Access upgrades at state park

A construction project with accessibility updates to William O’Brien State Park is slated to begin in September. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hosted an open house in June in Mahtomedi to unveil the improvements. DNR staff shared information and answer questions about the construction project, its impact on park visitors, and how the project fits into the park’s management plan.

The park is an hour east of the Twin Cities, along the banks of the St. Croix River. Hiking trails offer quiet exploration of the park's rolling, wooded hills. For anglers, the channels of the St. Croix have northerns, walleye, bass and trout. Ideal for canoeing, the river is also a migratory pathway that offers visitors an exciting diversity of sights and sounds. In the winter, snowshoeing, skiing and camping attract enthusiasts.

The project was set to begin in the spring but was pushed back. The work is expected to take one year and will affect the east side of the park.

The primary purpose of the project is to upgrade and improve facilities in the lower part of the park, including the Riverway Campground and Riverside Group Camp, as well as the Walter Mondale Day Use Area. Updates will focus on accessibility for disabled visitors, including campsites and buildings that comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

“Many facilities in the state parks and trails system are aging and do not comply with current state or federal accessibility standards or best practices,” the DNR said in a statement. “We are continually making improvements to make our parks and trails more accessible as funding allows. The research is clear, time spent in the outdoors has great health and wellness benefits, and it’s a priority of the DNR to make our parks and trails accessible to all people who want to enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation.”

For more information about the accessibility update project, visit the DNR’s William O’Brien State Park webpage (mndnr.gov/obrien).

(Source: Minnesota DNR)

Spinal implant scrutinized

A first-of-its-kind clinical trial at HCMC in Minneapolis is giving hope to people with spinal cord injuries. While results have varied among about 20 trial participants, the takeaway so far is that people can regain function after spinal cord injuries and not merely maintain whatever limited mobility they have, said Dr. David Darrow, lead investigator.

The trial could be the first that compels the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve a device that restores function after spinal cord injuries, he said. “So this, using neuromodulation, is exciting, because if we get a positive change then hopefully it means we can parlay that into bigger and bigger changes.”

Crystal LaBo was proof at her third follow-up appointment at HCMC after having the stimulator implanted in March.

When the device is active at certain settings, she can lift her legs and bend her ankles — limbs that had been immobile for 23 years after LaBo was injured in a car accident.

While relatives and friends are amazed by her newfound movements, LaBo said they are largely for show because she can't yet put enough pressure on her legs to stand or walk. Far more meaningful are the hidden benefits. The stimulation has stabilized her blood pressure, eliminated extreme temperature swings and allowed her to urinate without using a catheter. She maintains an active, independent lifestyle as the mother of four children and the coowner with her husband of two restaurants.

Darrow said FDA approval could be swift if the HCMC trial succeeds, because the stimulator is widely used for pain management. Most people with severe spinal cord injuries only have a fraction of their nerve fibers still capable of sending signals from the brain to lower limbs.

“Clinically we don't see any movement, we don't see any function at all," he said. "When we turn on the stimulation on the bottom of the spinal cord, it's actually changing how receptive it is to those remaining fibers. … We're just revving up the spinal cord so it's better able to receive.”

(Source: Star Tribune)

Telehealth wins praise

A new study produced by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) highlights the potential for telehealth to make care more accessible while providing similar levels of service to traditional, in-person ways of delivering care. Telehealth is the use of electronic or telecommunications technology to access health care remotely.

The preliminary report aligns with the Health and Human Services bill recently passed by the Minnesota legislature and signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz. The law extends coverage for audio-only care past its planned sunset in June 2023 while the state develops permanent policies for those services.

“Telehealth has shown strong potential for improving health care access, especially in the delivery of mental and behavioral health services,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham. “However, it’s important that it not be viewed as a one-size-fits-all solution. An increased reliance on video telehealth without adequate investments to address the existing digital divide and remedies for other structural inequities impacting health care delivery and outcomes could unintentionally increase health disparities.”

The preliminary report’s findings, which focus on Minnesotans with private health insurance coverage, show that the use of telehealth increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data also showed that most patients receiving telehealth services were satisfied with their experience. Overall, about 80 percent of Minnesotans surveyed by MDH during the study period were satisfied with the telehealth services they received, regardless of whether it was a video or audio visit. In addition, the study found telehealth has the potential to increase access to health care by removing barriers like transportation and the need to arrange child care.

The study also highlights how phone, or audio-only, telehealth addresses narrow but important access issues, especially for Minnesotans in rural areas or with challenges accessing or using the technology supporting video-based telehealth. Without the recent legislative extension, some audio-only visits may no longer be covered.

“Audio-only telehealth came into play during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and was used by many Minnesotans to access care, including mental health care,” said State Health Economist Stefan Gildemeister. “MDH is pleased that it will continue to be available to Minnesotans as we learn more about when and how it fills health care access and delivery gaps, and where ongoing availability and use is beneficial.”

In 2021, the Minnesota Legislature requested that MDH produce a study exploring the role of telehealth in the future of health care for Minnesotans. MDH’s final report will be released in 2024.

Telehealth’s impact has been particularly strong in expanding access to mental and behavioral health providers. During the first half of 2021, about 60% of all mental and behavioral health services were delivered through telehealth. This finding is especially important for improving access to care for residents of Greater Minnesota, where telehealth has the potential to fill provider coverage gaps that make attaining care especially challenging.

The report does note several equity issues to consider with telehealth. For instance, some providers reported challenges in ensuring adequate support for patients whose first language is not English. In addition, while patient satisfaction with telehealth was positive overall, it was somewhat lower for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) Minnesotans. Communities that face disproportionate inequities in digital access and affordability, or comfort in using digital technology, face barriers to telehealth access. Still, telehealth provides opportunities to address disparities compared to in-person care, particularly the potential for connecting culturally or linguistically “matched” provider and client pairs without the barrier of physical distance.

For more information on MDH’s telehealth research and the preliminary telehealth report are available at www. health.state.mn.us/data/economics/ telehealth/index.html

(Source: Minnesota Dept. of Health)

Check on mail status

Minnesotans with Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare can now look up the month they can expect their health insurance renewal forms to arrive in the mail. People can look up their renewal month at mn.gov/dhs/renewmycoverage/.

To use the lookup, people must enter the case number printed on their notices or premium bills and the member number listed on their Minnesota Health Care Program card. If a person doesn’t know their case or member number, they can call their county or Tribal worker.

When the forms arrive, it’s essential to complete and return them promptly with any necessary documentation. If people who are eligible don’t return the forms, they may lose their health insurance. Keeping health insurance makes it easier to get health care and avoids making health disparities worse.

“It’s so important for people to be ready to take action when their renewal forms arrive in the mail,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “The renewal lookup lets them know when to watch their mail so they can do everything possible to keep their health insurance.”

The timing of a person’s Medical Assistance renewal is based on the month they first got insurance. If someone became eligible in August 2019, their renewal month is August, and they can expect forms to arrive in the mail in June.

People with MinnesotaCare can expect to receive their renewal forms by November.

One in four Minnesotans has insurance through Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare. State, county and Tribal workers will be checking eligibility for 1.5 million people in monthly batches through May 2024.

DHS has implemented user-friendly ways to reach people about their renewals, including text messages reminding people to watch their mail and submit forms on time. Individuals can also complete the renewal process by submitting documents online or over the phone.

Find out more about renewals at https://mn.gov/dhs/renewmycoverage/