December 1990 Edition - Access Press by Access Press

First of all I would like to wish everyone a GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON and a HAPPY NEW YEAR. This issue of ACCESS PRJ3S has a feature article on Peter McLaughlin, one of the newest board members to Hennepin County. I think you will find him to be very interesting. His ideason how the county can be more effective are refreshing. He is asking for more involvementfrom the people who use the services of the county. We can help him in this venture. To help US better understand the workings of our county government,Peter has agreed to write a column for us starting in January. Watch for it.

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We have reinstated our "BE HEARD - Access to Politicians". I hope you all will tear this out and keep it in a convenientplace. Use it often, callor write the people "in power1'. They need to hear from you and its easyjust pick up the phone!

**** Budget shortfall andmassive revenue deficit are some of the terms being used by our newly elected Governor, Amie Carlscm. 'Ibis may have a dramatic effect on all of us. If the programs we have all become used to, or rely on, arefrozen or cut back we will all feel the impact. No increases in funding for social service programs, medical assistance, Metro Mobility, residential facility workers, homeless, and rehab services

for everyone are just a few examples. Although our State govemment may be over extended, these types of programs need funding and not just at their current levels. Many of these programs are vital to people who have become dependent upon them. We just can't let them be left hanging in limbo. Let's use our voices and be heard on these issues, which concern us directly. You can make a difference.

**** ACCESS PRESS is happy to announce a new section, ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT. This new feature will give you a description of employment possibilities from local equal oppormity employers. With the passageof the Americans

With Disabilities Act (ADA) came some enc@g news from employers. TheCity of Mmeapolis has notified their contractors to take affirmative action in hiring disabled employees. I see this as a very positive sign and the C ' i of Minneapolis should be applauded for this action. Maybe, just maybe, we are seeing an effect of the ADA already. Watch for these employment announcements, and if one looks good to you, apply!

**** Sonja Kerr, attorney for Erika Schuldt sent us a flyer on the latest development in this unusual case. P1ease see page 11. Your attendance would be greatly appreciated in this fight against discrimination.

G:II-::J Director Says Health Insurance Must Change

--. November 13,1990--James R. Gage, M.D., newly appointed "We have a situation where the demand for medical resources :

Medical Director at Gillette Children's Hospital, said today that physicians, hospitals, legislators, governmtnt agencies, insurance companies and health maintenance organizations need to work together to ensure medical care for children who have disabilities and their families.

- In a speech given at the University Club in SL Paul, Gage stated that society's incmmwd awarenessof health issuesand need for complex high quality medical treatment has created a large pool of people requiring health care at the same time.

is outstripping the supply. In this milieu, children with longterm disabilitiesand their families find themselves struggling to have their needs heard in a sea of voices grower louder by the second," Gage said. According to Gage, many prepaid health plans are structured to reimburse traditional acute care expenses, while the more quipment that the specialhaÂś trmmqts, therapies disabled child requim ine usually not reimbursed or reimbursed very poorly.

Changing this system will have long-term benefits for all of us. But for families ofchildren who have chronic disabilities, . the effectiveness of this system is the difference between a life of opportunity or one of financial devastation," Gage said. As Medical Director at Gillette Children's, Gage practices

orthoprdic surgery and manages the i)reas of patient care. education,meas&,m e d k d ~ ~ zflld o outreach. n In addition. Gage is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Minnesota.

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care access for '2

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Specialized transportation for elderly and handicapped.

M T R O MOBILITY & M.A. PRWIDERS

&id@d' December 10 1990

Access Press employment tests or other selection criteria that screen out individuals with disabilities unless the criteria are shown to be jobelated for the position

The Act also contai requirements relating to rapid and light-rail stations and intercity and commuter rail-travel that will not be discussed in this article.

- tests that accurately reflect the

full and equal enjopnent of the kkills &e t a t seeks to measme, goods, services, facilities. rather than reflecting the privileges, advantages, or impaired skills resulting frofn accommodations of any place of

l'he Act idso limits rhe u t i h a r h of medical examinations and inquiries. In pre-employment situations. the employermay ady a& abmt the -of w to perf= "job-related fundom* andmay not inquirewhether the

excluded from services ices sf or people who are "because of the absence of hearing and speech imp

restaurants, bars, theaters, museums. schools, or recreation facilities.

