The FBI served search warrants December 12 at two autism treatment providers, as part of a wide-ranging Medicaid fraud investigation first reported by the Minnesota Reformer news website in June.
The search warrants were served at Smart Therapy Center in Minneapolis and Star Autism in St. Cloud.
FBI Special Agent Kurt Beulke wrote in an unsealed warrant application that the state autism program has exploded in both the number of providers and cost in recent years: “The investigation has found substantial evidence that many of these companies have been submitting fraudulent claims for (autism) services that were not actually provided or that were not covered.”
According to the warrant application, employees of Smart Therapy were “18 or 19-year old relatives of the owners who had no formal education beyond high school and no training or certification related to the treatment of autism.”
Many of the children did not appear to be autistic, according to a witness. The same witness said they believed parents were being paid to bring their children as part of the scheme.
Both Smart Therapy and Star Autism billed the state even when the provider — who was ostensibly giving treatment to a child on the autism spectrum — was out of the country, according to the warrant.
Star Autism “billed Medicaid for (autism) services purportedly provided by medical providers who did not work for Star Autism or who received little or no wages from the company.”
During one three-year period, according to the warrant, Smart Therapy billed Medicaid more than $850,000 for autism services for a single client, and was paid $438,000 by Medicaid based on the claims.
The Reformer reported in September that a former supervisor at Smart Therapy made repeated attempts to report what she said were negligence and fraud to state officials. Smart Therapy formed in 2019 and quickly became one of the highest-paid autism treatment providers in Minnesota, paid the ninth most out of 142 providers in 2021, when it was reimbursed $2.1 million. It was paid the third most out of 206 providers in 2022, at $2.8 million, and the seventh most out of 280 providers last year, when it was paid $2.6 million.
Growth of spending on the Minnesota autism program has exploded in recent years. The number of providers — who are supposed to diagnose and treat people with autism spectrum disorder — has increased 700 percent in the past five years, climbing from 41 providers in 2018 to 328 last year.
The amount paid to providers during that time has increased 3,000 percent,
CENTERS To page 3
Subminimum wages are eyed for change at federal level
by Jane McClure
The long fight to phase out subminimum wages for disabled workers is the focus of a public comment period and potential federal rule change. The proposal announced in December by the U.S. Department of Labor would sunset Fair Labor Standards Act 14 (c) certificates, which have been in place since 1938.
The comment period ends at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time January 17. Go to https:// www.dol.gov/regulations
The change was proposed by the Biden administration. It’s not clear how the incoming Trump administration would
YEAR IN REVIEW
address the proposal.
If the change is finalized, the Labor Department would no longer issue certificates. Current certificate holders would have three years to stop paying workers subminimum wages.
“In the decades since Section 14 (c) was included in the Fair Labor Standards Act, there have been significant legal and policy developments that have dramatically expanded employment opportunities and rights for individuals with disabilities,” said Julie Su, acting Labor Secretary. “With this proposal, the department expects that
Meet Rhett Lundgren
3 The year ahead Page 2
Wages a concern Page 4
Providers overpaid Page 8 New Rise CEO Page 9 Take Note! Page 11
2024 was a year of challenges, changes for community
January 2024
2024 began with eyes on the capitol. A caveat was that the legislative session would be much more focused on policy than on spending, due to a looming structural budget deficit and higher-than-anticipated spending.
The upcoming session was also a bonding time, with asks from state academies and hospitals. Requests also came in to improve accessibility in an array of state facilities.
Cracking down on downtown property owners who don’t maintain skyways is a key focus of city ordinance changes made in St. Paul. But a valued connection between Green Line light rail and the skyway system remained closed, much to the consternation of disability rights advocates. The connection was closed in December 2022 after a double homicide there. (The connection remained closed as 2024 ended.)
Can Do Canines showed off its new Whelping and Growth Center and litters of puppies The nonprofit raises and trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities. Montgomery resident Taylor Hindermann advocated for more special needs inclusion
her debut children’s book, Kip’s Funny Little Feet. The story follows Kip, a young boy with mobility issues, learning to walk with the help of supportive braces. With a mission to inspire
book
braces,
WAGES To page 11
Children listened at a legislative rally day.
Threats on the horizon as a key civil rights anniversary nears
2025 marks the 35th anniversary of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990. It was a momentous day, with many Minnesota disability rights activists present. It was also a very hot day as recalled by those who were there. Yet people gathered eagerly, some possibly at risk to their health, to witness the signing. It was that important.
After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and various civil rights movements in this country, it was finally our turn as a community of disabled people to see our civil rights brought to the forefront.
Many of us clearly remember that hot July day and the promises of the ADA. Some of those promises have been fulfilled, while others have not. So let’s take a look back and also look forward.
The ADA has long been our nation’s strongest measure to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities. It is meant to prohibit discrimination based on disability. It is meant to guarantee equal access to public buildings and businesses, employment opportunities, transportation, telecommunications, commercial facilities, and state and local government services.
Think of the ADA as a three-legged stool, of access, equity and inclusion. Take a moment to reflect on how the ADA has affected your life and the lives of your peers in those specific areas.
Often the ADA serves us well. Think of where we would be without its protections. Think about not being able to even open a door to a building, use a public park or cross a street without hopping a curb or going to the closest alley. Think about having your
We have to keep calling for change. We have to watch public policy decisions at all levels of government. We need meaningful change, not just tinkering around the edges of public policy. This is how our community will see change over the next 35 years.
housing, work and community participation options greatly limited due to disability. Think about not being able to vote or not being able to do something as simple as go to a movie.
Sometimes the ADA does not serve us well, as it is blatantly ignored. We are still given excuses as to why a job, a place or an event cannot make accommodations for us.
“It’s too expensive.”
“It won’t work for this building.”
“We don’t know how many people would use it.”
“What if you quit right away, and this costly assistive technology goes to waste?”
We also have had situations where the ADA was exploited for personal gain and not
for the benefit of people with disabilities. We remember attorneys suing businesses under the guise of equal access. The lawsuits only hurt small businesses and sometimes didn’t provide the access we need.
We look back at the past 35 years on improved equal opportunity, independent living, full participation in our communities and economic self-sufficiency. Have we made progress on these fronts? We certainly have.
People can live in their home communities. They can access places that were not open in the past. The participation opportunities are dramatically expanded. Many of our younger peers have jobs their elders only dreamed of.
Many of us watch in admiration as people
with disabilities hold high-ranking posts in business, hold elected office and are leaders in the greater community.
Many of us look at the great advances in technology and marvel at what can be easily done today.
But are we fully there yet? No. We still see access denied from time to time. We must stay vigilant to call out and correct those wrongs. We have to keep calling for change. We have to watch public policy decisions at all levels of government. We need meaningful change, not just tinkering around the edges of public policy. This is how our community will see change over the next 35 years.
We must remind our younger community leaders, who grew up with the ADA, to not take its protections for granted. We need these leaders to keep equity, access and inclusion at the forefront as everyone works on continued policy changes that make our lives better. And we need to be watchful of any threats to our civil rights.
2025 starts a momentous year for all of us who live with disabilities, work with disabled people or have a disabled family member. It is a time to reflect on gains and look forward to what must yet be accomplished.
We need everyone in the disability community and disability rights movement to remember what we didn’t have and what we all too easily could lose. We have education funding promises that have not yet been met. Yet we could lose the entire federal Department of Education. There’s so much more at stake. It’s still that important.
The 'Placement Service for Handicapped People' helped with jobs
A potential end to subminimum wages for disabled workers would certainly be a historic moment in the United States. It would also mark a continuing shift in attitudes toward workers with disabilities.
The Fair Labor Standards Act 14 (c) certificates that allow for subminimum wages was created in 1938. What was done before then?
Minneapolis city leaders in the early 20th century grappled with ways to help people with disabilities find jobs. Attitudes were challenging. It was a time when people who were described as “handicapped” could all too easily be described as a “burden on society” in the same sentence. Or when someone with a disability did have a job, news coverage was condescending at best. One solution that emerged was the Placement Service for Handicapped People. It was an agency supported by the Minneapolis Community Fund, which in turn financially
supported the Minneapolis Council of Social Agencies. The Minnesota Historical Society maintains a small collection of information about the agencies and their operations. Various agencies served an array of people deemed worthy of assistance.
