October 2023 Edition - Access Press

Boosters available just in time

Minnesotans are seeking the newest COVID-19 vaccine boosters as they prepare for the long fall and winter virus season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave approvals to new boosters in mid-September, allowing millions of doses to be shipped to pharmacies, hospitals and other providers.

That’s welcome news for people with disabilities, who health conditions can make them more vulnerable to illness.

Anyone who has not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past two months should get an updated vaccine to protect themselves this fall and winter, according to public health officials.

The vaccines are for peoples ages six months and older. But if online forums and news accounts are any indication, finding vaccines is easier said than done. The Minneapolis Vaccines Hunters Facebook group, which was set up by volunteers a few years ago to provide tips for vaccine seekers, has had several posts from frustrated families whose children could not get vaccines yet. Some children were taken to appointments, only to be told that vaccines weren’t available.

Another issue that Minnesotans must check is whether or not vaccines are covered by their health insurance providers. Most insurance will cover vaccine costs.

People who don’t have health insurance or are with health plans that do not cover the costs can get a free vaccine from their local health centers, or state, local, tribal or territorial health departments. Pharmacies participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program are another resource. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program may also receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program.

The Minnesota Department of Health offers resources to help people without insurance to find vaccines, at https://www. health.state.mn.us/people/immunize/basics/ vaxfinder.html

Another resource is the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-431-2053. Or try www. vaccines.gov to find other locations for free vaccines to people who don’t have insurance.

“We have more tools than ever to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID-19,” said CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen, in a news release announcing her official signoff. "CDC is now recommending updated COVID-19 vaccination for everyone six months and older to better protect you and your loved ones.”

COVID-19 vaccines and the people who need them face the same challenges that flu vaccines and their recipients face. Flu vaccines are designed for what quickly can become the previously prevalent strain of disease. By the time a new flu season rolls around, new variants have likely emerged.

The current COVID-19 booster was designed to fight a variant called XBB1.5, which has waned in its spread. The new boosters have been found to be generally effective against the new-commonly circulating variants of EG5 and FL 1.5.1, and against the emerging BA.2.86

Debate over using restraint goes on in state’s schools

Use of restraints in schools continues to generate controversy throughout Minnesota. There may be a move toward some student resource officers returning to schools with the latest state legal opinion, but that remains to be seen.

At issue is a new state law that places limits as to how students can be physically restrained. The law change was part of the 2023 education bill passed by the Minnesota Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz.

But how the law is interpreted has generated weeks of controversy, with many law enforcement agencies statewide removing student resource officers or SROS from schools.

As the leaves turn and the weather turns chilly, don’t let time slip away! Make reservations today for the annual Access Press Celebration and Fundraiser on Friday, November 3. You don’t want to miss this chance to honor the 2023 Charlie Smith Award winner, U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank. Newspaper board members and staff will also pay tribute to the late Tim Benjamin, longtime executive director of Access Press.

The event, emceed by KARE-11’s master storyteller Boyd Huppert, is a great way to connect with members of our community. Huppert is a great speaker and has done many stories about Minnesotans with disabilities.

The event is at McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis, in Memorial Hall, first floor. The venue is on the East Bank campus of the University of Minnesota.

The fun starts with 5:30 p.m. registration and reception. The dinner and program start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person, or $600 per table of eight. Purchase tickets online at www.accesspress.org

Getting There and Scheduling

Located on the University of Minnesota

Under the law, no Minnesota student can be held in a prone position. Nor can students be subjected to what is called “comprehensive restraint” on the head, neck and across most of the torso. The law does include exceptions for the safety and health of students and officers. The change has support from many disability advocacy organizations and was the focus of a high-profile effort at the 2023 Minnesota Legislature. Advocates have worked for years to keep students with disabilities safe from restraints that can injure them. Prone restraint use against special education students has been outlawed for almost a decade. But

DEBATE To page 4

Time to vote! Page 3

What are institutions? Page 4

Use the Access Press Directory to find services and supports Pages 6-7

Learn about settlement Page 8

Attend art show Page 11

campus, the Alumni Center is accessible by public transportation. It is near Green Line light rail and several bus routes. Check www.metrotransit.org for route and time

information.

The facility has a drop-off entrance for Metro Mobility users. It’s recommended that

COVID To page 5

Use of restraints in schools is controversial.

Debate over restraints in schools was a missed opportunity to educate

Let’s talk about use of restraint. This means of control used against people with disabilities has long been a flashpoint in our community.

Restraint is used to limit movements. It can be physical. It can involve mechanical devices or drugs.

Use of various restraints has raised red flags in many settings – schools, jails, prisons, group homes and residential facilities. It can be a very unsafe form of punishment, causing injury and even death.

Especially dangerous is prone restraint. Prone restraint is a method of intervention where a person's face and frontal part of the body are placed in a downward position touching any surface, for any amount of time. This punishment that can quickly escalate a bad situation, especially for young people with disabilities.

We in the disability community take use of any form of restraint seriously. We’ve had to.

Seclusion and restraint used against young people at the Minnesota Extended Treatment Options (METO) facility in Cambridge led to a groundbreaking lawsuit more than a decade ago. Use of prone restraint was called out in that case, as were other forms of restraint. That lawsuit not only forced changes in practices at facilities statewide, it also jumpstarted work on Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan.

Since August 1, 2015, Minnesota school districts have been prohibited from using prone restraint restraints as an emergency restraint for students with disabilities. Based upon that prohibition, school district staff aren’t authorized to use prone restraint as an emergency restraint for students with disabilities under the reasonable force statute.

legislative special session.

That’s the law. But we know all too well that the law is not always followed. And we know that other forms of restraint can also cause injury and even fatal injury. That’s why more had to be done.

During the 2023 legislative session, work was done to strengthen the language on and limits to the use of restraint. Those changes are now in effect.

The changes have raised red flags, with several Minnesota police and sheriff’s departments pulling their student resource officers, or SROs, out of schools.

Attorney General Keith Ellison has weighed in with two opinions stating that says the law doesn't prevent officers from “reasonable” uses of force against students. While Ellison’s ruling gave assurances to some law enforcement agencies and insurance providers, some law enforcement

HISTORY NOTE

agencies are still not returning their SROs to schools.

Gov. Tim Walz isn’t open to calling a special session to clarify the new law. Walz has said in interviews that insurance providers who work with law enforcement are satisfied with the language Ellison brought forward.

We’d like to have seen a special session called before the restraint issue became even more of a political football than it already is. Or, we’d like to have seen issues further clarified without the costs and hassles of a legislative special session. The challenge with a special session is that a request to act on one issue can result in a flood of other, unrelated issues coming into the gate.

We strongly agree with the intent of the law change, and the need to not use restraint against any student unless there are no other

means to control a situation. While we think it is stated clearly, we respect that others want clarification.

We sometimes hear the cry, “Get rid of the SROs.” While some students aren’t comfortable with SROs, others feel safer with SROs. Bullying is a huge issue in some schools and SROs have helped to deter that. We acknowledge that this is an issue not everyone agrees on.

Law enforcement officers face dangerous issues every single day on the job. We respect that, too.

Our foremost concern is that behavior issues are handled in ways that do no harm. But there’s also this. We know that schools and law enforcement agencies must seriously weigh the prospect of costly litigation in restraint cases and what that does to budgets. Money spent on payouts is taken away from classrooms and other needs including our students’ needs.

We’d like to have seen the state law change come with much more emphasis on and support for SRO and school district training on disability issues and de-escalation. Everyone who works in law enforcement and security could use more training. Our own editor was recently in a situation that escalated because a security guard thought a metal fidget spinner was a weapon. In our opinion, there can never be enough training on how to work with members of our disability community --- in any setting and in any circumstance. The new law was a missed opportunity to do that.

Rehabilitation Act anniversary is time to reflect on major milestone

It has been 50 years since Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This important federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies. It also prohibits disabilitybased discrimination in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment and in the employment practices of federal contractors. It is widely regarded as a major milestone in the fight of employment equity and access for disabled people.

The act faced many challenges before it was adopted. Two versions were vetoed by President Richard Nixon before he signed a third. In his second veto message, Nixon stated, “This bill is one of several now before the Congress which mask bad legislation beneath alluring labels.”