Under the ADA, goods and services must be afforded to an individual withadisability in the

failing to remove architectural barriers and communication barriers where such removal is readily achievable;

and cemnmy. on July 26,1990, "reasonable ~ d a t i o n nan examination regardless of Resident Bush signed the u&r the Act may includemaking disability. a n t i d i o n protections fm all pmms with physical or mead

its provisions. The law further allows for reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party at the discretion of the court or administrative agency reviewing claims under the Act.

achievable efforts to defiie such terms as "reasonable accommodations"

a dimkination inclu

protections already exist under equipmentor devices, appropriate food services will also be able to Minnesotalaw,the Act provides adjustment or modifications of deny employmentto individuals

will @J! be of businesses. As a result, it is likely that litigation will be necessary to give shape to much of the legislation. Nonetheless, from fully and equally Rivate clubs and religiou passage of the Act remains a enjoying servicesunless such organizations are exempt from supreme achievement and a

by individupls withdisabilities." whenplnchasingorleasingllsed I ~ e l a t i o n s h i that p subjects the to obtain accessible +lea Re.*,-,person with a disability to rndacturedvehicles tobeusad for at least five yeas must be mods "redly tuxxsib1ee"to the

Conversions Driving Aids Accessories

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Access Press

December 10 1990

Events Calendar

December, 1990 -

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LOSS SUPPORT GROUP tS3:m - 4 : P.M. ~ call Murray 378-0027 PARKINSON CARE GIVERS GROUP 7:00 P.M. Methodist Hospital, 932-5495 ADULTS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY SUPPORT GROUP Lutheran Social Services, 378-002 UNDERSTANDING GRIEF 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. Methodist Hospital, call 932-5700 BLOOMINGTON STROKE CLUB 10:30 - 11:30 A.M. Creekside Community Center, 887-9604 MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT GROUP 7:00 - 900 P.M. Creekside Community Center, 887-9604 ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SUPPORT GROUP 1:00 - 3:00 P.M. call Murray 378-0027 UNITED HANDICAPPED FEDERATION BOARD MEETING 7:00 - 900 P.M. 1821 University Avenue, 645-8922 YOUNG ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SUPPORT GROUP 4:00 - 5:00 P.M. call Murray 378-0027 PARKINSON'S SUPPORT GROUP UNDER 55'12 STEP 7:30 P.M. Methodist Hospital, 932-5495 LOSS SUPPORT GROUP 3:00 - 4:00 P.M. call Murray 378-0027 ADULTS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY SUPPORT GROUP Lutheran Social Services, 378-0027 LEUKEMIA SUPPORT CROUP 7:00 P.M. ~ e t h o d l sHt O S ~Cancer . Center, 932-5700 PARKINSON'S SUPPORT GROUP

Tues.

Wed.

Thurs.

Mon. 18 Tw. 19

Wed.

Lutheran Social Services, 378-0027 ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SUPPORT GROUP

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January, 1991

. 2 MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT GROUP *Wed. 7:00 9:00 P.M. Creekside Community Center, 887-96~@#+~-

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YOUNG ADULTS WlTH PHYSICAL DISABILITIESSUPPORT GROUP 4:00 - 5:00 P.M. call Murray.378-0027

BLOOMINGTON STROKE CLUB , -Brunch - call Denise Royer, 887-9604 ADULTS WITH HYSICAL DISABILITIES SUPPORT GROUP 1:00 - 3:00 P. call Murray 378-0027 3 YOUNG ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SUPPORT GRO Thurs. 4:00 - 5:- P.M. call Murray 378-0027 PARKINSON'S SUPPORT GROUP UNDER 55'12 STEP 7:30 P.M. Methodist Hospital. 932-5495 ST. PAUL CMTAN CLUB 6: 15 P.M. Tracks at Midway Motor Lodge, 221-6144 PARKINSON'S SUPPORT GROUP 7:00 P.M. Methodist Hospital, 932-5495 SKI CHALLENGE FOR DISABLED ---SKIERS 113 thru 116, Hyland Hills & Welch Village Ski Area, 520-0257 7 LOSS SUPPORT GROUP Mon. 3:00 - 4:00 P.M. call Murray 378PARKINSON CARE GIVERS G 7:00 P.M. Methodist Hospital, 932-5495 8 ADULTS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY SUPPORT GROUP Tues. Lutheran Social Services, 378-0027 3 . 4

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT GROUP 7:00- 9:00 P.M. Creekside Community Center, 887-9604 ADULTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SUPPORT GROUP 1:00 - 3:00 P.M. call Murray 378-0027 UNITED HANDICAPPED FEDERATION BOARD MEETING

