June 2020 Edition - Access Press

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TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 4766

Volume 31, Number 6

June 1, 2020

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Stay safe, aware of pandemic resources

Your reaction to them isn't.

NEWS DIGEST

Welcome back Scott!

See his cartoon on page 4 Cartoonist Scott Adams is recovering from a stroke and we’re pleased to have his work return with commentary on disability and quarantine.

FILE PHOTO

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, people with disabilities need to be especially cognizant of their health and safety. Resources and directives change on a daily basis.

Stay on top of this changing health landscape through online resources. Be aware that directives may change from city to city. For example, Minneapolis is requiring masks in all buildings that the public enters.

Programs through the Minnesota Department of Human Services are constantly changing. Keep up with waivers and other changes at https:// mn.gov/dhs/ Other great resources are the Minnesota Department of Health at https://www.health.state.mn.us/ and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/ The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offers many resources and updates on those programs. Go to https://www.cms.gov/

A lot of disabilities are invisible.

The messaging of Tuesday at the Capitol was missing this session, ast the state went into lockdown.

Special session looms in June as state lawmakers’ work stalled

by Jane McClure It’s on to extra innings for the 2020 Minnesota Legislature. The regular session sputtered to a halt May 18, with many disability issues unresolved. As Access Press went to press, Gov. Tim Walz and state lawmakers were discussing a mid-June

From Our Community Page 4-5, 11 Partners in Policymaking seeks applicants Page 6-7

special session.

The special session is needed if Walz is to continue the peacetime state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Consternation” was a word used when the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD) discussed the

Artist Kari Wagner is remembered Page 9

SESSION To page 3

More awareness of independent living is goal of new state plan Keeping the independent living philosophy at the forefront throughout Minnesota is a focus for the Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council (MNSILC). The 21-member council is preparing its 2021-2023 plan for submission to federal officials by June 30.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the first-ever online hearing. The council heard about gaps in services such as housing, transportation, technology and accommodations for the deaf, deaf/blind and hard of hearing communities.

The online hearing was successful, said Council Chair Anita Olson. “I was very pleased with the response we received.”

Olson said more virtual options will be pursued in the future for informationgathering forums as well as hearings, to give people throughout Minnesota the chance to weigh in. “We are eager to collaborate with people around the state and we’re interested in hearing their ideas for future plans.”

Council members were also pleased that a number of disability service professionals listened in.

The council heard a wide range of comments May 19. The lack of accessible, affordable housing, in greater Minnesota, is one issue. So are transportation options, especially outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Another need raised is that of services for people who are deaf, deaf/blind or hard of

SUBMITTED PHOTO

by Jane McClure

The Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council is shown at a past meeting. hearing, a need pointed out by Jeanne KoloJohnson, Minnesota Department of Human Services specialist for the deaf and hard of hearing in northwestern Minnesota.

Not all centers for independent living offer American Sign Language services on a regular basis. “Some of our deaf and hard of hearing consumers struggle to receive services,” said Kolo-Johnson.

In the state’s autism community, one issue to be addressed is that of adults who should be living and working on their own, yet end up living with family and not being

eligible for supports. Jeanne Bender, a longtime volunteer for Autism Society of Minnesota, said that in some cases adults with autism found themselves in crisis and were forced to move back home. Helping these adults connect with independent living centers is important.

The council promotes the vision that the independent living philosophy is fully integrated into communities and systems throughout Minnesota. Individuals with disabilities should have every opportunity to be self-directed, to live a lifestyle of their

choice that is free from discrimination.

People with disabilities should thrive as members of inclusive and diverse communities.

Minnesota has eight centers for independent living. Drawing attention to the centers and the independent living movement as a whole is important, Olson said. “We want to promote and reignite interest in the independent living movement.”

That is one of the three goals of the new plan, to encourage people to communicate about independent living and to help Minnesotans have awareness of and access to disability services.

Forming a communications committee to have a strong message and provide public education are among the ambitions outlined.

Another purpose of a communication committee is to generate stories about individuals living, learning, working and playing as they choose. These stories will include information about the services provided by centers for independent living and be distributed using social media, the MNSILC and CIL websites, and other means. Additional material will be created to educate elected officials and community leaders about the centers’ financial needs, to increase services to underserved and unserved populations in the state.

A study, based on 2020 Census data, GOAL To page 3

June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

TIM’S DESK

Tim Benjamin

At last. Summer is here, and doors and windows are opening up, just like stores and places of worship and workplaces.

While we are all welcoming the fresh air, many of us with vulnerabilities are worried that it's going to get much harder to maintain our safe social distance. With so many activities and businesses reopening it's going to get harder and harder. We are all part of the economy, so getting that back up is a good thing. But for people with disabilities who have caregivers that can now be out and about and exposed to the virus, the opening up is kind of frightening.

So there’s that, and since everywhere you look there is news about the pandemic, I'm going to try to touch on other topics.

Alex Bartolic, who recently retired from disability services at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, has been asked to serve as the interim leader of the Minnesota Council on Disability. There are not many people who could fill outgoing

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Like many of you, I would not have been able to live and work independently without the personal care attendant (PCA) program and home care.

director Joan Willshire's shoes, but I think Bartolic can and will do a good job in the part-time interim position until they can recruit a new permanent director.

Another new leader is Shelley Madore, who has taken on the director position at the Olmstead Implementation Office (OIO). While she has big shoes to fill also, she’ll do a great job. Read an interview with this new leader on page 3.

Darlene Zangara was a wonderful OIO director but she has taken her talents to the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, Deaf/Blind and Hard of Hearing. Work on the Olmstead Plan by the Olmstead Subcabinet and its committees can be very difficult to keep up on and it is constantly watched over by the courts. It will be interesting to see where Madore can take the plan.

The Minnesota Legislature worked on an increase in reimbursement rates for home care that included overtime and an

Enjoy Minnesota's beautiful month of June, but be safe. I look forward to... getting together soon.

increase in wages. The bill passed in the Senate, but it was tabled in the House finance committee. The final legislation did have increases for nursing home facilities but none in the end for home care. Considering that the majority of the state’s COVID-19 fatalities have been in the nursing homes and long-term care facilities, it was understandable that an emphasis was put there.

But while the nursing homes and congregate-living facilities need a reimbursement increase immensely, so does home care. It's almost as if the House and the governor did not have home care on their priority list for help in relieving the burden of the pandemic.

The home care industry throughout the country has been struggling with reimbursement for decades--as long as I can remember. One of the first legislation rallies that I want to, with the late Charlie Smith, was focused on increasing the reimbursement rates. And one of the only times (before I became executive director of Access Press) that I testified in a House committee meeting was concerning reimbursement rates for home care.

Like many of you, I would not have been able to live and work independently without the personal care attendant (PCA) program and home care. So the

fact that we still have to fight is no big news. I just hope that in the future people will look at what we have done with the ADA, the Olmstead Plan, and home care supports and build on the hard work done by advocates in the past, challenging the blindness of those in power.

It’s ironic that the COVID crisis has provided for so many higher incomes than they could make while working. But the $600 weekly unemployment checks have meant that many PCAs and other home care workers are making $15 an hour, and that’s more than most agencies can pay.

Not everybody’s been blind to the need. There have been some good articles and on-air news pieces that have highlighted the home care crisis. Be sure to follow the Access Press Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/accesspress) and Twitter account (https://twitter.com/ accesspress) for regular daily links on this topic and many more.

Enjoy Minnesota’s beautiful month of June, but be safe. The Access Press Board of Directors is still planning the paper’s 30th anniversary celebration as well as the renewed Charlie Smith Award. It will happen however it can, and I look forward to this anniversary and to getting together soon.