“Their supporters would have the American public believe that each of these bills would further an important social cause, but they neglect to warn the public that the cumulative effect of a Congressional spending spree would be a massive assault upon the pocketbooks of millions of men and women

in this country. They also fail to warn us that simply throwing money at problems does not solve anything; it only creates poor legislation which frequently misses the target.”

The vetoes were a great blow to people with disabilities, rehabilitation clinics, workshops and research projects. Individual states lost millions of dollars in needed funding.

The March 1973 veto sparked protests led by young disability rights activists. They gathered on Madison Avenue in New York City to demand that the legislation be passed. While some newspaper editorials hailed Nixon’s fiscal prudence, others decried the veto and what it would mean to disabled people. The St. Cloud Daily Times reported in May 1973 that at a conference led by the Minnesota Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, attendees expressed disappointment about Nixon’s second veto of the act.

Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman (R-New York) was among those who introduced a new version of the act in 1973. The measure was presented as a compromise.

“The goal of training the handicapped to become productive citizens is one I strongly endorse,” Gilman said. “This measure will accomplish that objective without adding an unbearable burden to the budget.”

The bill had foes in Congress, including Rep. Earl R. Landgrebe (R-Indiana), who brought forward a scaled-down version of the bill favored by Nixon.

Months later, when he signed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 into law, Nixon praised it as creating “expanded job opportunities and further(ing) steps toward independence” as well as demonstrating the good that can come from “executivelegislative cooperation.”

Interestingly, newspaper photos of Nixon signing the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 appeared on some front pages alongside coverage of the Watergate break-in and the subsequent political scandal. Watergate would eventually trigger Nixon’s 1974 resignation.

The Rehabilitation Act has had a long reach. It established what would become

Website: accesspress.org email: access@accesspress.org phone: 651-644-2133

Editor ............................................................................................................................................................................................ Jane McClure

the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), which is now part of the Administration for Community Living or ACL. The National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) helps ensure that the research reaches organizations that put it into practice.

Read more about the 1973 legislation at https://acl.gov/news-and-events/acl-blog/ rehabilitation-act-1973-independencebound#:~:text=Earlier%20versions%20of%20 the%20bill,it%20was%20intended%20to%20 assist

Read about the act and anniversary celebration on the U.S. Department of Labor blog, at https://blog.dol.gov/2023/08/28/ examining-50-years-of-the-rehabilitation-act-of1973-section-503

The History Note is a monthly column produced in cooperation with the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Past History Notes and other disability history may be found at www.mnddc.org

EDITORIAL: Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.

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We'd like to have seen a special session called before the restraint issue became even more of a political football than it already is. Or we'd like to have seen issues further clarified without the costs and hassles of a

Know disability accommodations before voting

Ready, set, vote! The November 7 general election is drawing near, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. People with disabilities cast ballots at lower rates than the general population. Advocates hope to see that changed through education and efforts to improve access to voting.

More than 38 million people with disabilities are eligible to vote in the United States. Barriers all too often keep many people from voting, even though they have a right to vote. National Voting Rights Week, September 11-15, was used by the Minnesota Rev Up! campaign to highlight election issues affecting people with disabilities. The campaign September 13 hosted an information session on voting, featuring attorney Justin Page of the Minnesota Disability Law Center.

The Minnesota Disability Law Center helps voters whose rights may have been violated and monitors polling place access. People with disabilities should take the Minnesota Disability Law Center phone numbers with them to the polls, if there are access issues or other problems with voting. The phone numbers are 612-334-5970 or 1-800-292-4150.

Disabled voters can also file complaints under the federal Help American Vote Act or HAVA. The Disability Law Center can represent voters in such cases, Page said. The HAVA form is on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. 2023 is an odd-numbered year and not every community in Minnesota has an election. Voters will be selecting local elected officials and school board members in many communities. Some may be voting on a referendum or specific ballot question on an issue. For example, St. Paul residents will be asked to vote on a 1 percent local option sales tax to fund public infrastructure improvements. Local elections should not be ignored. Page noted that local issues often have a major impact on residents’ lives. People with disabilities should vote and make their voices heard. An odd-numbered year can also offer a less crowded election experience and more time to learn about elections.

Report access problems

Access problems at polling places need to be reported, to local election officials and if necessary, to the Minnesota Disability Law Center. Polling places need to have

clear signage, that goes for parking places, entrances and route to the voting area. Those directions become especially important if a polling place is inside a larger building, such as a school or place of worship.

“Often polling places are not fully accessible,” said Page. That is why surveys of polling places are so critically important. Barriers to voting need to be removed.

Barriers can include a step, steps or a lip on a doorway that is tricky to get over with a walker or wheelchair. Doorway width can be an issue for some wheelchairs and scooters.

One barrier that can come up in public buildings is if things are moved. A head judge is a school once had to ask that lunch carts temporarily blocking the access door be removed.

Non-working door push panels and elevators have caused problems at polling places in the past. Another issue that can come up at public

buildings is if doors are programmed to be locked at a specific time, before an election ends at 8 p.m.

Parking is to be signed for voters at a polling place but there are times that others disregard the signs are park for the day to go to work.

Getting started

The first steps to be taken by a prospective voter are to find out registration status, and to find out where votes should be cast. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office can help with those issues, and even provide a voter with a sample ballot for their home community. Go to https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/

Another question voters should ask is if their communities conduct elections through primaries or ranked choice voting. Primaries, held in August, winnow the field of candidates

ELECTION To page 9

Be aware of election law changes

The 2023 Minnesota Legislature made many changes to state election law, including changes that will have positive effects for voters with disabilities. The changes will take effect over time

Part of Minnesota’s historic voting legislation took effect on July 1, 2023. The measures expand access to voting and clarify existing language around campaigning near polling places.

Changes that took effect include:

Several law changes affecting elections took effect July 1. Those took effect July 1 include:

*Expanding the right to be absent from work to vote any time during the 46-day absentee voting period, in addition to on election day.

*Extending the deadline for all absentee and mail ballots to be returned to 8 p.m. on election day;

*Allowing voters to sign in electronically when e-poll books are used.

"Minnesota is seeing the enactment of once-in-a-generation legislation that will make our democracy stronger by expanding access while improving security,” said Steve Simon, Minnesota Secretary of State. “Numerous small and large changes are being put into place right now, and will continue in the coming year, that will improve the voting experiences across the state making us a leader in elections administration for years to come.”

In addition, language clarifying the existing prohibition on campaigning near polling places will take effect. The law will prohibit wearing, exhibiting or distributing any item that displays the name, likeness, logo, or slogan of a candidate who appears on the ballot; the number, title, subject, slogan, or logo of a ballot question that appears on the ballot; or, the name, logo, or slogan of a political party represented by a candidate on the ballot. This updated law clarifies that these prohibitions apply only during voting hours. They also apply

CHANGES

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Community residential facilities need to be considered as institutions

Community residential settings are not considered to be institutional settings under Minnesota’s 1915 waiver programs supporting people with disabilities.

“Segregated settings include, but are not limited to: (1) congregate settings populated exclusively or primarily with individuals with disabilities; (2) congregate settings characterized by regimentation in daily activities, lack of privacy or autonomy, policies limiting visitors, or limits on individuals’ ability to engage freely in community activities and to manage their own activities of daily living; or (3) settings that provide for daytime activities primarily with other individuals with disabilities.”

This is excerpted from the statement of the Department of Justice on Enforcement of the Integration Mandate of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Olmstead v. L.C.

“If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, has feathers and webbed feet and associates

with duck—I’m certainly going to assume that he IS a duck.

This statement is from the duck test.

Community Residential Services are 100 percent, undeniably, irrefutably, and certainly are INSTITUTIONS.

Customized Livings & Assisted Livings are 100 percent undeniably, irrefutably, and certainly are INSTITUTIONS. Segregated Community-situated congregate Residential Service institutional facilities are INSTITUTIONS.

Have you visited multiple different CRS Institutional Facilities ?

Have you talked to the residents and asked them about their social activities and how often they LEAVE the institution ?

Have you asked the residents of these institutions about the care provided by the staff ?

Have you asked the residents of the institution what day of the week is their shower day?

Have you asked the residents of the institution when the last time they went to their place of worship was?