BLOOMINGTON STROKE CLUB 10:30 - 11:30 A.M. Creekside Community Center, 887-9604

Nationaloffice Richard W. Fee, Executive Director Estate Planning for the Disabled W. Center Avenue, Sui Mantea, Cal~Yom'i95336

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Access Press Sister Kennv Institute

Questions About Hearing Problems

which can be selected to best fit the individual's hearing loss Some hearing aids may be digitally-programmed to amplify sounds. Other devices are available to amplify telephone or television signals It is always best to consult and to improve listening in with professionalsin the field places such as theatres or of hearing disorders. concert halls. Otolaryngologists are physicians who specialize in For many years, sen-ural the diagnosis and medical/ hearing loss was referred to surgical treatment of ear and as "nerve deafness." Many hearing disorders. physicians told their patients Audiologists are specially that there was nothing to be trained professionals who done for this type of hearing evaluate hearing sensitivity. loss and that "they would just If it is dewmined that medical have to live with it." With or surgical treatment will not recent improvements in improve your father's hearing, hearing aids, this is no longer ampmcation through use of true. Because of the variety a hearing aid may be of hearing losses and amplification devices and recommended. manufacturers, it is very A complete hearing evaluation important to consult a will reveal the type and degree professhal before pmhasing of hearing loss that your father a hearing aid. The cost of has. Hearing loss which hearing aids can also vary originates firom a problem with dramatically, another reason the outer or middle ear is you should consult a referred to as conductive p r o f e s s i o n a 1 . and hearing loss. Ear infections, Otolaryngologists can be wax accumulation and audiologists otosclerosis (a condition in recommended by your family which one of the bones in the physician, or by calling

repeat yourself often, there are ways to determine the degree of hearing loss and what can be done to help him communicate more effectively.

problems with night vision. V i impairment will slowly progress resulting in severe visual problems in young adulthood. Some individuals with Usher's Syndrome lack inner-ear balance function from birth.

Q: I have a 1 year-old son who was born with a severe hearing loss in both ears. Recently, my son has had =me problems playing with the other children, as he seems to be clumsy. Is clumsiness associated with hearing loss? An individual born with normal hearing may develop A: The answer to this question problems with hearing and is not as simple as yes or no. balance later in life due to ?here are some typesof severe disease or other medical hearing losswhich do not affect conditions. For example, a aperson's balance, andothers pmm who has had Meningitis which may be associated with may have hearing loss langing balance or even visual from mild to severe in one or problems Balance and headng both ears. The individual may systems are located in the inner also have lost inner-earbalance ear, sharing space, fluid and function. This may be a mild nerve function within the disorder in only one ear or a temporal bone. However, the sev& problem affecting both development and function of ears. these systems are very What all of this means is that separate. a person who has hearing loss In most types of severe will not always have balance congenital hearing loss, the problems. Medical evaluation balance system is not affected. should assume that balance is Thebalancesystem functions normal. Testing would with minimal information determine whether there is a from the hearing system. balance problem. Medication alance is maintained by much or physical therapy treatment tronger cues from aperson's will be the same whether or vision or sensation in their not the ~erson with a balance

year-old father of hering loss. Conductive Well as b; h&@ h& & ~ o s t h y hearing loss and completeloss used lo. Is dxm something be successfully treated by an of the balance function of the that can be done or should we otolaryngologist Hearing aids learn to live with it? inner ear. may also be useful.

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Neurologically based disorders, such as Usher's Syndrome, may also cause balance problems. A person with Usher's Syndrome may experience mild to severe hearing loss. At some point, usually in the preteen years, the individual will develop

with it! Hearing loss is more common than most people think. More than 10 million people in the United States have some degree of hearing loss. If you suspect that your father is missing alot of what you say or if you need to

arises from problems associated with the inner ear and hearing nerve. This type ofhearinglossmaybearesult of exposure to excessive noise, life-saving drug therapy, Meniere's disease, aging and othercauses. Most often, this type of hearing loss cannot be improved through medical or ! ' @ d ~hearing e n t . Haids o wcan e vbe e rvery , useful

Political Phone N

U ~ & ~and S Addresses

Senator Paul Wellstone (DFL) P.O. Box 65588 St. Paul. MN 55165 659-0103

C& My wife had a stroke last &he gets around the house pretty well, but sometimes loses her b a h a and we are concerned about her falling. Can anything be done to improve her stability?

Rep. Martin 0 . Sabo (DFL) 462 Federal Couxts Bldg. 110 S. 4th St. Minneapolis. MN 55401 348- 1649

in helping people with this type of hearing loss.

