contact individual groups about legislative agendas and events. Use the state capitol public events calendar to check on groups. For the latter, go to https://mn.gov/admin/citizen/publicevents/calendar.jsp Remember that Access Press offers free event listings and advertising options for rally days.

Contact ads@accesspress.org for advertising.

Go to the website at www.accesspress.org, go to listings and find post an event for a post.

As Access Press went to press, the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities was setting its 2024 agenda and working on the Wednesdays at the Capitol series. Go to https:// www.mnccd.org/ for details.

Editor Jane McClure compiled this article. The Minnesota Legislature website keeps a running tally of House retirements.

Gov. Tim Walz

From page 1 maintenance.

A big part of the governor’s bonding package is $142 million for public safety projects, including $22 million to buy land and start design for a centralized headquarters for the Minnesota State Highway Patrol.

Disability advocates can find some reason to celebrate. State academies would have two pre-design requests funded if Walz’s bonding package is adopted. At the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD), a new student center is on the list. Walz recommends $300,000 to replace up to five older campus buildings with a single student center.

Pre-design funding is also recommended for the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind (MSAB) therapy pool and related improvements.

The recommendation is also for $300,000.

Asset preservation is the largest recommendation for both campuses, at $1.227 million. The campuses have deferred maintenance needs estimated at $33.155 million.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)is in line for $12.266 million in assets preservation statewide. But that could be seen as a drop in the bucket, as the DHS deferred maintenance list of projects totals $184.1 million.

Improving accessibility of Department of Natural Resources (DNR)-managed lands and facilities is penciled in for $2 million. That would help to complete accessibility projects at high-visitation state parks and wildlife

COURT CASE

From page 1 growth and development if given adequate and suitable treatment.” The components of the requisite habilitation program, he wrote, were “a humane psychological and physical environment, qualified staff in sufficient numbers, and individualized treatment plans.”

In an October 1974 decision he spelled out the actions required to protect the constitutional rights of the children and adults confined at that institution.

Larson heard testimony in November and December 1975 about what had and had not been accomplished at Cambridge State Hospital and modified his orders, making them more demanding. It was evident that the legislature hadn’t provided the funding necessary for the institution’s administration to comply with all of them, particularly to provide needed staff. He ordered state officials to do so anyway, regardless of state finances and complement control laws that stood in the way. He wrote: “Plaintiffs' cause cries out for the utmost relief that this Court can offer, consistent with its power.”

State officials appealed that order. The federal court of appeals neither affirmed nor reversed it but vacated it. That gave the legislature another chance to act. (After the appeal was argued in January 1977, newly elected Gov. Rudy Perpich wrote the judges who heard the appeal and told them that he supported what Larson ordered and was proposing ways to get that done.) That court also affirmed the other orders Larson made and emphasized that regardless of what the legislature or governor did “if Minnesota is going to operate institutions like Cambridge,

Events coming up Many organizations have set their 2024 legislative agendas, and are planning rally days.

With so many groups holding days, Access Press is focusing on events organized by several groups.

Mental Health Day on the Hill is Thursday, March 7. It is sponsored by the Mental Health Legislative Network, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. For more details, go to https:// mentalhealthmn.org/public-policy/mental-healthday-on-the-hill/ ARRM and MOHR are gearing up for the annual Disability Services Day at the Capitol Tuesday, March 19. The rally in the rotunda will begin at 10 a.m. This is always a very large and well-attended event. Check arrm.org and mohrmn.org for details and how to sign up.

Disability Advocacy Day at the Capital is Wednesday, March 27, with an 11 a.m. rally.

That is always preceded by a 9 a.m. gathering at the Transportation Building for poster making and organization. The Minnesota Council on C

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You Are Invited

DISABILITY

SERVICES DAY AT THE CAPITOL

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their operation is going to have to be consistent with the Constitution of the United States.”

In May 1980 another trial in this case addressed similar issues at Brainerd, Faribault, Fergus Falls and Moose Lake State Hospitals. It was settled with a Consent Decree that included the Minnesota Valley Social Adaptation Center at St. Peter and the Glacial Ridge Training Center at Willmar. From that point on, while issues about staffing and conditions in the institutions remained, the focus in the lawsuit shifted to a reduction in the population of the institutions, to be achieved in part, by strict limitations on admission of children, and to a requirement that all persons discharged from these institutions had to be provided services that appropriately met their individual needs.

The Welsch case ended in 1989 when the Minnesota Department of Human Services fulfilled the requirements of a further settlement reached in 1987. The premise of that agreement, realized only in part, was that further oversight from a court would no longer be needed.

None of the rulings or settlements in the Welsch case required the closure of any institution, but the last resident left in July 2000.

The challenge that remains and will continue is to ensure, in terms that Judge Larson used 50 years ago, that all persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the opportunity to grow and to develop and to live in a humane environment that is the least restrictive consistent with their individual needs.

All the decisions and orders in the Welsch case and the other reports mentioned in this Note are available in With an Eye to the Past on the website of the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities.

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February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

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FROM OUR COMMUNITY Outdated notions about marriage, work must be addressed by Congress

by Pam Shlemon, executive director, Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program was developed to provide financial assistance to disabled individuals. In 2023, 7,430 Americans benefited from SSI. Though there are millions of American citizens with disabilities, eligibility requirements prevent many individuals from receiving SSI assistance. I am the executive director at the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). CRCC designs and administers the internationally renowned Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Certification Program to recognize mastery of well-defined bodies of knowledge within the rehabilitation counseling discipline.

CRCs assess and evaluate clients to cultivate an environment where they can achieve their personal and professional goals, build greater self-efficacy and autonomy, develop a sense of belonging within their communities, and live fully integrated lives.

CRCs also advocate for its clients and help them understand how to navigate complex systems like SSI. The federal asset limit for disabled individuals is just $2,000. Anyone with more than $2,000 in a bank account is ineligible to access SSI benefits. For married couples, the limit increases to just $3,000. This is known as the “marriage penalty” because it is more difficult for married couples with disabilities to receive assistance from SSI than individuals. The federal asset limit for disabled individuals is just $2,000. Anyone with more than $2,000 in a bank account is ineligible to access SSI benefits. For married couples, the limit increases to just $3,000. This is known as the “marriage penalty” because it is more difficult for married couples with disabilities to receive assistance from SSI than individuals.

Congress intends to address this issue with the introduction of H.R.6405, or the Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act. This piece of legislation would increase the federal asset limit to $10,000 for individuals, and $20,000 for married couples. This bill was introduced in January 2022, and has stalled in the halls of

Congress since. In September 2023, 20 couples gathered at the National Mall to rally in support of the bill.