Have you asked the residents of the institution how many times a month they leave the facility and where they go?

Have you visited the institutional residents in multiple locations under multiple different providers and witnessed the institutional care ?

Do you sit in an office or in your home “working from home” teleworking making $100,000 to $150,000 a year with great STATE benefits and spewing statutes never visiting or talking to the people that know that these places are simply miniinstitutions?

CRS FACILITIES ARE INSTITUTIONS.

People sit in these group homes, adult foster care homes, community residential services, customized livings, and assisted livings and rot away while the providers do whatever they want to do without

accountability or consequence. Who are providers accountable to?

Case managers? NO.

MnCHOICES Assessors? NO.

The county? NO.

The State of MN? NO.

The Ombudsman? NO.

WHO ASSURES THAT WHAT TAX PAYERS ARE BUYING AND PAYING FOR IS BEING PROVIDED ?

Nobody. No entity.

Kathy Jo Ware

Kathy Jo Ware is a disability rights activist from South St. Paul. See her website at https:// ethicalcaremn.org/stories/kathy-kylen/ and Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/263368578906127

Broadband access is an equity issue for many Minnesotans with disabilities

Editor’s note: The Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council (MNSILC) recently shared position papers with Minnesota’s Congressional delegation. Topics are transportation, broadband and the workforce shortage. https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/ disabilities/councils/silc.jsp Excerpts from the paper on broadband are printed below.

The Minnesota Department of Broadband Development estimates that 291,000 households do not have access to wireline broadband. Wireline broadband uses cables or data lines to connect service rather than satellite or other wireless options.

Weather and terrain can limit the speed, capacity, availability, and reliability of wireless broadband. Increasing access and adoption of broadband in rural areas, including digital skills, online education and job search opportunities, leads to higher property values, increased job and population growth, higher rates of new business formation and lower unemployment rates.

Broadband access refers to high-speed internet that does not block other modes of communication, such as telephone lines, and provides the highest quality services. Access to broadband is critical to work,

DEBATE

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there has been a strong push in recent years to expand that type of protection to all students, and to place a spotlight on the dangers restraints can create.

The new law also requires school districts to report incidents in which physical holds are used on students. Reporting of incidents starts in July 2024.

School districts can opt to hire SROs for law enforcement agencies in their school districts, or hire their own staff. Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools stopped hiring SROs a few years ago. But many districts opted to keep the posts until recently.

Law enforcement agencies have said the new law change overly restricts the types of physical holds that could be used on a student, and could put officers and others in a school at risk. Police and sheriff’s departments have removed SRO staff out of schools around the state, citing a lack of clarity with the law change. Eagan, New Hope, Apple Valley, Osseo and White Bear Lake were among the latest schools to lose their SROs.

Walz at one point said he was open to calling a special session to clarify the new law. Then he said that while he wants to find a solution, a special session isn’t needed.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has issued two legal opinions on the law, the most recent on September 20. He has stated that the law change doesn’t prevent officers from utilizing what he describes as a “reasonable” use of force. He is among those opining that the new law does provide exceptions in situations where a hold may be used to prevent injury or even death to others.

“My top concern continues to be that students and school staff be safe in schools and that law-enforcement officers can effectively play their part in keeping them safe,” Ellison said in a statement. “My original legal opinion

school, healthcare access, community services, transportation, entertainment, and other life sustaining supports.

Geography and distance create challenges to reach rural Minnesotans. This creates speed limitations and increases costs with the average cost of connecting unserved households at $9,500. Labor shortages reduce contractor availability. High monthly costs for broadband prevent lower income households from being able to afford service.

Property management can require residents to purchase internet access that they resell to the development and prevent broadband service providers from accessing the property. High monthly costs prevent lower income households from being able to afford wireline broadband services.

In 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that 88.6 percent of households in Minnesota had broadband internet subscriptions. But only 57 percent of U.S. adults with annual household income less than $30,000 report access to home broadband.

Costs of installation, affordability to the consumer and lack of suitable devices and digital skills are among barriers to broadband access for Minnesotans with disabilities.

The Minnesota Department of

last month addressed only the question of whether the recent amendments to schooldiscipline laws allow the use of prone restraints and other techniques in cases of imminent physical harm to self or others. Since then, I have been in conversation with a variety of stakeholders, including law enforcement, who have raised more questions in good faith. I have also seen misunderstandings of the original opinion and the law. I am issuing this supplemental legal opinion, which is consistent with the conclusions of the original opinion, in an effort to address those good-faith concerns and clarify those misunderstandings.”

The split on a special session has divided state lawmakers by party, with both Republican and DFLers holding news conferences for and against a special session. DFLers issued a statement calling out prone restraint as an unreasonable form of punishment. Republicans want the law repealed entirely.

Employment and Economic Development (DEED) reports that a variety of barriers prevent low-income Minnesotans from using subsidy programs, including documentation requirements, language barriers, lack of awareness and difficulty of use. Broadband providers themselves do not promote affordability programs. Housing instability and inability to afford devices also are barriers to access, as are available skills resources

In 2022 the estimated cost to connect all unserved households in Minnesota was $2,764,500,000. While several programs and grants have been implemented to expand broadband access, and to assist Minnesotans with disabilities in accessing broadband, service gaps exist.

The Statewide Independent Living Council has several policy recommendations on broadband access. Those are:

* Change the FCC definition of broadband to 100/20 Mbps to provide all Americans with higher quality, more reliable broadband access. American households typically have multiple devices that rely on connectivity as well as multiple users connecting to broadband at the same time. The increased speed metric provides greater reliability crucial for education and work from home.

The law’s passage also launched a series of questions from law enforcement, including the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association. The associations and individual law enforcement agencies have questioned what their alternative are and have asked that there be clarification of the law.

A large group of teachers, parents and organizations that oppose police brutality held a news conference at the capitol in midSeptember opposing a special session and asking that the new law stand.

As September ended, some law enforcement agencies were allowing their SROs to return to schools. That followed days of discussions between local government officials, state elected officials, Ellison’s office and law enforcement leaders.

One factor is the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association providing guidance that an SRO’s ability to enforce local laws takes priority over the new restraint rules. Walz has

* Require all broadband providers to assertively promote affordability programs. Internet access increases employment, telehealth, and educational opportunities, improving the financial and social status of low-income households and the communities where they live.

* Reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II, allowing the FCC to designate broadband as a utility. Government agencies ensure that public utilities such as electricity, natural gas, and water are reliable, resilient, and available. Rate and service regulation protects consumers while ensuring quality and reliability, and service providers are ensured income to cover maintenance costs and investment in expansion. Currently there is limited state oversight for internet providers with no rate regulation and limited quality assurance requirements.

* Promote adaptive devices for people with disabilities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) without assistive technology people are often excluded, isolated, and locked into poverty, increasing the impact of disability on the person, their family, and society.

told law enforcement that the new law will be looked at in early 2024 for possible, longer-term changes.

It’s not know yet which police and sheriff’s departments will return SROs to schools, or whether that will be done on a more limited basis than before.

“The health and welfare of everyone in the schools will be at the heart of the discussions moving forward,” a statement from House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic said. “Our top priority is for students to learn and thrive in Minnesota schools, and to be able to do that, students, staff and teachers must have a safe environment.”

Organizations serving people with disabilities and aging populations across Minnesota will receive more than $14 million to expand services to diverse communities, rural areas and regional centers. Funding for the community-based provider capacity grants comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, with a recent commitment by Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature to temporarily continue the grant program.

The grants will help organizations improve their capacity to provide Home and Community-Based Services for people with disabilities and aging Minnesotans. Providers that serve or plan to add services for rural and underserved communities will receive funding, along with organizations working to become Home and CommunityBased Services providers for the first time. “So many providers want to expand their services and we are pleased to support them,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “These grants can be transformational, allowing them to extend their reach to more Minnesotans.”

Grant recipients by state region are:

Northwest: Adult Day Services, Inc.; Heartland PCA LLC; Housing Matters; Northwest Intergenerational Community Engagement; and Polk County Social Services.