The placement service opened its doors in 1930. By 1935, the placement service had convinced more than 400 Minneapolis business and industry owners to hire more than 2,400 disabled workers. Some employers were so happy with their initial hires, they returned again and again to find more workers.
The program was described in what today would be very cringe-worthy terms, in an April 14, 1935 Minneapolis Journal article:
“That crippled friend to yours or the man in the next block who is so hard of hearing – how in the world did they ever find jobs and then keep them. Or that chap you saw in an office the other day with
the pronounced spinal curvature and that cabinet maker with the missing hand?”
“Such questions undoubtably parade through the minds of many Minneapolis people from day to day.”
The agency was run by John Wiley “J.W.” Curtis, assisted by an unnamed “disabled young woman clerk.” While it is disappointing that readers didn’t learn the clerk’s name, it’s worth noting a 1930s-era newspaper’s use of the word “disabled” instead of “handicapped.”
Curtis was described as a tireless workers, who spent his days meeting with employers and urging them to hire people with physical disabilities. One focus for him was Goodwill Industries and its jobs programs. Pictures of workers with the 1935 article showed a woman sewing and a man repairing shoes at a Goodwill workshop.
Was the agency a success? By the numbers, yes. In 1934 alone the agency placed almost 750 workers in jobs.
Their combined earnings that year were $29,182.29. Workers were placed in a wide range of jobs, from office to industrial work. But most emphasis was on physically disabled workers, rather than people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Curtis ran the agency from its founding in 1930 until his death in 1947 at age 72.
The Texas native’s workforce career began in the Philippines, where he ran manual training programs after the SpanishAmerican War. He spent his career in teaching and workforce programs.
He is buried at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, His modest headstone states “Teacher.” It also includes the phrase “He served his fellow man.”
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.
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.
SUBSCRIPTION: Free and accessible to anyone in MInnesota, visit www.accesspress.org to subscribe. ABOUT ACCESS PRESS: A monthly newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Access Press, PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-8006
INQUIRIES AND ADDRESS CHANGES should be directed to: Access Press, PO Box
Session’s start brings worries about fiscal issues, state spending
The January 7 start of the 2025 legislative session has Minnesotans with disabilities worried about a weakening state fiscal position, on top of increased state spending on aging and disability-related programs.
That on top of looming political divides at the capitol could make the upcoming session a challenging one. The state’s office of Management and Budget released its November budget and economic forecast December 4. That forecast showed worrisome weakening of Minnesota’s fiscal condition over the past several months.
The projected surplus for the current biennium is at $616 million. That’s about one-third of what was anticipated in February 2024. More concerning is a projected budget deficit of $5.1 billion in the next state biennium, starting in July 2027. The state has a potential structural imbalance ahead in its budget if steps are not taken. At a news conference, MMB Commissioner Erin Campbell cited reduced revenue projections coupled with large increases in costs for longterm care and special education. That’s part of a larger trend nationwide, she noted, as other states face the same issues. That’s in part due to the aging of the “baby boomer” generation as people age and develop disabilities.
But it also can be linked to increased need for special education services.
A lot is at play. There has been plenty of political finger-pointing over increased spending on a number of education and health and human services initiatives. One target for critics is the recent flurry of actions against autism service providers who are accused of fraud. (See related story.)
There are also worries about what proposed
CENTERS
From page 1
from about $6 million to nearly $192 million — according to data provided to the Reformer by the Department of Human Services, which administers the state’s Medicaid program for lowincome people and Minnesotans with disabilities.
Earlier this year, DHS Assistant Commissioner Natasha Merz told the Reformer that the growth of the autism program has been “pretty consistent” with other DHS programs, such as housing stabilization services, a new Medical
federal spending cuts could bring. For disability advocates and their organizations, that mix of issues is top of mind as they prepare for the session. While there will be spending asks, there is also an awareness that there be a focus on increased spending on disabilities as well as the fraud issues. At a recent Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD) meeting, discussion included the overarching state issues and how those should be addressed during this year’s advocacy efforts.
MNCCD has a list of 32 bills. As Access Press went to press, members were still
Assistance benefit to help people with disabilities and seniors find and keep housing. (Some autism centers advertise both of those services.)
“I don’t think we are surprised or particularly disturbed by the rate of growth,” Merz said at the time. “We know that having early intervention and access to service is a really, really important part of putting these kiddos on a good trajectory for the rest of their lives.”
She added, “Anytime we’re operating Medicaid programs, we have to ensure we’re good stewards of taxpayer money, and that we have the right level of protections in place
reviewing and ranking proposals. A ranking or tier system is used to denote the level of resources MNCCD can allocate to a bill. The tiers aren’t an indication that one bill would be more important than another.
This year’s slate of bills covers topics including MA-EPD reform, personal care attendant wage issues, children’s respite care, playgrounds and accessible transportation. Some bills are repeats or build upon work from past years. Others are new.
One new issue brought forward by the Multicultural Autism Action Network (MAAN) is for changes with MnCHOICES.
against fraud, waste and abuse.”
Later, DHS told the Reformer that the agency was investigating 15 autism providers and has already completed other investigations, withheld payments due to credible fraud allegations and forwarded cases to law enforcement “when appropriate.” In September, the Star Tribune reported that DHS
MnCHOICES is a computer application used by counties, tribal nations and managed care organizations to support their assessment and support planning work for Minnesotans who need long-term services and supports, regardless of age, type of disability or service needs.
Current state statute requires people with disabilities to undergo a MnC HOICES assessment every year. The MAAN proposal would allow people receiving Home and Community-Based Services to opt-in to having an assessment every third year rather than every year.
While state law requires that counties conduct the assessments within 20 days of receiving requests, the wait for Mn CHOICES assessments is currently up to seven months in some counties.
“For some people with disabilities and their caregivers, the MnCHOICES assessment is exhausting, traumatic, and an administrative headache,” the proposal stated. “We are proposing an opt-in program that would allow people with disabilities to choose to have an assessment done every three years, instead of every year, thereby eliminating strain on the assessment system, as well as allowing people with disabilities whose disability status has not changed to continue receiving the same level of service without going through a difficult and often traumatic process.”
It’s likely that the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) would have to ask the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for an exemption to federal law to allow such a change. Any state statute passed this year would direct DHS to apply for a change from the federal requirement.
work closely with our state and federal law enforcement partners in oversight of these and other Medicaid programs.”
Due to concerns about program integrity, Harpstead said, the agency is visiting every single autism treatment provider. “We are digging further into cases where we note concerns and will conduct formal
Minnesota’s care crisis raises questions for people with disabilities
by Pam Dewey, Fraser
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about one in four adults in Minnesota has a disability. Among those who are employed, a staggering 25 percent live below the poverty line due to subminimum wage payment, a physical inability to work more hours, or a lack of accommodations at work.
If you can’t make a living wage, employing a personal home health aide is impossible. Direct support professionals (DSPs) who assist individuals in daily living are critical to the safe care of our community’s most vulnerable citizens.
DSPs provide essential care and help individuals with personal care tasks, like doing their hair, brushing their teeth, and exercising. They may also assist with cooking, medication management and outings in the community. DSP support allows people with autism and disabilities to live safely and independently as thriving members of our community.
While the work of DSPs is highly valued, state compensation rates for that work fall short. Nationally, 40 percent of direct care workers live near the poverty line, and 43 percent of direct care workers rely on public benefits to get by.
Currently, DSPs are paid $16.22 per hour. Simply put, many DSPs can’t afford to live on their wages. Minnesota determines DSP
how someone may feel who must use braces. Kip's story is one of determination and selfacceptance, as he overcomes obstacles and finds the strength to walk with the help of supportive braces. Kip’s Funny Little Feet is based on the true story of Hindermann’s youngest son, Kip. ProAct announced the opening of its new leisure center at its Eagan headquarters. The center is designed to provide accessible and inclusive recreational opportunities for participants, with a special focus on serving older adults with disabilities.