HISTORY NOTE Heroes of disability rights

Lee Greenfield’s record of service still shines today 2020 marks 30 years’ publication for Access Press and 30 years of the Americans with Disabiolities Act (ADA). We will spend the next year focusing on our heroes.

In our first issue in May 1990, one article focused on Rep. Lee Greenfield (DFL-Minneapolis). Greenfield, who served 11 terms in the Minnesota House, was a true disability rights champion.

Greenfield represented Minneapolis from 1979 to 2000. By the time Access Press profiled him, Greenfield had introduced more than 125 bills and built a strong record of getting legislation passed. His focus was health and human services. He brought a love of data and a scientist’s mind to the capitol, along with a desire to improve the quality of life for Minnesotans with disabilities.

Greenfield was active in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s.

That work brought him to Minnesota, where he began an academic and political career. His activism also spurred a lifelong commitment to people marginalized by society.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, he

Lee Greenfield earned a degree in physics from Purdue University and did graduate work at the University of Minnesota. In interviews Greenfield often said his scientific background uniquely prepared him for his legislative work. It also led to his interest

Co-Founder/Publisher.................................................................................................................Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-96) Co-Founder/Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief......................................................................... Charles F. Smith (1990-2001) Editor-in-Chief/Executive Director........................................................................................ Tim Benjamin (2001-2020) Board of Directors......................................................................................Mohamed Alfash, Brigid Alseth, John Clark, .....................................Jane Larson, Shannah Mulvihill, Walt Seibert, Joel Ulland, Kay Willshire, Mark Zangara Advertising Sales....................................651-644-2133 Managing Editor......................................Jane McClure Columnist/Staff Writer........................ Tim Benjamin

Cartoonist.................................................... Scott Adams Production...................................................... In-Fin Tuan Distribution......................................... S. C. Distribution

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and involvement in health care issues.

During his capitol tenure, Greenfield served on housing, ways and means, appropriations, veterans’ affairs, general legislation, rules and administration, judiciary, judiciary criminal justice, health and human services, and the health and human services finance division committees.

Perhaps the legislative achievement he will best be remembered for, and one will always be proud of, is being one of the “gang of seven” legislators. This group in 1992 helped establish MinnesotaCare, the state's health care system focused on health care access for all Minnesotans.

Greenfield was then serving as chair of the House Health and Human Services Finance Division. He worked with members from both parties and former Gov. Arne Carlson to pass the legislation that expanded the state's health coverage of the uninsured from children to all residents who did not have access to employer-supported coverage. Their efforts ensured that Minnesota was the first state to provide health care access for all.

The gang of seven included DFLers

Sens. Linda Berglin and Pat Piper and Rep. Paul Ogren, and Republicans Sen. Duane Benson and Reps. Dave Gruenes and Brad Stanius. Of the seven, Berglin was the last to leave the capitol, in 2011.

Three members have died - Stanius in 2014, Piper in 2016 and Benson in 2019.

Greenfield, in an exit interview with legislative media services, said he was proud of playing a part in helping to maintain and improve the state's programs for people with disabilities, community mental health services and expanding home health care for senior citizens. "Many of the most exciting things I'll ever do will have been done here in this chamber," he said.

He continued his work in health care policy for several years after retiring from the Minnesota Legislature.

The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org

June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

Commitment to inclusion is Madore’s focus

by Jan Willms Shelley Madore brings a longtime commitment to inclusion to her role as the new director of the Minnesota Olmstead Implementation Office (OIO). Madore, who took the helm this spring, said that every piece of work she has done along the way has been critical toward filling her new position.

The OIO was established to assure the commitments of the Olmstead Plan, which ensures people with disabilities are living, learning, working and enjoying life in the most integrated setting.

As the parent of two children with dis- Shelley Madore abilities, Madore learned first-hand about the challenges the disabled and their families face. “That led me to work with families in my school district, and learn how families, counties and the disabled operate,” she said.

“I went basically from being a consumer into my legislative role, which brought me into a whole new realm of understanding. I went from seeing how people react to policy to being a policy-maker. People were looking to me to create opportunities and provide insight on an awful lot of issues.”

During her tenure in the Minnesota House (2007-2009), Madore chaired the Disability Working Group. "I was instrumental in a bill that allowed students with disabilities to participate in high school graduation,” Madore said. She said that special education students often move from school to a transition program. “This bill required the school district to include students with disabilities in graduation, whether they transitioned or not.”

Madore also served as an executive board member with Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) for nine years. “(Former Access Press Executive Director) Tim Benjamin and I worked together on that board,” she said.

Part of what they did was nursing home relocation. Madore said working with the agency provided her with a lot of experience. MCIL delivers programs, advocacy and support to people with disabilities in the seven-county region.

In 2017 Madore was named a Bush Fellow. Her work focused on creating systemic change for youth with disabilities. With her fellowship, she helped youth with disabilities achieve self-determination and self-sufficiency. She attained her B.A. in disability studies from City University of New York’s School of Professional Studies.

“It’s been a long road, and now I have to provide services in this restrictive environment,” Madore said. But she looks at the specific challenges brought about by COVID-19

SESSION From page 1

session May 19. 2020 will be remembered as the year when the pandemic upended business as usual. The sessions began with hopes for policy changes and some extra spending in light of a $1.5 billion surplus. But the pandemic sent committees and floor session to a mix of virtual and inperson voting. That brought frustration as it was difficult to follow what was happening.

The pandemic also plunged state finances into an estimated $2.4 billion deficit, dashing hopes for additional spending.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on many key bills. One big disappointment is that a temporary $15 per hour increase in personal care attendant (PCA) pay wasn’t approved. With shortages of PCAs and other direct support staff, that was seen as critical.

What was supposed to be the centerpiece of the 2020 session, the bonding bill, fell in the final days. State academies, hospitals and treatment facilities, state parks access improvements and affordable housing projects were in line for funding.

Several other major bills fell by the wayside. While the health and human services policy bill did pass, that wasn’t the case for the human services reform finance and policy omnibus bill. The latter bill weighed in at more than 400 pages. It contained provisions sought by many disability advocacy groups including flexibility for the Department of Human Services to continue waiving certain statutory regulations in response to COVID-19.

It also included technical and codification changes to Medical Assistance spenddowns and Consumer-Directed Community Supports. It spelled out policy statements for Employment First, Self-Direction First, and Independent Living First. Other focuses including a number of changes

GOAL

From page 1 will be used to determine the amount of funding necessary to fully fund the Minnesota’s centers.

Needs will be looked at for clients ages 14 and older.

Information from the study will be shared with elected officials and others to an create awareness about the needs of people with disabilities and the necessity to increase funding for the CILs. Other goals are to provide Minnesotans with awareness of and access to independent living services, and for MNSILC to demonstrate its operational effectiveness and meets its statutory responsibilities.

To learn more about the council, its work and where centers for independent living are located, go to https:// mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/disabilities/councils/silc.jsp

as having opportunities attached to them.

Madore said that although some people with disabilities may be highly vulnerable to the virus, she doesn’t think they are any more vulnerable than other members of the population. And in living through periods of isolation, they may more easily adapt and live a life that is full.

She believes that the most scary part of dealing with the pandemic is the lack of personal care attendants (PCA) to keep people independent and living in their own households.

“That is going to be a significant challenge that will affect the majority of people with disabilities,” she said.

But she is optimistic. Minnesota is one of about 18 states that has an Olmstead plan, and Madore said it is on the cutting edge for the integration of people with disabilities.

Gov. Tim Walz, just a few months after taking office in 2019, issued three consecutive executive orders designed to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

“We have had some significant improvements in raising awareness about neglect, decreasing restraints in schools and hospitals and offering more opportunities for transportation and employment,” Madore said.