There are different types of hearing aids and hundreds of manufacturers. Behind-theear hearing aids have been availablef a many years. They Senator Dave Dunmberger (IR) consist of an earmold and a 1020 Plymouth Building Rep. Gerry Sikorski (DFL) 12 South 6th Street 227 Coon Rapids Blvd. N.W. piece which fits behi* the Minneapolis. MN 55402 ear that houses the main #414 370-3382 Cooll MN.55433 componentsof the hearing aid. 780-58&. ' Behind-the-ear hearing aids Rep. Timothy J. Penny (DFL) may be-pa for many Park Towers Rep. James L. Oberstar (DFL) kinds of hearing loss. In-the22 North Broadway 231 Federal Building ear hearing aids can improve Rochester, MN 55904 D&&, MN 55802 communication for most types (507) 28 1-6053 (2M)727-7474 of hearing loss except severe Rep. Vin Weber (IR) R*&C. Perterson (DFI toprofomd hearing lass. Canal hearing aids are the newest Box 279 -%$ax 287 type of amplification device New Ulm, MN 56073 ~ e & t Lakes, MN 56501 (507) 354-6400 and are probably the most Rep. Jim Ramstad (IR) popular because of their small Rep. Bruce Vento (DFL) 2618 Crosby Rosa size. However, they are not American National Bank Bldg. M w a , MN 55343 useful for many kinds of 5th & Minnesota S t . Room 905 475-3365 hearing loss due to their limited St. Paul, MN 55101 circuitry space. Mosthearing 224-4503 aids have amplificari~circuits

A: Imbalanceoccurs whenever the body is unable to make use of information from the inner ears, the eyes, or the feet and legs. That's why we fall on ice or feel unsteady walking in unfamiliar places in the dark If your wife is unstable walking around your home where there is adequate lightingand secure carpeting, then you have reason to suspect that she may have a balance problem.

Your M y physician can help determine the cause of the balance problem so that appropriatestepscan be taken to increase your wife's safety and independence. Often a hearing test is conducted to examine the functioning of the inner ears. However, a normal hearing test does not mean that the balance system is also normal. There are several tests available that specifically test balance function.

The results of balance testing and your wife's medical history will assist your physician in diagnosing and treating her instability. Physical therapy can help your wife learn to get around safely through aprogramof exercise and education. Specialthanks to audiologists Gene Baizer, Ph.D., Jane Gilbert, M.A. and Candace Tillquist, M.A., of the Minneapolis Neuroscience Institute for their assistance in producing this column.

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One of these tests is called elecrronystagmography, or

conditions. This computerized test shows how an individual positions his or her body to maintain balance under a variety of conditions and identifiesincorrect movements which may compound or even create instability.

The rotational chair test, although new and less widely available, is useful in evaluating inner ear function as the body is turned about a vertical axis. Faster, less bothersomeandmorereliable than the ENG, the rotational chairprovidesinformatianonon the overall balancesystem and pinpoints problems arising from the central nervous system. This new test is also very effective in documenting changes in balance over time. To submit questions on medical or rehabilitative issues A third balance test is for future columns, write: posturography, which Medical Issues and Disability, examinestheabilityofaperson Sister Kenny Institute, Dept. to select and use appropriate 16601, 800 E. 28th St., balance information under Minneapolis, MN 55407false and misleading 3799.

A: No, you don't have to live Sensorinwal hearing loss win-.

'Be Heard

Remember,most m u l e with shearing loss can helped to hear better, often, by using amplification devices.

ENG. This test records eye movement as the eyes follow a moving light, and as the head and body change positions. Cool and warm water are alternately placed in the right and left ears to compare responses between earsand to determinereduced function of the inner ears.

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Access Press

December 10,1990

Relay continued from page 1

TheHearing Dog Program ---.

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approximately two years ago of the Direct Connect Minnesota Relay System (MRS), an ingenious mixture of common sense. uncommon dedication, creativity and technology.

A Great Way to Go

The idea was simple. When people speak. in effect. two different languages, have someone in the middle who speaks both serve as

by Adam Quinn What's in a name? Ask Lucb, a (possibly) full-blooded Australian Shepherd who was three hours from being put to sleep when she was selected to become the chief "demonshator" for the Hearing Dog Program of Minnesota.