Northeast: Access North Center for Independent Living of Northeast Minnesota; Arc Northland; Divine Konnections, Inc.; Family Rise Together; Lighthouse Center for Vital Living; North Shore Partners; NorthStar Community Services; Range Transitional Housing Inc.; West Central Minnesota; CCRI Inc.; Empowering Kids Perham; Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership, Inc.; Perspective Co-Op;

Outstanding DSPs are honored Direct Support Professional Recognition Week (September 10 - 16) is an annual celebration of direct support professionals or DSPs. Throughout the week, organizations nationwide highlighted the dedicated, and innovative direct support workforce that provides essential support to individuals with disabilities, helping them stay connected to the community and live a quality life people with disabilities.

MOHR was one of many disability service organizations honoring support staff, noting that direct service providers empower

COVID

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variants. The constantly shifting variants illustrate the issues faced as medical science tries to keep up with a rapidly shifting disease.

The new vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna arrived as COVID-19 numbers climbed in Minnesota. The CD and state health officials remind everyone that vaccination remains the best protections against COVID19-related hospitalization and death. Vaccines also reduce the chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended duration.

Long Covid sufferers deal with an array of conditions including fatigue and what is called “brain fog.”

Receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine can restore protection and provide enhanced safeguards against the variants currently responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in the United States.

and West Central Minnesota Communities Action, Inc.

Central: A Home for the Day LLC; All About Caring Home Care LLC; Brendas Place LLC; Building Hope Inc.; Caring Hands Home Care, Inc.; Central Minnesota Dementia Community Action Network; Dirty Deeds Services LLC; Discovery Horse LLC; Dynamik Relation Services Inc.; Employment Enterprises Inc.; Homebase Housing Services Inc; Monarch Support Services; Nokomis LLC; Project Forward Inc.; and Sisu Living LLC.

South Central: Averyon Homes Inc.; Karen’s Care; Resolute Care LLC; and Waseca Area Caregiver Services

individuals with disabilities, allowing them to be active in the community, socialize with their peers, build their skills, enter the workforce, and explore recreational opportunities.

The 2023 DSP Award winners are:

Lisa Hartman - PAI

Michael Walker - Phase - Industries, Inc.

Ashton Pappas - Opportunity Partners

Jill Belland - Functional Industries, Inc.

Cheryl Ray - Trillium Works!

The MOHR Inspire Award Winner is Tim Schmutzer - Phase - Industries, Inc. “Nothing in this world fills me more than being a

Last season, those who received a 2022-2023 COVID-19 vaccine saw greater protection against illness and hospitalization than those who did not receive a vaccine to date. Hundreds of millions of people have safely gotten a vaccine under what health officials describe as the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.

This is the first fall and winter season in which vaccines are available for three viruses cited for causing the most hospitalizations: COVID-19, flu and RSV. In addition to safe vaccines, at-home COVID-10 tests can identify infection so that people can protect family, friends and coworkers from disease.

The federal government and the Minnesota Department of Health offer free tests.

The state link to order tests is https:// www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/ testsites/athome.html

The federal link is https://www.covid.gov/tests

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

Invest in pity free, disability journalism. Make your tax-deductible gift today!

Southwest: Center Care Inc.

Southeast: Cardinal Home Services LLC; Engaged Home Care; Family Services Rochester; LaCresent Area Health Home Partnership; and Wabasha County Developmental Achievement Center Inc.

Twin Cities: Absolute Care LLC; Ascend Housing Services; Accra Care; Active Care Services; Affinity Residential Care LLC; Alchemy Home Healthcare Inc.; All Love & Care LLC; All Welcoming Adult Care LLC; Alliance Care LLC; Anishinaabe Endaad LLC; Asian Flame Catering LLC; Aspen Healthcare Services LLC; Believe in Yourself; Best Choice Home Care Inc.; Best

part of somebody else’s growth and success. We help people discover themselves and opportunities,” said Schmutzer, executive director of Phase-Industries.

Mike Walker, who has worked with PhaseIndustries for 14 years, said, “Over the years, I see clients change from their shoulders

Choice Home Health; Better Home Health Care Inc.; Better Living Group Home; Breaking Barriers LLC; Bright Star Adult Day Service; Chinese Social Service Center; Circle of Life Home Care; Clare Housing; Client Centered HCBS LLC; Comfort Care Homes LLC; Comfort Meals LLC; Compassionate Autism Center; Compassion Home Care LLC; Core Health Care; DARTS; Diamonds Home Health Care Inc.; ELP Right Living Health LLC; Epiphany Family Services; Fidelity Healthcare; Future Care LLC; Golden Star Residential Care LLC; Healing Family Services LLC; Healing Home Healthcare LLC; Helix LLC; His House Foundation; Holistic Array of Authentic Services; Homebridge Healthcare Services; Hope House of St. Croix Valley; Kang Le LLC; Lashia Elderly Care Center; Lifeworks Services; Link Up LLC; Livable Home Solutions LLC; Living Well Disability Services; Long Live Adult Day Center LLC; Loving Arms Home Care Corporation; Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota; Metro Meals on Wheels; Midwest Home Health Care; Midwest Medical and Rehabilitative Services LLC; Minneapolis American Indian Center; Noble Hearts Care Services LLC; Northstar Support Services LLC; Onyx Care Solutions; Opportunity Community Services Inc.; Opportunity Partners; Otter Tail Health Care Services; Paetners in Community Supports; Our Lady of Peace; Paradise Assisted Living Inc.; Peoples Development Services; Raqi Home Health Care; Reach for Resources Inc.; Rise Inc.; Shakir Consulting Services LLC; Smile Health Care LLC; Somgen LLC; Sunset Care LLC; The Arc Minnesota; Wingspan Life Resources; Winnesota Home Health Care LLC; and Zion Baptist Church.

slumped forward to walking around with more of a swagger. I love being a part of that process where we help people find themselves and be happy with what they’re doing.” Mike’s program, Heritage Barnwood, has been an extremely valuable addition to his community.”

Meals on Wheels is a grant recipient.

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Special education students chalk up win

In a 2021 class action lawsuit filed by Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s Disability Law Center, U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz recently ruled that special education students are entitled to school instruction all days in an academic year leading up to their 22nd birthday.

In 2020, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s Disability Law Center took up the case of two students, and those similarly classed, whose special education services were cut short in violation of federal law. Under state law, school districts had ended instruction for special education students on July 1 following their 21st birthday.

“Federal law is clear, these students are entitled to services through their 22nd birthday,” said Maren Hulden, supervising Disability Law Center attorney. “But keep in mind, this happened in 2020 during the COVID-19 remotelearning lockdown. Negative impacts for special education students meant their learning was cut in two ways—one, they were denied the experiential settings inherent to transitionlearning and two, their eligibility timeframe was less than what federal law requires.”

“So, this is very good news,” said Jenn Purrington of Legal Aid’s Disability Law Center. “As a result of the judge’s decision, all students represented in this class action suit should be getting compensatory education services. They’re

Vacancies cause struggles

Four out of five Minnesota nonprofits say they're grappling with job vacancies and are reporting more workforce shortages than peers nationwide, according to a new national survey. That includes nonprofits that serve people with disabilities.

The survey, conducted by the National Council of Nonprofits, found that nearly 81 percent of Minnesota nonprofits had job openings, compared with nearly 75 percent of nonprofits nationally.

Nearly two-thirds of Minnesota nonprofits surveyed have more job vacancies now than before the pandemic broke out in 2020.

Job vacancies are forcing nonprofits to scale back programs and services — affecting needy Minnesotans ranging from those looking for housing assistance to parents scrambling to find child care.

“If they're short-staffed and a restaurant closes early or isn't open on Tuesdays, that's an inconvenience ... whereas if a homeless shelter has reduced hours or has to scale back on facilities, that's about basic needs,” said Kari Aanestad, associate director of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. “That's a threat to a vision of Minnesota being a place where everyone can thrive.”

The nonprofit sector hasn't recovered from the massive layoffs and furloughs of 2020 when the pandemic began, and it may be permanently reshaped by the crisis.

In Minneapolis, Volunteers of America is seeing more early retirements and employees leaving for better pay, resulting in 62 openings — a vacancy rate of more than 10 percent. One employee pointed out that manager salaries at a McDonald's rival the nonprofit's starting pay, CEO Julie Manworren said.