“We’ve been doing an awful lot of work developing a new website that is more inclusive and providing access to people. We went out into the communities and met with disabled people.” Getting their input in the Olmstead Plan is the road map she wants to follow.

“Originally, we were going to be on the road for most of the fall,” she explained. “Being at home is the most challenging thing right now.”

Madore said that coming from the perspective of being a parent, she can see every miscommunication and frustrating situation as an opportunity. “For example, when there’s a problem, we often look at it from only one angle. Because I have layers of experience, I can say ‘Wait a minute. How about it we look at it this way?’ There is a real opportunity to bring some new ideas, and work at deeper engagement with people with disabilities.”

“We can work on lifestyle change, inclusion of the disabled and equity built in as a forethought, not as an afterthought.”

Madore said she is excited to be able to bring her experience to her office. “And I have a terrific staff,” she added.

“We’ll be out in the community, one way or another.” for group homes, and sexual violence prevention training for direct support professionals.

Nor was legislation passed on renter protections and emergency housing, or on education policy. A tax bill didn’t pass.

Several important measures passed and got Walz’s signature. One early win is the Alex Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which makes the drug available for lowincome people or those who lack insurance. The law is named for a diabetic young man who died after he couldn’t pay for insulin.

The drug transparency pricing bill was also signed into law, which should provide lower prices.

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Olmstead subcabinet responds to pandemic

The latest addendum to Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan is undergoing further U.S. District Court review. After changes were submitted in March, the court asked that the plan’s subcabinet provide further information.

That includes answers to specific questions and information regarding potential further revision to existing goals in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest addendum was approved by the subcabinet in May and submitted for a May 15 deadline.

Further information was sought and provided on several pandemic-related issues, including how special education is provided and the status of day activity centers’ staff. The centers closed during the pandemic.

Technology access and the methods to provide pandemic-related information to people with low to no reading skills were also outlined.

Some court questions centered on group homes, including how group homes are staffed, how staff members are compensated during the pandemic and the extent to which personal protective equipment is used.

The court also asked for a brief explanation of Olmstead Plan goals, summarizing how goals may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and whether further revision is necessary.

“At this time it is not possible to provide a meaningful analysis of how the existing goals under the Olmstead Plan may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the state is in the midst of responding to the pandemic,” the response stated, citing the need for more data on both the pandemic and plan goals.

“The COVID-19 pandemic will result in a number of challenges throughout the state, including for individuals with disabilities, and the long-term impacts of the current situation are currently unknown,” the response stated. “If the data reflects that the COVID-19 pandemic is having a measurable impact on existing goals, or if it is determined that additional responses are necessary in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, any proposed changes to measurable goals would occur through the Olmstead Subcabinet with an opportunity for community input and engagement.”

To read the latest response, go to https://www.dhs. state.mn.us/main/groups/olmstead/documents/pub/dhs321449.pdf

by Jane McClure Another win is in the area of guardianship, where many changes are made. A stronger bill of rights for people under guardianship provides benefits including a mandate that they be engaged in decision-making, have more access to employment supports, and get proper notice when a guardian puts limits on visitation. “Supported decisionmaking” is clearly defined and the word “ward” is removed.

Another change will be seen as judges consider guardianship orders, and weigh alternatives that are less restrictive.

Election law changes are welcome, with more money for additional absentee ballot requests, personal protective equipment and sanitizing products for election judges, and changes to polling places to allow for social distancing.

Now, more than ever,

Access Press needs your support!

COVID-19 has hit everyone hard — but arguably, the disability community has been the hardest-hit. We have people reaching out to us daily asking for information, for help, for increased communication. It makes our role as a voice for those with disabilities of all kinds all the more important.

Thank you for your support; we are here for you!

But we’re doing it on a shoestring staff, working remotely, and with many of our usual methods hampered by the virus.

Right now, we need funding for increased reporting to one of the most vulnerable populations in Minnesota. Will you help us with that?

Even the smallest gift helps, and all donors over $30 receive a subscription to Access Press.

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June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

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FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Change, for better or for worse, with COVID-19 pandemic

by Joan Willshire

People with disabilities have been social distancing for years. But there are concerns regarding whether equal treatment will be given to people with disabilities in the world of COVID-19.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Many are waiting for the COVID-19 quarantine executive order by the governor to be removed. It has become apparent to me as a person with a physical disability that some of what we’re experiencing might be a good thing for many of us with physical disabilities. What I mean by this is we’ve actually started to make our world more accessible such as widening our walkways to abide by that new six-foot social distancing rule.

Minneapolis has allocated roads to be community is that personal dedicated as an extension of sidewalks. Two care attendants (PCAs) are now people using mobility devices might be able considered essential workers. Who Joan Willshire to stroll down the sidewalk together. would’ve ever thought a PCA Restaurants will be more accessible for would be considered essential! All of us in the disability using mobility devices. There should be much less bumping community knew that they were essential way before this into tables, chairs and people as a result of social distancing. pandemic occurred. I hope they get that pay increase they I can’t tell you how many times my scooter has been all desperately need and deserve. This work that the PCAs bumped into as servers are trying to do their job. There are doing is not going to lessen down the road. It’s only should be less inappropriate touching of one’s mobility going to increase. device, accidentally bumping into you, or asking you to But there are red flags. Day and employment services move because you just don’t fit in that space! are of great concern as they only get paid when services are Retail stores should have wider aisles as a result of this provided. Most providers are non-profits with very little to new dynamic. No more getting hooked on a hanger or no cash reserves in case of emergencies. This could severely fixture and dragging it across the store floor. (Yes, I have impact the ability of many of us to be able to go back to done this.) The list is endless in terms of what possibilities work if those providers aren’t even around. might occur for people with disabilities.

I do see some trouble on the horizon for restrooms.

Our workspaces have changed from cubicles to open Restrooms are small enough to begin with. We all know spaces. Now it’s back to cubicles. But cubicles aren’t everybody loves those large accessible restrooms, but always very accessible for people using mobility devices. now with social distancing rules this could really become Hopefully cubicles will become larger and will change to problematic. We will have to stay on top of this issue allow for social distancing. for sure as new rules will be made as this social distance And who knew that drive-through restaurants would model moves forward. become everybody’s staple for obtaining food! Minneapolis People with disabilities have been social distancing for in 2019 passed an ordinance not allowing any new driveyears. We have always been relegated to the back of the through businesses, which was opposed by the disability line. When looking to go to a movie theater there’s usually community. The lesson learned here is never say never. a special section for those using mobility devices or a One of the best things that has happened in our

section for those needing an interpreter.

Our vehicles have special places to park in too. Some social distancing aspects might actually be a good thing for us. This could be called our new “accessible distancing.”

But there are concerns regarding whether equal treatment will be given to people with disabilities in the world of COVID-19. Do you give access to a respirator to someone who is totally healthy or someone with a disability that may be compromised?

When a vaccine is developed, who is first in line?

The healthy or the vulnerable? And should we demand that people with disabilities. particularly those with Intellectual disabilities, have access to guardians if needing them at the hospital?

For students with disabilities distance learning has certainly been difficult since the pandemic. The concern is whether these students will continue to fall behind as a result of this new challenge.

We must continue to stay diligent on these important issues and demand that we be part of the equity conversation when COVID-19 discussions are taking place during this pandemic.

Joan Willshire is former executive director of the Minnesota Council on Disability and is a change agent for people with disabilities.

Check your privilege and learn what our lives are like Editor’s note: We’ve see a lot of ableist social media posts during the pandemic about people not taking showers, not brushing their hair or being stuck at home. Lauren Thompson reminds everyone that some of us cannot shower or take care of ourselves because we don’t always have support staff to help.

