NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 4766
October 1, 2020
WWW.ACCESSPRESS.ORG
On the move! New address for Access Press
• We are taking offers on our remaining desks and cabinets, from now until October 16. One desk is the perfect height for someone who uses a wheelchair. Email jane@accesspress.org to receive pictures of items for sale. Anyone making a purchase must be able to move things themselves. • Mark your calendar for November 19 as 2020 Give to the Max Day approaches! We’ll have some targeted giving options available for this year’s campaign.
Lori Jensen (right), shares the story of her son Bradley's mistreatment at the Minnesota Extended Treatment Options (METO) facility and the advocacy that she and her husband James (left) engaged in to end that abuse.
Court oversight comes to end, but fight for better care has not by Jane McClure A lengthy legal battle, which has had many implications for Minnesotans with disabilities, officially comes to an end October 24. But in a September filing, U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank emphasized that the fight for improved care for adults with disabilities isn’t over. If mistreatment occurs again at two state-run facilities for people with disabilities, Frank warned that state officials could face additional consequences. The facilities in question are the Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center and the St. Peter
Forensic Mental Health Program. The judge is urging state officials to continue working with disability right advocates. Otherwise, he said the settlement could become an “entirely empty promise.”” And more lawsuits against the state could be forthcoming. In his September 4 ruling Frank scolded the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) for continuing to delay and object to responsibilities established in a 2011 settlement. In the past the judge has repeatedly denied state requests to end federal court oversight, saying that more must be done to make sweeping reforms in care.
Check our Directory of Organizations for the supports and services you need for daily living!
Page 5-8
OVERSIGHT To page 3
Voting in person? Be ready, know the rules (Editor’s note: The September issue covered how to vote early, by absentee ballot. This article covers in-person voting.) Absentee voting and the ability to mail in a ballot offer convenience for many people with disabilities and extra safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Others want to cast ballots in person. In-person voting can be done on the day of the election or in many places, through early voting. Early voting in Minnesota began September 18. Remember that early voting locations may not be the same place a voter visits on election day. Remember that in presidential election years, lines to vote can be long. It is a good idea to bring water to drink and any needed medications. Dress for the weather if lines could extend outdoors. Remember a mask and hand sanitizer. As Access Press went to press, a Minnesota Supreme Court decision was pending. The court is expected to rule soon on a case that hinges upon the assistance voters can have when casting ballots. A ruling could have major impacts on how the November 3 election is conducted. In a recent virtual hearing, the state’s high court justices questioned Democratic and Republican attorneys on election laws. Current law limits a person from assisting more than three voters in a given election. That affects people with disabilities as well as people who have language barriers to voting.
RESPECTABILITY REPORT
Two ways are available to help us:
U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank
ARC MINNESOTA
Access Press is on the move! By the end of October, we will have vacated our longtime offices at St. Paul’s Capitol Ridge building. Our new postal address is P.O. Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-5485. Our phone number remains the same, at 651-644-2133. We will no longer have a fax number. We will be able to provide a fax option if requested. Our email addresses will remain the same, with access@accesspress.org as our main email contact. This will be the first time in our 30year history that Access Press has not had a physical office. It’s a big change for us as we pack up lots of memories in the form of back issues, pictures and documents. We’ve thought of many of you, our advertisers, readers and contributors, as the process of packing up goes on. It’s fun to see a picture and remember community members and all we have done in three decades. Making the decision to go from a brick-and-mortar location to a virtual office was not an easy call for our staff and board. It is a change we hope is not permanent. In the months ahead, we hope to revisit the decision. But with a smaller staff, much less office foot traffic and transitions at our longtime building, moving to a virtual office is the best decision for the newspaper at this time. We are not alone. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced countless small businesses to adjust. Many Twin Cities neighborhood and community newspapers have already made the switch to virtual offices. We have relied on and appreciate the expertise of our colleagues in the community press as Access Press makes the transition.
"Justice requires no less."
DIRECTORY of Organizations
Volume 31, Number 10
Voting in person in November? Stay safe and plan ahead. A separate state law limits persons who collect and deliver absentee ballots to only handling a maximum of three. Both laws come into play, including when staff members at a group home travel to the polls with residents or when ballots are delivered to be counted. Democrats initially sued to stop enforcement of the law. The contention is that the laws have unfairly prevented some people from casting their ballots. A Ramsey County District Court ruling put both laws on hold, sparking an
appeal by the national and Minnesota Republican parties.
Know access rules Polling places must be physically accessible. According to the Minnesota Secretary of State, at least one set of doors must have a minimum width of 32 inches if the doors must be used to enter or leave the polling place. Any curb adjacent to the main entrance to a polling place must have curb cuts or temporary ramps. Where VOTING To page 3
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
TIM’S DESK
Tim Benjamin We've had a beautiful summer and fall. Now winter is peeking just around the corner. I'm kind of looking forward to it though because I've been on bed rest for much of the summer. I'm getting healthier and I am finally able to get up, so the worst of the bed rest is behind me. Even though winter and COVID-19 will limit how much I can be out, it’ll be great to feel the sun directly and see what’s going on in my little corner of the world. So much bigger than the corners of my room. “Notorious RBG” died on September 18, leaving an open seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. With the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the court lost a liberal voice and people with disabilities lost an important advocate. It was RBG who wrote the majority opinion in the “Olmstead v. L.C.” case of two women who sued the State of Georgia for the right to live in the least restrictive environment. The Supreme Court determined that the
Pg 2
Right now, I'm heading to the Voter Information Portal at the Minnesota Secretary of State's office, where I can do it all: check my registration, preview my ballot, and find a polling place.
Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees that right. Minnesota is one of the handful of states that has an Olmstead Subcabinet and Implementation Office with an active Olmstead plan. After a planning group met in 2012, Gov. Mark Dayton signed an executive order in 2013 creating a state subcabinet to implement Olmstead. More recently, Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation to continue the work. The work has been going on for a long time, starting in Minnesota in 2009 when we had a class-action suit, Jensen v. Minnesota Department of Health, in which Bradley Jensen’s family (along with others) petitioned the state of Minnesota to establish a plan to start implementing the requirements of the Olmstead decision. The federal court has been monitoring the work of the Olmstead Commission and requiring more action and achievements. Court oversight in the
With the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the court lost a liberal voice and people with disabilities lost an important advocate.
case ends this month. In March of this year, the subcabinet published a revision of the Olmstead Plan and later in the year, former Minnesota legislator Shelley Madore took over as director of the Olmstead Implementation Office. Their work may have gotten lost in this year of pandemic, but it’s critical to all of us. Ginsberg’s death has left a vacancy on the Supreme Court that adds even more politics to this fall of 2020, when the politics were already as hot and divisive as they’ve ever been. It’s hard to believe that something as important as appointments to the Supreme Court isn’t described in law better than it is. Why in 2016 did the U.S. Senate demand that the president leave open the seat vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia nine months before the election, but this year the Senate insists that the president must fill the seat just 45 days before the national election? Power and control is the answer. We have to remember that we the people are the ones who are supposed to have the biggest say in who has power and control. Last month I talked about how the disability community has a lot of potential power. There are so many of us, and while we may have different opinions and politics, we have more common
interests than many other groups. It’s up to us to make sure that laws and politics serve us. I hope by now all of you have done your absentee ballots if that's your plan. Whatever your voting plan is, take a minute to double check and make sure you’re registered to vote and there's not been a change of address or anything since the last registration. Voting in person could be a little bit scary with the pandemic, but remember you can do that early, too, and avoid the crowds. Every county in the state has polling places for in-person absentee voting. So with all the concern about the post office not being ready for the influx of ballots, and the president making statements about the amount of fraud in vote-by-mail, you might want to think about voting early in person. Right now, I’m heading to the Voter Information Portal at the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, where I can do it all: check my registration, preview my ballot, and find a polling place. Then I'm going to go ahead and vote before the deadline, and later at the same Voter Information Portal, I’ll follow the “Track Your Ballot” link to make sure I was counted. I hope you’ll do the same. Our healthcare, our assistance, our place in the community, and maybe our lives depend on it.