Looking at economic conditions, it is easy to understand why both individuals and couples want something to change. The average national rent price in the United States is $1,372 (Forbes), and U.S. households containing an adult with a disability spend about 28 percent more income to obtain the same standard of living as a household with no disability (National Disability Institute). Financial instability is a common struggle among clients of CRCs, and a lack of federal assistance is far from the only reason for this. When an already stressed economy is compounded with additional expenses for disabled individuals, the community is put at a distinct financial disadvantage.

The Fair Labor Standards Act permits employers to pay workers who have disabilities less than minimum wage. This practice is known as subminimum wage, which advocates call exploitative and discriminatory.

In November 2023, more than 20 disability

advocacy groups signed a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Labor demanding action to do away with this program. However, proponents of the policy say that ending the program would limit employment opportunities for disabled individuals.

After hearing arguments from both sides, 15 states have rolled back subminimum wage policies. Additionally, the Department of Labor is currently undergoing a comprehensive review of the program. As society moves away from outdated schools of thought regarding disability policy, more people are realizing that disabled individuals have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else, from a stable career to a healthy marriage.

Lawmakers are increasingly understanding that disabled Americans cannot be ignored.

Regardless of where you stand on these policies, it is important to educate yourself and make your voice heard in an election year by supporting candidates you trust to take action to support the disabled community.

To learn more about CRCC, visit www. crccertification.com

Accident’s aftermath has led to a push for accessible transportation

by Joan Willshire On January 6, 2023 I was in a car accident.

I was totally fine, but my car became totally inoperable after hitting a patch of ice and sliding into a parked car. It was 5:30 p.m. on a Friday, with plenty of traffic on a Minneapolis street. It was also three days after a 15-inch snowfall.

There I sat, in the middle of the street, unable to move my vehicle. I was about eight blocks away from home. It seemed farther with no good options to get there.

I am a person with a physical disability and use a motorized scooter to get around.

My car is modified with a ramp in it. I can drive into the vehicle, slide over into the driver seat, and off I go.

No bus was available. Minneapolis’ few accessible taxicabs must be scheduled in advance. Metro Mobility was out as that is also a scheduled ride. Transportation network companies (TNC) such as Uber and Lyft are not accessible as well.

One of the worst options presented was to call 911 and have an ambulance take me

home. What would happen to my scooter?

There just weren’t any good choices at all so I opted to use my scooter and just drive home.

The police officer didn’t want me to do that because it was too cold, too snowy and too far.

All of those reasons were certainly true, but the main question still was: how was Joan going to get home?

The police officer made sure I had a blanket to bundle up in. Off I went with a police escort, lights flashing on the squad car as he followed me. I drove down the middle of the street, eight blocks from the car accident in the North Loop. It was certainly a spectacle.

If that accident wasn’t bad enough, I was without a vehicle for several weeks, and had to use the accessible taxi cab system. There are not enough accessible taxi cabs to meet the needs for service. It was typical to wait two hours for an accessible cab for a ride and wait another two hours on the return ride as well.

Fast forward to the year 2024. There now is an accessible option for emergencies like the one I experienced. Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle and his staff have heard

my story. Now that there is an answer to the question of what happens to Joan if she gets in a car accident.

A law enforcement officer can now contact Metro Mobility in case of emergency. Metro Mobility will have a vehicle available to pick up an individual who is in a situation like mine -- needing to get home safely. I can’t tell you how this relieves me beyond belief. It’s no fun getting into an accident but it’s even more stressful when you can’t figure out how you’re going to get home safely and securely.

It's fantastic to know that there is now a safe, secure and accessible option, if I ever get in an accident again.

Looking toward the future, I am working with policy makers on legislation to increase more accessible taxi cabs in our system and assist in ensuring that the transportation network companies’ drivers have access to accessible vehicles as well.

Other states are working on similar legislation. Minnesota must do this as well right now. This is an equity issue.

Transportation for people with disabilities

has not changed in nearly 30 years, yet transportation for everybody else certainly has changed dramatically. People with disabilities must demand that we have full access to these different modes of transportation services. Funding must be designated specifically for these new accessible modes of transportation.

If we had more accessible and reliable transportation, this would certainly help our low employment numbers, and our overall ability to be able to live, work and play in the community of our choice.

Let’s not forget autonomous vehicles are on the horizon too. Those vehicles will be a game changer for people with disabilities and seniors. I was just reappointed to the Connected and Automated Vehicle Council (CAV). I will work on that issue as well to ensure full accessibility for everyone.

Joan Willshire brings her disability expertise to her firm, Willshire Consulting LLC. She is the former executive director of the Minnesota Council on Disability and is a change agent for people with disabilities.

Doctor-prescribed suicide groups present one side of the story; act cautiously

by Katheryn Ware Here we go again. The wealthy, white, disproportionately powerful lobby groups rabidly promoting doctor prescribed suicide for people with disabilities are back at it in Minnesota. So bold, they even buy advertisement in our disability rights publications to woo people into supporting their very own demise. Don’t let them fool you. They do not want “equity at the end of life” or equity at any time during the lives of people with disabilities. They are not out promoting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Integration Mandate. They are not out assuring that our rights as people with disabilities and their families are realistically living the Olmstead Decision in their daily lives. I have never seen them side by side with any of us demanding that Minnesota fixes the catastrophic staffing crisis. I have never seen them wheeling next to my son and demanding that people have actual choice in where they live, who they live with, and who provides their care.

Compassion & Choices members and other groups want to be able to end their lives with a doctor’s prescription before they become people with disabilities. Many people with disabilities live in poverty without power to resist this privileged lobby. People with physical disabilities lack even the staff to get them up and out of bed and provide transportation to attend press conferences or to testify in Minnesota, or they live in congregate care facilities that just won’t do this.

Doctor and Practitioner -prescribed suicide will weaponize an already biased medical community even further against my son Kylen and his peers. We are already looked at as a burden to society and a drain on resources and finances. Let’s be clear and agree that it is poverty, not pain, that drives people to doctor prescribed suicide. It is lack of direct staff care

providers to help people with disabilities to bathe, and get dressed, transfer, and position themselves that lead people to want to kill themselves so that they are not a “burden to their family” After 25 years of assisted suicide in Oregon: DWDA 2022 Data Summary Report (oregon.gov) Oregon Public Health reports that people want assisted suicide for these reasons: 1. Less able to engage in enjoyable activities 2. Losing autonomy 3. Loss of dignity 4. Burden on family/friends 5. Losing control of bodily functions 6. Pain control 7. Financial burden Six out of Seven of the reasons for seeking a doctor’s prescription to kill oneself are attributes of people with disabilities. These reasons are all ameliorated by implementing the ADA Integration Mandate and assuring

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the Olmstead Decision is available to everybody with disabilities.

People with disabilities lose autonomy without staff. People with disabilities lose autonomy when they are forced to live in a congregate care institutional facility that the state calls “community” living. People with disabilities feel like a burden on their mom, dad, sister, brother, spouse, siblings, and friends when they do not have staff.