So the next time someone feels the urge to make a funny post, Thompson reminds those who don’t live with disability to check one’s privilege and post about how grateful they are instead.

by Lauren Thompson It hurts when you’re not able to do what you want. It hurts when you’re not able to do what you should. It hurts when you’re not able to leave your home.

It hurts when you’re not able to spend time with family and friends. It hurts when you’re unable to work. It hurts

when you’re not able to have the services that you need.

You’re hurting, because, right now, you’re disabled. Take a deep breath because if you’re lucky, you’ll feel better when this is over.

Some people won’t. Some people will get sick, ,some people will die, some people will grieve great losses,. You don’t know where you’ll end up in all of this and that’s very scary. You might feel nervous, on edge, terrified. That’s normal. That’s why a lot of disabled people have anxiety.

That’s why I have anxiety. As someone who has been disabled and anxious my whole life, my advice is to take a deep breath each and every day you make it through, show gratitude and check your privilege. You’ll learn more about what it means to have to fight, to lose, to go without.

You’ll be stronger because you have to be. That’s what happens when you’re disabled.

Lauren Thompson lives in Champlain.

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June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

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FROM OUR COMMUNITY

CARES: What’s next? And what does it mean for all of us?

by Jane Larson Access Press was among the first group of small businesses to receive a Paycheck Protection Program or PPP loan. The application was submitted after it was announced that all funds had been expended. There were already stories in the news of publicly traded corporations, sports teams and others that surprisingly qualified as small businesses. Thanks to having a relationship with Associated Bank, a local bank that had not distributed its allocation of funds, we received the support needed to make this happen.

The Coronavirus Relief, Aid and Economic Security Act, commonly known as the CARES Act, made this possible.

The act was signed into law on March 27 to provide fast and direct assistance for American workers, families and small businesses, and preserve jobs for our American industries. While our country was working to flatten the curve of the virus by closing down parts of our economy, the CARES act was bolstering the economy to avoid a fast and steep economic turndown.

In time we will know how effective the act is for our nation. For a small business

like Access Press it was essential. The newspaper suffered from the ripple effect of business closures and layoffs that resulted in lost advertising revenues and a loss in donations. It allowed the paper to pay its employees and keep its office open for the next eight weeks. It has a multiplier effect to related business, such as the printing and distribution services used. The turnover of money keeps the economy moving.

This has been great for the short term.

But just as the virus shows no sign of flattening and leveling off in Minnesota, the economy is not picking up. We know this when we venture out in the world, as we do when we read the unemployment statistics. After the eight-week duration of the PPP loan, the problems for Access Press are still there. Solutions are needed for the long term. Access Press is important to the community. It not only provides a resource to our readers, but it is a voice to others. We cannot lose our voice.

The CARES Act also provides income supports for workers. Most of us received a one-time incentive payment of $1,200.

For the economy, the best thing is to spend it for goods and services. Again, this contributes to the multiplier effect, keeps

the money flowing. For the individual who does not need the money at this time, there might be a tendency to hoard the money in case things get worse, and things seem to be getting worse. The cost of needed basic food staples is rising as supply decreases and demand increases.

There are also supports for people who are out of work due to the virus.

According to the Motley Fool financial and investing advice company, the average weekly wage in Minnesota is $740 per week and unemployment insurance pays roughly 50 percent of wages. An average wage earner would collect about $370 per week. CARES provide an additional $600 per week through July 31. An employed person making $740 now receives $970 per week not to work.

If you try to hire a personal care assistant (PCA) at a salary of $12 per hour, or $480 for a 40-hour week, there is little incentive.

The formula is a bit more complicated for higher-wage workers who lose their jobs.

At this time, unemployment benefits the individual more than work.

For the economy, we all benefit when people are employed. Remember the supply/demand curve from your high

school economics class? If demand is high and supply is low, prices go up. It is not enough to increase the amount of money in circulation without the production of needed goods and services. The incentive needs to be directed at training and employment for the post-virus economy.

The goods and services produced must be in demand. Even is government opens up the economy, the economy will not be the same as long as this highly contagious virus is among us. Who among us is going to rush to a movie theater, eat a meal in a crowded restaurant, or fly to Disneyland? It will be a long time before some industries return and some may not come back.

In the meantime, there are shortages.

There was a shortage of PCAs before this emergency and that continues.

With students learning at home, special education students could benefit with more instructional supports. And anyone who receives that phone message saying their call is very important sees the need for call center positions. The challenge now is to re-allocate resources and provide jobs for the new economy.

Jane Larson is a member and treasurer of the Access Press Board of Directors.

Person-centered planning during the pandemic calls for flexibility

by Gertrude Matemba-Mutusa For people and organizations serving people with disabilities, COVID-19 and the emergency order have had a major impact on how they provide services. From telemedicine to social distancing, many aspects of how we deliver human services have been reshaped in three short months.

Yet, for providers, person-centered thinking remains the core principle at the

center of our work, and the ideas behind it hold as true today as they did three months ago.

What is “person centered”? A personcentered support system helps people: *Build or maintain relationships with their families and friends; *Live as independently as possible; *Engage in productive activities, such as employment; *Participate in community life.

In short, the goal is to ensure we all

lead lives that are meaningful to us. For providers, that can mean finding the balance between what’s important to and what’s important for the people you work with.

What do we mean by that? Here are some hypothetical examples: It is important for Stan to wash his hands every hour or so, but at the same time, it’s important to Stan to watch TV without interruptions. One creative solution could be that we wash our hands with Stan every

hour during the first commercial break.

We will work with Stan to see if this idea would work for him.

Tanya is irritable and anxious about not being able to go places she usually goes during the day, including the library, a coffee shop and work. Can you sit down with Tanya and check in about the options for the day? Talk about what can be done such as going for car rides, taking a walk, FLEXIBILITY To page 9

June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

Pg 6

PEOPLE & PLACES

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The comprehensive advocacy training course Partners in Policymaking is now taking applications from Minnesotans with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities. Applications are due July 10 for the nationally recognized free program, which starts in September.

Training is presented in eight sessions over nine months. Participants become effective advocates for themselves, their children and others with disabilities Participants enjoy sharing success stories and highly recommend the training to others. A presentation on the historical treatment of people with disabilities was especially moving for participants, who also found themselves angry over the systematic degradation of those with disabilities.

Brittanie Hernandez-Wilson of St. Paul has arthrogryposis. She is unable to walk and has mobility challenges. She works as an adjudicator with U.S. Bank.

Hernandez-Wilson wanted to get started on the path of self-advocacy. She found each class eye-opening and was inspired by every speaker to do more and take action. She was surprised to hear of the wide ranging impact of disabilities as the class shared personal stories and challenges.

Kim Seguin of Proctor learned to be a strong advocate for her son who has Asperger’s syndrome, joining the class “to show him how to advocate for himself.� The strongest impact came from “all the other parents and self-advocates in the class, who shared their stories, heartache and triumphs.� Seguin recommends the course due to the “abundance of information, direction and resources to help yourself or your child.�

Slayton resident Kelly Konechne and her husband are raising two sons with disabilities. They moved to Slayton to involve their extended family in their lives. One son has Down’s syndrome and the other has achondroplasia (dwarfism). Konechne wanted to learn to be a better advocate for her boys, to create more awareness of their disabilities and to better herself and share her experience. Although her sons are still young, Konechne knows more resources will be needed later on. The class discussions, problem-solving, brainstorming solutions and hearing different perspectives has given her smart problem-solving skills. She valued the presentation on state services and how they work, covering waivers, appeals, TEFRA and more to learn about possible programs she

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Partners in Policymaking can make a difference

Konechne family might need. It became clear to her that many services aren’t available outside the metropolitan area.