HISTORY NOTE Hadamar documentary is a haunting story of many lives lost needlessly The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities presents a new documentary, Hadamar: The Forgotten Holocaust, detailing Hitler's extermination of people with disabilities On September 1, 1939, World War II began with the German invasion of Poland. That was followed by the September 19 invasion of Poland by the Soviet Union. Those invasions triggered unimaginable loss of life and the widespread destruction of property. The tragedies occurred in what is known as the Second Polish Republic, or interwar Poland. That refers to Poland of 1918-1939, the period between the two World Wars. This republic ceased to exist after the invasions by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and the Slovak Republic. This history is important for the disability community to remember because Nazi Germany leader Adolph Hitler targeted people with disabilities for extermination. Hitler was determined to
create a “master race” of people. It is estimated that more than six million Jews were killed during the holocaust. But before the Holocaust began Hitler targeted others he deemed unworthy of life. The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities in September released a new documentary entitled, Hadamar: The Forgotten Holocaust. The documentary focuses on Adolph Hitler's order to kill hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities as he sought to create a master race and kill people who didn’t fit his vision. People with many types of disabilities were targeted. The name Hadamar refers to one of the hospitals in which people were killed. Hadamar Euthanasia Centre was known as the "House of Shutters," was a psychiatric hospital located in the German town of Hadamar. Beginning in 1939, the Nazis used Hadamar as one of six for the T-4 Euthanasia Programme, which performed
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, John Clark, ........................................................................Jane Larson, Shannah Mulvihill, Walt Seibert, Joel Ulland, Kay Willshire Advertising Sales....................................651-644-2133 Managing Editor......................................Jane McClure Columnist/Staff Writer........................ Tim Benjamin
Cartoonist.................................................... Scott Adams Production...................................................... In-Fin Tuan
EDITORIAL: Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press. ADVERTISING RATES: Display Ad: $12 to $28 per column inch (size and frequency of run). Classified Ad: $14, plus 65¢ per word over 12 words. DEADLINE: 15th of each month. CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION: 11,000 copies are distributed the 10th of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 450 copies are mailed to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders. SUBSCRIPTION: $30 per year. Low-income, student and bulk subscriptions available at discounted rates. ABOUT ACCESS PRESS: A monthly newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at the St. Paul, MN 55121 facility. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Access Press at 161 St. Anthony Ave, Suite 901, St. Paul, MN 55103. INQUIRIES AND ADDRESS CHANGES should be directed to: Access Press, The Capitol Ridge Inn Offices PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-5485; 651-644-2133; email: access@accesspress.org Website: nonprofitcharity.org
mass sterilizations and mass murder of "undesirable" members of German society, specifically those with physical and cognitive disabilities. In total, an estimated 200,000 people were killed at these facilities, including thousands of children. Children were the first killed. People were typically killed with deadly gas. After many people died, their organs were used for further study. Gold teeth were harvested. Staff celebrated when a milestone number of deaths was reached. Hadamar and its hospital fell within the American occupation zone after the war. In October 1945, a trial was conducted by U.S. forces. It was the first mass atrocity trial following WWII. Doctors and staff were tried on murder charges. Several people were found guilty and executed. After German courts were reestablished during the Allied occupation, more trials were held under those courts’ jurisdiction.
The hospital at Hadamar continues to operate. It holds an annual memorial to the euthanasia murders as well as an exhibit about the Nazi program. The documentary is very powerful and contains images that may be very distributing to some people. But it presents a striking look back at how many innocent people with disabilities were regarded, and how they suffered. Material came from Dave Reynolds of Spokane, Washington, who has extensively researched the genocide. Tim Lewis from Mastcom converted Reynolds’ lecture materials for use as a documentary. See the documentary at https://mn.gov/ mnddc/index.html The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
Pg 3
PEOPLE & PLACES Fix What You Can: Schizophrenia and a Lawmaker's Fight for Her Son by Mindy Greiling is being released this fall by University of Minnesota Press. Former Minnesota Rep. Mindy Greiling (DFL-Roseville) has been a champion of mental health reform in Minnesota for decades. During her legislative career Greiling reformed hospital release procedures and introduced legislation that allows for earlier intervention on behalf of people in crisis who do not recognize they are ill. But for 14 of her 20 years in the Minnesota House, she and her husband Roger also struggled to help their son navigate the state’s mental health system. Jim Greiling, who has schizoaffective disorder, began experiencing delusions in his college years that demanded he kill his mother. Mindy Greiling worried that her son’s fate would be similar to that of her own grandmother, who in 1955 was committed to Rochester State Hospital. Emboldened by her years of legislative experience and her family’s harrowing struggle with an inadequate mental health system, Mindy Greiling began writing her story. The resulting book, Fix What You Can is a brave and personal
account of the day-today realities of caring for the mentally ill—from medication compliance and employment to suicide attempts and illicit drug use—as seen through the eyes of both a parent and an advocate. Memoirs about schizophrenia are not exactly rare. The Greiling family’s story is unique because her political stature enabled her to actually effect Jim and Mindy Greiling some of the necessary changes to the mental health system. While Mindy Greiling was uniquely situated to navigate the tangled mental health system, all caretakers will relate to the struggles of trying to navigate the tangled moods and psychotic episodes of their loved ones as they cope with this terrible disorder. Fix What You Can is a memoir that will offer hope, inspiration, and emotional
OVERSIGHT From page 1
“The termination of the court’s jurisdiction over this matter, though, should in no way imply that the court feels that justice has been served,” Frank’s ruling stated. “At some point, the purpose of the agreement was lost—overcome by litigation tactics to end this court’s jurisdiction at the expense of making meaningful lasting improvements in the lives of people with disabilities. At best, these actions fall short of the ideals defendants initially espoused; at worst, they are an embarrassment to the State of Minnesota as a whole and a manifest injustice against the persons the agreement was intended to serve. Had defendants directed their litigious energy into implementing the agreement, they may have established a national model. Sadly, they did not.” “Justice requires no less,” Frank said. “If not, the court fears that it is not a matter of if, but when, future lawsuits will arise.” The long and complex court battle began in July 2009, when three families filed suit on behalf of their adult children with disabilities. At the center of the lawsuit was the Minnesota Extended Treatment Options (METO) facility in Cambridge, which was a state mental health treatment facility. Before the lawsuit was filed, METO had long been a topic of scrutiny for the disability community, closely monitored by the Minnesota Disability Law Center,
VOTING
From page 1 the main entrance is not the accessible entrance, any curb adjacent to the accessible entrance must also have curb cuts or temporary ramps. Where the main entrance is not the accessible entrance, a sign shall be posted at the main entrance giving directions to the accessible entrance. At least one set of stairs must have a temporary handrail and ramp if stairs must be used to enter or leave the polling place. No barrier in the polling place may impede the path of persons with disabilities to the voting booth. At least one parking space for persons with disabilities, which may be temporarily so designated by the municipality for the day of the election, must be available near the accessible entrance. The doorway, handrails, ramps and accessible parking must conform to the standards specified in the state building code for accessibility by persons with disabilities. Local officials can only choose polling places that meet the standards unless no available place within a precinct is accessible or can be made accessible. Report a problem Contact local election officials immediately if a polling place is not accessible. Who those officials are varies from community to community. In some communities county government oversees elections. In others, cities or township have jurisdiction. Get help when voting It’s OK to bring a helper to the polls. Friends, neighbors or family members are among the accepted helpers. An employer or a representative from the voter’s union cannot serve as helpers. A helper or assistant can help mark a ballot and go into the voting booth with the voter. It’s OK for the voter to
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA PRESS
Fix What You Can is one family’s compelling story
resonance for parents, mental health professionals and lay readers who want to support affected families and friends. Mindy Greiling was a member of the Minnesota House for 20 years. She helped found the nation’s first state mental health caucus, which successfully lobbied for a significant increase in Minnesota’s mental health funding. She has served on state and national boards of
the National Alliance on Mental Illness and is on the University of Minnesota Psychiatry Community Advisory Council.
parents and family members of residents, and a number of disability rights, advocacy and service provider organizations. Use of restraints and placement of patients in seclusion at METO were at the heart of the lawsuit, filed by the Jensen, Jacobs and Allen-Brinker families. They contended their adult sons were subject to seclusion and restraint, and cruel treatment. One of the young men was sent to METO for throwing paint at school. All of the families struggled to get their sons out of METO. The lawsuit soon became a class action involving more than 300 families. Court documents stated that METO staff routinely restrained patients in a prone face-down position and placed them in metal handcuffs and leg hobbles at risk of injury, causing them to struggle, cry and shout once they were in the restraints. METO also placed patients in seclusion rooms for extended time periods, and deprived them of visits from family members. Restraints and seclusion were used by METO as a practice of behavior modification, coercion, discipline, convenience and retaliation. METO staff allegedly restrained some patients hundreds of times, and used these tactics for conduct as benign as touching a pizza box, not staying within eyesight of staff, or even after patients were calmly eating a snack or watching television. State officials argued that restraint of patients at METO is necessary. But families and their legal counsel said that their case is one about human dignity and
respect for those with developmental disabilities. A $3 million settlement was reached in fall 2010. METO was closed. Use of mechanical restraints at state facilities ended. Another key condition of the settlement was that the families and state officials would work together to develop appropriate policies and procedures for use at METO and DHS facilities. The parties formed a committee to include stakeholders within the developmental disabilities community to study, review and modernize the DHS rule (Rule 40), which governs and protects people with developmental disabilities, to reflect current best practices including the use of positive and social behavioral supports. Another major outcome of the case was that it jumpstarted work on Minnesota’s long-awaited Olmstead Plan. All states are required to have an Olmstead Plan, as a result of the 1999 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The plans are to guide states on how to help people with disabilities live lives that are fully integrated into their communities. But disability advocates had hoped for more reforms, and were frustrated by the years of court oversight of DHS dragged on. Court filings and hearings over the years centered on the progress of reform or the lack thereof. Outside reviews and what they indicate have been a flash point in the case. Read past stories about the case at www.accesspress.org. Use the search word METO.