People with disabilities feel like a financial burden when the system forces them to live in poverty and their family members cannot be gainfully employed because there are no staff to provide the direct care for activities of daily living. People cannot enjoy activities in their lives without staff to assist them.

People with disabilities experience incontinence. The stigma, embarrassment, and fear of incontinence and bodily functions can be reduced or eliminated with the right staff to provide this assistance

verses a spouse or adult child. Incontinence does not equal an undignified life.

If you are a person who believes that incontinence is undignified; then you are telling me and my son that his life is undignified. That fits the very definition of ableism.

Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development predicts that Minnesota requires an increase of about 60,000 direct support positions to support people with disabilities. There can be NO discussion of the medical community providing prescriptions for suicide during a catastrophic staffing crisis. There can be NO discussion of doctor prescribed suicide when there is no equity and no power for the most marginalized group in Minnesota that are people with disabilities.

Katheryn J. Ware, RN BSN PHN South St. Paul

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February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

BLIND, INC. From page 1

who had to scramble to find other services.

It’s not clear how many residential and non-residential students were affected by the suspension of service. The BLIND, Inc. website indicates that there were fewer than a dozen staff members when services were suspended.

Vision Loss Resources (VLR) responded to the temporary shutdown, noting that the decision leaves it as the region’s only comprehensive provider of services for people with visual disabilities. “Our student enrollment has grown and I’m pleased to report that we are ready and willing to take on this new challenge,” said Matt Kramer, VLR president. The Little Canada-based nonprofit is modifying its workspace and changed its parking lot configuration to make it easier for the additional Metro Mobility buses for students and staff.

BLIND, Inc. has long had its headquarters at the Charles S. Pillsbury House on East

22nd Street in Minneapolis. The English Gothic style house was built in 1912 for the son of the flour milling company founder, at a cost of $300,000. The mansion was occupied by the Pillsbury family until 1939.

It was then used by the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts and the Guthrie Theatre before its acquisition by BLIND, Inc. in 1993.

The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places, which is a factor with any needed building improvements. The BLIND, Inc. leadership explained that the building needs millions of dollars in renovations, to be done in a manner that preserves its historic character.

“Unfortunately, we have determined that we are not in a position to undertake the necessary building renovations while still providing quality adjustment-to-blindness training,” the nonprofit stated. “We recognize that this decision will be painful to our students, our dedicated staff, and to all of our supporters in the community . . . . We were not able to find a viable way to alter the timing of this decision.”

“We deeply appreciate all of the work

everyone affiliated with BLIND, Inc. has done over the past three decades to help blind people build the skills and confidence to live the lives they want. Our high-quality training has impacted thousands of people, not only the many students that have walked with us, but also the blind community who connect with the positive philosophy and high expectations demonstrated from our alumni and friends. With the continued support of our board, partners and community, our goal in the coming months is to re-imagine what adjustment to blindness training can be, and to reopen our doors with fresh approaches and insights and on a sound financial footing.”

During the transition, BLIND Inc. leadership is working with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), Louisiana Center for the Blind and Colorado Center for the Blind.

Chris Danielson, an NFB spokesperson, said there aren’t more details to announce at this time. The suspension of services is intended to be temporary. Community members should wait for more

Pg 5

announcements.

“This is a fluid situation,” Danielson said.

BLIND, Inc. was established in 1986 as a training center and community of blind and low-vision people. Its programs have done highly regarded work as one of the top training centers of its kind in the United States. It has provided training programs for people of all ages, combining handson classroom instruction in topics such as Braille, home management, industrial arts and the use of technology with community-based lessons. An example of a lesson is navigating public transportation independently and travel with a cane.

Mentorship has long been a key part of BLIND, Inc.’s work. Many staff members have visual disabilities. The largest program has been a nine-month comprehensive programs, with full-time students preparing for careers, and learning home management and public transit use.

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February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

PEOPLE & PLACES Two disability service providers honored on King Day Two disability service providers were honored with Champions of Change Awards, as part of the 2024 One Dream, One Minnesota event January 15. The 38th annual state celebration of the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was held January 15, with Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan as hosts. The event featured speakers and performances, as well as an awards ceremony.

Metro Deaf School is one of the 2024 honorees. The St. Paul based school is the first deaf charter school in the United States and the third charters school to open its doors in Minnesota. The school serves a population of 155 students, ranging in age from births to 21 years.

Students come from 43 different resident school districts. Many districts directly place students at the school and work in partnership with Metro Deaf School.

Students reflect the full diversity of Minnesota and experience the lifechanging opportunities to be educated in a bilingual English/ASL setting where they can communicate directly with every staff members and peer.

Workabilities Inc. was another award recipient. The day training and habilitation program has served clients with disabilities since 1954. Clients range from those who are medically fragile with complex physical needs to those who need minimal coaching and supervision, and benefit from paid work opportunities.

Workabilities provides day training and habilitation, pre-vocational and structured day services. The non-profit has more than 200 workers and provides a reliable and dependable workforce. It provides services that are unique in that the nonprofit is able to provide training and support to adults

Susan Outlaw, current school executive director (left) with Dyan Sherwood, first executive director with developmental disabilities with the widest range of needs and abilities. This is accomplished through four separate groups, each with its own program focus and staffing capability. Clients are provided paid work opportunities, (primarily incenter with community job sites available), opportunities to volunteer within our community as well as work skill training to develop and maintain skills. Activities are offered that focus on social and recreational skills as well as functional independence.

Other honorees are Sen. Jamie BeckerFinn; Pilgrim Baptist Church of St. Paul; Bo Thao-UIrabe of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders, the Minneapolis-based Monitors Club, Henry Jimenez of the Latino Economic Development Center and Kelly Drummer of Migizi Communications.

Workabilities clients recently completed first aid training.

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Our vision is to provide meaningful employment for all people with disabilities.

Grant provides adaptive sports gear A grant from the Kelly Brush Foundation has helped a Gaylord resident start the new year with adaptive sports gear.

Kristin Burgess of Gaylord will enjoy new sports equipment that will help her achieve goals for an active lifestyle, despite her spinal cord injury. She has been an active member of Minnesota’s disability community.

Sports and an active lifestyle help many people stay healthy and connected to friends and family. For people with mobility challenges, however, being active can be difficult to access, due to the high cost of adaptive sports equipment, which is almost never covered by insurance. To help people to lead active, engaged lives, the Kelly Brush Foundation provides funding, resources, and experiences to people with spinal cord injuries, helping them find ways to engage or reengage with sport.

Burgess loves to be active, and her new Handcycle will empower her to reconnect with a loved activity and a healthy lifestyle.

It will also make it easier to spend time with family and friends, and create a deeper connection with others in the community.

She was awarded this grant as a part of the Kelly Brush Foundation’s Fall 2023 grant cycle.