The organization, then new, was the local brainchild of A1 Peters, a former insurance executive and residential restoration entrepreneur who had decided that accumulating money for its own sake left something to be desired. A gregarious and helpful man by nature, and long-time dog fancier, Peters cast about for something to combine his interests. When wife Penny, an audiologist by profession, returned from aconference in San Francisco, the answer returned with her. Hearing dogs. The idea, in the late 'go's, was not new. The first formally-trained hearing dog "graduated" in 1968, before assuming her position as companion and ears for a deaf girl in Denver. It just hadn't taken off like some ideas do,

Executive Director in place and Lucky not far behind. The program has developed consistent with the philosophy of its board and &tor with deliberate speed, and microscopic attention to demL

In 1980, the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens (MADC. founded in 1885). designed and incorporated the Deafness. Education and Advocacy Foundation (D.E.A.F.. Inc) as an organization whose purpose it is to carry out the dreams and innovations of the deaf community. An interlocking Board of Directors governing the two organizationsgives D.E.A.F. the ongoing advantage of a direct and continuous link to the needs and concerns of the communications-impaired in the state of Minnesota.

The Hearing Dog Program is both a training and a matching service. First comes the applicant.

In that same year, a number of deaf community leaders met at Camp Courage to discuss and devise short-term and longterm priorities for programming which would benefit the community. Of the seven goals which were written, top priority was given to establishinga state-wide messagerelay service. The Direct Connect Minnesota Relay Service is a culmiqation of many years of work by countless people representing a wide variety of communication disorders.

While applicants must meet certain requirements relative to their impairment, they need not be well-to-do (dogs are donated; the $2500 training and placement costs are picked up by foundations, private conmbutors, and organmtions such as the Lions Club and the TelephonePioneers), nor knowledgeable about training dogs. "They don't have to pay for the dog", Peters said, "but they do have to love him. If the applicant currently has adog, the Minnesotaprogram is one of few in the nation who will assess the pet's suitability as a hearing dog, and enroll the applicantsown dog if it passes muster.

McGrath's f k t formal Hearing no dog of his or her own. In Dog training program way this event, the staff considers individual preference in terms back in 1975. of "size and shape", and Perhaps the reason it hadn't searches the pound and taken off, like the seeing eye Humane Society kennels for dog program had, had to do a canine candidate with the with the general public's lack combination of traits necessary of awareness of the benefits to give it the "right stuff' for involved. For those unable to inclusion in the program. hear a phone or doorbell ring, Along with the applicarlt's an alarm clock go off, a smoke dimensional and appearance alarm sound, a baby cry, or a considerations, program weight strange sound in the kitchen personnel late at night, the benefits were temperament, intelligence, both obvious and immediate. interest in soundand rewards, To package such a personal age (ideally one to two years) alert service in warm and furry and other factors, and four-footed form, with bright generally select an alert and eyes, wagging tail and eager-to-please mixed breed for the arduous training ahead. unyielding devotion... The lure, as it turned out, was too much for A1 Peters to resist, and efforts to form the Minnesota version of a successful hearing dog program began in 1987. They culminated in February of 1989, with an incorporated, non-profit organization, Board, volunteers and

Hannibal thought crossing the Alps with elephants would be simple, too. How did it come about? A history. quoted from an MRS document:

From the Camp Courage meeting came the Hearing Impaired Telecommunication Advocacy Committee, which lasted for three years and largely drafted the ~klecommtmicationsAccess For Communication Impaired Persons (TACIP) bill, initially passed into law in 1987. The bill called for aTACIPBoard, and funding in the form of asmall monthly surcharge on the phone bills of all Minnesotans. On March 1, 1989, the Minnesota Relay Service began relaying TDD/Telephone calls, 24 hours of every day, 365 days a year.

time with the applicant/new owner, aperiod of adjustment to be expected between two individuals about to enter a -

Then the training begins. For the next sixteen weeks, dog and master are trained in the techniques and nuances of both "regular" obedience and specialized sound response. For those with the capability and interest, the obedience portion may take place at a regular obedience school, complete with commands, confusion and dogs, dogs, dogs. m e program provides an interpreterat both ends, and otherwise facilitates access to the standardized training in whatever way necessary.

If outside training is not practical, and in any event for the sound prtion of the course, training takes place right in the applicant's home. Trainen are highly specialmd experts, with a minimum of six years of obedience training experience, and a period of Next comes a week of just thorough hearing dog training plain gethng-to-know-you internship. The dog is then placed in a foster home for two weeks to two months, to confirm that it's housebroken, sociable, crate trained and not a victim of kennel cough or other latent sickness.