Samantha Haus is a self-advocate with a learning disability. The Cloquet resident took the class to become a better self-advocate and values the continual emphasis on effective communications with a wide variety of people.

Haus recommends the program especially to parents with young children so that appropriate supports can be requested as early as possible in their child’s education “We aim for self-confidence and understanding of disability law and policies. This will help individuals be more effective in advocating for their needs,� said Colleen Wieck, executive director of the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (MNCDD). “As they gain experience in speaking up for people with disabilities, many have become leaders in their own communities.� The Minnesota-inspired program is offered in most states and several foreign countries.

The training taps into national experts and uses group participation. Over the program’s 34-year history, more than 1,080 Minnesotans have become leaders in their own communities. Many have described it as “life changing.� “This program is based on the belief that systems change is best brought about through the efforts of those most affected by them, and we seek to arm these individuals with the tools needed to be successful in the public policy arena,� said Wieck.

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DIFFERENCE From page 6

Sessions cover the history of disability and advocacy movements, inclusive education, supported living and customized employment. Individuals learn how to influence county, state and federal legislative processes.

Monthly two-day sessions are held on Fridays and Saturdays, from September to May, with no session in December. In March participants prepare for and meet

June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6 with their state legislators at the capitol.

Partners program is covered by a federal grant. Childcare and respite allowances are given. Overnight accommodations are provided for those who travel from outside the Twin Cities area to attend. Mileage is reimbursed and meals are provided. Sessions are held at the Crowne Plaza Aire, 3 Appletree Square in Bloomington, near Mall of America and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Each annual program is limited to 40

participants, who are selected by a panel of past graduates and representatives of MNCD. Participants must take part in all sessions and do homework.

Applications are due by July 10.

For further information, or to get an application form, go to http://mn.gov/ mnddc/partnersinpolicymaking/class38/ index.html or contact Brenton Rice at brenton@togevents.com, or 651-2426589.

Samantha Haus

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Next edition: AUGUST 2020 Call 651-644-2133 to be included!

Data from the census is used to ensure that we receive support for programs and services for our community, because we count! Complete the census to make sure that we are all counted: my2020census.gov.

Complete the 2020 Census to ensure that everyone has access to the resources that are required to meet their needs. For more information visit the U.S. Census Bureau website at 2020Census.gov

Pg 7

June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

Pg 8

REGIONAL NEWS Bartolic to lead Council on Disability Alex Bartolic, former director of as the developmental disabilities (DD) disability services for the Minnesota waiver first started in Minnesota to join Department of Human Services (DHS), Carlton County as a case manager and has come out of retirement to serve as develop home and community-based interim deputy executive director. services. She also held different posts Bartolic replaces Laurie Beyerat Hennepin County and DHS. She Kropuenske, who stepped down as has received state and national awards interim executive director at MCD in recognizing her innovation and advocacy mid-May. Kropuenske has accepted a for people with disabilities. position at the University of Minnesota.

“It is an honor to join the Minnesota A search for a new executive director Council on Disability until a new is underway. According to MCD, executive director is on board. MCD Bartolic has come on board to ensure a has pressing work to do, especially in smooth transition. light of COVID-19, and the important Bartolic brings more than 40 years’ task of hiring a new leader. I look experience in disability services. She forward to working with and supporting began her career as a special education the Council, and its staff in our mission teacher for the first public school for Minnesotans with disabilities,” said Alex Bartolic classroom for students with significant Bartolic. She is working remotely and disabilities, ages 4 – 21 in a nine-district special education can be reached at Alex.Bartolic@state.mn.us cooperative in northern Minnesota. She left teaching (Source: Minnesota Council on Disability)

Nursing home has virus outbreak

A Twin Cities nursing home with a troubled regulatory past has become the site of one of Minnesota’s largest coronavirus outbreaks. It continues a deadly trend among senior facilities with poor health and safety records.

At North Ridge Health and Rehabilitation, a large senior community in New Hope with a 320-bed nursing home, more than 40 residents have died and almost 70 fell ill to the COVID-19 respiratory illness in recent weeks.

Only one other senior facility in the state has seen more fatalities from the virus.

North Ridge shares a troubling characteristic with many of the nursing homes across Minnesota beset by coronavirus outbreaks: Historically, it has struggled to adhere to basic standards of patient care. The facility has been fined $117,000 by federal regulators and cited for dozens of health and safety violations over the last three years.

It is a pattern seen around the state. So far, 75 percent of the approximately 70 nursing homes in the state with at least one case of COVID-19 have been cited for not following infection control rules over the last two inspection cycles, starting in 2016, according to a Star Tribune analysis of federal health inspection data.

“We have seen this across the country, where facilities that failed to take basic health and safety controls seriously are having the most problems” amid the coronavirus pandemic, said Toby Edelman, senior policy attorney with the Center for Medicare Advocacy in Washington, D.C. “It’s one reason the virus spreads so rapidly.”

The Minnesota Department of Health has changed its practices to respond to the pandemic. The agency’s health regulation staff has been prioritizing infection control during surveys and conducting onsite visits of facilities with past performance problems. The department has also been sending teams of infection control experts into nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to help contain deadly outbreaks.

Still, long-term care facilities like North Ridge remain ground zero for the pandemic in Minnesota. Together they account for the majority of deaths statewide from the virus. “This pandemic is shining an even brighter light on the systemic issues” in long-term care, said Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm.

(Source: Star Tribune)

Brain research wins support

The University of Minnesota has received a $35 million donation for a groundbreaking study of adolescent brain disorders. Dr. Jakub Tolar, dean of the Medical School and vice president for clinical affairs, said he believes it is one

of the first studies of mental illness in young children in a university setting. The study continues the school’s work on the holistic approach on the subject.

“We can look at early adverse events such as a parent in prison or if they have depression or an addiction and then change the environment around them,” he said. “You can then get the child normal stimuli from the outside to support a normal functioning brain.”

The donation continues the long relationship with the university’s largest single donor, the Minnesota Masonic Charities. The contribution will establish and name the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, an interdisciplinary initiative focused on the early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders in early childhood and adolescence. It will be housed in a facility near the university.

The university’s Medical School and College of Education and Human Development will study how the brain grows and develops during early childhood and adolescence, the formative years when the brain is most receptive to positive intervention, Tolar said.

The group will research autism, ADHD, cognitive delays, drug addiction and severe depression, conditions that can often be identified early and have lifelong consequences.

The Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, which is expected to open this fall, will form a research partnership with M Health Fairview, University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital and the University’s Biomedical Discovery District. The 10.2-acre property includes a twolevel building with a hospital, clinic and support spaces.

(Source: Star Tribune)

Layoffs at Northland Goodwill

Twelve Northland Goodwill locations laid off 293 of 312 workers, largely retail and donation processing staff, in May. The jobs lost at the Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin locations are due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Goodwill closed its stores March 19.

The nonprofit's mission is to employ people with disabilities or other barriers to employment.

A small number of employees will stay on staff to help with critical business functions. Staff were paid for scheduled hours between March 19 and April 15.

“We view this decision as difficult, yet a critically necessary step to help our organization survive this crisis and to preserve and protect our Goodwill to continue to serve our community in the future,” President and CEO Marcy Vogt said in a press release. “We are directing people to their state unemployment offices at this time

to help support workers and their families. It is our hope and goal to recall laid-off Goodwill team members as our organization rebounds.”

Goodwill is also seeking local and federal support. It's also asking people to stop donating goods, as the virus lives on surfaces, causing a public health concern for anyone who handles donated goods without proper protection.