“It’s exciting to help Kristin kick off 2024 with her a new Handcycle, helping her stay active and healthy,” said Kelly Brush Foundation Executive Director Edie Perkins.

“While Kristin and others with spinal cord injuries work hard at their recovery, the process can be tedious and prescriptive.

Adaptive sports are a way to break free of the structure, physical therapy clinics, and doctors’ offices, helping people enjoy life in ways that we’re all meant to – by moving our bodies and experiencing the full world around us. I can’t wait to see how this new equipment helps Kristin enjoy life and make new connections.”

The Vermont-based Kelly Brush Foundation was founded in 2006 by Kelly Brush and her family after she sustained a spinal cord injury while racing in an NCAA alpine ski race. To date, the Kelly Brush Foundation has awarded more than 1,700 adaptive equipment grants.

To learn more, go to https:// kellybrushfoundation.org/

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Pg 6

February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

Pg 7

PEOPLE & PLACES The Right Thing to Do inspires readers to be kind, help others - like Joe Joe Mauer is a Minnesota sports icon and Twins Hall of Famer. But long before he was one of the best-ever Major League Baseball players, he was making an impact with kindness and compassion.

Based on true stories, the new book The Right Thing to Do follows Joe Mauer as he grows from a child athlete to a baseball superstar—and learns to be a good friend along the way.

The book was written by veteran KSTP-TV sports anchor Joe Schmit and published by Wise Ink Media.

The book is about Joe Mauer as a child, his growing up in St. Paul’s Midway area and his days at St. Columba Elementary. He loves sports, but loves baseball most of all.

When he accidentally hits a baseball through his neighbor's window, he learns a valuable lesson: While sports are important, choosing kindness is always the right thing to do.

The book outlines stories of inclusion and helping everyone belong. Readers can, follow a young Joe Mauer as he grows from a child athlete to a high-school superstar and eventually becomes one of the best-ever Major League Baseball players.

Readers will learn valuable lessons about making good choices, choosing kindness, and telling the truth. They will enjoy heartwarming examples of healthy friendships and uplifting messages about following your dreams, and All proceeds benefit Thumbs Up and Highland Friendship Club, Minnesota nonprofit organizations that serve people with disabilities.

Joe Mauer is a Minnesota sports icon. Born and raised in St. Paul, Mauer was the numberone pick in the amateur baseball draft chosen by the Minnesota Twins in 2001. After a stellar 15-year career, the Twins retired his number and inducted him into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. He is a six-time All-Star, three-time batting champion, three-time winner of the Golden Glove Award, and the

debut with The Right Thing to Do. As part of his ongoing commitment to community involvement and charitable contributions, all proceeds from the book benefit Thumbs Up and Highland Friendship Club.

Kevin Cannon is a Minnesota cartoonist and illustrator who is best known for his detailed cartoon maps in the Star Tribune as well as his humorous all-ages graphic novel, The Cartoon Introduction to Philosophy.

The last decade has found him splitting his time between drawing children’s books and creating illustrations for clients including Apple, Harvard and the US Naval Academy, and publications including Village Voice, Minnesota Monthly and Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine.

2019 American League MVP. In his collaborative, debut children's book, Mauer partnered with Thumbs Up and Highland Friendship Club, donating all of the story's profits to support the nonprofit organizations and their missions. He continues to be a community leader and embodies the message in The Right Thing to Do. Joe Schmit is a sports broadcaster,

keynote speaker and author. He has won 19 Emmy awards from the National Television Academy and is a member of the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame.

Dedicated to inspiring others toward meaningful work, Schmit has published two books on purpose and significance: Silent Impact and The Impact Blueprint. In collaboration with Mauer, Schmit made his children's book

Leader named for health equity center Odichinma (Odi) Akosionu-DeSouza is the new director of the Center for Health Equity (CHE) at the Minnesota Department of Health.

Akosionu-DeSouza took on the new role in midJanuary. Part of her career has had a focus on home and community-based services, and on serving people with disabilities.

“We are excited to have Odichinma join MDH,” said Health Department Assistant Commissioner Halkeno Tura. “She brings a rich background in equity research and translating evidence into effective solutions, and she shares our vision for systems transformation to advance equity. We look forward to adding her knowledge and leadership to our work advance equity across Minnesota.”

The center was created in 2013 to advance health equity within the Minnesota Department of Health and across the state.

Prior to joining the state Health Department, Akosionu-DeSouza worked at the Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity as a project manager and research scholar. She also served as the director of operations for the Research in Color Foundation, leading efforts to support scholars who are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in economics and related fields, with the overarching goal to improve the

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February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

Pg 8

REGIONAL NEWS Disabled veterans close Duluth brewery After three years in business, Duluth’s Warrior Brewing has announced that it will close. The brewery, which is in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, confirmed its impending closure on its Facebook page. The owners saying they will “sell/ close the brewery by April.”

“It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our plans to sell to a new owner or close the brewery by April. This decision did not come easily for us as this has been a dream come true to not only craft some of the finest beer in the northland, but to also give back to numerous deserving nonprofits in our region and beyond! We cannot thank you enough for all your support and dedication to our dream for these last three years . . . Thank you again so much Warriors! It’s been a blast!” the social media post stated.

Equal Rights Amendment returns After coming up short at the capitol for more than a decade, backers of a Minnesota equal rights amendment view 2024 as their moment.

Lawmakers and supporters are tweaking a proposed addition to Minnesota’s Constitution to address new concerns around equality. That has meant explicitly spelling out rights to pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, though authoring groups have not formally agreed to the final draft.

The result could yield the most expansive equal rights policy in the country. Advocates say the change is critical in this political moment, while opponents say it’s a Trojan horse that could come with unintended consequences.

“Minnesotans value freedom. We value our reproductive freedom, and we value our rights.

And that’s what this new language reflects,” said Betty Folliard, founder of ERA Minnesota.

Last year, state lawmakers approved a resolution directing Congress to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. While supporters consider that a step forward, they’re pressing DFL leaders to bring a state version before voters as soon as this fall.

In 2023, the Minnesota Senate passed the bill that would let voters decide a constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal rights no matter someone’s race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ancestry or national origin. But the House didn’t take it up for a vote.

In the months since, ERA Minnesota, along with civil rights, reproductive health and other groups have been working on the amendment.

They’ve added provisions to include protections for people seeking abortions and genderaffirming care in Minnesota.

While some Republicans backed the amendment in its original form, GOP leaders said that rolling in additional provisions would likely make the effort partisan.

“A statewide constitutional amendment should unite people, not divide them,” said Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks. “Stitching every issue into one Frankenstein ballot question is divisive and political, and it will come back to haunt them. Minnesotans value consensus and it’s unfair and inappropriate to engage in such brazen political gamesmanship with the state constitution.”