show a ballot privately to an election judge, to check that it is correctly marked. Be aware that election judges may ask if a helper is assisting the voter or trying to influence them. Helpers cannot unduly influence a voter to mark a ballot one way or another. No helper? Ask election judges if they can provide help. The precinct head judge will assign two judges as helpers, from different political parties. Voting places may also offer machines to help voters with disabilities, such as machines that read the ballots
through headphones or machines that show a ballot in large print. Braille keypads, touchscreens or puff and sip devices are options. Another form of assistance is to have election judges bring a ballot to a motor vehicle outside of the polling place. This is called curbside voting. Voters can ask the head judge at a precinct or early voting place for assistance. Two judges, each from different parties, are assigned to help the voter fill out and cast a ballot. Learn more about elections at www.sos.state.mn.us/
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
Pg 4
FROM OUR COMMUNITY
Make a difference for your community, join MNCCD this fall For the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD), 2020 was a year full of the unexpected, with many new challenges and triumphs. The consortium is looking toward 2021 but it needs disability advocacy organizations and community members to continue its record of success. The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD) is a broad-based coalition of advocacy and provider organizations working to change public policy to improve the lives of people with disabilities through building awareness, providing education and engaging the community. Organizations eligible for membership are those that serve and/or advocate on behalf of Minnesotans with disabilities. Governmental agencies may be members of MNCCD only if their statutory mission includes advocacy on behalf of Minnesotans with disabilities. Our current year began with a well-attended and successful MNCCD Advocacy Conference highlighted by Gov. Tim Walz as our special guest. When the state capitol and offices closed to visitors we began to advocate virtually, successfully hosting Virtual Tuesdays at the Capitol, with high attendance and participation. MNCCD’s contract lobbyists worked hard to advance our 2020 legislative agenda. Even with the change of course in session and multiple special sessions, several MNCCD policy priorities were signed into law including modernizing Minnesota’s guardianship laws, autism training for first responders, and prior Authorization Reform. We could not have accomplished what we did in 2020 without the support of each one of our members. As the end of 2020 is approaching, we are looking
Structural changes were being considered for the MNCCD Executive Committee and board officer positions, making it clear that participation in committees (including work groups) is only open to MNCCD members (to protect the value of membership). Another change would require that all members and board members sign a code of conduct. Procedural changes were also on the table, focusing on policy issues. Policy work is crucial for MNCCD and its members. It was recommended that policy priorities go directly from the Policy Committee to the full membership and then to the board. This proposed change was seen allowing the policy co-chairs to work with the board directly to add or modify policy priorities during a legislative session. Watch MNCCD social media and the November issue of Access Press for an update on the bylaws changes. MNCCD is as strong as our members, and the decisions are made by those at the table. Watch for opportunities to get involved and events hosted by MNCCD. Thank you for your continued membership and your collaborative work for people with disabilities. Please contact us if you have any questions. Get a membership form by contacting Bridget Carter at bcarter@mnccd.org. MNCCD is providing an option to pay membership dues online through the MNCCD PayPal account as well as with checks. MNCCD is looking forward to a successful year ahead! This information is from Marnie Falk, MNCCD Board Chair, and Bridget Carter, MNCCD Project Coordinator.
ahead to 2021. We are already diligently preparing our 2021 legislative agenda, planning advocacy events, and preparing for the future of Tuesdays at the Capitol. We have a collective voice that has become increasingly powerful and now is the time for our voice to be heard. We know that financially times are tough, but we also know that the work we do cannot be done by any one organization alone. With a pending state deficit in the 2021-2022 biennium, the Health and Human Services budget is at great risk for cuts. Membership dollars keep MNCCD going and are more important perhaps than ever as we prepare to defend all of the important programs and services people with disabilities depend on. The MNCCD annual meeting was held September 30, after this edition of Access Press went to press. At that meeting MNCCD members voted on revisions to the MNCCD bylaws. The changes on the table would update bylaws dating from 2014. One major change considered is that of individual memberships, to ensure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in all of MNCCD’s work.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Despite pandemic, direct support professionals continue to persevere In the midst of the virus-centered environment which we all call home, I wanted to mention a bright spot that sometimes goes unnoticed in our communities. I’m referring to people who serve the day to day needs of individuals with disabilities as their profession. Each day, there are individuals in this community who enjoy a quality of life that wouldn’t be the same if not for the efforts of direct support professionals (DSPs) and other support staff. They work for day service providers like ours, and in residential facilities. In response to the challenges presented by COVID-19, people in our profession have adapted, responded and continued to help hundreds of people, in a highly restricted environment. We assist with employment options, life skills and enrichment and community-engagement efforts. People with disabilities have goals in life, and staff are there to help them achieve them. This year we acknowledged the important roles that DSPs and all of our staff members play by hosting luncheon celebrations at ProAct locations the week of September 14. The festivities were part of national Direct Support Professional Recognition Week and were well received. Whether we realize it or not, recognition is important to all of us. It’s a motivator to keep doing our best, and, in our case, to reach for the best with the people we serve. We are thankful for that opportunity and look forward to a productive fall and winter. Judie Foster-Lupkin, President, ProAct, Inc. ProAct is a nonprofit serving people with disabilities, with locations in Eagan, Red Wing, Zumbrota, Shakopee, Minn. and Hudson, Wis.
Deadline is the 15th of the month!
Future bus rapid transit (BRT) line connecting: Saint Paul • Maplewood • Landfall • Oakdale • Woodbury •
Provide your feedback on updated station site designs.
Attend an
online open house
1
Thursday, October 8 Noon – 1:30 p.m.
2
Tuesday, October 13 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Register for an online open house and learn about other events and opportunities to provide feedback: Questions? Call or email us
651-644-2133 access@accesspress.org
• metrotransit.org/gold-line • goldline@metrotransit.org • 651-602-1977
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
Pg 5
DIRECTORY of Organizations ADVOCACY Advocating Change Together (ACT)
V-651-641-0297
The Arc of Minnesota
V-952-920-0855
F-651-209-3723
www.arcminnesota.org
Association of Residential Resources in MN
V-651-291-1086
TTY-800-551-2211
www.arrm.org
Cow Tipping Press
V-507-521-2278
MCIL
V-651-646-8342
www.selfadvocacy.org
www.cowtippingpress.org F-651-603-2066
MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities V-612-455-1232
www.mcil-mn.org www.mnccd.org
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
V-651-294-8100
www.UnitedCareWorkersMN.org
United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota
V-651-265-7361
www.ucpmn.org
TF 800-537-2237
www.pacer.org
ASSISTED LIVING Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
V-651-645-7271
TTY-800-466-7722
www.accessiblespace.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
F-952-930-4279
www.opportunities.org
V-612-789-1236
F-612-706-5555
www.actg.org
Mary T. Inc. Supportive Living Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
F-952-930-4279
www.opportunities.org
AUTISM SERVICES A Chance to Grow
BRAIN INJURY
Residential and outpatient substance use treatment for adults with TBI, cognitive deficits or multiple disabilities.
763.479.3555 | VinlandCenter.org Where experiences & adventures are open to individuals of all abilities True Friends provides life-changing experiences to children and adults with disabilities through a variety of programs at five Minnesota locations. Camp
Programs
Travel
Horse Therapy
Team Building
Respite
Retreat Centers
CASE MANAGEMENT ACCORD (Formerly CIP)
V-612-224-9101
www.accord.org
CHEMICAL HEALTH Avivo
V-612-752-8000
Vinland National Center
V/TTY-763-479-3555 F-763-479-2605
www.vinlandcenter.org
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsmllc.org
Living Well Disability Services
V-651-688-8808
F-651-688-8892
www.livingwell.org
LSS Host Homes
V-651-255-2363
hosthomes@lssmn.org www.lssmn.org/hosthomes
LSS Specialized Community Supports
V-651-504-6974
scs@lssmn.org
www.lssmn.org/scs
Mary T. Inc. Supportive Living Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
MCIL
V-651-646-8342
F-651-603-2066
www.mcil-mn.org
Metro Work Center, Inc
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
www.metroworkcenter.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
F-952-930-4279
www.opportunities.org
Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
F-952-229-4468
www.reachforresources.org
F-612-752-8101
www.avivomn.org
COMMUNITY LIVING
CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS Accra Care
V-952-935-3515
TF-866-935-3515
www.accracare.org
GT Independence
V-651-247-7107
TF-877-659-4500
www.gtindependence.com
Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-866-454-2732
www.lifeworks.org
MRCI-Client Directed Services
V-507-386-5704
TF-800-829-7110
www.mrcicds.org
Partners in Community Supports
V-651-967-5060
info@picsmn.org
www.picsmn.org
SMILES Center for Independent Living
V/TTY-507-345-7139 TF-888-676-6498
www.smilescil.org
EDUCATION Avivo Institute of Career & Tech Education V-612-752-8100 Children's Theatre Company
V-612-874-0400
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
F-612-752-8101
www.resource-mn.org www.childrenstheatre.org
F-612-353-6638
www.upstreamarts.org
Locations
Camp Courage Maple Lake, MN
Camp Eden Wood Eden Prairie, MN
Camp Friendship Camp Courage North Annandale, MN
Lake George, MN
Plymouth Office Plymouth, MN
www.truefriends.org | 952.852.0101 | info@truefriends.org
Helping People Live The Life of Their Choosing Regardless of Age or Ability
651-247-7107
www.gtindependence.com
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
Pg 6
DIRECTORY of Organizations EMPLOYMENT/VOCATION Avivo
V-612-752-8100
F-612-752-8101
www.avivomn.org
Chrestomathy, Inc.