“We're now competing with the gas stations, the fast food places, the dollar stores — places that perhaps don't have the level of stress, or meaning, that our positions have,” Manworren said. “We're laser-focused on keeping pace with the market.”

The staffing shortages have forced Volunteers of America to cut some services and close a home in Mora for people with disabilities. Residents were moved to a different home, but Manworren said she'd like to reopen the facility to meet the demand for services — as soon as she can find the staff for it.

(Source: Star Tribune)

Historic change for 988

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline announced a ‘historic’ change Friday, with the addition of a video call option for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Callers can now connect with trained crisis counselors who are fluent in American Sign Language.

“I’m thrilled to see that there are other options for us,” said Dr. Darlene Zangara, executive director of the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing. “The direct connection in language will make a world of difference.”

Previously, those with hearing loss who wanted to contact 988 had to communicate through an interpreter or via text chat.

“Oftentimes, that leads to more frustration, especially when you’re emotional,” Zangara

approaching their mid-20s now, so it’s exceedingly important because of the impact of COVID-19 learning loss, that they get to recover and catch up with the support of the state.”

“Our charge now,” said Hulden, “is finding those students wherever they are in life, today, so they can reclaim the education they were denied.”

Disability advocacy groups have been working to get the word out about the court decision. Anyone with a child still in school needs to contact their school district and request that transition services be continued until they turn 22. If a child turned 21 on or after July 1, 2019 and special education services ended before July 1, 2023, that child’s family should check and see if the child is eligible for compensatory services for services not received before their 22nd birthday. In order to access those compensatory services, contact the child’s school district or transition program to re-enroll the child or find out about needed compensatory services. If a school refuses a request to re-enroll a student or refuses the request for transition services, contact the Minnesota Disability Law Center at 1-800-292-4150.

(Source: Minnesota Disability Law Center)

said. “It goes back to the basics of having that human factor, that human connection, someone who really understands me and can connect with me.”

It is estimated that 20 percent of Minnesotans suffer from hearing loss, ranging from those who were born deaf to seniors who lose hearing as they age, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services Deaf and Hard of Hearing Division.

“We want everyone, no matter their background, their disability, to be able to access crisis services,” said Sue Abderholden, executive director of NAMI Minnesota, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “We know that people who are deaf and hard of hearing actually have a greater incidence of depression, especially in older adults because they become more isolated, but they haven’t had a way really to connect with crisis services.”

In 2022, Minnesota 988 Lifeline Centers answered more than 30,000 calls, a 154 percent increase from 2021, according to statistics from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Mental health advocates hope the new ASL option will be a major breakthrough for callers who suffer from hearing loss, allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings more quickly and effectively in the language they are most comfortable.

Use the new sign language option to video chat on a computer by clicking the “ASL Now” button on 988lifeline.org and following the prompts. Video dial 988 directly from a videophone is being added. In the meantime, ASL callers can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) from their videophone to reach ASL services.

(Source: KSTP-TV)

Grants include autism, COVID-19

The University of Minnesota announced one of the largest federal grants in its history, $54 million, that will transform how it can hasten medical research into everyday clinical use.

The U's Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) has subsisted on federal funding for a decade, but the renewal application was different this time — requiring that recipients make deeper

connections with surrounding communities, and evaluating their success by whether they improve health in those communities.

“This is different,” said Dr. Bruce Blazar, CTSI's director. “We have to measure impact. It's not the number of publications anymore. It's, 'How have you impacted health?' That is one of the fundamental criteria.”

The institute is one of 60 in the United States supported by federal funding to expedite research discoveries into clinical care.

Blazar said the institute will use the new direction to build on its successes, which include the recent discovery of metformin as an available, low-cost therapy for long COVID-19.

Researchers at the institute also piloted a telemedicine support option for kids with autism, and developed immune-boosting therapies for patients with colon cancer.

Federal grant money will fund coordinators to connect with minority and rural communities with limited health care access to identify their needs and gain their trust and participation in research.

The funding also provides an opportunity to "course correct," he said, and address the history of institutional racism and research abuses that has discouraged minority interest in preventive health care and medical research.

(Source: Star Tribune)

Wheelchair is replaced

A generous gift replaced a power wheelchair that was stolen recently. Kyle Schultz, a 26-year-old who lives with ALS, lost his SUV, his wheelchair and other needed items in a vehicle theft in St. Paul this summer.

The vehicle was found not long after the theft was reported. It had been stripped of all its parts, and was resting on blocks. There were no signs of the wheelchair and it still has not turned up. However, a new wheelchair was given to Schultz, thanks to the kindness of another Minnesotan.

“We noticed (Schultz has) a tattoo with the word 'hope' and our foundation is called the O'Neill Foundation of Hope,” said Ryan O'Neill, a professional musician

from Bloomington. He said he felt a familylike connection with Schultz, who use to manufacture hot tubs before he was diagnosed with ALS.

The foundation bought Schultz a new $3,000 portable electric wheelchair to replace the one that was stolen.

Schultz needed something portable because he doesn't yet have an accessible minivan. As valuable as that chair is for Schultz's independence, O'Neill and all those who reached out gave them an even more precious gift: hope.

A St. Paul man has been charged with stealing the SUV, the wheelchair and the vehicle’s power lift.

Keon Donte McDowell, 19, is charged with theft of a motor vehicle for his part in the crime.

According to police, all four tires had been removed, and the vehicle was on blocks. The grill, headlights and side mirrors were also missing, as well as the electric wheelchair and other items that were in the vehicle.

As part of their investigation, the vehicle was swabbed for DNA and possible fingerprints. Police then recovered a fingerprint belonging to McDowell, and compared booking photos of McDowell to the surveillance video of the theft, which they believe matched.

Schultz is one of the youngest people in the entire region with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Schultz was just 24 when he was diagnosed with ALS, a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Doctors gave him a life expectancy of one to three years. He continues to lose more of his mobility.

Schultz was deeply moved by the gift of a new chair and was able to thank O’Neill in person. Schultz’s power wheelchair, ramps and the vest for his service dog Deuce, were inside his vehicle when it was stolen.

At the time, a doorbell video captured the moments someone checked out the SUV before getting inside and driving away.

McDowell has several prior convictions for offenses that include numerous counts of theft of a motor vehicle, terroristic threats and fleeing police.

(Source: KMSP-TV)

Board on Aging grants support people with Alzheimer’s, dementia

Thirteen organizations across Minnesota will have resources to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis and connect caregivers to resources, with new grants from the Minnesota Board on Aging.

“These grants are strategic investments that can make huge impacts for these organizations and the people they serve,” said Maureen Schneider, interim chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “For small organizations doing the important work to fight Alzheimer’s and related dementias, this kind of funding can make the difference between keeping or losing a program or staff position.”

The board is issuing $750,000 in grants to the organizations listed below.

African Immigrants Community Services (AICS), Minneapolis, $49,995, for dementia awareness education in the Twin Cities Somali and East African communities through a series of short videos produced by Somali TV, focused social media outreach and in-person presentations at faith-based and community-based agencies and local gathering venues.

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, $49,449, to offer pre-diagnosis screening and functional cognitive assessments in natural community settings for up to 60 people living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. This includes Wilder clients in customized living and elder Southeast Asians served through Wilder’s Center for Social Healing.

CAPI USA, Brooklyn Center, $76,125, to secure expertise to create a dementiafriendly Hmong Folk Chorus that honors and shares the cultural knowledge of Hmong elders while reducing social isolation. Intended for both Hmong speakers with dementia and their family and friend caregivers, the pilot will uphold traditional culture while offering culturally specific dementia education.

Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio – CLUES, St. Paul, $75,000, to reach Latino

ELECTIONS

From page 3

and help parties choose candidates. In ranked choice voting, voters can opt to rank candidates by numerical choice. Communities with ranked choice voting don’t hold primaries.

Who can vote? Voters must be U.S. citizens. They must be 18 years old on election day. Voters must have been Minnesota residents for 20 days prior to the election. Voters who have completed a felony sentence and are no longer incarcerated can vote.

Voters who are under a guardianship or conservatorship can vote unless a judge has specifically revoked the right to vote. Page said this is one of the most frequently asked election questions at the Disability Law Center. Voters can register before an election or at the polls. If a voter has moved or changed last names since the last election, that voter must re-register. If a voter has not voted at least once in four years,. be prepared to register to vote again.