(Source: Minnesota Public Radio) Affordable, accessible housing offered One block from George Floyd Square, an affordable housing complex has blossomed on the campus of the historic Calvary Lutheran Church in south Minneapolis

PEOPLE AND PLACES

From page 7 structural factors that result in racial inequities in long-term services and supports, generating population-level research evidence, and working collaboratively toward translating research evidence into effective interventions at the policy level and in long-term care programs and services.

As part of her academic career, AkosionuDeSouza worked on state-funded projects to develop a report card system for Minnesota assisted living settings that measures residents’ quality of life and satisfaction, and to identify strategies to reduce health inequities in home and community-based services through a community led-approach.

Before pursuing her Ph.D., AkosionuDeSouza worked as a program consultant at the Minnesota Department of Human Services,

In a sign of how much demand there is for such housing, all 41 units of the Belfry Apartments were leased in the first 16 days after construction was completed. The developer, Trellis Management, put together funding from Minneapolis, Hennepin County, the State of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA), to turn the concept into reality.

“One of the things we heard over and over from folks is this project should be of the community, it should be for the community,” Dan Walsh, the vice president of housing development for Trellis, told KARE 11 News.

The term "deeply affordable" refers to housing for those households that earn 30 percent or less of the area median income, or AMI. That 30 percent mark varies based on the size of the family. For example, it's $26,000 for a single person and $37,000 for a family of four.

The MPHA has dedicated site-specific Section 8 funding to the units, so the tenants will pay only one-third of their monthly income for rent. Some uses are accessible; others are for people leaving homelessness.

Calvary Lutheran has stood at the corner of 39th Street and Chicago Avenue South in Minneapolis since 1930, seven years after the church was formed. But the congregation steadily lost numbers in the past 50 years and could no longer afford the upkeep on the campus.

Trellis agreed to lease the sanctuary back to the church members, so they can still hold services in the renovated space.

“The congregation made the decision in May of 2021 to sell the building completely to Trellis to build affordable housing here in our neighborhood,” said Sarah Shepherd, Calvary's president.

Trellis added a new 20-unit building behind the church and converted the church's education wing into a 21-unit building.

That required a complete overhaul of the building's HVAC and plumbing. The developer reconfigured the sanctuary into flexible meeting spaces while maintaining the historic integrity of the building.

The fact that the English Gothic Revival church building is on the National Register of Historic Places limited what changes could be made to its appearance. For instance, the stained-glass windows couldn't be replaced with more energy-efficient ones.

But Calvary's historic status also enabled Trellis to tap into special grants tailored to projects that preserve such structures.

(Source: KARE 11 News)

Rehab unit to close Sanford Bemidji Medical Center is planning to close an acute rehabilitation unit, reducing

Warrior Brewing was founded in 2020 by a group of disabled veterans including owners Matt Caple and Ben Gipson. They took over the space that was vacated by Lake Superior Brewing. Lake Superior Brewing closed in January 2020.

The veteran-owned brewery officially began brewing beverages in 2021. In May 2023 it expanded to open a tap room.

Warrior Brewing provided opportunities for local nonprofits serving veterans and first responders to take part in brewing with the company, with a portion of proceeds from collaborations the being given back to the nonprofits.

(Source: Bring Me the News)

post-hospital care options that are becoming increasingly scarce in the state.

The hospital intends to send patients elsewhere for rehab but couldn't justify keeping the unit open when insurance restrictions and other changes left it half-full, Karla Eischens, chief executive of the regional hospital in northwest Minnesota, told the Star Tribune.

“How we care for patients is more than just one unit or one facility,” she said. “Closing the [acute rehabilitation unit] will allow us to reallocate scarce resources to other high-need areas within our hospital.”

A hearing was held in January to review Sanford's plans to close the unit by April and convert it into more inpatient medical and surgical beds.

Inpatient rehab helps patients recover from strokes, traumatic injuries and surgeries when they aren't ready to go home but are strong enough to participate in three hours of daily therapy. It's a little-used level of care in Minnesota — only a dozen units statewide — that has been in decline over the past decade because of improved surgical techniques that have allowed more patients to recover at home.

Sanford had already reduced its unit from 14 beds to five, but its closure comes as other providers are trying to expand the level of care in response to emerging pressures on Minnesota's health care system.

Hospitals in Minnesota often relied on nursing homes to provide rehab treatment, but those facilities have closed 3,000 beds statewide since 2020 because of declining staffing and rising costs.

The loss of access has caused logjams in hospitals, which can't discharge patients in need of rehab until they find openings for them and can't free up their own beds for waiting patients. The overcrowding extends into emergency departments, where patients sometimes wait for hours or receive treatment in hallways or waiting rooms.

(Source: Star Tribune)

Court case to continue A federal court case that resulted in more than $111 million being awarded to a former St. Cloud State University student following a trial last year will again go before a jury. The case is based on a disabling injury sustained by

Changing our customers’s lives,

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the student.

Court documents indicate that defendant St. Cloud Orthopedic Associates has filed a motion for a new trial regarding non-economic damages in a case involving Anuj Thapa. Thapa sued after receiving care from the defendant in 2017, claiming he has permanent leg damage.

According to the motion, the defendant alleges there were evidence errors, attorney misconduct at the trial as well as the size of the verdict, claiming the jury’s verdict was “motivated by passion and prejudice” and was excessive.

Thapa has chosen to decline an offer to remit the jury’s previous award of non-economic damages from $110 million to $10 million and to instead proceed with a new trial for noneconomic damages.

Thapa was awarded more than $111.25 million by a federal jury in May of 2022 for past and future medical expenses, pain, disability, emotional distress and more.

In January of 2017, Thapa was taken to St. Cloud Orthopedics for a fractured leg he suffered while playing soccer. He underwent surgery but still felt “severe, difficult-to-control pain in his left lower leg,” according to his lawsuit. He was discharged the next day and told to come back if his symptoms worsened.

After six days, he went back because his pain was as bad as when he left and it “got to the point where he couldn’t stand the pain any longer,” court documents stated. The following morning, a different physician performed surgery and found Thapa had acute compartment syndrome.

Thapa has had more than 20 surgeries since then but still has severe, disabling, permanent damage to his leg. He blames St. Cloud Orthopedics’ failure to properly care and treat him, as well as its failure to properly inform him about the risks of discharging him instead of continuing treatment.

(Source: KSTP-TV)

Kent Fordyce

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supporting projects focused on understanding how racial inequities and geography impacts the quality of life and quality of care for people as they age, and for people living with disabilities who receive home and communitybased services.

Akosionu-DeSouza has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

The Center for Health Equity, created in 2013 to advance health equity, has grown dramatically, from about a dozen staff in 2020 to approximately 50 today. Recognizing this growth and the center’s role in providing support and technical assistance across the agency, the executive office has elevated the Center for Health Equity to a division named the Division of Health Equity Strategy and Innovation.