(Source: Duluth News-Tribune)

Face masks pose challenges

With more people wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's creating challenges for those who are deaf and hard of hearing. The challenges have sparked mask designers to create masks with clear panels where a speaker’s mouth can be seen. But there are issues beyond seeing a speaker.

Dr. Dave Fabry at Starkey Hearing Technologies said masks cover facial expressions that people who use sign language need to see. He also said those with hearing aids rely on lip-reading to better understand what is being said, and anyone with lower hearing losses will have difficulty with muffled speech.

“A lot of the higher-pitch sounds that are so important for communication, those sounds are reduced to about half of their volume when a person is wearing a face covering or a mask,” Fabry said.

For someone who wears hearing aids, reads lips or uses American Sign Language, seeing the mouth is key, said Darlene Zangara, executive director of the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing.

“When you have a mask on, you can’t lip read,” said Zangara, who identifies as deaf. “There’s been no real adjustments made to help communicate unless they had personal experiences with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. So it’s been very frustrating.”

To communicate with someone with hearing loss, speak more slowly and a little louder than usual. Don’t shout. Try to eliminate as much background noise as possible. Some people have taken to wearing buttons or T-shirts stating that they have hearing disabilities.

(Source: KSTP-TV, Star Tribune)

Worries about lupus drug

The drug hydroxychloroquine, typically used to treat people with lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, is being used to treat COVID-19. That has led the federal centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other groups to worry about a possible shortage.

This spring the leading scientist for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out a letter authorizing the use of hydroxychloroquine, commonly known as Plaquenil, in the treatment of COVID-19. It allows the release of the drug from the national stockpile.

The Lupus Foundation of America is voicing concerns.

“We are concerned that increased demand for these drugs attributed to COVID-19 has exacerbated their already limited availability for patients who rely on them to meet their medical needs. Therefore, we urge you to work with us and the broader health care community to help ensure continued availability of these drugs for the patients who are maintained on them to avoid disability, illness and even early death.”

“I’ve been on this medication for years. I went off this medication (at the recommendation of my doctor) just to see what would happen and my kidneys started spilling protein and blood again. So I know that this medication is life saving and it’s keeping me in remission and my story is common amongst lupus patients,” said Regan Birr, founder of the Lupus Research Foundation.

Birr said she recently saw her normal 90-day prescription for hydroxychloroquine reduced to a 45-day prescription.

Because lupus is an immune disorder, it puts people REGIONAL NEWS To page 11

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June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

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PEOPLE & PLACES ∏∏f

In Memoriam f∏∏ Wagner was noted artist Kari Nicole Wagner was a talented artist, who was able to live independently and flourish with support services. Wagner died suddenly in May. She was 44 and lived in Golden Valley.

Wagner grew up in the Twin Cities area, attended Michael Dowling School in Minneapolis and was a 1996 graduate of Robbinsdale Armstrong Senior High School. She lived with cerebral palsy. As a student she participated on the Robins adapted athletics program’s soccer, hockey and softball. She also participated in arts programs.

After high school she began working in the Data Ability Department at Courage Center in Golden Valley. That department was acquired by Rise, Inc. in 2003. Wagner worked there until her death.

She lived in an ACR home for 17 years, with housemates and staff who became good friends. Her obituary said, “Without the loving care Kari received at her home, she would not have been able to fulfill her dream of living independently.”

Wagner developed a passion for painting in 1993, thanks to an art therapy program at Courage Center. She learned how to paint using specially adapted head-gear that would hold her paintbrush in position.

Head movements could direct her brush strokes. She became adept in the use of watercolors and acrylic paints. In 2007, she introduced her artwork on her own personal website kariwagner-artwork.com. Wagner exhibited her work at shows and became well-known in the arts and artists with disabilities community. Danielle Griner was her art coach for 16 years.

Along with her many activities with ACR friends and staff, Wagner had a deep faith and participated in a Bible study group for adults with disabilities.

She is survived by her parents, a grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. Services have been held, with fresh-cut lilacs to honor her memory with a favorite fragrance. Memorials are preferred to Children's Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota, Gillette Children's Hospital, Courage Center, Rise Inc. or the Grove Church in Maple Grove.

Kari Nicole Wagner

Mooty led through generosity

Sally Rae Mooty had a passion for helping people in need. Mooty died in May. She was 79 and lived in Edina.

She and her late husband Melvin Mooty had a legacy of giving to individuals in need. Especially close to their hearts was Courage Center, now Allina’s Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, where they created the Mooty Scholarship for People with Disabilities. The scholarship, which is awarded annually, provides assistance so that students with disabilities can increase their career options and enrich their lives through education and training.

The scholarships are to be used to fund tuition, books and supplies. The scholarships are intended to assist people who have a sensory or physical disability who want to pursue educational goals or to gain technical expertise beyond high school.

The Mootys enjoyed meeting the scholarship recipients and seeing the impact on their lives.

She is survived by a daughter and son and their families, nephews and many friends. Services have been held Memorials are preferred to Gianna Homes of Minnetonka or Courage Kenny.

Nordmark helped found program

Gary Ellis Nordmark had a role in helping found one of the Twin Cities area’s oldest disability service programs. Nordmark died in April. He was 78 and most recently lived in Blaine.

Born in North Dakota, Nordmark was a graduate of the University of North Dakota - Grand Forks. He moved to the Twin Cities in 1963 and retired in 2001 after a long business career.

Nordmark was very proud to have been instrumental in the formation of Living Well Disability Services, formerly Dakota's Children, Inc. What is now Living Well Disability Services was founded as Dakota’s Children in 1972 by parents, volunteers and community partners in West St. Paul, including Nordmark. The program now provides personcentered services to people living in eight counties in the Greater Twin Cities area.

He also had an avid interest in automobiles and antique car restoration. He was particularly proud of his 1937 Packard Coupe, which he supercharged and named Moriah.

Nordmark is survived by his wife, Sandra, children, a granddaughter, sisters, nieces and nephews. Services will be held at a later date.

Memorials are preferred to a favorite charity.

Skoglund lived with rare disorder

Duane Paul Skoglund lived a full life despite a rare genetic disorder. Skoglund died in May of complications of the COVID-19 virus. He was 73 and lived in Brooklyn Center.

Skoglund lived with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. It has many physical and cognitive limitations, including vision loss.

He was a 30 year client of Opportunity Partners and spent the last 14 years at Presbyterian Homes, Maranatha Care Center.

He gave cartoon character nicknames to people he liked.

Skoglund is survived by his father, brothers and their families, a sister-in-law and other family and friends.

Services will be held at a later date. Memorials are preferred to Opportunity Partners or Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library (State Services for the Blind).

Kane an educational pioneer

Rosalie Ann Kane was a professor of social work and public health for more than 45 years, with a focus on case management, community-based care and person-centered care systems. Kane, 79, died in May after a brief battle with brain cancer. She was 79 and lived in Minneapolis.

Kane spent more than three decades at the University of Minnesota where she worked up until the time of her death. A pioneer in her field, Rosalie's academic work focused on case management, community- based care, and transforming long term care systems to be more person-centered. She was a relentless champion for the rights of seniors and adults with disabilities to self-advocate. She led a movement to help elders find joy in aging.

She had many works published and was a tireless challenger of established norms in her fields of expertise.

She was noted for truly caring about people, listening to them and sharing their stories.

Kane and her husband, the late Robert Kane, taught at the University of Minnesota for decades. He was the Minnesota Chair of Aging and Long-Term Care at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health where he was a professor for more than 30 years.

She was extremely proud of her Canadian heritage and remained connected to her Ottawa Valley roots.

She was also dedicated to feminism and her Jewish faith.

Growing up in an era when religious education was largely reserved for boys, Kane was bat-mitzvahed as an adult and her synagogue remained an important focal point of her intellectual and spiritual life.