February
2024
A community mainstay suspended operations. Leadership of Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions or BLIND, Inc. announced the temporary suspension of all programs and services for people with visual disabilities. The nonprofit’s leadership issued a statement:
“We take this action with heavy hearts. After extensive deliberation over our current financial and organizational obligations, 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.”
As of late 2024, BLIND, Inc. remained inactive. Its building was for sale.
Metro Deaf School and Workabilities were feted as Champions of Change during the state’s celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day. Minnesota sports icon and Twins Hall of Famer Joe Mauer was the focus of the new book, The Right Thing to Do. Its followed his life as he learned to be a good friend. The stories include his kindnesses to children with disabilities. The book was written by veteran KSTP-TV sports anchor Joe Schmit and published by Wise Ink Media.
MDI 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 supports the continued growth of the nonprofit manufacturer’s flourishing Unified Work program and the employees making it possible.
The location – where MDI will advance its mission of empowering people with disabilities – is about one mile from MDI’s Minneapolis headquarters. It is 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.
March 2024
Uncertainty was a watchword at the state capitol, due to the state budget forecast and spending targets. Minnesota disability rights advocates, organizations and allies were told to not make fiscal asks during the session.
pay rates through the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS). According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Living Wage calculator, in the Twin Cities metro, a living wage for one adult with one child is $ 43.91 per hour, which is nearly 3 times the rate of DSP pay. For a single adult with no children, the living wage is $22.49 per hour, which still falls far below the current DSP pay rate.
The undervaluing and undercompensating of DSPs has created a national crisis in hiring and retaining staff for these critical roles. The turnover rate for DSPs is between 40 and 60 percent nationally.
Along with low wages, high turnover and staffing shortages result from “lack of professional development or career growth opportunities,…lack of benefits, and rising inflation/cost of living over the past two decades.” Additionally, the recent pandemic drove many DSPs to leave their roles due to personal loss, trauma, stress, and the anxiety of spreading COVID-19 to a vulnerable population.
In Minnesota, the situation is particularly dire. The Minnesota Department of Human Services states, “Minnesotans in every region of the state are struggling to recruit and retain direct support professionals (DSPs)… numerous positions remain unfilled and shortages are predicted to get worse over
the next 10 years.”
DSP work is emotionally and physically taxing and stressful. When their clients face discrimination due to disability, DSPs feel their frustration and heartbreak. When DSPs must lift clients, move heavy equipment, and spend the day on their feet, they feel the weight of their clients’ disabilities on their own bodies.
Without DSPs to staff residential homes, supportive care facilities are forced to close. That means people with autism and disabilities who need long-term care and support must live at home with parents or other family members, who are often illequipped to provide the level of care their loved ones need.
These families often cannot hire in-home care services to help them because the staffing crisis includes home health aides. When living with family isn’t an option, disabled children, teens, and adults may be forced into nursing homes, regardless of their age or health.
Even nursing homes are suffering from a lack of staffing. Data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services indicates that Minnesota nursing homes have the largest workforce shortage in the country, with 41 percent of skilled nursing facilities experiencing staffing shortages.
This worker shortage impacts access and quality of care. With fewer staff, there is more
If anything, fiscal changes brought to the capitol would be used to lay groundwork for the 2025-2026 budget.
Minnesota’s budget and economic outlook remained stable in the current biennium, according to the state’s Office of Management and Budget. But state officials warned about a significant structural imbalance that constrained the budget outlook for fiscal 2026-2027.
How are people with disabilities counted as part of the U.S. Census? After backlash from disability rights activists, the U.S. Census Bureau set aside proposed changes to questions about disability.
Changes were to be part of the 2025 American Community Survey. The proposed
changes could artificially reduce the number of disabled people by more than 40 percent, so the Census Bureau announced that it would retain the current American Community Survey disability questions for year 2025.
The new Highland Popcorn store in Highland Village Center was open and serving tasty treats to customers. The people who work there are mastering new skills while earning a paycheck—something most employees do and take for granted. But for the 10 employees at Highland Popcorn, it is a big deal. The majority have intellectual or developmental disabilities, and for them, just landing a job can be a challenge.
“It’s tough for these people to find meaningful, sustaining employment,” said
potential for mistakes, abuse, or injury.
Access Press states, “Direct care workers are vital to our economy and community as they reduce abuse, injuries, costly hospitalization and institutionalization of people with all types of disabilities, be they direct support professionals, personal care assistants, or ‘home health aides.’”
DSP work is incredibly important to our healthcare system. To ensure this care option continues to fill the gap, DSP pay rates must change at the government level.
The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act proposes legislation to support DSPs and other long-term care workers by “improving caregiver compensation, benefits, and support systems.” The bill will support longterm care, nursing home, home care and assisted living workers by increasing wages, addressing low Medicaid reimbursement rates with a compensation strategy, creating career paths for DSPs through training and certification, and supporting DSPs with workplace protection and wellness support.
To express support for this bill, contact your local members of Congress. If there are no DSPs, there are few options available to individuals and families living with intellectual and physical disabilities. People with disabilities have a right to live full lives in our community. Our community is stronger when everyone belongs.
Shamus O’Meara, the founder of Highland Popcorn and a Highland Park attorney whose son Conor works at the shop. O’Meara opened the nonprofit retail and wholesale business to help Conor and others like him find steady work. Conor is on the autism spectrum. He works at the shop and also hosts a radio show.
April 2024
Transportation network companies (TNCs) and Minneapolis city leaders were at odds over pay, with larger companies Uber and Lyft threatening to leave. That caused consternation for Twin Cities area residents with disabilities who rely on rideshare services. Many wondered how they would get to get to and from work and school, and to other destinations.
The Minneapolis City Council set the controversy in motion by passing an ordinance that required rideshare companies to raise their driver pay. Weeks of back-and-forth drew in state and regional officials before the dispute was resolved.
Volunteer Braille Services (VBS), which has provided Braille materials of all types for almost 60 years, closed its doors. The nonprofit provided countless Minnesotans with an array of transcribed documents. Peter D. “Pete” Feigal had an unwavering dedication to mental health advocacy and treating mental health and physical health issues equitably. He was remembered in March at a memorial service in St. Paul. Feigal was a longtime disability advocate, writer and artist. His life story was one of hardship and perseverance, as recalled in 2008 when he was given the Access Press Charlie Smith Award. He spent a year in the hospital as a teen. As an adult, he was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis. He eventually lost his sight. But he always lived by the belief that whatever happens in life, treat it as a gift, not a problem. Focus on and celebrate strengths. Don’t let others define who you are by your disability.
Feigal gave more than 1,600 talks on mental health topics. He wrote a column for Access Press, Tilting at Windmills. That was also the name of the theater group he founded. His leadership posts included the presidency of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Minnesota. He was also active in People Inc. programs.
May 2024
More than 35,000 Minnesotans live with limb loss, and thousands more are living with limb difference and mobility impairments. Many are unable to access prescribed orthotic and prosthetic care due to lack of insurance coverage, forcing them to incur huge outof-pocket costs. Their stories were shared at an event called “So Every BODY can Move Minnesota.” It drew more than 100 advocates for bills affecting people with limb loss and limb difference.
St. Paul officials considered limits on new drive-through sales and services, to join other cities including Minneapolis with restrictions. While drive-through traffic can pose hazards to people crossing them on foot or with mobility devices, using a drive-through service is a way many people with disabilities get their medicine, do their banking and get their food. Restrictions typically raise red flags and calls for compromise.
(The issue went through months of review before it was tabled by the St. Paul City Council, to be part of a larger study of commercial areas.)
Minneapolis resident Dean Steven Ross Phillips, who died in April 2021, gave a generous gift of almost $1 million to the Gillette Children’s Foundation. The gift was used to help cover the costs of renovating the Gillette Children’s Hospital clinic in St. Paul. Phillips will be honored with a plaque in the renovated facility.
Phillips’ story was living in Northeast Minneapolis at the time of his death and left no will. An old envelope postmarked 2013 bore some cryptic notes indicating that Phillips might have named the Gillette Children’s Foundation as the beneficiary for his 401(k) account. A family member contacted Gillette in May 2021, and found that Phillips had inquired in 2016 about the procedure for naming Gillette as a beneficiary.
A coworker’s child had been treated at Gillette, said Leona Fitzmaurice, Phillips’ older sister.