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February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2

Pg 9

PEOPLE AND PLACES MDI has announced the expansion of its operations to a new location in Roseville.

Located at 2335 Hwy. 36 W., 4,000 square feet of additional office space will support the continued growth of the nonprofit manufacturer’s flourishing Unified Work program and the employees who make it possible.

The location – where MDI will advance its mission of empowering people with disabilities – is about one mile from MDI’s Minneapolis headquarters An expansion of MDI’s existing operations, where the team creates plastic containers to ship, pack and store products for organizations across the country. About half of MDI’s employees are people with disabilities. Click here to download photos of the new space.

Launched in 2017, MDI’s signature Unified Work program offers in-person and virtual classes to equip individuals with disabilities across Minnesota with the soft skills necessary for success in the workplace. More than 800 people have graduated from a Unified Work Academy class since the program began. In addition to being offered to MDI employees with disabilities, Unified Work is open to outside organizations and community members facing employment barriers.

“The visions of both MDI and Unified Work is meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities,” said MDI Vice President of Employment Services Jeanne Eglinton. “Our new office gives us the physical space needed for continued collaboration on Unified Work, along with the ability to create interactive, in-person classes and host learning

Autism program adds new location Partners In Excellence, a center-based autism treatment program headquartered in Burnsville, will be expanding to Arden

MDI

MDI announces expansion to new Roseville location; program to grow

New conference space is welcomed by staff and clients. opportunities for our community. We’re incredibly excited by the many opportunities ahead to advance our vision.”

The new Roseville space was formerly home to a Dunn Brothers Coffee Service Center. It includes added space and amenities for future experiential learning opportunities – like a coffee shop with employment opportunities

for Unified Work participants and community partners, open for business during MDI’s operating hours.

MDI is a manufacturer and nonprofit social enterprise with the mission to provide employment opportunities and services for people with disabilities. The company creates high-quality plastic containers to ship, pack

and store products, and offer unparalleled product assembly and packaging services for organizations across the country, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

MDI has five facilities throughout Minnesota in Minneapolis, Roseville, Grand Rapids, Hibbing and Cohasset. For more information about MDI, visit mdi.org.

Hills. The company will add the building to its network of five locations.

According to the publication Finance & Commerce, Partners has paid $3.875 million in cash for a 32,652-square-foot office at 4255

N. Lexington Ave. It is part of the Arden Hills Corporate Center. The building was sold in early January.

Other locations are in Winona, Minnetonka and North St. Paul.

Partners In Excellence has been in the Twin Cities since 2001, and in Lacrosse since 2010.

Partners was founded by Deb Thomas.

∏∏f Schneider a mental health champion Terry Schneider’s pioneering years working in community mental health spanned more than 40 decades of change. Schneider died in December after heart surgery. He was 67 and lived in Edina.

He grew up on a farm near New Ulm, in a family of nine children. He became interned in mental health during a high school career day.

Schneider began opening small residential treatment facilities in the 1980s, helping people live as independently as possible. He was seen as someone at the forefront of mental health systems change, seeking ways to enrich the lives of clients and help people overcome barriers. He was a supporter of outreach to the homeless s part of RADAIS’s broad range of services.

Schneider’s residential treatment programs include ReEntry House in Minneapolis and Carlson Drake House in Bloomington.

He and business partner Tom Paul in 1986 launched what is now RADIAS Health. He was RADIAS’s CEO, president, clinical director and mentor.

RADIAS has about 450 employees and serves more than 9,000 people each year.

The organization operates one of the state's only forensic assertive community treatment

In Memoriam f∏∏

teams, where a group of professionals serve people with serious and persistent mental illness who have been incarcerated.

Schneider’s wife, Kate Donnelly Schneider, died in fall 2023. They are survived by three children and their families. Services were held in January.

Dunn served in many posts The Arc Southeastern Minnesota had a dedicated volunteer in David J. “Dave” Dunn.

Dunn died in January. He was 88 and lived in Rochester.

Born in Huron, South Dakota, Dunn graduated from Yankton High School in 1953 and attended Yankton College for one year.

He then enlisted in the U.S Army, serving stateside and in Japan as a photographer.

After service Dunn graduated from the University of South Dakota in Vermilion.

After marriage he taught in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Rochester. He became director of the Olmsted County History Center in 1964, later moving to IBM where he spent most of his career. He also was an adjunct professor at St. Mary's and ran a management training firm.

This born educator held many volunteer posts in his home area. He joined what is now the Arc The Arc Southeastern

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Minnesota in 1961, Dunn was a dedicated advocate for people with developmental disabilities. He held positions at the local, state and national levels. Attending the White House celebration of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a highlight in his volunteer life.

Dunn is survived by his wife Sonja; and a son and daughter and their families.

Services have been held. Memorials preferred to Zumbro Lutheran Church or the Southeast Region of the Arc Minnesota.

Semo drew on experience Scott Semo and his family used his experience with a childhood head injury to advocate for change in the home care system.

Semo died in December. He was 52 and lived in Roseville.

SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa stated, “Scott’s story has been a powerful driver of progress in our home care campaigns. Over the past eight years he has repeatedly revealed to Minnesotans the intimate difficulties of depending on state and federal systems for in-home care. His ready willingness to share his challenges with news outlets and state negotiating teams has grounded some of the

more difficult moments in our movement to protect and improve home care services.”

Semo’s mother and caregiver Delores Flynn is a leader in SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa.

Semo sustained a head injury at age 2 ½. He was a graduate of Totino-Grace High School and attended Stout University and Century College.

He showed and trained Portuguese Water Dogs, and enjoyed traveling to dog shows around the country. He was an active member of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of the Twin Cities. Semo developed several pet products; had a patent on one and was in the process of getting patents on his other pet products. He was writing a book when he became very ill.

He is survived by his mother and stepfather, father and stepmother, brothers and their families, other family members and caregivers. Services have been held. Memorials preferred to the Ronald McDonald House at Gillette Hospital St Paul, PWD Foundation or the family.

February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2 Pg 10

RADIO TALKING BOOK All about Radio Talking Book Radio Talking Book is not just for listeners with visual disabilities. Anyone with difficulty reading or turning pages can enjoy the service.

Hear programming on a hand-held mobile device, for either iOS or Android.

Visit the Apple App Store for iOS, or Google Play for Android, and download the Minnesota Radio Talking Book app.

The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Listen to RTB’s live or archived programs online at www. mnssb.org/rtb, and learn more about programs.

Missed a book broadcast? Access it for one week following its original broadcast in the online weekly program archive.

For help accessing the archive, contact Ronnie Washington at 651-539-1424 or SSB.Equipment@state.mn.us.

If the book’s broadcast is no longer available in the archive, contact staff librarian Dan Gausman at 651-539-1422 or dan.gausman@state.mn.us.

Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available for loan through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The catalog is at www.mnbtbl.org. Click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Call the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library at 800722-0550, Mon-Fri, 9 am - 4 pm CST. For updates, go to the Facebook site Minnesota Radio Talking Book.

Audio information about the daily book listings is on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424.

The NFB-NEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers. To learn more, visit www.nfb. org/programs-services/nfb-newsline Chautauqua* Monday – Friday 6 a.m.

Outlive, nonfiction by Peter Attia, 2023.

A groundbreaking manifesto on living better and longer that challenges the conventional medical thinking on aging.

Read by Carol McPherson. 21 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 5.

Bookworm* Monday – Friday 12 p.m.

The Ski Jumpers (rebroadcast), fiction by Peter Geye, 2022. A writer and former ski jumper facing a terminal diagnosis takes one more leap—into a past of soaring flights and broken family bonds. Read by Tom Speich. 14 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 5.

years. Read by John Potts. 15 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 5.

You Are Here, fiction by Karin LinGreenberg, 2023. As a local shopping mall limps to its final closing, its employees and customers face the transition and discover their connections. Read by Carol McPherson. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 26.

Night Journey* Monday – Friday 7 p.m.

Every Man a King, fiction by Walter Mosley, 2023. A carefully plotted mystery about a black private detective investigating whether a white nationalist is being unjustly set up. Read by Dan Sadoff. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 12. – L, S, V, R

The Writer’s Voice* Monday – Friday 1 p.m.

The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man, nonfiction by Paul Newman, 2022. The raw, candid, unvarnished memoir of the American film icon. Read by John Beal. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, Feb. 15.

Love, Pamela, nonfiction by Pamela Anderson, 2023. The actress, activist, and once infamous Playboy Playmate reclaims the narrative of her life in a memoir that defies expectation. Read by Jill Wolf. Six broadcasts; begins Thu, Feb. 29. – L Choice Reading* Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

Essex Dogs, fiction by Dan Jones 2023. A rip-roaring adventure full of blood, guts, and camaraderie set in 1346 during the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. Read by Gary Rodgers. 16 broadcasts; begins Wed, Feb. 7. – L, S, V, G The Clayfields, fiction by Elise Gregory, 2022. A novel told in short stories, set in a Wisconsin farming community. Read

by Nancy Johnson. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, Feb. 29. – L, S Afternoon Report* Monday – Friday 4 p.m.

Nine Black Robes, nonfiction by Joan Biskupic, 2023. An urgent and inside look at the history-making era in the Supreme Court during the Trump and post-Trump

The Persuaders, nonfiction by Anand Giridharadas, 2022. An insider account of activists, politicians, educators, and everyday citizens working to change minds, bridge divisions, and fight for democracy. Read by Phil Rosenbaum. 16 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 26. – L

The Collector, fiction by Daniel Silva, 2023.

Legendary art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon joins forces with a brilliant and beautiful master-thief to track down the world’s most valuable missing painting but soon finds himself in a desperate race to prevent an unthinkable conflict between Russia and the West. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 26.

Potpourri* Monday – Friday 9 p.m.

Murder at Minnesota Point, nonfiction by Jeffrey M. Sauve, 2022. The sensational true story of a young, unidentified woman found slain on the isolated sandy shores of Minnesota Point, Duluth, in 1894. Read

by John Schmidt. Four broadcasts; begins Thu, Feb. 8.

Cheerfulness, nonfiction by Garrison Keillor, 2023. Reflections on a simple, positive virtue from the Minnesota radio personality. Read by Jim Gregorich. Seven broadcasts; begins Wed, Feb. 14.

Your Table Is Ready, nonfiction by Michael Cecchi-Azzoliza, 2022. A front-of-thehouse Kitchen Confidential from a career maître d’hotel who manned the front of the room in New York City's hottest and most in-demand restaurants. Read by Jim Gregorich. 13 broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 26. – L, S

All times listed are Central Standard Time.

Abbreviations V – violent content R – racial epithets L – strong language S – sexual situation G – gory descriptions Good Night Owl* Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

Monarch, fiction by Candice Wuehle, 2022.

A debut novel about a teen beauty queen who discovers she’s been a sleeper agent in a deep state government program. Read

by Diane Dahm. Nine broadcasts; begins Thu, Feb. 22. – L RTB After Hours* Monday – Friday 11 p.m.

The Rope Artist, fiction by Fuminori Nakamura, 2023. The aftermath of the murder of a bondage teacher reveals the darkest corners of the human mind in this chilling new mystery from the master of Japanese literary noir. Read by Stuart Holland. Eight broadcasts; begins Mon, Feb. 5. – L, S, V A Long Time Dead, fiction by Samara Breger, 2023. A lush, Victorian romance, drenched in blood and drama, about the lengths two women will go to secure a love that cannot die. Read by MaryBeth Redmond. 16 broadcasts; begins Thu, Feb. 15. – L, S Weekend Program Books Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents a rebroadcast of Toxic Positivity

by Whitney Goodman, read by Beverly Burchett.

For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents The Rat Queen by Pete Hautman, read by Parichay Rudina.

Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Low by Nick Flynn, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by Civil Service by Claire Schwartz, read by Mary Knatterud The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents Born of Lakes and Plains by Anne F. Hyde, read by Tony Lopez.

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February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2 Pg 11

ENJOY! Winter Art Show at ICI Emerging photographer Hannah Rousar is one of seven artists with disabilities who are displaying their work at Art for All’s newest exhibition and sale in the gallery at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.

The show runs through Feb. 16 and includes paintings, mixed media, ceramics, and photography. It was created as part of Art for All: The Stephanie Evelo Program for Art Inclusion at the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Community Integration. Works

by Katharine Fitzgerald, Sam St. John, Geordy Levin , Linda Hood, Donna Ray , and Paul Carlson are also included in the exhibition.

The shows advance the program’s mission of not only supporting emerging and professional artists with disabilities, but also bringing their work into wider community spaces to enhance understanding of the artists’ vision of the world. The exhibit is at 2025 East River Parkway, Mpls. FFI: https://ici.umn.edu/ Save date for expo Save the date of Sat, April 20 for the Discover Abilities Expo, a showcase of all-things adaptive sports and recreation in Minnesota. Organizers hope to have more than 60 organizations that provide some sort of adaptive sports or recreational opportunities in Minnesota on hand.

The expo is designed both for individuals with disabilities (primary user of services) to learn about and try adaptive recreational opportunities as well as healthcare professionals, educators, students, volunteers and more to learn about adaptive sports and recreational opportunities. It is held at the University of Minnesota Recreation & Wellness Center in Mpls. and organized by the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute Sports and recreation Team. FFI: 612-775-2311, daniel. edmondson@allina.com

Sit, stay at Fetching Ball The 35th anniversary Fetching Ball Gala, celebrating Can Do Canines, at Radisson Blu Mall of America is on Sat, Feb. 17.