V-952-974-0339
F-952-974-0307
www.chrestomathyinc.org
ACCORD (Formerly CIP)
V-612-353-4595
V-651-362-4400
www.accord.org
Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-612-775-2569
www.allinahealth.org/couragekenny
Fraser Transitional Services
V-612-767-5180
Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota
V-651-379-5800
Kaposia Inc.
V/TTY-651-224-6974 F-651-224-7249
www.kaposia.com
Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-651-365-3736
www.lifeworks.org
LSS Employment First Services
V-651-642-5990
pss@lssmn.org
www.lssmn.org/employmentfirst
Merrick, Inc.
V-651-789-6200
F-651-789-9960
www.merrickinc.org
Metro Work Center, Inc.
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
www.metroworkcenter.org
MSS
V-651-778-1000
F-612-772-4352
www.mwsservices.org
Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI)
V-651-999-8200
F-651-999-8242
www.mdi.org
MOHR
V-651-489-2595
F-651-489-0410
www.MOHRMN.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
F-952-930-4279
www.opportunities.org
Partnership Resources, Inc.
V-952-925-1404
F-952-925-6055
www.partnershipresources.org
Partnership Resources, Inc. - Minneapolis
V-612-331-2075
F-612-331-2887
www.partnershipresources.org
Partnership Resources, Inc. - Older Adults V-952-746-6206
V-651-331-2075
www.partnershipresources.org
ProAct Inc.
V-651-686-0405
F-651-686-0312
www.proactinc.org
Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
F-952-229-4468
www.reachforresources.org
Rise, Inc.
V/TTY-763-786-8334 F-763-786-0008
www.rise.org
TSE, Inc.
V-651-489-2595
F-651-489-0410
www.tse-inc.org
WACOSA
V-320-257-5191
F-320-259-4670
www.WACOSA.org
Work Incentives Connection
V-651-632-5113
TF-800-976-6728
www.mnworkincentives.com
www.fraser.org F-651-379-5803
www.goodwilleasterseals.org
GOVERNMENT
Be part of our
Directory of Organizations!
Next edition: January 2021 24/7 online Call Access Press at 651-644-2133 today!
Minnesota Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800 TTY-800-945-8913
www.disability.state.mn.us
MN Gov. Council on Developmental Disabilities
V-651-296-4018
TF-800-627-3529
www.mncdd.org
V-800-707-1711
TTY-800-688-2534
www.ucare.org
HEALTH CARE PLANS UCare
HEARING IMPAIRMENT Hearing Loss Assn. of America-TC Chapter
V-763-447-9672
www.hlaatc.org
HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES A Chance to Grow
V-612-789-1236
V-612-706-5555
www.actg.org
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4434
V-612-362-4452
www.cipmn.org
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
Mary T. Inc. Home Health Care
V-763-862-5426
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
Accessible Space, Inc. Accessible Space, Inc. Accessible Space, Housing Inc. Accessible, Affordable
Accessible, Affordable Housing Accessible, Affordable Housing Accessible, Affordable Housing For adults with qualifying disabilities. Over 50 barrier-free apartment
For adults with & qualifying disabilities.the Over 50 barrier-free communities homes throughout Metropolitan Area,apartment Greater For adults with qualifying disabilities. Over 50 barrier-free communities & homes the throughout Metropolitan Area,apartment Greater For adults & with qualifying disabilities. Over 50 barrier-free apartment Minnesota, throughout Midwest.the Locations also available in many communities & throughout the Metropolitan Area, Greater Minnesota, & throughout the Midwest. Locations also available in many communities & homes homes throughout the Metropolitan Area, Greater other states. Income limits apply. Minnesota, & throughout the Midwest. Locations also available other states. Income Locations limits apply. Minnesota, & throughout the Midwest. also available in in many many Immediate openings Marshall, Willmar and Hibbing, Minnesota other states. Income limits apply. other states. Income limits apply. Immediate openings Marshall, Willmar and Hibbing, Minnesota Immediate openings Marshall, Marshall, Willmar and Hibbing, Hibbing, Minnesota Minnesota Affordable Senior Apartments Immediate openings Willmar and
Affordable Senior Apartments Affordable Affordable Senior Senior Apartments Apartments 'PS RVBMJGZJOH TFOJPS IPVTFIPMET BHF BOE CFUUFS .FUSP HSFBUFS
'PS RVBMJGZJOH TFOJPS IPVTFIPMET BHF BOE CFUUFS .FUSP HSFBUFS MN locations available. Accessible apts. available for seniors in these 'PS RVBMJGZJOH TFOJPS IPVTFIPMET BHF BOE CFUUFS .FUSP HSFBUFS MN locations available. Accessible apts. available 'PS RVBMJGZJOH TFOJPS IPVTFIPMET BHF BOE CFUUFS .FUSP HSFBUFS locations. Income limits apply. for seniors in these MN locations available. Accessible apts. available for seniors seniors in in these these locations. Income limits apply. for MN locations available. Accessible apts. available locations. Income limits apply. locations. Income limits apply.
Housing with Care* Housing with Care* Housing t IPVS "TTJTUFE -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT t *OEFQFOEFOU -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT Housing with with Care* Care*
t IPVS "TTJTUFE -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT t *OEFQFOEFOU -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT t 3FTJEFOU $PNNVOJUZ 4FUUJOH "EVMU 'PTUFS $BSF t IPVS "TTJTUFE -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT t *OEFQFOEFOU -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT t 3FTJEFOU $PNNVOJUZ 4FUUJOH "EVMU 'PTUFS $BSF t IPVS "TTJTUFE -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT t *OEFQFOEFOU -JWJOH 4FSWJDFT &MJHJCJMJUZ GPS PS TFMFDUJPO PG "4* TFSWJDFT JT OPU SFRVJSFE UP RVBMJGZ t 3FTJEFOU $PNNVOJUZ 4FUUJOH "EVMU 'PTUFS $BSF &MJHJCJMJUZ GPS PS TFMFDUJPO PG "4* TFSWJDFT JT OPU SFRVJSFE UP RVBMJGZ t 3FTJEFOU $PNNVOJUZ 4FUUJOH "EVMU 'PTUFS $BSF GPS IPVTJOH "4* TFSWJDFT BSF OPU BWBJMBCMF JO BMM MPDBUJPOT &MJHJCJMJUZ GPS PS TFMFDUJPO PG "4* TFSWJDFT JT OPU SFRVJSFE UP RVBMJGZ GPS IPVTJOH "4* TFSWJDFT BSF OPU BWBJMBCMF JO BMM MPDBUJPOT &MJHJCJMJUZ GPS PS TFMFDUJPO PG "4* TFSWJDFT JT OPU SFRVJSFE UP RVBMJGZ Services openings! Call today GPS IPVTJOH "4* TFSWJDFT BSF OPU BWBJMBCMF JO BMM MPDBUJPOT GPS IPVTJOH "4* TFSWJDFT BSF OPU BWBJMBCMF JO BMM MPDBUJPOT Services openings! Call today Services Services openings! openings! Call Call today today
Call 800-466-7722 Call 800-466-7722 TTY/TDD 800-627-3529 Call 800-466-7722 TTY/TDD 800-627-3529 www.accessiblespace.org TTY/TDD 800-627-3529 www.accessiblespace.org
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
Pg 7
DIRECTORY of Organizations HOSPICE CARE Mary T. Inc. Hospice Care
V-763-772-9963
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com/hospice_care.php
HOUSING-CONSTRUCTION/REMODELING Ability Solutions & TwinCity Stairlifts
V-952-808-3646
F-952-808-2647
www.twincitystairlifts.com
AccessAbility Options, Inc.
V-763-571-6789
F-800-632-0798
www.accessoptionsmn.com
Accessibility Design
V-952-925-0301
F-952-926-7712
www.accessibilitydesign.com
Accessible Homes, LLC.
V-612-978-1054
F-651-554-3085
www.accessiblehomesllc.net
Lifeway Mobility
V-651-323-1190
TF-800-561-2333
www.lifewaymobility.com
Otis Ironworks LLC
V-507-884-1023
www.facebook.com/otisironworks
HOUSING-RENTAL Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
V-651-645-7271
Ebenezer Park Apartments
V-612-879-2233
LSS Host Homes
V-651-255-2363
hosthomes@ lssmn.org
www.lssmn.org/hosthomes
National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc
V-651-639-9799
F-651-639-9699
www.nhhiaccessiblehousing.com
Rental Housing by Mary T. Inc.