June 2024
Community members reviewed the outcome of the Minnesota Legislature’s session, which came to a tumultuous end. What generated the most angst was a 1,430page bill that was a melding of nine separate bills. Disability advocates were poring through legislation days after the session ended. The time crunch didn’t allow for detailed overviews of the bills as they were voted on. Still, some losses were all too clear. A bonding bill didn’t pass, meaning infrastructure improvements must wait. That includes needed accessibility at state facilities, including a bid to improve the challenging tunnel between the capitol and
the Minnesota Department of Transportation and State Office Buildings.
One of Minnesota’s longest-tenured disability service leaders prepared to step down. Lynn Noren, President and CEO of Rise, has announced her retirement after 45 years of dedicated service.
In announcing her plans, Noren said, “I wanted to share with you that I will be retiring from Rise, likely by the end of 2024. I have been working with the Rise Board of Directors for some time to plan for my retirement, so while this news is now being shared publicly, it’s important to know we’ve been planning for the transition for a while. This year, I will celebrate 45 years of service to Rise---that’s a long run! I have loved every minute of my tenure, and I will forever be inspired by the work of this incredible organization.”
Anxiety, restlessness, and feeling free and unchained are some of the emotions St. Paul actor Michael Wolfe experiences while waiting for a bus. Wolfe, who identifies as a Black, queer performer with autism, shared the feelings he goes through on a daily basis at a performance at Minneapolis’ Parkway Theater. “Thresholds: Art, Science and Neurodiversity” offered two short films and a live performance featuring Wolfe.
July 2024
Could the United States see a summer COVID-19 surge? The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) saw an uptick in several states. Variants were being watched. Mutations are to be expected, the CDC pointed out. (Access Press covered COVID-19 issues through a Minnesota Department of Health grant.)
Advocates raised concerns that Minnesotans with disabilities would have leave their homes and move into group homes or assisted-living facilities under a proposed state overhaul of disability waivers. Minnesota is reworking its Medicaid waiver system, used by roughly 70,000 people.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is rethinking the waivers to try to simplify the system and give people more choice and control over services. Department officials said their proposed model would make more money available for the vast majority of waiver recipients.
Early budget figures triggered an outcry as people living in group homes would be eligible for far larger sums than those in their own homes or living with family. That is seen as
about voting rights and state law changes on voting, and to see how ExpressVote ballotcasting machines work.
“incentivizing institutionalizing people.”
The state agency planned to debut the reimagined waiver system in January 2026. It is now eyeing spring 2027 due to delays in the assessment system update, as well as community members' questions.
Linda Hood was featured. The scientist and past Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota was promoting the need for adult-sized changing tables in public restrooms. The need became obvious after her hospitalization ended. Hood was stricken with paralysis in 2018 and emerged from a long hospitalization as paraplegic, with her nerves and speech affected.
Rhylyn Zanon was honored by USA Hockey with the 2024 Disabled Athlete of the Year Award. Zanon was a four-year captain of the Stillwater Area High School Ponies adapted floor hockey team and a three-year captain of the adapted soccer team, leading both squads to state titles.
August 2024
Margot Imdieke Cross, a tireless champion of civil rights and accessibility for Minnesotans with disabilities, was mourned. Imdieke Cross was considered to be one of the region’s foremost experts on accessibility issues, bringing an intensity to her work that she often tempered with humor. While she always fought for access, she worked hard to find cost-effective solutions.
Friends and colleagues noted that Imdieke Cross was part of the generation that recalled all too well what life was like before the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law.
The state investigated numerous autism providers, withheld payments due to credible fraud allegations and forwarded cases to law enforcement “when appropriate,” according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS said in a statement that these investigations “follow a national trend of identifying fraud in Medicaid-funded autism services.” DHS administers Minnesota’s version of Medicaid, known here as Medical Assistance, which is a federal-state health plan for poor and disabled people.
The Minnesota Reformer reported that the FBI is investigating possible fraud in Minnesota’s autism program.
Urging more Minnesotans with disabilities to vote in upcoming elections was a key theme when the Disability Caravan for Freedom & Justice visited the Metropolitan Center for independent Living (MCIL) in St. Paul. A large crowd was on hand to hear presentations, learn
While the caravan had a focus on disability-specific federal legislative issues, much discussion at the center was about state initiatives and how more disability community voting can influence those.
Jesse Bethke-Gomez, executive director for MCIL, was pleased to welcome the caravan, with its colorful van and trailer. It was time to spread the word about disability voting, disability rights and helping people become their best selves.
September 2024
Claims of nepotism and employee union contract violations at the Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and the Blind prompted policy reviews at the Faribault schools. The academies’ board of directors decided to review policies on nepotism and out-of-state travel, according to the Faribault Daily News.
A number of issues received scrutiny. Those include the academies’ relationships with outside organizations, practices when working with employee unions, out-of-state travel practices and the academies’ own organizational chart. The reviews were based on an investigation and report by an outside law firm.
September began with a rising number of COVID-19 cases and families wary of sending children back to school. The ongoing pandemic created more uncertainty for families. Tens of thousands of children around the nation had been sickened by the virus.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced updates to Minnesota’s statewide education testing program. Schools will now have a variety of testing options available to them as they work to develop local testing programs to keep students and staff healthy, safe and in their classrooms. MDE will also provide grants to support testing efforts in schools. The decisions were a stark reminder that COVID-19 remains a health risk.
The Arc Minnesota's Board of Directors appointed Naveh Eldar as its new chief executive officer or CEO. Eldar brought a wealth of experience in leading and improving human services. His background includes roles in case management, residential counseling and supervising day programs. Most recently, he introduced a new model of supported employment in Tennessee as the Director of
A caravan visited MCIL to promote voting rights.
Margot Imdieke-Cross
Be part of a great resource!
The best way to reach Minnesota’s disability community is through the Access Press Directory. Have a business, service or organization needing visibility? Contact us today! access@accesspress.org 651-644-2133
MEET RHETT LUNDGREN
Rhett is joining Access Press in print and digital advertising sales. He's a longtime resident of the Willmar area, with more than a decade of customer support experience. His professional background includes CAD drafting. He’s married, with one child. He loves fishing, hunting, gaming, kayaking with his wife and enjoying the blessings given in life. Rhett brings lived disability experience to his role at Access Press, having been born with disabilities. He brings an attitude of “If I can do it what's your excuse?” <wink> to his work
Contact Rhett today to discuss your advertising needs! 651-644-2133 ext. 2 or rhettl@
ACCESS PRESS DIRECTORY
Cow Tipping
Mayor's Advisory Council for People with Disabilities
Medical assistance providers overpaid by more than $40 million
Minnesota's Department of Human Services (DHS) overpaid medical assistance providers like nursing homes more than $40 million through its Medicaid program and did not attempt to recover the debts, according to a report released December 9 by the nonpartisan Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA).
The audit that focused on payments in Minnesota's Medicaid program from October 2006 to June 2023. The debt figure is a conservative estimate, according to the OLA. Earliest documentation of DHS sending collection notices on those debts was in February 2015.
"The Department of Human Services did not comply with the significant financerelated legal requirements we tested and generally had inadequate internal controls," OLA concluded in its report.
Minnesota's Human Services Department pays out billions in claims yearly to providers including nursing homes, hospitals and intermediate care facilities for people with developmental disabilities. When the state overpays it's supposed to recover the extra money from the providers.
That's where OLA found the greatest weaknesses in its audit, according to the report, which also found that since 2019, DHS failed to accurately report to state budget officials the
County to stop billing
Ramsey County is ending its controversial policy of billing people who call the crisis hotline in search of life-saving help from the mobile crisis response team. The FOX 9 Investigators previously exposed how the county billed hundreds of people after they called the crisis hotline.
Ramsey County Board Chair Victoria Reinhardt explained why they decided to end its policy of billing people in crisis.
"We wanted to make that change so that people knew that we really care about them as individuals," Reinhardt said. "We care about our taxpayers as well and we’re going to make this work."
Earlier this year, the FOX 9 Investigators highlighted the story of Adam Haidet who had experienced a mental health episode. He was billed $342 after a family friend called the Ramsey County crisis hotline to seek help from the mobile crisis team.