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After the four-month training period, dog and owner are lefi virtually alone for 30 days. Except for over-the-phone

TDD users who wish to commuiicate with hearing persons dial the Service at 297-5353 (Twin Cities metro area), or 1-800-657-3529 (outstate), give their name, area code and phone number, and the corresponding information for the called party. When the connection is made, the operator reads the T D D user's words to the vnice user.

learn to truly function together as a unit. Finally, the Big Day. The trainer, along with A1 Peters and a board member, visit the home with clip boards in hand, and "finals" are administered...and videotaped. If all goes well between the two, graduation occurs, with a card and certificate proclaiming them a "Certified Hearing Dog Team".

A Minnesota based non-profit corporation serving a broad constituency which includes people born deaf,those deafened later in life, hard of hearing people , the hearing impaired, persons interested in improving the rights and opportunities available to members of the Deaf and hearing impaired m u n i t y .

II II

For most, it is more than a thrilling moment. It signals the beginning of greater comfort, convenience and companionship - and it has cost the new owner nothing.

PROGRAMS INCLUDE:

Minnesota Relay Service -described in adjacent article. Adult Education Programming - provides services to, and coordinates with, school districts to offer Adult Basic Education classes for the Deaf community. Developing and implementing a statewide tutoring system, working with the State Library system to i m p v e services for the Deaf community. Offers community education classes. seminars and workshops of special interest to the Deaf community.

I I

D.E.A.F. Resource Centers - Resource Centers in St. Paul and Duluth provide information and referral services. Over 7000 clients served in 1989-1990.

Demand for the program, really less than two years old in Minnesota, is growing as the word gets out. Given the length and intensity of the process, Peters and his board have projected up to 24 dogs trained per year. Given the 140,000 Minnesotans with moderate to severe hearing impairments, of which 40,000 are totally deaf, those projections may well see modification as the years pass by.

Grant. Writing-providesanon-goinggrants writing unit for the Deaf community to assist individual and class-action advocacy aid fund as necessary.

D.E.A.F. Foundation - The foundation donates as much as $30,000a year to a variety of Deaf Community programs from proceeds generated by D.E.A.F.'s Lawful Gambling Unit. (St. Paul Office located at 104E. Seventh Place, (612) 224-2515 TDD/Voice for information) and types the voice users words for the TDD user. Operators are highly trained. sensitive and efficient, versed in ethics, procedure and ASL grammar. They pass conversation back and forth. but will not interfere, advise or handle your business for you. They are especially sensitive to issues of confidentiality. All calls remain 100% confidential.

The Hearing Dog Program of Minnesota is located at 2223 E. 35th St., Minneapolis,MN 55407. (612) 729-5986.

For the hearing person, use of the service is remarkably nonthreatening. Operators are sensitive to awkwardness issues, and gently guide the first-time hearing user through the procedure with remarkably little stress. In practice, the operator appears to simply fade away once the conversationallink has been established. TDD users have become highly facile on the system, and all the i n f d t i e s and nuances of face-to-face conversation seem to be effortlessly

RELA Y cont. on p. 7

Restaurant Review

AaLaDaA

THE FRUGAL DINER HAS Association of A LOONY EXPERIENCE: 1 the A friend of mine asked me if I would like to go to downtown Minneapolis for dinneron a Friday not too long ago. I said sure, but let's pick a place neither of us have been. He asked if I had been to the Loon Cafe and I said no. I didn't think they were accessible. We decided to give them a call before we went and that was the beginning of this adventure. Friday night at 6:30 we called the Loon. Q: "Is the Loon wheelchair accessible?A "Yes, we're easily accessible!"

well. itr not our faulk the building management company makes us put it there and the outside doors are supposed to be locked in the evening." I asked if there was any other way to tell someone inside, other than having someone go in and tell the bartender. Answer was no. What if aperson like myself was alme? How would I tell the bartender. At that the young man said, "Look. it's not our fault the button is behind the locked door, it's the building management and if we could do something about it, we would. I know where your coming from. I have a cousin who is in a wheelchair."

people who grew up in hearing worldandbecamedeafas adults. Late-deafened adults no longer can understand speech without visual clues or use a telephone in the normal way. Their hearing loss may have been sudden or it may have happened over a period of years. Most importantly,latedeafened adults share the experience of being deaf after having once been hearing.