V-763-862-5432
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
711 relay service
www.adaminnesota.org
TTY-800-627-3529
www.accessiblespace.org www.fairviewebenezer.org
INFORMATION/REFERRAL RESOURCES ADA Minnesota; a program within MCIL
V-651-603-2015
Minnesota Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800 TTY-800-945-8913
www.disability.state.mn.us
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
www.pacer.org
United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota
V-651-265-7361
TTY-952-838-0190
www.ucpmn.org
INSURANCE AssuredPartners of Minnesota, LLC
V-651-294-0710
TF-800-886-7201
F-651-644-9137
V-612-334-5970
TF-800-292-4150
www.mndlc.org
LEGAL Minnesota Disability Law Center
MEDICAL SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT Handi Medical Supply
V-651-644-9770
F-651-644-0602
www.handimedical.com
Phoenix Medical Services Inc.
V-651-636-0848
F-651-636-5746
www.PhoenixMedical.org
Avivo
V-612-752-8074
V-612-752-8189
www.avivomn.org
ACCORD (Formerly CIP)
V-612-362-4400
Fraser
T-651-767-7222
Lifetrack
V-651-227-8471
MENTAL HEALTH www.accord.org www.fraser.org V-651-227-0621
www.lifetrack-mn.org
National Alliance on Mental Illness of MN V-651-645-2948
TF-888-NAMI-Helps www.namihelps.org
Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
F-952-229-4468
Vinland National Center
V/TTY-763-479-3555
www.vinlandcenter.org
Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
V-651-290-8707
www.gillettechildrens.org
Wound Healing Center
V-715-268-0175
www.AmeryMedicalCenter.org
www.reachforresources.org
PHYSICIANS
RECREATION-ADAPTIVE HOBBY/EXERCISE/SPORTS/ARTS Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-612-775-2277
Drama Interaction, 501(c)3
V-952-220-1676
218-726-4762
www.allinahealth.org/ couragekenny www.cokartscenter.com/ dramainteraction501c3.html
Make the news!
Receiving an award? Joining a board? Moving to new space? Winning a race? Filling a top post? Send us your “boast”! Marking a key date? Please don’t be late! Access Press welcomes submissions for the People and Places pages. Submissions are due by the 25th of each month.
™
Individualized Housing Options • • • •
Questions? Email or call 651-644-2133 or access@accesspress.org
Supported Apartments Home Health ILS and SILS 24-Hour Emergency Assistance 763-754-2505 Follow us at www.marytinc.com
in
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
Thanks to ALL OF YOU for supporting Access Press
BENEFACTOR ($1000 & up) J. Martin (Marty) Carlson 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
GOLD ($500-$999) 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
Jeff Bangsberg & Anita Boucher Bill & Alex Bartolic Dean R. Doering and Lisa Scribner Lawrence B. Dunham Sherry Gray Robert Paul Gregory Kim Keprios Steve Kuntz Richard Lesicko Rick & Susie Macpherson Dorothy McCoy Andrea McKee Lisa & Jimmy Michaels Jean Larson Mineart
Brandon Miller Manley & Ann Olson Anne Henry & Jerry Peterson David Sherwood-Gabrielson John B. Smith Linda Wolford Advocating Change Together Companion Housing Program Courage Kenny Institute Institute on Comm. Integration Just-Comfort Inc. The Minneapolis Foundation MCIL
SILVER ($150-$499)
BRONZE ($75-$149)
Anonymous Dawn Doering Craig Dunn Lee Ann Erickson Vicki Gerrits Marjorie Goldberg Stephen Grams Mike Gude
Pam Hochrein Joe & Cindy Johns-Giesen Sandi Lane William & Joen Overby Annette Pantel Mark & Mary Payette Reach for Resources
Alina Schroeder John Sherman Jon Skaalen Sharon & Paul van Winkel Dale and Janis Zeski Hennepin County Library
FRIEND ($50-$74) Steve Anderson (in honor of) Arlys Arnold Ellen Boucher Larry Burkum Yoshiko Dart Mel & Georgia Duncan JoAnn & Steve Erbes
Nancy Eustis Burl Gilyard Luther Granquist & Anita Schermer Ann Griffith Robert Groven Martha Hage Marjorie Huebner
Dale Janiszeski Gene Martinez Sue Norman Lori Schluttenhofer Virginia Schwartzbauer David SherwoodGabrielson Diane Sprague
SUBSCRIBE & SUPPORT Access Press* Subscriber $30 Friend $50+ Bronze $75+ Silver $150+ Gold $500+ Benefactor $1000+ DATE: _____________________________________________
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
Pg 8
DIRECTORY of Organizations RECREATION-ADAPTIVE HOBBY/EXERCISE/SPORTS/ARTS Highland Friendship Club
V-651-698-4096
www.highlandfriendshipclub.org
Mind Body Solutions
V-952-473-3700
www.mindbodysolutions.org
Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
Simply Jane and Artable
V-612-354-3961
www.simplyjanestudio.com
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
www.upstreamarts.org
F-952-229-4468
www.reachforresources.org
RECREATION-DINING/BARS/CLUBS Highland Friendship Club
V-651-698-4096
www.highlandfriendshipclub.org
RECREATION-MOVIES/PERFORMING ARTS/SPECTATOR SPORTS/MUSEUM Children's Theatre Company
V-612-874-0400
www.childrenstheatre.org
Highland Friendship Club
V-651-698-4096
www.highlandfriendshipclub. org
RECREATION-TRAVEL/CAMPING Hammer Travel
V-952-277-2458
TF-877-345-8599
www.hammertravel.com
True Friends
V-952-852-0101
TF-800-450-8376
www.truefriends.org
Ventures Travel
V-952-852-0107
TF-866-692-7400
www.venturestravel.org
Wilderness Inquiry
V-612-676-9400
TF-800-728-0719
www.wildernessinquiry.org
REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY THERAPISTS) A Chance to Grow
V-612-789-1236
V-612-706-5555
www.actg.org
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute
V-763-588-0811
V-612-262-7979
www.allinahealth.org/ couragekenny
Fraser
V-612-767-5180
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-291-2848
TF-800-719-4040
www.gillettechildrens.org
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
RESIDENTIAL/GROUP HOME PROGRAMS ACCORD (Formerly CIP)
V-612-362-4400
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
Hammer Residences
V-952-473-1261
F-952-473-8629
www.Hammer.org
Living Well Disability Services
V-651-688-8808
F-651-688-8892
www.livingwell.org
LSS Host Homes
V-651-255-2363
hosthomes@lssmn. org
www.lssmn.org/hosthomes
LSS Specialized Community Supports
V-651-504-6974
scs@lssmn.org
www.lssmn.org/scs
LSS Supported Living Services
V-651-642-5990
pss@lssmn.org
www.lssmn.org/sls
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
F-952-930-4279
www.opportunities.org
Phoenix Residence
V-651-227-7655
F-651-227-6847
www.phoenixresidence.org
REM Minnesota
V-952-945-4952
F-952-922-6885
www.remminnesota.org
Restart, Inc.
V-952-767-3350
F-952-767-3351
www.restartincmn.org
Wingspan Life Resources
V-651-6442665x100
V-651-646-3846
ww.wingspanlife.org
Can Do Canines
V-763-331-3000
F-763-331-3009
www.can-do-canines.org
Helping Paws, Inc.
V-952-988-9359
F-952-988-9296
www.helpingpaws.org
Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs)
V-612-643-5671
www.accord.org
SERVICE ANIMALS www.PawPADS.org
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES Ebenezer Care Center
V-612-879-2262
www.fairviewebenezer.org
SOCIAL SERVICES Restart, Inc.
V-952-767-3350
F-952-767-3351
www.restartincmn.org
V-651-967-6050
info@picsmn.org
www.picsmn.org
SUPPORTS - OTHER TYPES Partners in Community Supports
TECHNOLOGY Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-290-8707
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TF 800-537-2237
www.pacer.org
SMILES Center for Independent Living
V/TTY-507-3457139
TF-888-676-6498
www.smilescil.org
www.gillettechildrens.org
TRANSPORTATION RENTAL/SALES/MODIFICATION IMED Mobility
V-651-635-0655
TF-800-788-7479
www.imedmobility.com
Vision Loss Resources
V-612-843-3400
F-612-872-0189
www.visionlossresources.org
Volunteer Braille Services
V-763-544-2880
F-763-544-3612
www.vbsmn.org
VISION IMPAIRMENT
WAIVER CASE MANAGEMENT
AMT. ENCLOSED $ _____________________________________
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
NAME _____________________________________________
Reach for Resources
V-952-200-3030
F-952-229-4468
www.reachforresources.org
ADDRESS ___________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP ___________________________ PHONE ________________________
EMAIL ________________________
Mail your sponsorship and subscription to: Access Press, LTD. PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-5485
MOVING? Don’t miss a single issue!
Call/email with your address changes. 651-644-2133 access@accesspress.org
Be part of our
Directory of Organizations! Call Access Press at 651-644-2133 today!