Register to vote at the polls

Voters can register up to three weeks before election day, online, by mail or in person

If registering to vote at the polls, a voter should be prepared. Be ready to provide evidence of identity and residency. Specific pieces of information are needed. Some can be shown on a phone or device.

Proof of identity can include a driver’s licenses, state ID or learner’s permit issued by any state; U.S. passport; U.S. military or veteran’s ID; tribal ID with name, signature and photo; Minnesota university, college or technical school ID; or a Minnesota high school ID. These can be expired.

To provide residency in a precinct, be ready to show a bill or start-of-service statement dated within 30 days of the election, these can be for phone, TV or Internet; solid waste, sewer, electric, gas or water; banking or credit card; rent or mortgage. A residential lease valid through election day can be used. So can a current student fee statement.

A voter can also go to the polls with a voter from the precinct who can vouch for the prospective voter. That person should know the voter and know where the voter lives, said Page.

Residents of group homes can go to the polls with a staff member who can vouch for them. The staff member can vouch for an unlimited

elders and their family and friend caregivers in the Twin Cities, Austin, Willmar and Worthington with dementia education and early identification resources, caregiver support services and connections to community services.

Family Service Rochester, Rochester, $148,914, to work in partnership with Olmsted Medical Center in Rochester and in Northfield to offer multi-site dementia education and referral specialists, strengthen coordination between health care and community-based organizations, and organize region-wide public forums on brain health, memory care and caregiver supports.

Horizon Health, Pierz, $12,440 to support outings for people with dementia and their family and friend caregivers, create sensory activity kits available to check out at area

number of residents. An employer can send a list of residents to an election office 20 days before the election, can provide a letter on company letterhead for the employee or can have the employee show a work ID badge.

Assistance at the polls

Page emphasized that voters are entitled to assistance at the polls that can start with help in signing one’s name. Once a voter signs in or registers, a ballot is provided. An election judge can find assistance for a voter to mark a ballot, either with accessible voting machines or regular voting kiosks.

Voters can bring a helper. Helpers of any type can assist but not influence voting.

In the polling place, various types of machines can be used to mark ballots. What machines have to have in common is a touchscreen feature or Braille keys. Machines can either read a ballot to a voter using headphones, allowing for marking the ballot. The machine also lets a voter turn off a screen for privacy.

Another feature of ballot marking machine s is that they can warn a voter about ballot marking errors. Machines print a voter’s choice on the ballot. But Page noted that voters should be aware that machines can malfunction. Ask the election judges for help if that happens.

Voters can ask for assistance with curbside voting, when election judges take a ballot out

libraries, and offer advanced training in dementia care for Horizon staff.

Koochiching Aging Options, International Falls, $41,220, to extend awareness of dementia county-wide through a refreshed Dementia Friendly Community initiative with new campaign materials and resources to reach new audiences. The funding will also enhance the respite function of a Memory Café by offering several mini self-care retreats; continue one-to-one support from a Dementia Care Specialist; and expand regional connections with social service and health care providers.

Lao Advancement Organization of America, Minneapolis, $47,262, for early identification and increased cognitive testing for Lao speaking elders and their family and friend caregivers. The grant will also

to a vehicle, to provide a ballot for voting. The challenge Page noted here is that election judges may not be looking outside. He suggested calling an election office to alert precinct judges that a voter needing curbside voting will arrive at a specific time at the precinct.

Early or absentee voting

Early voting began September 22, Election officials offer a central place or places where votes can be cast. The election office or Minnesota Secretary of state can help assist voters find early voting spots.

Voting by mail is a great convenience but steps must be followed for a ballot to count. If mailing in a ballot, a witness is needed before the ballot is placed in the envelopes and mailed. The witness needs to be either a notary public or a Minnesota registered voter. The voter witness does not have to live in the absentee voter’s precinct.

One option for people with disabilities is an accessible absentee ballot. After requesting an absentee ballot form local election officials, contact the election office. Request an electronic ballot as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. For assistance in finding this information, call 612-872-9363.

After this request is made, county officials are to email the voter a link and instructions for using the Omniballot system. The system is hosted by Democracy Live.

support continued relationship-building and culturally informed screening and testing capacity among Greater Minnesota health care providers in areas where Lao speaking families live, including Warroad, Worthington and St. Cloud.

MapHabit, Owatonna, $51,742, for pilot projects in St. Paul and Granite Falls. The MapHabit interactive platform draws on the neuroscience of habit to create a visual mapping system to improve activities of daily living for people with dementia; it also offers education, task mapping and scheduling for family and friend caregivers.

SEWA-AIFW, Brooklyn Center, $94,992, to enhance efforts around early dementia awareness and education for the Twin Cities’ South Asian community, while continuing support for family and friend caregivers and expanding access to culturally appropriate screening at recognized, trusted community sites.

Tri-Community Living at Home/Block Nurse Program, Newfolden, $39,124, to make accessibility upgrades to TriCommunity’s primary program education site and begin to offer dementia education sessions and screens at this and other sites in the service region.

VINE Faith in Action, Mankato, $53,180, for work in dementia education and awareness; programs in brain health and training; memory screening; and evidencebased caregiver education and depression support in Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Watonwan and Nicollet counties.

Winona Friendship Center, Winona, $10,557, to develop a free, weekly community health clinic in partnership with Bridges Health/Winona State University. The clinic will offer accessible access to cognitive and hearing screenings for people aged 50 and older who may be uninsured, underinsured, undocumented or otherwise distrustful of mainstream medical providers.

Print the marked ballot, seal it in the small tan secrecy envelope sent with your absentee ballot and then put the secrecy envelope inside the signature envelope. Sign the signature envelope. Voters can have assistance in filling this out. Place the sealed envelope inside the largest envelope and get it into the mail. Make sure it is postmarked by election day.

• Recurring Pneumonia

• Bronchiectasis

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Muscular Dystrophy

•

• Quadriplegia

• Cystic Fibrosis

• Other Disorders of the Diaphragm

For more information, please contact our respiratory therapists

Volunteer readers needed Volunteers are needed at Minnesota Radio Talking Book to record books and periodicals for broadcast. Want to volunteer? Contact Roberta Kitlinski at 651-539-1423 or roberta.kitlinski@state. mn.us to learn more.

Learn more about Radio Talking Book Radio Talking Book is not just for listeners with visual disabilities. Anyone with difficulty reading or turning pages can enjoy the service.

Enjoy programming on a hand-held mobile device, for either iOS or Android. Visit the Apple App Store for iOS, or Google Play for Android, and download the Minnesota Radio Talking Book app. The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Listen to RTB’s live or archived programs online at www. mnssb.org/rtb, and learn more about programs.

Missed a book broadcast? Access it for one week following its original broadcast in the online weekly program archive. For help accessing the archive, contact Ronnie Washington at 651-539-1424 or SSB.Equipment@state.mn.us

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

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

Audio information about the daily book listings is on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424. The NFB-NEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers. To learn more, visit www.nfb. org/programs-services/nfb-newsline

EVENT

Chautauqua*

Monday – Friday 6 a.m.

Beyond Measure, nonfiction by James Vincent, 2022. A vibrant account of how measurement has invisibly shaped our world, from ancient civilizations to the modern day. Read by Roger Sheldon. 15 broadcasts; begins Tue, Oct. 10.

For Profit, nonfiction by William Magnuson, 2022. A history of how corporate innovation has shaped society, from ancient Rome to Silicon Valley. Read by Michele Potts. 14 broadcasts; begins Tue, October 31. – L

Past is Prologue*

Monday – Friday 11 a.m.

The Story of Russia, nonfiction by Orlando Figes, 2022. A brilliant account of the national mythologies and imperial ideologies that have shaped Russia’s past and politics―essential reading for understanding the country today. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 17 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 9.

Bookworm*

Monday – Friday 12 p.m.

Brood (rebroadcast), fiction by Jackie Polzin, 2021. An insightful meditation on life and longing, centered on keeping a small brood of chickens in Minnesota. Read by Eileen Barratt. Six broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 11.