"People will be afraid to call," Haidet said of the county’s billing policy. "Honestly, "I believe at least one life will be lost if it’s not changed." By the numbers: Ramsey County has been billing people for years, unlike other counties across Minnesota.
Ramsey County has received about $3 million in grant funding from the state to support mobile crisis response services – that accounts for about 23 percent of its total cost for the county.
Reinhard said the grant funding was being used for mental health crisis services but not for the hotline.
As a result, one out of every three encounters with the Ramsey County mobile crisis team last year resulted in billing people directly.
Ramsey County’s policy of billing people in crisis was highly criticized. “That grant money is to be used for people who are uninsured or underinsured or simply can’t pay,” said Sue Abderholden, director of Minnesota’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "Saying then you’re going to bill the individual directly absolutely makes no sense."
"We’re going to make sure that whether
amounts providers owed to the agency.
In a written response to the audit, DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead said her agency agreed with most of the audit's findings but disputed OLA's conclusion that they didn't handle outstanding debts in accordance with state law.
She also noted the difficulties in recovering money from nursing homes that have closed down in recent years.
"The complexities in collecting the provider credit balances are substantial," she wrote in a letter included in the audit report. "The majority of these balances represent organizations no longer doing business and we have had a very low return on any recovery work."
To illustrate the low recovery rate, Harpstead pointed to her agency's work with a Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor, which was only able to recover $125,000 from 2018 to 2022. The contractor, which was paid a percentage of what it recovers, stopped its work because of the low return, she said.
Since then, their contractor has recovered more money, Harpstead said. In 2023, they started a project that recovered DHS about $74,000 back from long-term care facilities.
The majority of the debt owed was from long-term care facilities, or nursing homes, which owed about $32 million. Like much
you have insurance or not, that you will get this service," Reinhardt said.
County officials said it may take some time for their billing system to catch up.
Anyone who mistakenly receives a bill for mobile crisis services is urged to call Ramsey County at 651-266-7878.
(Source: Fox 9 News)
Nursing homes sue state
Two Minnesota nursing home provider associations are suing the state's Department of Labor and Industry over a new holiday pay rule.
The proposed rule would require nursing homes to pay workers time-and-a-half for work on 11 state holidays. The rule was approved by the state's Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board earlier this month and is slated to take effect on January 1.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court, two senior care provider trade associations — LeadingAge Minnesota and Care Providers of Minnesota — requested an injunction to stop the rule from taking effect.
They argue the new rule would violate federal labor laws by intervening in the collective bargaining process, and in already established employment contracts. And, they say it will be costly for employers to implement on short notice.
“We are committed to a fair and equitable collective bargaining process with the unions who represent our employees, but an unelected state board cannot insert itself in those negotiations and force nursing homes to violate federal law,” the two providers said in a statement.
Monyou Taye is a nursing assistant and a member of SEIU Healthcare, the union representing nursing home employees.
“For those of us who have to work these holidays, being away from our families while our bosses get to relax at home, it is frustrating that nursing home owners have chosen this path instead of trying to address the staffing issues we all agree are a crisis,” Taye said in a statement following the lawsuit.
The board voted to enact the rule earlier in
of the country, Minnesota has seen many nursing homes close in recent decades, meaning less care for an aging population.
Between 2005 and 2024 the state lost 90 facilities providing nursing home beds, according to analysis of state data by the Center for Rural Policy and Development -- a 22% drop from 415.
The audit report recommended DHS improve its internal controls to make sure
November. The rule will become official once published in the state register. The Department of Labor and Industry expects that to happen in the first week of December, according to a spokesperson.
The Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board was established by the state Legislature in 2023. It's tasked with raising the pay floor for nursing home staff amid ongoing labor shortages. The board consists of three worker representatives, three industry leaders and three state government officials.
Labor advocates pushed for the board, citing staffing shortages, low wages and poor working conditions in nursing homes. Proposals for pay increases follow several strikes of nursing home workers around the state.
A spokesperson for the Department of Labor and Industry said the department "has been notified of the lawsuit and is in the process of reviewing the complaint.
St. Paul’s new Familiar Faces program, meant to assist people living with longterm homelessness, has faced challenges as it seeks a permanent facility. City staff in December withdraw a proposal to buy and renovate a longtime supportive housing facility in the city’s Cathedral Hill neighborhood. A new site will be sought.
St. Paul hopes to reach thousands of vulnerable residents through its Familiar Faces initiative. Familiar Faces uses outreach and a personalized approach to connect people who frequent shelters, jails, hospitals or emergency services with city resources that could help them. The program is still hiring workers and looking for a permanent building. Also planned are efforts to create a health network for such residents, many of whom live with disabilities.
Program manager Christine Michels has worked with unsheltered populations for 16 years, but she started work as Familiar Faces' program administrator this year. That past experience taught Michels that a people-
that happens more regularly and that the agency work with the Legislature to clarify its authority to do so.
DHS has already taken "significant steps" to resolve issues the audit identified through two measures, Harpstead said.
Those included reviewing outstanding debts, prioritizing ones with the highest likelihood of collection and creating a "process for oversight and collection action" in the future.
centered approach goes a long way, and she believes their work has built trust with vulnerable residents. But current gaps in the county's health systems are frustrating.
“[It's] overwhelming," Michels said of coverage lapses in Ramsey County, adding that many organizations lack the funds to make a difference. "It makes you want to pull the covers over your head."
In 2018 officials launched the Community Outreach and Stabilization (COAST) unit within the St. Paul Police Department to address some of those gaps. The unit paired mental health practitioners with officers, offering guidance and referrals for people the police interact with. That unit phased out this year when contractors declined to renew their agreement with the city.
Police Chief Axel Henry said that motivated city officials to try a different approach that partners law enforcement with a collective of city and community organizations. Familiar Faces is part of that approach, which Henry believes is an evolution in how the city serves residents.
A study published last month by the nonprofit Wilder Foundation says homelessness has increased in the past decade. Most of those unsheltered people had been homeless for a year or more, or four or more times in the past three years. Data from that study also found that drug use increased as people spent time outside without shelter, often worsening their conditions. St. Paul's Midway neighborhood is an example of that challenge; advocates there say unsheltered people have turned to fentanyl to cope and medicate themselves.
Sue Abderholden, executive director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota, said mental health conditions worsened for many Minnesotans during the coronavirus pandemic. And without federal funding provided during that time, the state's mental health system suffered. (Sources: Star Tribune, MyVillager)
Tim Dickie is named new Rise president and CEO, succeeding Lynn Noren
The Rise Board of Directors has chosen Tim Dickie to head the Twin Cities-based disability services agency which provides career, job exploration and life enrichment support programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Dickie has championed inclusion and opportunity for people with disabilities throughout his 35-year career. Currently serving as the chief program officer at Rise, he brings invaluable expertise to his leadership role. He began his new position in mid-December.
“I am deeply honored, grateful, and excited about the opportunity to lead Rise and our incredible team into the next chapter,” Dickie said. “Together, we will build on the strong foundation established by Lynn Noren and continue advancing our mission with passion and purpose.”
H is appointment follows an extensive national search which identified several qualified candidates and included input from Rise Board members, people supported by the organization and their families along with Rise team members and business partners.
“The interview process allowed our search committee to really get to know Tim,” said Board Chair Kristin Hangebrauck. “His passion for the work Rise does, his commitment to a collaborative work environment, and his thoughtful approach to leading through significant change were big factors in our decision. We couldn’t be happier to support him as he continues to build on the legacy Lynn has created.”
In addition to his leadership roles, Dickie is also a CARF surveyor and mentor working with other providers across the country. He serves on the MOHR Board of Directors and
MDI announces hire of its first-ever chief information officer
MDI, a Minneapolis-based plastic manufacturing company dedicated to creating job opportunities for individuals with disabilities, has announced the appointment of James Pierce as its firstever Chief Information Officer (CIO). Pierce, a veteran in the IT field with more than 30 years of experience, joins MDI’s leadership team to spearhead the company’s technological initiatives and support its mission of inclusive employment.