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10
Pg 9
REGIONAL NEWS DHS making major budget cuts
he said it will ultimately lead to advancing their mission of serving both clients and employers. (Source: Mankato Free Press)
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is preparing to lay off staff and slash millions of dollars in spending on state-run programs that serve populations including elders and people with disabilities. State employees got word of the cuts earlier this fall. Operations of some group homes for people with disabilities will shift to private operators. Dozens of positions will go unfilled at the state’s main psychiatric hospital in St. Peter. The Minnesota Sex Offender Program, which houses about 740 sex offenders at state-operated treatment centers, will lay off 15 workers. A satellite program for treating sex offenders at the state prison in Moose Lake will end. The group home shift accelerates a program that is already underway. DHS operates 120 group homes across the state that provide services for people with developmental disabilities such as autism. The system has run at a deficit, in part due to inadequate reimbursement rates. The program has also met scrutiny because it is seen as duplicated by the private sector operators who run more than 4,000 group homes around the state. In 2017, a state law change required state-run group homes to focus on serving people with complex behavioral needs that cannot be met by private, communityJodi Harpstead based providers. DHS now estimates that about 113 residents who currently live in state-run group homes do not require that higher level of care and could be served by private providers. Currently, 17 DHS-operated homes are transitioning to private care providers. Another 10 to 15 homes also will begin the transition. The transitions will continue over the next 12 to 18 months. The cost-saving measures are part of a broader effort by Minnesota’s largest state agency to close a budget gap resulting from growing employee costs, while preserving the social safety net for impoverished families and others hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Tim Walz’s administration has projected a staggering $4.7 billion shortfall for 2022 and 2023 because of the pandemic. DHS cuts are focused on a large division within the agency known as Direct Care and Treatment, which is projected to spend $533 million in the current fiscal year. It provides care to about 12,000 people with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and substance-use disorders, as well as for hundreds of sex offenders who are civilly committed for treatment. Walz has unsuccessfully sought funding for the division during two special legislative sessions. As a whole, the division faces a $27 million shortfall for the rest of the current budget cycle, and a projected $96 million gap for 2022 and 2023. The proposed cuts would reduce those deficits to $7.1 million and $70.7 million, respectively. “While these adjustments help in the short term, the decisions will only get harder going forward,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead in the memo to DHS employees. “We will consider every idea while staying focused on our goals of mitigating closures of vital services, avoiding layoffs and balancing our budget.” (Source: Star Tribune)
Wheelchair, bike are stolen
Stolen therapy dog is found
Earnest, a German shepherd therapy dog stolen from a St. Paul back yard, was found a week after he disappeared in September. The St. Paul Police Department hadn’t filed any charges as of Access Press deadline. The dog was in training when he was taken. He was taken at 1:30 a.m. September 10 after being let out into a home’s back yard. Someone opened a gate, shone a flashlight into the house and then led the dog away. A week later, someone called police to report seeing the dog. Officers responded and confirmed the dog was Earnest. The dog was with a man who said he found Earnest on St. Paul’s East Side. Sheila and Mike Metz own Lindenhill German Shepherds. They have been breeding dogs for almost 40 years and recently have focused on finding homes for puppies that could become service animals, which includes emotional support dogs. The dogs go through extensive training to be certified. The dog gets his name because of this earnest demeanor. Earnest is almost two years old. When he was a puppy, a man and his little boy came to the Metz kennel looking for a dog. That family became the dog’s primary owners. The kennel owners were helping with Earnest’s training to become a therapy dog. The search for the dog drew widespread attention. It’s not clear what Earnest’s next steps will be. He was thinner when found but appeared to otherwise be in good health. (Source: Pioneer Press)
Mankato agency goes through downsizing
When MRCI, a nonprofit that provides employment for people with disabilities, first acquired a warehouse near the Minnesota State University campus in the late 1970s, up to 400 clients arrived daily to do light assembly and packaging work. That building is now on the market and empty of those workers, who are increasingly working out in the
community for hundreds of employers. MRCI recently hosted a public sale of surplus office furniture from the building and others in the region as part of multi-year plan to consolidate buildings while providing more choices to clients to match their personal interests with meaningful work. “Part of what’s happened is we’ve moved more and more people into the community getting jobs, so the number of people working in-house is diminished,” said MRCI Executive Director Brian Benshoof. “Over the last 15 years, a lot of that kind of work has gone overseas, and we’ve found it more challenging to come up with work for people to do.” The plan to consolidate was already in place before the pandemic. But Gov. Tim Walz’s March stay-at-home order, to slow the spread of COVID-19, left few MRCI workers employed. The pandemic forced MRCI to lay off about 350 people. Like many other organizations, MRCI was put under financial strain. “A large piece of our funding went away March 18, and so did our revenue,” Benshoof said. “We were left with a number of buildings where we only used half of the space. Over half of this building wasn’t being used, and it was getting expensive.” MRCI will consolidate its two Mankato locations into one, at 1750 Energy Drive, which will be used to house administrative offices. Changes are also being made in how clients are placed with employers, and in how social activities are delivered. Many social activities have gone online. The individualized approach means MRCI will be selling its fleet of 80-plus buses in exchange for purchasing about 200 minivans. For daily outings, the 1,300 clients they serve will be placed into small groups of four and one staff member each day. How they choose to spend each day in the community will depend on what each group decides to do each week. Benshoof said MRCI’s new approach is unprecedented in Minnesota. While the pandemic has forced them to adapt,
Two Minnesotans with disabilities had mobility devices stolen in September. A young child in West St. Paul had his wheelchair stolen in late September, according to West St. Paul Police. The child is two years old and lives with cerebral palsy. “We would really like to get this back to the young man who depends on this daily," police said in a social media post. Earlier in the month, a Moorhead woman lost a specially equipped bicycle to thieves. While Moorhead Police were able to recover the pink three-wheeled bike days later, it was found damaged and spray painted. The woman who owns the bike recently installed security cameras. Footage shows two people lurking near her house before one of them cuts the cable on the locked bike. The bike is the woman’s primary way of getting around. Shortly after birth she sustained a stroke, which paralyzed the left side of her body. The bike was modified so the brakes were moved to the right-handed handlebar. Anyone with information on either case should contact police. (Sources: KSTP-TV, InForum)
Racially-based biases alleged
People of color and Native Americans working at Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) contend they are sometimes targets of racial slurs and harassment, denied promotions and raises and are isolated without support from senior management, several current and former employees say. The climate not only creates personal turmoil and career disruptions for those affected, but employees say their ideas to improve outreach and programs to better meet the needs of the state’s diverse communities are sometimes ignored. DHS, the state’s largest agency, employs 7,300 workers and serves more than 1.1 million Minnesotans with public health insurance programs, services for the elderly and people with disabilities, cash assistance and other social services. At least 35 percent of its clients are people of color or Native American, while 80 percent of its workforce is white. More than 40 percent of new hires who are Native American or people of color leave within two years, according to DHS data obtained under a Star Tribune public records request. Commissioner Jodi Harpstead, who was appointed to the department’s top job last year, said in a recent interview that she is aware of the concerns and is putting programs in place to make the DHS “an anti-racist organization.” “Obviously, we have work to do,” she said. “Right now there is a very heightened sense of frustration. I get that.” Three months ago, five legislators and two community members sent a letter to the Walz administration calling for an investigation after the DHS eliminated the job of Anab Gulaid, a Somali-American. A deputy assistant commissioner in the Community Supports Administration, Gulaid helped run a division that includes services for people with disabilities, the elderly, deaf and hard of hearing, as well as behavioral health programs. Gulaid’s role changed after Harpstead created a new deputy position in the division and hired a white man who took on most of Gulaid’s responsibilities. Both he and Harpstead served on the board of a disability services industry trade group before joining the DHS. “The autonomy to do my job was impacted by the walls that they were putting in front of me with no explanation,” said Gulaid, who added that she wasn’t informed about the new deputy until after he had been hired. “My agony was always trying to understand why, why are you trying to treat me differently?” she said. Gulaid said she thinks that she was forced out because of her efforts to hire more people with disabilities under the Connect 700 program created under former Gov. Mark Dayton. (Source: Star Tribune)
BDC MANAGEMENT CO. MAY BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for our accessible waiting lists at the following affordable communities
We may be accepting applications for our large number of mobility impaired accessible units. Please call us for more information.