The Last Days of Terranova, fiction by Manuel Rivas, 2022. A far-reaching story of an outcast and his bookstore: a home to forbidden books, political dissidents, and cultural smugglers all brought to vivid poetic life. Read by Don Lee. Nine broadcasts; begins Thu, Oct. 19.

Choice Reading

Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

I Have Some Questions For You, fiction by Rebecca Makkai, 2023. A timely, hypnotic novel that’s part true-crime page-turner and part campus coming-of-age tale. Read by Pat Muir. 17 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 9. – L, V

Program

Afternoon Report*

Monday – Friday 4 p.m.

Hollywood Ending, nonfiction by Ken Auletta, 2022. A vivid biography of Harvey Weinstein—how he rose to become a dominant figure in the film world, how he used that position to feed his monstrous sexual appetites, and how it all came crashing down. Read by Jan Anderson. 18 broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 4. – L This Contested Land, nonfiction by McKenzie Long, 2022. One woman’s enlightening trek through the natural histories, cultural stories, and present perils of thirteen national monuments, from Maine to Hawaii. Read by Philip Lowry. Nine broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 30.

Night Journey*

Monday – Friday 7 p.m.

Dive Bartender: Flowers in the Desert, fiction by T. K. O’Neill, 2022. A Minnesota bartender escapes west for the promise of California in 1977, while a cast of seedy characters seems to conspire to thwart his On The Road dream. Read by John Potts. 15 broadcasts; begins Tue, Oct. 10. – L, S, R

Off the Shelf*

Monday – Friday 8 p.m.

Ordinary Monsters, fiction by J. M. Miro, 2022. A Victorian-era fantasy where children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness in a battle of good vs. evil. Read by Karen Ray. 26 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 2.

Potpourri*

Monday – Friday 9 p.m.

Pompeo, 2022. An investigation of the Fabric, nonfiction by Victoria Finlay, 2022. A work of original research that unravels history through textiles and cloth—how we make it, use it, and what it means to us. Read by Lannois Neely. 22 broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 9.

Good Night Owl*

Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

Death and the Conjuror (rebroadcast), fiction by Tom Mead, 2022. A magicianturned-sleuth in pre-war London solves three impossible crimes in this sharply

drawn period piece. Read by Robb Empson. Seven broadcasts; begins Mon, Oct. 2.

Thistlefoot, fiction by GennaRose Nethercott, 2022. An immersive fantasy saga about estranged siblings who are reunited after receiving a mysterious inheritance. Read by Dan Sadoff. 17 broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 11. – L RTB After Hours*

Monday – Friday 11 p.m. Freefalling, fiction by Eme McAnam, 2023. An elderly hotel owner struggling with dementia finds love later in life. Read by Andrea Bell. Nine broadcasts; begins Wed, Oct. 18. – S

Georgie, All Along – Fiction by Kate Clayborn, 2023. A wise and witty novel that echoes with timely questions about love, career, reconciling with the past, and finding your path while knowing your true worth. Read by Carol McPherson. 14 broadcasts; begins Tue, October 31. – L, S Weekend Program Books

Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents a rebroadcast of Good Anxiety by Wendy Suzuki, read by Beverly Burchett; followed by The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama, read by Beverly Burchett. For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Windswept by Margi Preus, read by Laura Young.

Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents The Sky Watched by Linda LeGarde Grover, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by Still Falling by Jennifer Grotz, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by Homes by Moheb Soliman, read by Mary Knatterud.

The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun. presents Dayton's: A Twin Cities Institution by Kristal Leebrick, read by John Potts; followed by Born of Lakes and Plains by Anne F. Hyde, read by Tony Lopez. .

rides be scheduled to leave the event at 8 p.m., which is when the program is scheduled to end. Anyone driving to the event should consider parking in the University Avenue Ramp, 1926 University Avenue SE. The ramp has a tunnel to McNamara.

The Reception

Guests can find lots to do after checking in at the reception. Guest will have full access to the first floor of a beautiful, award-winning facility, including the Heritage Gallery, videos, a cash bar, and live music performed by In Solid Air. Come early and catch up with friends because there is lots to do and many friends to catch up with.

Dinner

The dinner, provided by D’Amico Catering, will be guests’ choice of dinner is ordered at the time of reservation. Here are the choices:

Sautéed chicken, champagne sauce, dried fruit chutney, roasted red potato, haricot vert, fennel, mushrooms (GF)

Butternut squash ravioli, cream sauce, chives - V

Cauliflower steak, red quinoa, cilantro pesto, coconut cauliflower puree, chili oil (GF, DF, VV)

GF - Gluten Free DF - Dairy Free V -

Vegetarian VV - Vegan

If event guests need to change a menu choice after purchasing tickets, contact Jane Larson at treasurer@accesspress.org or 612-562-7803 by October 22 to request a change.

CHANGES

From page 3

From page 1 during the absentee/early voting periods, to include the polling place and “within 100 feet of the room in which a polling place is situated, to the extent practicable.”

In 2023 Minnesota lawmakers also approved restoration of the right to vote for those with felony convictions who are not currently incarcerated; pre-registration for 16-and-17-year-olds; and protections for election workers from threats and harassment. Those changes have already good into effect.

A warm welcome from the Access Press Board of Directors will be followed by our guest speaker, award-winning journalist Boyd Huppert. This will be followed by presentation of the Charlie Smith Award, a remembrance of Tim Benjamin, and a special announcement. Of course, as this is our biggest fundraising effort, we will ask for your support of Access Press to fund our future.

Tickets

Tickets can be ordered online at accesspress. org. Contact Jane Larson at access@accesspress. org or at 612-562-7803 for non-standard requests, such as asking to be invoiced or to let us know that your guests registered individually but wish to sit at the same table. We will do our best to honor requests.

Scholarship Tickets

Just as Access Press provides news to all who need it, not just those who can afford it, we want all readers and friends to join us. To the extent possible, we will furnish scholarship or subsidized tickets to the dinner. Contact Jane Larson (above) if you need a scholarship or subsidized ticket. If you wish to make a tax- deductible donation of scholarship tickets, please do so at the ticket website.

This year, Access Press celebrates 33 years in publication and 16 years of the Charlie Smith Award, recognizing contributions to disability rights and community. 2023 is also the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Other election laws passed in the 2023 legislative session will go into effect in 2024 and beyond including automatic voter registration, in which a person is registered to vote when a state ID or driver’s license is applied for; legislative district map modifications impact in boundaries in senate districts 9, 12, 17, and 44; the creation of a permanent absentee voter list; expanded hours for voting before election day; and, the creation of an 18-day early voting period. Election coverage is prepared by Access Press staff, with funding from Ramsey County Elections. This issue features information from the Minnesota

Fresh Eyes Arts exhibition

Post your event online

Access Press is moving more event listings online. That is possible with our redesigned website. There is a word limit and we ask that those posting information include event costs as well as accommodations. Are ASL and AD offered? Is there companion seating? A quiet room? Fidgets? COVID-19 protocols?

Accommodations are much more than a ramp for many of us. That kind of information can help someone decide whether or not to attend an event.

To post an event, go to www.accesspress. org, click the resources tab at top right, and go to the post an event line.

Consider that a small web or print ad can also generate interest in an upcoming event. For questions about ads, email ads@ accesspress.org

Access Press reserves the right to reject events if they do not meet our guidelines. Call the editor at 651-644-2133 ext. one or email jane@accesspress.org with events questions.

Open Flow Forum

The Artists with Disabilities Alliance meets via Zoom 7-9 p.m. the first Thu of the month. Upcoming dates are Oct. 5 and Nov. 2. Virtually join artists with disabilities and supporters to share visual art, writing, music, theater and artistic efforts or disability issues. Facilitators are Tara Innmon and Andy Sturdevant from Springboard for the Arts. Anyone needing accommodations including ASL interpreting or captioning should contact Sturdevant at Springboard. Funding is available for access needs. FFI: 651-294-

Conference

AuSM Conference draws near

The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) has opened registration for its Sixth Annual Autistic Community Summit. The day-long event is Sat, Oct. 14 at Lionsgate Academy in Shoreview. Features include integrated social opportunities throughout the day, including a social room to can take a break to meet other autistics at any time during the day, and lunchtime meet up groups to visit with with others who have similar identities and interests. Both half-hour and full-hour presentations are incorporated throughout the day to give more people the opportunity to present. the summit will be a hybrid format, offers in-person and virtual. All speakers are neurodivergent, although we have invited some neurotypicals to support as moderators of panels. The summit is planned as a sensory and accessibilityfriendly experience. Cost $35. Scholarships are available. FFI: www.ausm.org

Info & Assistance

Many classes available

NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has set up a wide variety of free and in-person online mental health classes. Choices include Hope for Recovery, Transitions, Ending the Silence, Understanding Early Episode Psychosis for Families, In Our Own Voice, Family to Family, Positive Psychology, Creating Caring Communities, smoking cessation, a suicide prevention class called QPR – Question, Persuade and Refer, a special QPR class for Agricultural Communities and many more.