ALDA: The beginning The Association of Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA) traces its roots to a self-help support group for latedeafened adults that formed in Chicago in 1985. Two years later, members of the self-help group organized a social gathering of late-deafened people. The I let the subject drop after that. good feelings of that evening led We were guided though another locked door, down a long conidor, to the back door of the Loon. Another door was unlocked and opened and the inside of the Loon became visible. A garbage bin was moved and I was inside! It was socrowded I sort of crawled in and stopped. My friend moved in to see if there was any place to move to. There wasn't. The room was packed with small tables and standees with literally no room to pass through even if there was a destination. We decided to look elsewhere for dinner. Okay. Open the back door, move the trash bin. down the long hall, only to find the doors still locked. My friend . trekked through the maze and

We are on our way. Lucked out. found a parking place only two blocks away. Wheeled over to the entrance to find four or five steps in the way, wheeled a half block each way looking- for an accessible entrance; nothing visible. My friend went up the steps into the Loon and asked about the wheelchair entrance. Bartender said it's up towards and he would send Butler !+xe, someone to open the door. Found the doors arid waited. Sitting outside the double doors I noticed acall button inside the first set of doors next to a sign saying "For assistance to the Loon Cafe." Unfortunately the call button was inside a locked door. After waiting about five minutes my friend returned to the Loon and asked if someone was coming. The bartender said "Oh yeah,-I:ll have S c couple.& .;lsM-,*drhey\Hprdg minutes ." My friend returned to be right back. A few minutes la!er, a tight-lipped fellow wait with me.

Late-Deafened Adults

to friendships, more social gatherings, i d anewsletter that consolidated the group. ALDA had amved!

groups whae latedeafened adults

share their feelings and expaiences aboutdeafi~ess.These support groups can help relieve the sense of isolation that many ALDA: Today latedeafened people feel and can Today, ALDA is "home" to also provide helpful insights on hundreds of latedeafened people coping with deafness. throughoutthe Unitedstates and Canada. ALDA gives late- . Social activities deafened adults a place where ALDA provides late-deafened they canbe themselves and share adults with a much-needed social with other late-deafenedpeople. outlet. Monthly activities, ALDA also serves as a resource including captionedmovies,day and information center for late- trips, barbecues, s p t i n g events, deafened people and works to and parties, give AIDAns a chance increase public awareness of the to mingle. special needs of late-deafened adults. Outreach A chief goal of ALDA is to i w ALDA: In action and contact as many hedeafened . Self-help support groups adults as possible. Reaching out ALDA sponsors self-help support to newly deafened adults is an

especially activity. The . important . &up also encourages andassists in the establishment of local chapters of ALDA.

- Newsletter ALDA publishes a widely acclaimed newsletter called ALDA News. A mix of humor. information,and personalsharing, the newsletter has played a key role in ALDA's rapid growth. Consultation The development of ALDA has led to greater insight and understanding of latedeafness among the professional community and the g e n d public. ALDAns are often recruited as public speakers and are available to consult on issues involving latedeafness.

ALDA cont. on p. 9

I Thev said these kids would never walk.

~alnPesJ;e$.Wedrn~B~ few moreminutes passed and three locked doors, without a Idebstedwbthaornotthe'lnon word. Enpaiencel'was ping to be warth the wait. Suddenly. through the Now, I don't really mind if the locked doors I could see a third Loon is not accessible. Any plaot door was opening and the that is designed to be crowded possibility of dmer looked makes me uncomfortable and brighter. A young man opened slightly initable, I us@y head the outside door letting us in to for quieter environments. the warmth of Butler Square However, I do think the Loon North. I inquired of the logic of management should be honest, a call button on the inside of a and the next time someone asks locked door making the about wheelchair accessibility. accessibility of the restaurant just say "Sony, can't-& inaccessible. He replied "Yeah, it."

Relay continued froompage 6 employed when using the service.

As many of the 140 operators are college students, openings occur more or less consistentlywith graduation days. and new candidates are continually being sought and mined. Qualificationsrest more with communication skills than educationor computerknowledge. The age of the current staff ranges from 18 to 72. Demand for the service is large. and growing. During the month of October. 1990,just shy of 50.000 calls were handled by the h c e . 92% of which were answered in less than 30 seconds. The vast majority of the calls. 83%. were outbound from TDD's to voice. Thisratio is expected tolevel off as knowledge of the system grows among the genaal public. The same leveling off is expected tooccur in the metro outstate usage ratios, now pegged at 85% from the metro area. The service is. in all. an amazing illustration of what can be done when community sensitivity, legislative foresight. technological merge. capacity and personal dediAnd what was the initial response among the heating-impaired community when this history-making new service f&t became available? "That's easy ." said John Smith, of the Relay Service. '"lie first 300 calls were for pizza!"