Albright Townhomes Minneapolis Cornerstone Creek Apartments Golden Valley (for developmentally disabled individuals) Diamond Hill Townhomes Minneapolis Elliot Park Apartments Minneapolis Franklin Lane Apartments Anoka Hanover Townhomes St. Paul Hopkins Village Apartments Hopkins Village Apartments Hopkins Lincoln Place Apartments Mahtomedi Olson Towne Homes Minneapolis Park Plaza Apartments Minneapolis Prairie Meadows Eden Prairie Raspberry Ridge Hopkins Slater Square Apartments Minneapolis Talmage Green Minneapolis Trinity Apartments Minneapolis Unity Place Brooklyn Center Vadnais Highlands Vadnais Heights Housing for Veterans at risk of homelessness Veteran's East Apartments Minnneapolis Veteran's & Community Housing Minnneapolis
612-824-6665 763-231-6250
1 BR 1 & 2 BR
612-736-9341 612-338-3106 763-427-7650 651-292-8497 952-938-5787 952-938-5787 651-653-0640 612-377-9015 612-377-3650 952-941-5544 952-933-3260 612-340-1264 612-623-0247 612-721-2252 763-560-7563 651-653-0640
2 & 3 BR 2 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 & 2 BR 2 BR 1 BR 1 & 2 BR 2 & 3 BR 1 BR EFF & 1BR 2 BR 1 BR (sr) 2 BR 3 BR
612-208-1712 612-333-0027
EFF EFF
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10 Pg 10
RADIO TALKING BOOK Changes on the way Radio Talking Book is changing with the times. Beginning October 1, RTB will no longer be available via closedcircuit radio. Instead, listeners will have several options: on the Internet, the new RTB apps for iOS and Android, or a digital assistant like an Alexa-enabled smart speaker. These innovations will provide listeners an improved listening experience, while keeping RTB available for years to come. Another change is in how readings of Greater Minnesota newspapers are presented. Starting in October these programs will be added to the choices available through the Android and iOS apps. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, not all sites will be able to broadcast local newspaper readings. To learn more call toll-free at 1-800-652-9000, or email ssb.info@state.mn.us. There’s an app for that Access Radio Talking Book anytime and anywhere on a hand-held mobile device, for either iOS or Android. Just visit the Apple App Store for iOS, or Google Play for Android, and download the Minnesota Radio Talking Book app. It’s quick, it’s easy, and provides a convenient way to tune into RTB wherever and whenever. Books available through library services Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available for loan through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The catalog is online at www.mnbtbl.org, click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Call the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library at 800-722-0550, Monday-Friday, 9 am-4 pm CST. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books via an inter-library loan by contacting their home state’s Network Library for the National Library Service. Learn more To find more about Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network events go to the Facebook site, Minnesota Radio Talking Book. Audio information about the daily book listings is also on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for the NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424. The NFB-NEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers, plus information on COVID-19 in the “Breaking News” section. To learn more, visit www.nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-newsline. The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Many more programs and books are available. Donate to the State Services for the Blind at mn.gov/deed/ ssbdonate Listen to RTB’s live or archived programs online at www. mnssb.org/rtb Chautauqua* Monday – Friday 6 a.m. The Book of General Ignorance, nonfiction by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson, 2006. It is curiously appealing to learn that something you always believed true is, in fact, complete nonsense. Read by Dan Sadoff. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 5. None of Your Damn Business, nonfiction by Lawrence Cappello, 2019. Americans have had numerous opportunities to safeguard our personal information – but
∏∏f
we’ve squandered them every time. Read by Stevie Ray. 13 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 19. Past is Prologue* Monday – Friday 11 a.m. The Mayflower, nonfiction by Rebecca Fraser, 2016. In the early 1600s, Edward Winslow brought his family from England to Holland to the New World in America. Read by Judith Johannessen. 17 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 19. Bookworm* Monday – Friday noon Indian Horse, fiction by Richard Wagamese, 2018. Saul Indian Horse was abandoned by his mother in rural Ontario at age eight. He later uses his hockey skills to carve out his place in the world. Read by Jeffrey Weihe. Seven broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 8. The Library of Lost and Found, fiction by Phaedra Patrick, 2019. An introverted librarian unearths her family’s well-kept secrets, and discovers that her late, beloved grandmother Zelda may still be alive. Read by Lannois Neely. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 19. The Writer’s Voice* Monday – Friday 1 p.m. The Matriarch, nonfiction by Susan Page, 2019. Barbara Bush’s personal story reveals her as a fascinating, downto-earth woman who held her own in a man’s world. Read by Jan Anderson. 16 broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 14. Choice Reading* Monday – Friday 2 p.m. The Dutch House, fiction by Ann Patchett, 2019. Two young children are left in a luxurious mansion to fend for themselves, after their distressed mother absconds. Read by Myrna Smith. 12 broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 1. Those People, fiction by Louise Candlish, 2019. A new couple in a posh neighborhood creates havoc with their unconventional lifestyle. Tempers flare – and then there is a fatal accident. Read by Cintra Godfrey. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 19. - V Afternoon Report* Monday – Friday 4 p.m. A Collective Bargain, nonfiction by Jane McAlevey, 2020. Longtime union organizer Jane McAlevey argues that the power of strong trade unions can go far to fix America’s social problems. Read by Marylyn Burridge. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 19. Night Journey* Monday – Friday 7 p.m. Bark of Night, fiction by David Rosenfelt, 2019. A detective adopts a dog about to be put down. Then he learns the dog belonged to a murder victim, and the man demanding the dog’s death is the likely killer. Read by Neil Bright. Eight broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 12. – V Give the Dog a Bone, fiction by Leslie O’Kane, 2002. Allie Babcock, a dog therapist with a flair for sleuthing, meets an eccentric millionaire who says he murdered his wife. Then he adds that his golden retriever Maggie is now channeling her spirit. Read by Isla Hejny. Nine broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 22. – V Off the Shelf* Monday – Friday 8 p.m. Things You Save in a Fire, fiction by Catherine Center, 2019. Cassie Hanwell, a skilled firefighter from Boston, struggles to fit in at an old-school Texas fire station. Read
In Memoriam f∏∏
Folsom-Meek was education trailblazer Sherry Folsom-Meek was an early leader in efforts to study and advance the field of adaptive physical education, with numerous awards and published works. Folsom-Meeks died in August after a long battle with kidney disease. She was 76 and lived at the Mankato Hillcrest Rehabilitation Center. Born in Iowa City, she grew up in Spencer, Iowa. She graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, married and went on to live in Texas and Kansas. She taught high school and sold real estate for a time. After her divorce, Folsom-Meeks began graduate work at Kansas University in Lawrence. She attained her master's degree in adaptive physical education in 1983 and then attended Texas Woman's University, where she obtained her doctorate in 1986. She taught at several universities before taking a position at Minnesota State University at Mankato. She remained in Mankato until
Deadline is the 15th of the month!
her retirement in 2015. Folsom-Meek was internationally known for her work in the field of adapted physical education and had numerous awards and publications to her credit. She was also responsible for the licensure of many dedicated teaching professionals in her field. She also dedicated many years of work with Camp Courage. Her inspiration was her daughter Patricia “ Trish.” Trish died in 1999 at age 24. She is survived by siblings, a nephew, an uncle and many cousins, friends and colleagues. Memorials in honor of Sherry requested that memorials be made in the name of her daughter, Patricia Lee Meek to Lakemary Center Endowment Association, 100 Lakemary Drive, Paola, Kansas 66071 or to Special Olympics Minnesota, Donor Services, 100 Washington Ave. S., Suite 550, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Services have been held.
by Pat Kovel-Jarboe. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 5. Ask Again, Yes, fiction by Mary Beth Keane, 2019. Neighbors in a New York suburb become intertwined through work, children, and a profound tragedy. Read by Jan Anderson. 13 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 19. Potpourri* Monday – Friday 9 p.m. The Best People, nonfiction by Alexander Nazaryan, 2019. Reporter Alexander Nazaryan describes how President Donald Trump selected a Cabinet consisting of people unproven in public service, and unqualified to assume decision-making roles in politics. Read by Holly Sylvester. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 8. Out of Our Minds, nonfiction by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, 2019. Historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto explores how human beings developed the capability to develop ideas. Read by John Potts. 22 broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 22. Good Night Owl* Monday – Friday 10 p.m. Parking the Moose, nonfiction by Dave Hall, 2019. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, comedian Dave Hall sets out to embrace his one-quarter Canadian roots. Read by Scott McKinney. 12 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 5. – L Chronicles of a Radical Hag (With Recipes), fiction by Lorna Landvik, 2019. After the long-time columnist for a small-town paper suffers a stroke, the editor reprints her decades-old columns. Read by Barbara Olson. 11 broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 21. - L RTB After Hours* Monday – Friday 11 p.m. He Started It, fiction by Samantha Downing, 2020. To claim a share of their grandfather’s estate three grown-up siblings – Beth, Eddie, and Portia -- must recreate a family road trip they took twenty years before. Read by Pat Muir. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 15. – L The Other Mrs. Miller, fiction by Alison Dickson, 2019. After Phoebe Miller inherited a fortune from her philandering father, she’s soon being surveilled around the clock by a mysterious figure – and nobody knows why. Read by Andrea Bell. 11 broadcasts; began Thu, Oct. 29. – L, S Weekend Program Books Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents Renia’s Diary: A Holocaust Journal by Renia Spiegel and Elizabeth Bellak, read by Beverly Burchett (L). Rated R, 11 p.m. Sat, presents What We Did in Bed by Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani (L, S), followed by The Kids Are Gonna Ask by Gretchen Anthony (L), both read by Scott McKinney. For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian, read by Connie Jamison. Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver, read by Myrna Smith. The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents In Winter’s Kitchen by Beth Dooley, read by Michelle Juntunen, followed by Secret Partners by Tim Mahoney, read by Jim Gregorich. All times listed are Central Standard Time. Abbreviations V – violent content, R – racial epithets, L – strong language, G – gory descriptions, S – sexual situation
Having difficulty coughing? The CoughAssist is your solution!