In his new role, Pierce will oversee all aspects of MDI’s IT operations, leading a team of professionals and collaborating with business leaders to implement cutting-edge technology solutions that advance the company’s goals. His hiring reflects MDI’s continued investment in tech to be more competitive and efficient for customers, and innovative with accommodations for employees.
MCIL celebrates CARF renewal
The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) is pleased to announce its Independent Living and Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IL/VR) Comprehensive Benefits Planning service, contracted by the Vocational Rehabilitation Services of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, has received a three-year renewal of accreditation from the Commission of Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). An independent, nonprofit health and human services accreditor, CARF International, supports service providers in demonstrating their value through the quality of their services and meeting internationally recognized program and
agency standards. Achieving accreditation shows the provider is committed to delivering the highest level of safe, effective services, ongoing performance improvement, and clientele satisfaction.
MCIL is contracted by Vocational Rehabilitation Services of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to provide independent living services, including comprehensive benefits planning to VRS job-seeking clients. IL/VR Benefits Planning Specialists work closely with job seekers and their VRS job counselor, weighing outcomes and identifying an impact threshold that gaining employment may have on current or future benefits to which the job seeker is entitled. As part of the program, individuals in this program
Eric Black, president and CEO of MDI, said “James has a proven track record of strengthening organizational performance through digital transformation. His visionary, collaborative, results-driven approach will be a tremendous asset to MDI as we embrace innovation, digital evolution, and growth.”
Pierce brings a wealth of experience to MDI, having most recently served as the CIO at Salo – a professional staffing services firm based in Minneapolis, and agricultural conglomerate Cargill Inc., the country’s largest privately held company. He is inspired by Nelson Henderson’s quote, “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” This quote aligns with Pierce’s passion for giving back to the community and leaving a positive impact for future generations. He is
must be enrolled in Minnesota Vocational Rehabilitation Services and referred by their job counselor. This past year, MCIL’s IL/VR team assisted more than 400 individuals in pursuing their independent living goals.
“MCIL is driven to remove barriers in helping members of the disability community live their most independent lives,” said MCIL Executive Director Jesse Bethke Gomez. “The Comprehensive Benefits Planning program is vital to our mission in advancing independent living for all who pursue employment.” Bethke Gomez continued, “CARF engages in a rigorous certification process for both the program pursuing accreditation and for an agency overall. It is the gold standard for an agency to meet their standard of excellence.
chairs its Membership Committee. He succeeds Lynn Noren, whose Rise career spans more than 45 years, including her role as President and CEO since 2012. Noren retired December 31, 2024. Tim and his wife, Tanya, live in Buffalo, Minn. They have three grown children and recently adopted a puppy named Eddie. Since 1971, Rise has been a leading provider of employment and enrichment services to people with disabilities and other challenges in the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Rise unlocks potential and opens doors to success through creative solutions and customized support. Each year, Rise serves more than 2,500 people and connects them with the right job, a safe place to call home, and oneof-a-kind growth and support.
a city council member in Edina and serves on several nonprofit and for-profit boards across the state. A graduate of Tuskegee University with a degree in computer science, Pierce also holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.
“I’m very excited to join MDI and contribute to its mission of inclusive employment,” said Pierce. “Technology plays a crucial role in building secure and accessible workplaces. I look forward to using my experience to enhance MDI’s capabilities and support its commitment to empowering individuals with disabilities.” MDI provides employment opportunities and services for people with disabilities.
Recipients of CARF-accredited services can be assured of exceptional value. We are highly gratified that our staff and work have been recognized in this way, and we look forward to continuing to provide exceptional support to those we serve.”
“The CARF accreditation is further testament to the importance of MCIL’s Comprehensive Benefits Program,” said Minnesota Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) Director Dee Torgerson.
“Their work with VRS clients is a superb asset as job seekers gain helpful insight and support to determine the best path toward their independent living goals. We welcome a continued partnership with MCIL’s team of IL/VR Benefits Planning Specialists in the years ahead.”
Tim Dickie RISE
James Pierce MDI
RADIO TALKING BOOK
Enjoy Radio Talking Book
For January, 22 new books will premiere. Radio Talking Book is not just for listeners with visual disabilities. Anyone with difficulty reading or turning pages can enjoy the service.
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.
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. 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 Molly McGilp at 651.539.1422 or Molly.McGilp@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. Call 800722-0550, Mon-Fri, 9 am - 4 pm CST. Updates are on 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 NFBNEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers. To learn more, visit www.nfb.org/programsservices/nfb-newsline; 612-562-7803 Staff welcomes any feedback or suggestions. Contact Joseph Papke at 651539-2316 or joseph.papke@state.mn.us. Contact Tom Conry at 651-642-0880 or thomas.conry@state.mn.us with comments about periodicals and newspapers programming.
Chautauqua*
Monday – Friday 6 a.m.
A City on Mars, nonfiction by Kelly & Zach Weinersmith, 2023. A brilliant and hilarious off-world investigation into
YEAR IN REVIEW
From page 5
IDD Programs for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Eldar's commitment to human and civil rights aligns perfectly with Arc Minnesota’s mission to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across Minnesota.
October 2024
Oakdale resident Jeffrey Toby and Tamarack Habitation Services sought changes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Toby used wheelchairs since sustaining a spinal cord injury 37 years ago. He is susceptible to pressure sores. In his case pressure sores recently worsened and led to infections that required hospitalization.
Pressure injuries kill 60,000 people and affect up to 1/3 of wheelchair users each year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Toby recently began using Tamarack Habilitation Technology’s FlexForm wheelchair cushion. He credits the cushion with saving his life, so he was dismayed when CMS wouldn’t issue it a billing code. He and Cole Carlson, owner and CEO of Tamarack, were hoping to change minds at CMS and were working with U.S. Sen. Tina Smith’s staff.
Through the support of many generous donors, more than $17.7 million were raised to fund the True Friends Camp Courage Recreation Center in Maple Lake. The center will provide enhanced accessible amenities including a temperature-controlled, stateof-the-art pool with zero entry, as well as a spacious gymnasium with a stage to support sporting events, performing arts opportunities, and large group gatherings.
True Friends was awarded $10 million from the Minnesota Legislature and launched a capital campaign to raise the remaining $6 million needed to fulfill project goals.
John Barrett is remembered as a leader who helped the disability service nonprofit Rise Inc. through a time of growth and change. In 1976 Barrett become the executive director of Rise Inc., a day training and rehabilitation center serving people with disabilities in finding
space settlement. Read by Jill Wolf. 13 broadcasts; begins Thu, Jan. 16.
Past is Prologue*
Monday – Friday 11 a.m.
The Middle Kingdoms, nonfiction by Martyn Rady, 2023. An essential new history of Central Europe, the contested lands so often at the heart of world history. Read by Silvester Vicic. 22 broadcasts; begins Wed, Jan. 1.
Bookworm*
Monday – Friday 12 p.m.
The Prospectors, fiction by Ariel Djanikian, 2023. A sweeping rags-to-riches story about claiming the American Dream, following a family transformed by the Klondike Gold Rush. Read by Lisa Bromer. 16 broadcasts; begins Wed, Jan. 15.
The Writer’s Voice*
Monday – Friday 1 p.m.
Differ We Must, nonfiction by Steve Inskeep, 2023. A compelling and nuanced exploration of Abraham Lincoln’s political acumen, illuminating a great politician’s strategy in a country divided—and lessons for our own disorderly present. Read by Rick Seime. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Jan. 6.
Vision, nonfiction by David S. Tatel, 2024.
A moving, thoughtful memoir by one of America’s most accomplished public servants and legal thinkers—who spent years denying and working around his blindness, before finally embracing it as an essential part of his identity. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 16 broadcasts; begins Mon, Jan. 20. L
Choice Reading*
Monday – Friday 2 p.m.
The Vaster Wilds, fiction by Lauren Groff, 2023. A taut and electrifying novel about one spirited girl alone in the colonial American wilderness, trying to survive. Read by Nancy Johnson. Eight broadcasts; begins Mon, Jan. 13. – V, G
The Heart in Winter, fiction by Kevin Barry, 2023. A savagely funny and achingly romantic tale of young lovers on the lam in 1890s Montana. Read by Stuart Holland. Six broadcasts; begins Thursday, January 23. – L
Afternoon Report*
Monday – Friday 4 p.m.