Kane is survived by three daughters and their families, many other family members, colleagues and friends.

Services have been held. Memorials are preferred to the Robert L. and Rosalie A. Kane Scholarship Fund at the Minnesota Gerontological Society, Planned Parenthood, Southern Poverty Law Center or any organization that advances social justice.

FLEXIBILITY

From page 5 going to the local park or helping staff around the house.

Dwayne wants to visit with his family. We can work with Dwayne and his family to figure out how they can best maintain their social connection while also maintaining the proper physical distance, whether we use a virtual platform, drive by, talk from a distance, or something else.

We believe people having control over their lives does not preclude protecting health and safety. We need to continue to listen to what people are asking for and find a way to help them get it. We may have more circumstances to think about now, but all the more reason to stop for a minute and come up with creative and innovative solutions.

We know that it can be a real challenge to find the balance between important for and important to this time of uncertainty.

But it remains as important as ever.

Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa is assistant commissioner, Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Make the news!

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Moving to new space?

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Please don’t be late!

Access Press welcomes submissions for the People and Places pages. Submissions are due by the 15th of each month.

Questions?

Email or call 651-644-2133 access@accesspress.org

June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

Pg 10

RADIO TALKING BOOK COVID-19 Update As Access Press went to press, States Services for the Blind and Radio Talking Book staff were waiting for direction from state officials as to when the SSB Communication Center in St. Paul could reopen. The closure has put many activities on hold.

The intent is for regular broadcasting to return as soon as possible. Once the Communication Center reopens, Radio Talking Book will begin regular programming again. Regular programs will return. For those who were following books underway before the shutdown began, be aware that each book will start again from page one. That will listeners a chance to get caught up or jump in at the beginning.

In March RTB began broadcasting the signal from the University of Kansas Audio-Reader Network. Audio-Reader is a reading and information service for blind, visually impaired, and printdisabled individuals, and broadcasts daily newspapers, magazines, and books 24

New listening options A new RTB app is now available for both iOS and Android devices. The app can be found in the Apple app store for iOS, and the Google Play store for Android. Both apps will enable listener to listen to our live stream, or archived programming from the past week.

hours a day. This interim change has met a positive response. To learn more about this service, go to www.reader.ku.edu.

RTB resumed newspaper broadcasts in April.

Don’t hesitate to contact State Services for the Blind (SSB) at 651-539-2300 or 1-800-652-9000) or by email, ssb.info@ state.mn.us, for more information.

SSB services during COVID-19 Some services are still being offered.

• Staff will continue to assist customers by phone, email and through other virtual channels.

• Custom transcription of print materials into audio and e-text is suspended for now.

• Braille production will continue, although though there may be delays in getting materials to customers.

• SSB’s general email will be checked regularly, at ssb.info@state.mn.us • SSB’s main number, 651-539-2300, will be checked daily. Staff will respond within two days.

When searching in either store make sure to select MN RTB, as other radio reading services have made apps available. In the Apple store use the terms Radio Talking Book or RTB without the quotes; in the Google Play store, search for Radio Talking Book.

An RTB “skill” is also now available on Amazon smart speakers. To begin say, Alexa, enable Radio Talking Book. Alexa will ask if the user wants to play RTB, hear the schedule, or find out what is now playing. Respond by saying, Alexa, play Radio Talking Book.

Next, Alexa will ask if the user if he/she/ they are blind or print-impaired. This is so those eligible for the service can be sure to

612-341-3144, or email disabilityandprogress@tcq.net.

Postal mail can be sent to KFAI, 1808 Riverside Ave. S., Disability and Progress, Box 116, Minneapolis MN 55454.

AROUND THE DIAL Disability and Progress KFAI Radio, 6-7 p.m. Thu. What’s new? Shows are available on podcast. Just a few episodes are on podcast now but more will be there in the future. Host Sam Jasmine and her guests explore a wide range of topics that are important to people with disabilities. KFAI is at 90.3 FM in Minneapolis and 106.7 in St. Paul.

Listeners outside of the Twin Cities, or those looking for a past show, will find the show’s archives online at www. kfai.org Look for the link to archives and for Disability and Progress.

Listeners need to have a Real Audio Player downloaded.

A smartphone app is also available to hear archived programs. To make comments or make suggestions, call

Conor’s Corner St. Paul Highland Park resident Conor O’Meara can be heard at 10 a.m. Mondays, replayed 8 a.m. Saturdays, at 94.1 or WFNU.org Frogtown Community Radio. The show can also be found on Spotify and Mixcloud. Find the radio station at www.wfnu.org The on-air studio line, offered 10-11 a.m. Mondays, is 651.313.5125.

O’Meara conducts a wide range of interviews, talks about what is going on in his life and even sings a little Elvis Presley when the time is right. He is a past Minnesota State High School League adapted bowling champion. T-shirts from the show are for sale at the St. Paul Highland Park Lund’s & Byerly’s store.

Janice Chevrette Dean Doering & Lisa Scribner Jim Gerlich Kathy & Hazen Graves Jane Larson Ronna Linroth Lynda Milne Paul Mueller John Schatzlein (In Memory of) Kay Willshire Ghita & Bill Worcester The Benevity Fund Central MN Community Foundation GHR Foundation Handi Medical Supply In Home Personal Care MN Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities MRCI Client-Directed Services UCare

Mary Benhardus Michael Bjerkesett (in memory of) John Clark Steven Dahl Georgia and Mel Duncan Walt Seibert

Debra Shriver Dick Van Wagner (in honor of) Natl. Handicapped Housing Institute Tamarack Habilitation Technologies US Bank Employee Matching Program

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Steve Anderson (in honor of) Arlys Arnold Ellen Boucher Larry Burkum Yoshiko Dart Mel & Georgia Duncan JoAnn & Steve Erbes Nancy Eustis

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Anonymous Dawn Doering Craig Dunn Lee Ann Erickson Vicki Gerrits Marjorie Goldberg Stephen Grams

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June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

Pg 11

ENJOY! We Are Not Disposable

Interact Artists present an online exhibition to raise money for disability visibility. We Are Not Disposable is an online exhibition by 44 Interact artists. It opened May 11 and is raising money for disability visibility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Artwork purchased from the exhibition will support the artists who created it and their voices in shaping change. Artists receive 50 percent of the value of sales, and Interact will contribute the remaining 50 percent to support the work of the Disability Visibility Project.

Visit the website of Interact Center for Visual and Performing Arts for more details about this show and other ways to support artists. FFI: www.interactcenter.com Enjoy! is coming back Almost all of the groups that typically have listings in the Access Press Enjoy! pages have suspended activities, have gone to online services or are offering limited services. Please check with a venue or organization before heading out. Contact theaters to see when shows will be rescheduled and if tickets will be honored. With museums, check to see when or if interpreted and sensory activities will continue. Some sensory activities are only offered during the school year.

Many theater companies and arts organizations are offering online activities. Check to see what is available through the Minnesota Access Alliance calendar, at https://mnaccess.org/ Greatest Lives fundraiser Accord hosts its Greatest Lives Virtual Fundraiser

virtually, 7-9 p.m. Wed, June 24. Attend via Accord’s Facebook page or website. The virtual event will take the place of Accord’s canceled Greatest Lives Gala in March This summer Accord’s administrative operations and day service programs will be moving into two new facilities, to support more than 300 individuals and their families with day service programs. The new sites will feature new and updated program areas designed to help the people we support learn important life skills in volunteering, recreation, health and wellness, personal empowerment, art, hobbies, and more.