Enjoy dinner, inspiring stories, games, and silent and live auctions – all benefiting the service dog organization. Emcee is Rena Sarigianopoulos of KARE-11. Tickets are on sale. FFI: Melissa Herman, 763-331-3000, ext. 115, mherman@candocanines.org Open Flow Forum The Artists with Disabilities Alliance meets via Zoom 7-9 p.m. the first Thu of the month - Feb. 1 and March 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 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

OPPORTUNITIES Online Website changes The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (MNCDD) has announced that the Treat People Like People website tools and resources are now organized into pages: Listen, Learn, Advocate, and a redesigned toolkit.

The new website is designed to spread the message of respect and dignity even further. It is meant to be an aid in raising awareness, fostering inclusivity and challenging assumptions regarding people with disabilities at https:// treatpeoplelikepeople.org/

Research Dinner

Hear about research NAMI Minnesota hosts its annual research dinner, bringing the latest research from the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner and presentations starting at 6 p.m. Tue, Feb. 20, Delta Hotels

by Marriott Mpls Northeast 1330 Industrial Boulevard NE, Mpls. Dinner includes an entree, salad, and dessert. Co-sponsored

by NAMI Minnesota and the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry. Cost is $50 per person.

University researchers will present their latest findings, introduce new studies that are underway, and answer questions.

Participants can earn 1.5 social work CEUs for attending. FFI: publiceducation@ namimn.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, at Greater Minnesota locations and also offered online. Other workshops are 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 pick and choose sessions designed for their needs. Access Press only lists a sampling of the workshops offered.

Low Vision Tools to Support Independence is 2-3:15 p.m. Wed, Feb. 7. Online. The workshop will provide an overview and demonstration of devices and apps to support individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Tools will address magnification, reading with textto-speech, and daily living.

Planning an IEP Team Meeting When Your Child has Mental Health Challenges is noon-1p.m. Wed, Feb. 14. Online. The workshop will provide parents and others with information to help them prepare for a positive IEP team meeting to support their child’s mental health needs in school.

Participants will work through an example of an IEP, discuss what each section means, learn how to advocate for changes, and more.

Boost Focus and Attention with Assistive Technology is 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Thu, Feb. 15. Online. Focus is the executive function ability to ignore distractions, while attention is an active awareness on something specific. The workshop will explore tools and strategies that can boost both of these abilities.

Tools and Resources to Help Build Social Skills is 1-2 p.m. Wed, Feb. 21. Online.

Join this workshop to learn about the importance of social skills and how to build them. Tools and resources covered in this workshop will be appropriate for all ages.

Tech for Teens Club : Learn How to Use a Glowforge is 10:30-11:30 a.m. Sat, Feb. 10 at PACER Center. The Tech for Teens workshop will introduce participants to the Glowforge, a laser cutter. Learn the basics of laser cutting and use the Glowforge to design and produce a final product. FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org

Volunteer

Audio describer trainings Trainings for new audio describers and captioners will be offered in the Twin Cities in early 2024. Audio describer (AD) candidates should have a good voice, concise and quick command of language and adjectives, and a commitment to make plays, dance, films, video or other events more enjoyable by patrons who are blind or of low vision.

A nationally recognized AD trainer will offer two two-day trainings in the concepts,

Goo Goo Dolls at PACER The 2024 PACER Center benefit will feature the band the Goo Goo Dolls. The 41st annual benefit is Sat, April 27 at Mpls. Convention Center. Tickets are now available at a range of prices. Formed by Rzeznik and Takac in Buffalo, NY during 1986, the Goo Goo Dolls have quietly broken records, contributed a string of staples to the American songbook, connected to millions of fans, and indelibly impacted popular music for threeplus decades. FFI: 952838-9000, pacer@pacer. org, www.pacer.org 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 Post your event online Access Press is moving more event listings online. There is a word limit and we require that those posting information include event costs as well as techniques and practice of AD. Trainees will then be able to hone their new skills by actually describing local events for pay or as a volunteer.

A training for new captioners, as well as other accessibility-related workshops, will be offered later in the spring.

The opportunities are provided by the Minnesota Association of Community Theatres, through a grant from the Metro Regional Arts Council. A modest fee will cover materials. FFI: 612-819-0949, https:// mn-act.net/, email mactfactor@icloud.com Help at Super Saturday NAMI Minnesota is looking for volunteers to assist with setup, cleanup and greeting attendees at the upcoming Super Saturday event. Super Saturday is a hybrid workshop for parents and caregivers of children living with mental illnesses. The event includes presentations on mental health, childhood grief and loss, special education, suicide prevention and trauma. It is 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Sat, Feb. 10 at Black Hawk Middle School (1540 Deerwood Drive Eagan. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive at 8am for setup. FFI: namimn.org

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.

This is for Minnesota-focused, disability community events. it is not for business advertising for events that aren’t sponsored by a disability group or organization or that do not have a disability focused.

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.

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/

CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT

METES & BOUNDS MANAGEMENT Company manages the following Section 8 & Section 42 (Tax Credit) properties in Minnesota. Income and rent restrictions apply.

Section 8 Boardwalk Wayzata 952-473-0502 Dewey Place/The Pines Foley 320-968-7791 Greenwood Wadena 218-631-2575 Highwood Homes Prior Lake 952-447-6961 Linderhof Park New Ulm 507-354-5964 Mission Oaks Plymouth 763-559-5770 Rustic Creek Two Harbors 218-595-1018 Todd 27 Long Prairie 320-732-6154 Town Square East Grand Forks 218-773-3631 Victory Duluth 218-722-2629 Section 42 (Tax Credit) Abbott Apartments Mpls 612-338-5588 Crosby Country Crosby 218-546-8400 Eastwood Village Oakdale 651-773-1949 Nature's Edge St. Cloud 320-203-7726 Parkside Rochester 507-281-9003 Valley High Rochester 507-536-4797 Valley View Byron 507-775-2821 Metes & Bounds is an equal housing opportunity housing company FIND YOUR NEW HOME WITH AT HOME APARTMENTS. Call 651-224-1234 or visit AtHomeApartments.com for an apartment or town home Equal Opportunity Housing

Classified rates: $20 (first 12 words); $1/word beyond 12. Deadline: 20th of each month. We will email total cost of classified ad. Email your classified to access@accesspress.org

February 2024 Volume 35, Number 2 Pg 12

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Source: CDC. Project Firstline. Materials developed by CDC Reference to specific commercial products, manufacturers, companies, or trademarks does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Government, Department of Health and Human Services, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Access Press received a Community Engagement and Diverse Media Grant from the Minnesota Department of Health to provide information about Covid-19 and vaccinations to our readers and the community of people with disabilities. There will be many informational items we will share with you.