Myth America, nonfiction edited by Kevin M. Kruse & Julian E. Zelizer, 2023. America’s
employment and housing and helping them become contributing members of society. At the time he was hired, Rise provided services to 79 people. In his years at Rise Inc., Barrett assisted more than 15,000 Minnesotans.
November 2024
Dedication of Minnesotans with disabilities takes many forms. A large crowd gathered at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul to celebrate the Access Press award winners and nominees.
The 2024 Charlie Smith Founders Award winner feted Barb Smith’s leadership in founding the Work Incentives Connection. In the 1990s, Smith saw that people with disabilities needed information about the impact of work on benefits. She drew on her vision, initiative, skills and expertise to create the Minnesota Work Incentives Connection. Now under the umbrella of Goodwill/ Easter Seals, it serves people with all types of disabilities throughout Minnesota.
The 2024 Tim Benjamin Sustainers Award was given to a pioneer in Minnesota adapted sports, Paul Pranghofer. Pranghofer recently
top historians set the record straight on the most pernicious myths about our nation’s past. Read by Tamara Pratt. 14 broadcasts; begins Thu, Jan. 9.
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, nonfiction by Tim Alberta, 2023. An exploration of the changing face of American evangelicalism through the past several decades. Read by John Potts. 21 broadcasts; begins Wed, Jan. 29.
Night Journey*
Monday –Friday 7 p.m.
Ashes, Ashes, fiction by Fredrick Soukup, 2024. A heart-breaking Minnesota small town murder mystery. Read by Carol McPherson. Eight broadcasts; begins Thu, Jan. 9.
City in Ruins, fiction by Don Winslow, 2024. An epic, genre-defining crime masterpiece . . . and the final novel of Winslow’s extraordinary career. Read by Jim Gregorich. 10 broadcasts; begins Tue, Jan. 21. – L
Off the Shelf*
Monday – Friday 8 p.m.
Glorious Exploits, fiction by Ferdia Lennon, 2024. An unforgettable ode to the power of art in a time of war, brotherhood in a time of enmity, and human will throughout the ages. Read by William Heisley. Nine broadcasts; begins Wed, Jan. 8. – L
Help Wanted, fiction by Adelle Waldman, 2024. A humane and darkly comic workplace caper that shines a light on the odds low-wage workers are up against in today’s economy. Read by Holly Sylvester. 11 broadcasts; begins Tue, Jan. 21. – L
Potpourri*
Monday – Friday 9 p.m.
Yesterday, nonfiction by Tobias Becker, 2023. A sweeping reassessment of our longing for the past, from the rise of “retro” to the rhetoric of Brexit and Trump. Read by Jan Pettit. 12 broadcasts; begins Mon, Jan. 6. – L Magic, nonfiction by Roland Lazenby, 2023. The definitive biography of the basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Read by John Gunter. 33 broadcasts; begins Wed, Jan. 22. – L
Good Night Owl
Monday – Friday 10 p.m.
An Inheritance of Magic, fiction by Benedict
retired after a long career as an official in and champion of adapted sports for children in Minnesota and around the world.
During his time with the Minnesota Adapted Athletics Association, the board created the Paul Pranghofer Officials Award. Pranghofer also received the Minnesota State High School League’s Distinguished Officials award.
Pranghofer’s involvement with Minnesota adapted sports not only includes four years of coaching and 40 years as an adaptive spots official, he also served as a board member and officer on the Minnesota Association of Adaptive Athletics for 15-plus years.
The need for stable housing, and resources to provide some of that housing with supportive services, will be a key issue at the capitol in 2025. The state’s critical affordable housing shortage and a growing number of unsheltered persons have raised awareness statewide.
The affordable housing issue can affect Minnesotans with disabilities in various ways.
One concern is that people who have modest incomes, especially people with disabilities, are paying too much of their incomes for housing.
The affordable housing shortage also affects the state’s workforce, including those who provide care for people with disabilities.
December 2024
Improved financial oversight, adherence to state policies and more internal controls are needed at the Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and Blind, according to a detailed review by the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA). A 46page report makes a dozen findings and detailed recommendations for changes at the residential academies in Faribault. It also highlights large, unspent fund balances.
The state academies filed a response to
All times listed are Central Standard Time. Abbreviations V – violent content R –racial epithets L – strong language S –sexual situation G – gory descriptions
Jacka, 2023. The ultra-rich control magic— the same way they control everything else—but Stephen Oakwood may just beat them at their own game in this exhilarating contemporary fantasy. Read by Carol McPherson. 13 broadcasts; begins Wed, Jan. 1.
Research Randy & The Mystery of Grandma's Half-Eaten Pie of Despair, fiction by Tom Lucas, 2023. A weird mash-up of cosmic horror, eldritch terrors, nostalgia trip, and a meta love letter to Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. Read by Karen Ray. 5 broadcasts; begins Mon, Jan. 20. – L Liberty’s Daughter, fiction by Naomi Kritzer, 2023. An endearing teenage protagonist earns money tracking down hard-to-find goods for clients in a dystopian future and becomes a detective along the way. Read by Brenda Powell. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Jan. 27. – L
RTB After Hours*
Monday – Friday 11 p.m.
Henry, Henry, fiction by Allen Bratton, 2024. A novel retelling of Shakespeare’s Henriad in which Hal Lancaster is a queer protagonist for a new era. Read by Stuart Holland. 14 broadcasts; begins Tue, Jan. 21. – L, S
Weekend Program Books
Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents Reasons Not to Worry by Brigid Delaney, read by Bev Burchett. – L
For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow, read by Pat Muir; followed by Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow, read by Peter Danbury. – L Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Run From Your Now by Ben Westlie, read by Stuart Holland – L; followed by The Carrying by Ada Limón, read by Jan Pettit. –L. The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents Winter’s Song by T. D. Mischke, read by Jim Gregorich; followed by Gunflint Falling by Cary J. Griffith, read by Jodi Lindskog.
let state officials know that compliance is underway.
“The Minnesota State Academies are committed to strengthening our internal controls and improving our documentation system to ensure we are working in accordance with state policy and the best interest of the State of Minnesota,” Minnesota State Academies (MSA) Superintendent Terry Wilding wrote in response to the audit.
Gillette Children’s supporters, employees and community members celebrated the expansion of its specialty center. The fifth-floor center, which is for patients who have complex medical conditions, features state-of-the-art outpatient exam and treatment rooms and services; rooms and support space to enhance and advance patient-facing research initiatives; expanded psychology and psychotherapy treatment areas; recreational therapy and play therapy rooms; and space for Gillette employees to collaborate and innovate.
Two teams took home the championship hardware from the 2024 Minnesota State High School League Adapted Soccer Tournament. Minneapolis South won the PI title, with Dakota United taking the CI crown. The wins were especially meaningful for both seniordominated winning teams.
Prep athletes with physical disabilities compete in the PI Division. Athletes with cognitive disabilities compete in the CI Division.
The Tigers of Minneapolis South defeated the Rochester Raiders, 5-4, in the title game. Although South has had adapted sports since 1982, the team had never won a PI Division title. The Dakota United Hawks topped defending CI champion Burnsville/ Farmington/ Lakeville, 3-0. The win snapped the Blazing Cats’ three-year championship streak.
FILE PHOTO
Linda Hood
TAKE NOTE!
Save the Date
Can Do Canines’ 2025 Fetching Ball Gala at Radisson Blu Mall of America is Sat, Feb. 22. Tickets go on sale Jan. 1. Join the service dog organization at its annual gala and enjoy dinner, inspiring stories, games, and silent and live auctions – all benefiting the organization. Master of Ceremonies is Rena Sarigianopoulos, KARE 11 Reporter/ Anchor FFI: mherman@candocanines.org
Arts, cultural calendar
The Minnesota Access Alliance (MNAA) provides an Accessible Arts & Culture Calendar for arts patrons who use accessibility accommodations such as audio description, captioning, ASL interpreting and sensory-friendly accommodations. Link to more details at https://calendar.mnaccess.org. Be sure to check the listing or venue to find out any COVID-19 protocols and if an advance reservation is needed for an accessibility service.