Donations are needed to help fill the new locations with personal protective equipment supplies needed to protect staff and clients. View a short program and learn how to make a donation, Preregister in advance, and bid on online auction items. FFI: www.accord.org

OPPORTUNITIES Minnesota STAR loans resume The Minnesota STAR has resumed its device loan program in the St. Paul office with some restrictions due to COVID-19. No-contact loans are offered.

All devices will be shipped directly to the borrower and we will ask that all returns are shipped to us via US Mail or another shipping provider.

Ask about accommodations for device demonstrations. Check the Facebook page @MNSTARProgram for more program updates, technology news and information. FFI: 651-201-2640, 1-888-234-1267, star.program@ state.mn.us Mental health peer groups offered NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) sponsors a variety of free online peer support groups for adults and young adults living with a mental illness, their families, friends, spouses/partners, as well as parents of children and teens. Led by trained peer facilitators the support groups help individuals and families learn coping skills and find strength through sharing their experiences. When joining an online group, please add only your first name. Also, the groups are specifically for those individuals suggested by the group’s title. For example, Family Support Group is only

for family members and NAMI Connection is only for those who live with a mental illness and are more than 18 years old, etc.

Find a complete listing of group meetings and how to join in by going to namimn.org and clicking on “Support Groups” or go straight to https:// namimn.org/support/nami-minnesota-support-groups/.

National Alliance for the Mentally ill (NAMI) Minnesota staff are very concerned about the mental health of the people served and the greater community. Call the warm line at 651-288-0400 or text “Support” to 85511 or call 844-739-6369 Call the local crisis team at **CRISIS or check the NAMI website for the county numbers.

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Use the Crisis Lifeline by texting MN to 741741.

Call the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 Self-advocacy work launched The Arc Minnesota has launched a Self-Advocacy Page. Learn to advocate and connect while staying at home. Tips for communicating with support staff during COVID-19, how to use Zoom to talk to friends or participate in

a meeting, videos with meditations and inspirational actives and much more are offered, with resources added weekly. FFI: 1-833-450-1494, info@ arcminnesota.org Join Autism Friendly Austin, the Autism Society of Minnesota, and the Hormel Historic Home Wed, July 29 for an informative, full-day workshop lead by Judy Endow, LCSW, author and international speaker on a variety of autism-related topics. During Autistically Thriving: Living a Self-Determined Life, Endow will enlighten participants about the shift in how autistic support is thought about and implemented. Understand who autistic people are and how they comfortably function, as well as key elements of taking in, processing, storing, and retrieving information along with autistic thinking style. FFI: www.ausm.org Almost all of the groups that have listings in the Opportunities page have suspended activities, have gone to online services only or are offering limited services. Many offices are operating remotely, or with limited staff and hours. Please check with disability service provider websites to see what is offered, as offerings are continuing to change.

FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Pandemic on top of pandemic for people with disabilities

by Norman Munk All of the amazing and historic progress that has been made over the last 40 years for Minnesotans with disabilities is now threatened at an epic proportion. We are in jeopardy of sending people with disabilities back in the shadows and into the dark ages at an alarming pace.

The actual disease caused by coronavirus, COVID 19, has had a devastating effect on us all, but most profoundly on the community of Minnesotans experiencing disabilities.

At a time when we need superb leadership to address this crisis, those with disabilities, along with their nonprofit support providers, find themselves unduly alone and dismissed by the very arm of government charged with protecting, supporting and serving them—the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN DHS).

Instead of optimism, we were met with chaos. Instead of guidance, we were met with silence.

Unfathomable and unforgivable, the unwillingness of DHS, the Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Tim Walz to address any form of relief, guidance or support for Minnesotans with disabilities, along with the programs that serve them, highlights not only the long-standing systematic incompetence of the DHS, but a total lack of recognition

REGIONAL NEWS

From page 8 living with it at higher risk for complications related to COVID-19.

(Source: Fox 9)

Be aware of scam callers

With COVID-19 sweeping the globe, scam artists are becoming more active. One scam the federal Trade commission and other regulatory agencies are issuing warnings about centers on disability benefit offers that are really identity theft schemes.

The Better Business Bureau calls it “a perfect storm for scam activity.” The agency’s “Scam Tracker” is reporting a record number of complaints and allows the public to search for scams in their home areas.

and trust in the self-determination of those with disabilities and the competent altruism of service providers.

The 30,000 individuals working in the community and attending over 100 day programs in the state will suffer even greater isolation during this time.

As a result, every day program in the state of Minnesota is now threatened with permanent closure, leaving individuals with disabilities with no community integration and job supports.

The irony of all this, is that every day program shut down immediately to protect the health and safety of each one of the beloved clients they are honored to serve.

They have been preparing exhaustively for nearly two months, absent DHS guidance until recently, with a plan to resume services safely, gradually and carefully, focused on supporting individuals served to re-integrate back into the community and into their jobs.

This broad stroke of the brush by DHS, and state government, eviscerated both the individualism, and civic rights afforded every Minnesotan. This has now forced those with disabilities, into additional isolation, inequitably deprived of the right to make decisions for themselves.

This is an opportunity to be forthright, and candid in your communication to the DHS commissioner, state

legislators and Walz. Now is the critical time to demand better and more!

This is the moment, an historic moment, that will have a profound effect on Minnesotans with disabilities, loved ones, service providers and advocates. It will irrevocably impact the life, choices and liberties of every individual experiencing a disability for years to come.

Norman Munk is a retired CEO of a disability service organization.

CLASSIFIEDS For Rent

Calvary Center Apts: 7650 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN. A Section 8 building now accepting applications for our waiting list. Call 9 am to 4 pm, Mon – Fri 763-546-4988 for an application. Equal Opportunity Housing.

Find your new home with At Home Apartments. Call 651-224-1234 or visit AtHomeApartments.com for an apartment or town home.

Equal Opportunity Housing.

Ridge Manor Apartments

Ridge Manor Apartments in Delano is accepting applications for our 1 and 2-bedroom units!

Please call (763) 274-2700 for your application today!

The BBB has also posted a Webinar in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission about how to avoid scams and outsmart crooks.

One report indicated that a caller must act right away.

Medical Equip“This is a time sensitive matter and fast action is required ment For Sale for these types of benefits,” the voicemail said. “They kept Invacare equipment: insisting that I needed to complete the application right Sit-to-Stand w/hand away,” a person called told KARE 11. pump, Hoyer Lift batBut he didn’t fall for it. “I told them that I was aware tery-operated 450 lb that they were a scam and I wasn’t going to give them any

max, power wheelchair. additional information.”

Call 763-228-1378 But calling the scammer’s bluff only meant that the caller kept right on asking if anyone else in the household Classified rates: $15 (first 18 words) and 65¢ per word thereafter. Classified would be interested in getting the disability insurance. ads prepaid. Mail to: Access Press, Capitol Ridge Inn Offices; 161 St. Officials recommend hanging up on scam callers and Anthony Ave; #910; St. Paul, MN 55103; Phone: 651-644-2133; Fax 651reporting the calls.

644-2136; Email: access@accesspress.org (Source: KARE 11)

June 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 6

Pg 12

...BECAUSE

Connect with us for these statewide services: Self-Directed Services

everyone has a right to pursue their own dreams.

• Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) • Consumer Support Grant (CSG) • PCA Choice • Personal Support and Respite (245D) • Veterans Directed - VD-HCBS

Resources for Individuals, Families and Employers.

800.829.7110 MyMRCI.org

We’re for the people living in group homes.

Nursing homes.

Single family homes.

Section 8 homes.

People and service dogs lined up during for public testimony.

Any homes.

UCare has health plans for everyone.

Get started at ucare.org Call 1-866-457-7144 | TTY 1-800-688-2534 No English 1-800-688-2534