Designed to help you clear secretions. It assists you in taking a deep breath and then stimulates a natural cough. Call our respiratory therapists for more information - 651-644-9770 2505 University Ave W Saint Paul, MN 55114
651-644-2133 access@accesspress.org
651-644-9770 www.handimedical.com
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10 Pg 11
ENJOY!
PEOPLE & PLACES Dively takes lead at MCD
E. David Dively is the new executive director of the Minnesota Council on Disability. Dively took the helm in midSeptember. He had previously served as deputy executive director for the Minnesota Commission for the Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing. Dively worked for the commission for more than four years. During that time he had many accomplishments. He served as the lead for hearing aid insurance policy changes. He also guided the Age-Related Hearing Loss Task Force assembly and the resulting report of the work in its second version. He also led work to gather Minnesota-specific polling data on hearing loss. E. David Dively At the commission, Dively was the lead staff for policy governance creation, drafting and implementation. He led the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Lobby Day in 2017, and then supervised the 2019 Lobby Day. He served as the interim executive director during its recent leadership transition. He handled the logistics for countless board/staff retreats, staff retreats, Collaborative Experiences conferences, and other events. He listened to and guided the staff through the highs and lows of advocating for communication access and equal opportunity. He is also credited with strengthening the commission’s interpersonal office working environment. Before joining the state in 2016, Dively owned and operated Dively Communications. He worked for Lifesigns, Inc. in the Los Angeles area prior to that. He’s also worked in various technology and teaching posts. Dively holds a master’s degree from Gonzaga University, advances degrees from Johnson University and the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute and University of St. Thomas. His undergraduate degree is from North Central University, where he began his education in deaf culture studies and ministries. He is pursuing his Ph.D. in leadership studies.
His volunteer work has included the Eagan Foundation and advisory group at Minnesota Historical Society. He and Maria, his wife of 13 years, have three children ages 11, 10, and 5. One child is on the autism spectrum. When he has time in his busy life, he enjoys watching football. Dively’s extended family has long ties to Minnesota’s disability and deaf communities. Dively himself became hard of hearing at age 30.
Dunn takes helm at Friendship Club
Highland Friendship Club (HFC), a St. Paul-based nonprofit that provides social and learning opportunities for teens and adults who have disabilities, has named Patty Dunn as its executive director. She most recently served as director of marketing at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. Dunn has worked in journalism, public relations and marketing roles for more than 25 years in the Twin Cities. “Patty joins Highland Friendship Club at a crucial time when our members need our services more than ever,” said Rosemary Fagrelius, co-founder and chair of the HFC board of directors. “Her experience working with the communities that serve and support those who have disabilities will ensure that HFC thrives during these challenging times and beyond.” HFC is a St. Paul-based organization, which serves hundreds of teens and adults who have disabilities. HFC provides programs that foster friendships, strengthen selfadvocacy and explore lifelong learning. HFC was created in 2002 by two St. Paul parents who were disappointed by the lack of available social opportunities for their teenage sons with have developmental and intellectual disabilities. Today, through the support of its community, grants and fundraising events, HFC is a place where members make friends, learn new skills and become healthier, happier individuals. More information: highlandfriendshipclub.org
OPPORTUNITIES APPOINTMENTS
Apply for state council The Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council (MNSILC) is seeking applicants to fill vacancies on the council. Anyone with an interest in the independent living philosophy is welcome to apply. Council leaders encourage parents, services providers or businesspeople and individuals with disabilities to apply. The council is interested in expanding council representation beyond those living in the 11 county metro area. MNSILC meets 10 time per year. For the foreseeable future, meetings will be held virtually. Captioning or a call in option are available for meetings. Visit https://www.sos.state.mn.us/boardscommissions/help-how-tos, for information about how to apply. Application should include a cover letter with information outlining the applicant’s interest in serving on the council. FFI: 612-518-1497, www.mnsilc.org, mnsilc1215@ gmail.com.
INFO & ASSISTANCE
Mental Illness Awareness Week is Oct. 4-10 This week is marked by community education efforts in all 50 states to raise awareness that mental illnesses are treatable medical conditions, and that there is help and hope for children and adults with mental illnesses and their families. To learn more about anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, or to find online support groups and family educational classes and other resources, contact NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) go to namimn.org or call 651-645-2948, or 1-888626-4435. Helping employees live in a pandemic NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has developed an online mental health program for employers to offer their employees to help them manage their stress, coping skills and resiliency during this unprecedented time. The new program is called HELP – Helping Employees Live in a Pandemic. HELP classes include: Minding Your Mental Health During COVID-19, Keeping in Touch: Staying Connected During COVID-19, Coping with Kids, Self-Care and Mindfulness, Physical Activity, Nutrition, Positive Psychology, and Question, Persuade and Refer, which teaches the three steps anyone can take to help prevent a suicide. Classes are one hour long. Employers can choose one or all of the classes to be offered through Zoom or another online platform. NAMI Minnesota appreciates, but does not require, an honorarium for delivering the classes. Contact NAMI to schedule a class or classes. FFI: namihelps@ namimn.org Minnesota STAR program Program staff is working to provide services and keep clients safe. The equipment lending library has specific
procedures and only no-contact loans are offered. All equipment is tested and sanitized prior to shipping. STAR staff wears proper PPE (personal protective equipment) during the process. Device loans continue to be for 30 days. After equipment is returned to STAR it is quarantined for five days. After the quarantine period equipment is once again sanitized, inspected and tested. Virtual demonstrations are done on as needed. Information and assistance services continue as usual. FFI: 651-201-2640, star.program@state.mn.us Online mental health support NAMI Minnesota offers 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. 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 over 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”. FFI: https://namimn.org/support/nami-minnesotasupport-groups/.
Less to Enjoy! Many of the museums, arts and theater groups that typically have listings in the Access Press Enjoy! calendar have suspended activities, moved to online services or are offering limited in-person services with social distancing and safety measures. Please check with a venue or organization before heading out. Check to see what is available through the Minnesota Access Alliance and its calendar, at https://mnaccess.org/ Open Flow Forum The Artists with Disabilities Alliance meets via Zoom 7-9 p.m. the first Thu of the month. Upcoming dates Thu, Oct. 1, Nov. 6 and Dec. 4. Virtually join artists with disabilities and supporters to share visual art, writing, music, theater and artistic efforts or disability concerns. Facilitators are Tara Innmon, Kip Shane and Springboard for the Arts. The gatherings are fully accessible. Anyone needing special accommodations should contact Andy at host organization Springboard for the Arts. FFI: 651-294-0907, resources@springboardforthearts.org Don’t be puzzled – have fun! AuSM is teaming up with PuzzleTwist to offer the 3rd Annual AuSM Connections Jigsaw Puzzle Competition virtually Sat, Oct. 24. The event is open to all, from serious puzzlers to families wanting to have some socially distant fun. Using the Zoom virtual platform, teams of up to four people will compete in the 500-Piece and 1,000-piece competition divisions. All ages and abilities are welcome. In addition to keeping their competition puzzle, teams will receive a Rules and Resources guide filled with information on businesses and organizations that support the Minnesota autism community. Competition puzzles and Rules and Resources guides will be mailed to teams prior to the Oct. 24 contest date; registration cost includes shipping. Puzzle Zoom Rooms will include 15-20 team windows, where you will view a Zoom Room welcome message, a rules video, and then put your puzzling skills to the test during the timed competitions. FFI: www.ausm. org Rise fundraising gala The COVID-19 pandemic means this year's Celebrate Rise Fundraising Gala will be a virtual event, at 7 p.m. Mon, Oct. 26. Go online that evening to learn more about Rise and offer your support to our critical services. FFI: www. rise.org PACER benefit is virtual The annual PACER Center benefit is virtual this year, at 7:30 p.m. Sat, Nov. 14. Enjoy a virtual performance by Motown legend Smokey Robinson. Tickets are still available. Tickets purchased for the event planned for earlier this year will still be honored. The event starts with a brief program and live auction, to support PACER’s work on behalf of families of children with disabilities and all students who are bullied. FFI: 952838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org
Office furniture for sale! Desks (including a wheelchairaccessible desk), lateral files and vertical cabinets for sale! Must do own moving. Available until October 16. Call 651-644-2133 or email jane@ accesspress.org for details.
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
PACER offers workshops PACER Center offers many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any disabilities. Workshops are online at this time. Advance registration is required for all workshops. At least 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. Many workshops are live-streamed. Check out PACER’s website and link to the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to pick and choose sessions designed for their needs. FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org
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 Ridge Manor Apartments Apartments
Ridge Manor Apartments Ridge Manor Apartments in Delano is accepting in Delano is accepting applications for our 1 applications for our 1 and 2-bedroom units! and 2-bedroom units! Please call (763) 274-2700 Please call (763) 274-2700 for your application for your application today! today!
Rates: $15 (first 18 words) and 65¢ per word thereafter. Classified ads prepaid. Mail to: Access Press, PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-5485; Phone: 651-644-2133; Email: access@accesspress.org
October 1, 2020 Volume 31, Number 10 Pg 12
Access Press needs your support Give generously November 19!
GiveMN.org www.accesspress.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