Accessible events can be submitted to the MNAA Calendar (and MinnesotaPlaylist.com) To receive a free monthly events calendar, email mactfactor@icloud.com and/or info@ mnaccess.org. Ask for the entire events list or specific lists for ASL interpreting, captioning, audio description, sensory-friendly accommodations or disability-related topics. For other accessibility resources or upcoming webinars presented by MNAA, sign up for emails at https://mnaccess.org
Take Note! of the change
The longtime Opportunities and Enjoy! calendars are now Take Note! Access Press is listing fewer calendar items in print and encouraging more to be posted online. The change allows more immediate information about upcoming events.
Online options include our free events calendar. Ways to post an event can be found at www.accesspress.
WAGES
From page 1
many workers currently paid subminimum wages under Section 14 (c) will move into jobs that pay full wages, which will improve their economic well-being and strengthen inclusion for people with disabilities in the workforce.”
“One of the guiding principles of the American workplace is that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay, and this proposal ensures that principle includes workers with disabilities,” said federal Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman. “Since the enactment of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, opportunities and training have dramatically expanded to help people with disabilities obtain and maintain employment at or above the full federal minimum wage. Similarly, employers today have more resources and training available to recruit, hire and retain workers with disabilities in employment at or above the full minimum wage, and this proposed rule aligns with that reality.”
As of May 2024, federal labor statistics indicated that 801 employers had 14 (c) certificates covering about 40,000 workers. That’s one-third the number counted in 2019. It was also found that about half of the workers made $3.50 per hour or less. About 10 percent earned $1 or less per hour.
The prospect of eliminating subminimum wage at the federal level has energized disability rights activists in Minnesota, who are forging ahead with 2025 state legislation. Efforts to eliminate such wages in Minnesota have been thwarted in the Senate despite a detailed task force study and work by the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration (ICI) and other partner agencies.
Jillian Nelson of the Autism Society of Minnesota cochaired the Minnesota Task Force on Eliminating Subminimum Wages. She said previous efforts laid the groundwork for a phaseout.
“It’s time to do things differently,” Nelson said. She has seen a shift in attitudes and expectations toward employment for people with disabilities, and a recognition that disabled workers merit higher pay.
While she supports change at any level, Nelson said a state mandated phase-out date would give Minnesota more control over transitions from 14 (c) than a federal date would.
“I think the writing is on the wall for change,” said Danielle Mahoehney, a community living and employment specialist at University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration (ICI). ICI was awarded a Minnesota Department of Human Services grant, leading to creation of the Minnesota Transformation Initiative Technical Assistance Center and transformative work with employment provider organizations.
Mahoehney works with organizations,
org, under the listings tab. The event must be disabilityfocused, offer accommodations or led by a disability service organization. Anyone with questions can contact Editor Jane McClure at jane@accesspress.org or 651644-2133 ext. 1
Another option is to consider an online ad to get the word out. A third, ongoing option for an interested
business or disability service organization is to sponsor our online calendar, being a sponsor is a great way to support Minnesota’s disability community and its events. Information can be obtained by emailing ads@ accesspress.org
workers and their families. Many resources were offered, including statewide training sessions.
Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Minnesota’s minimum wage is $11.33. Several cities have higher minimum wages.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia already banned subminimum wages for disabled workers. Illinois state lawmakers will end subminimum wages for disabled workers by 2029. Virginia, California and Nevada are also phasing out such programs.
A report issued in late 2024 indicated that about 3,480 disabled Minnesotans are paid subminimum wages. That is second in the nation to Missouri. Nationally, there are about 367,000 worker still earning subminimum wage.
The latest push in Minnesota gained momentum in 2020. Then about 100 employment providers statewide were paying subminimum wages to 100,000 workers.
Nelson was part of a “gang of four” that led on the issue. Others were Chris Juhn, Brad Teslow and Noah McCourt. They were a constant capitol presence, sharing experiences of those who did “piecework” for meager wages.
The task force was approved in 2021, made a plan and in 2023 saw legislation passed that included most of its recommendations including enhanced employment support services, improved case management training, and increased data collection and monitoring of employment outcomes for disabled workers.
The lone recommendation that wasn’t pass was a sunset date for 14 (c). That effort was blocked in the Senate again last year. Staunch opposition came from parents, who fear that their disabled adult children would lose opportunities. That was seen as especially true in small communities, where disabled workers have fewer options for work
and socialization.
Mahoehney talked to many family members, who are concerned that their adult children won’t be able to transition into CIE or other programs. “The concerns are very real,” she said. Some disabled workers have held their jobs for a very long time, and worry that they cannot make a change.
With the right job and the right supports, transitions can be made, Mahoehney said.
ICI has worked closely with those who provide jobs for disabled Minnesota. Of eight Minnesota organizations committed
to ending subminimum wages, seven relinquished their 14 (c) certificate by March 2024, she said. Six of the eight are in Greater Minnesota, with two in the Twin Cities.
One small provider, which has gone through leadership changes, still has its certificate.
Those receiving subminimum wage decreased from 689 to 14 by the end of their grant period. Forty-three of the workers moved into Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE). Those who didn’t obtain CIE transitioned into group employment and/or day supports or stayed in centerbased employment while making at least minimum wage. Mahoehney said that no one lost services and needed supports due to the changes.
One question raised is what happens to benefits. “All public benefits are designed to support work,” said Scott Peterson of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). He cited special rules called “work incentives” that help people go to work, keep needed healthcare benefits and have more money overall.
“Benefits planning can help workers decide how to work to their full potential, save money and get ahead financially,” said Peterson. “Contacting Disability Hub MN and using online tools like DB101.org and My Vault can help workers understand how this is possible and plan for their future with higher wages.”
For adults with qualifying disabilities. Over 50 barrier-free apartment communities & homes throughout the Metropolitan Area, Greater Minnesota & throughout the Midwest. Locations also available in many other states. Income limits apply. Immediate openings in Hibbing, MN!
Affordable Senior Apartments
For adults with qualifying disabilities. Over 50 barrier-free apartment communities & homes throughout the Metropolitan Area, Greater Minnesota & throughout the Midwest. Locations also available in many other states. Income limits apply. Immediate openings
For qualifying senior households age 62 or better. Metro & Greater MN locations available. Accessible apts, available for seniors in these locations. Income limits apply.
Make the news!
Receiving an award?
Joining a board?
Moving to new space? Winning a race?
Affordable Senior Apartments
Immediate openings in Worthington and Albert Lea, Minnesota
Housing with Care*
For qualifying senior households age 62 or better. Metro & Greater MN locations available. Accessible apts, available for seniors in these locations. Income limits apply.
Filling a top post? Send us your “boast”! Marking a key date? Please don’t be late!
* 24-hour Assisted Living Services * Adult Foster Care
Immediate openings in Worthington and Albert Lea, Minnesota
* Independent Living Services
* Eligibility for or selection of ASI services is not requred to qualify for housing. ASI services are not available in all locations.
Housing with Care*
* 24-hour Assisted Living Services * Adult Foster Care
* Independent Living Services
CORPORATE ADULT LICENSE FOSTER WITH ASLEEP OVERNIGHT STAFFING AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY IN METRO AREA Call Today!
* Eligibility for or selection of ASI services is not requred to qualify for housing. ASI services are not available in all locations. CORPORATE
Access Press welcomes submissions for the People and Places pages. Submissions are due by the 15th of each month.
Call or email us today 651-644-2133
Your support for Access Press is crucial to keep news alive
Access Press provides in-depth and accessible news and information for Minnesotans with disabilities, their organizations, business partners, family members and allies. 2025 marks 35 years of service! Your advertising and donations sustain us. But we need your help.
BECOME AN ADVERTISER
We have worked to expand distribution and outreach, yet have not raised advertising rates for the past five years. Rising costs of doing business make a 3% increase necessary as of March 1, 2025. Lock in 2024 rates for 2025 by contacting ads@accesspress.org
BECOME A DONOR
Your generous donation will help Access Press provide our monthly newspaper for free, both in print and online, because money should never stand in the way of access. Make a tax-deductible gift now at https://accesspress.org/donate