NAMI Minnesota’s Online Support Groups moved to a new and improved platform, HeyPeers. HeyPeers provides a safe, easy to access environment exclusively designed for online support group meetings.

The classes and online support groups are designed for family members and caregivers, persons living with a mental illness, service providers, and also the general public. Find a complete listing of these classes and how to join in by going to namimn.org and click clicking on “Classes” or go straight to https:// namimn.org/education-public-awareness/ classes/scheduled/

STAR offers resources

The Minnesota STAR Program offers a wide range of online resources for people with disabilities in the state and region. STAR’s mission is focused on assistive technology needs and resources. This includes panel discussions and seminars. Participants need to preregister. See upcoming programs at https://mn.gov/admin/star/ Anyone who wants to see informational device videos as well as prior webinars can visit the MN STAR Program YouTube Channel

0907, resources@springboardforthearts.org, openflowmn@gmail.com

Resources to Enjoy!

The Enjoy! listings are for arts events as well as banquets, fundraisers, walks and other fun events by and for disability services organizations. Schedules may be subject to change, so check with a venue or organization before making plans. Arrange for disability accommodations well in advance at any event.

Disability service organizations typically send e-news blasts and have social media. Both are other ways to find out about events.

The Minnesota Access Alliance (MNAA) provides an Accessible Arts & Culture Calendar for arts patrons who use accessibility accommodations such as audio description, captioning, ASL interpreting and sensory-friendly accommodations. Link to more details at https://calendar.mnaccess. org. Be sure to check the listing or venue to find out any COVID-19 protocols and if an advance reservation is needed for an accessibility service.

Accessible events can be submitted to the MNAA Calendar (and MinnesotaPlaylist.com) To receive a free monthly events calendar, email mactfactor@icloud.com and/or info@ mnaccess.org. Ask for the entire events list or specific lists for ASL interpreting, captioning, audio description, sensory-friendly accommodations or disability-related topics. For other accessibility resources or upcoming webinars presented by MNAA, sign up for emails at https://mnaccess.org

Survey

Take a survey Minnesota Council on Disability is preparing for the 2024 legislative session. Developing public policy only works when the public has a role in crafting what we work on. That is why completing the council’s Public Policy Survey is so important. Public input is vital to the council’s work because disabled Minnesotans’ perspective helps the council find priorities, problems, and solutions to focus on in the 2024 legislative session.

MCD thanks everyone who completed the survey at the state fair booth. Take the Public Policy Survey and lend valuable perspective to make the council’s work better. Go to https://forms.office.com/pages/ responsepage.aspx?id=RrAU68QkGUWPJric IVmCjOKFa-xSKglBubFgFlndgGhUQTdOVU xFUTlXU0tDUUQ2TDA4MkpHRzFPMS4u

Appointments

Minneapolis seeks appointees

Hey, Minneapolis residents, 27 city boards and commissions have openings for appointments this fall. The city seeks applicants with a diversity of backgrounds and experiences representing the demographics of Minneapolis to strengthen the work of the city. City boards and commissions offer a direct way for residents to advise city leadership about topics important to them. Translation and interpreting is available so all residents can participate. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 31. Find more information about the openings on the city website.

Minneapolis has more than 50 volunteerbased boards, commissions and advisory committees that help shape key policy decisions, represent their community in the

Fresh Eye Arts hosts the exhibition, CAFAC x MSS Student Showcase, through October 7. This exhibition is the culmination of a multi-year long partnership between MSS, Fresh Eye Arts & Gallery’s parent organization, and Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center teaching artists. Fresh Eye Gallery is located at 4238 Nicollet Ave, Mlps. The gallery is open to the public Thu and Fri 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Sat 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Adults with disabilities who attend MSS, including a collection of Fresh Eye artists, participated in a variety of classes including stained glass, blacksmithing, porcelain enameling, glass bead making, metal casting and more to create the art that will be on display. The exploration of these mediums expanded the type of art Fresh Eye Artists and MSS students have been exposed to deepening their hands-on learning. With the public viewing of their work, Fresh Eye Arts, MSS, and Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center hope to celebrate learning for people of all abilities.

Fresh Eye Gallery is a community art space in South Minneapolis dedicated to showcasing artwork by emerging and mid-career artists, of all backgrounds and abilities. The gallery is an intentionally inclusive space centering and amplifying the voices of artists with disabilities. Learn more at fresheyegallery.com. Fresh Eye Gallery is a component of Fresh Eye Arts- a progressive art studio supporting artists with disabilities. Fresh Eye is owned and operated by MSS, a nonprofit organization supporting people with disabilities in the Twin Cities Metro Area since 1949.

CAFAC is a community-based arts organization with unique creative resources designed to be accessible, responsive, and relevant. CAFAC was founded in 2007 by a group of six neighbors who met through their involvement with the Central and Bryant neighborhood organizations. Their idea for an arts center at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue was motivated by a resident-led small area plan that outlined development goals for this neighborhood commercial node.

city’s administration of services and supply valuable insights. Boards and commissions have brought forward recommendations that have resulted in many positive changes. Disability voices are needed throughout these discussions.

Boards and commissions fall into a handful of categories: appeal boards, development boards, general advisory boards and special service districts (defined areas within the city with special services). Appointments to boards and commissions are made twice a year: in the spring and fall. People can apply and stay up to date on vacancies, position descriptions and timelines by visiting the city website. FFI: 612-673-2216 or emailing lims@ minneapolismn.gov.

Children and families

PACER workshops sampling

PACER Center offers many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any disabilities. Some in-person workshops are offered at PACER Center and also offered online. Other workshops are wholly online and livestreamed at this time. Advance registration is required for all workshops.

At least 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. Check out PACER’s website and link to the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to pick and choose sessions designed for their needs. Access Press only provides a sampling of the workshops offered.

Supplemental Security Income: Qualifying for Benefits is 7-8:30 p.m. Thu, Oct. 12. The workshop will provide basic information on applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for young adults aged 18 and over. Participants will learn about SSI's eligibility criteria and how to submit a successful application. Offered in Duluth.

Understanding Pre-Employment Transition Services and Supplemental Security Income is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wed, Oct. 18. The workshop will provide basic information on Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for young adults. Participants will learn about the importance of early work experience for future success and how SSI benefits can help. Offered in Grand Rapids. FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org

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DISPELLING MYTHS ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINE MYTH VS FACT

MYTH: THE VACCINE HAS MAGNETS IN IT

FACT: ALL COVID-19 VACCINES ARE FREE FROM METALS such as iron, nickel cobalt, lithium, rare earth allots, as well as manufactured products such as microelectronics, electrodes, carbon nanotubes and nanowire semiconductors.

MYTH: THE COVID-19 VACCINE CAUSES INFERTILITY

FACT: THE COVID-19 VACCINE WILL NOT AFFECT FERTILITY. The truth is that the COVID-19 vaccine encourages the body to create copies of spike protein found on the coronavirus’s surface. This “teaches” the body’s immune system to fight the virus that has that specific spike protein on it.

MYTH: THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE ARE DANGEROUS.

FACT: THE PFIZER AND MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINES CAN HAVE SIDE EFFECTS, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY ARE VERY SHORT TERM - NOT SERIOUS OR DANGEROUS. The vaccine developers report that some people experience pain where they were injected; body aches; headaches or fever, lasting for a day or two. These are signs that the vaccine is working to stimulate your immune system. If symptoms persist beyond two days, you should call your doctor.