They were wrong. Joshua and Jacob Trumper are twins who were born with cerebral palsy. The doctors didn't think they would ever learn to walk. Oh, maybe Joshua would. A little. But not Jacob. Then the Trumpers took their boys to Gillette Children's Hospital, a very special place that serves children who have disabilities. The boys underwent complex surgeries together, and helped each other through weeks of intensive rehabilitation. Now Joshua can walk, run, ride a bike. And Jacob, determined to keep up with his brother, is walking on his own. "Every kid in that place feels special," says Jean Trumper, the boys' Mom.

"The staff genuinely cares about each child. They even helped us cope with the problems so we could help the kids. When we were worried about the money, they just said that would not be a consideration. If something came up, we always had someone to call" Gillette Children's has been caring for children who have disabilities - and their families - since 1897. The small victories of children like Jacob and Joshua Trumper may not be important to everyone, but they are to us. Kids who have disabilities need help to become independent. We give it to them. We're non-profit. We depend on community support.

Gillette

Childnn's Hospital

200 East University Avenue St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 Sometimes there's no place else a child can go.

z...

Access Press SECURING THE FUTURE THROUGH COMPRE ANCIAL PLANNING

December 10 1990

by Arnie Guetzmacher

The futllreis never pmktable. All too often when we look at -,estate planning for families +, who have persons with a disability, we tend to rationalize away the necessity to do anything. We assume that the spouse or parent will always be there to provide or the person with the disability will have a shortened life span, therefare, it d d t seem very important to do much planning.

The reality of the situation is thatunlessa family sitsdown and carefully analyzes their special circumstances, the future care and treatment for the person with a disability

the family may waste a great deal of personal resources trying to duplicate governmental benefit programs. Every family must face the future using a "what if?" attitude. What if I go into a nursing home or die before my disabled spouse or child? What if my disabled child or spouse lives another 20 years? What if my medical benefits at work run out? What if I losemyjoborpension? What if I have a stroke, cannot communicate even for a brief time and my disabled spouse or child is left at home alone?

isabled spouse receives Medicaid benefits and then dies? Will the government force the sale of our home to pay back these benefits?

military pensions, etc.?

2. How can we maximize the government benefit programs that exist to assist families, i.e., SSI, SSDE, Medicaid, Medicare, medical assistance,

5. How can the resources be managed properly, so they will be there as long as the disabled person lives?

3. How can we coordinate ourprivateresourceswiththe govement benefit programs to provide the best possible lifestyle for the disabled person Weneed tolookat seven very now and in the future (if we important planning issues that are not around?) are unique to families with a person with a disability: 4. How can we leave sufficient resources to provide for a 1. Whowillcare formychild meaningful lifestyle without or Spouse if I am b p a ~ i m t e d the government laying claim or when I die? to this inheritance?

beloved child or spouse will and financial planning have dignified final professionals to heLp them arrangements? implement their desires These experts will probabl: 7. How can we set things up see 3 or 4 similar cases each so that my family will not week as opposed to the family fight over the plans that I attorney or planner who may have established? see one in acareer. They will concentrateon helping work In addition, each family has through the basic issues and their own unique problems then prepare the appropriate which can be added to this documents, coordinating basic list. The uaditional governmental benefits, and approach of estate or financial securing a sound financial planning is not very effective program. for these special families. (Mr. Guetzmacher is ( Families need to make regional planner for EDP, ( decisions concerning the national concern specializing above basic issues and then in Life Planning programs.)

Picketina The Department

Wage Protest Continues At Human Services Offic longstanding, cumbersome rules promulgated by the Department of Human Services (DHS) as well as the practice of assigning percentage budget increases in determining rates. The DHS sets contract rates for the private employers. These rates are usually by small mually (3.8%

objective except to meet the dissatisfaction with the salary. higher cost of ope*on. Staff financial requirement. assignments, in general, are The employees and their no different in the two types The result of this method is a employer~see a SySti?m which of facilities, and jobs are perpetuation of the inequity. is deteriorating under these comparable. Only the wage policies. Part of the solution is different. Terry Shapka, director of lies with the legislature, which client services for Marl' T., must take arealistic approach Staff turnover in the privatc Inc., a private supplier of to wage levels for the people residences averages 62% residential services said that i t employs directly or annually, a figure thd the wage discrepancy was indirectly. drarnatickly illu&ates thc about $4.00per hour. a very Another part of the solution si-n. Heavy respomib'di~l a g e -differenc&&nce, lies wilh rheDm, which must employees of private simplify its rules and contractarsmkive about $6.00 procedures in paying the per hour on average, while providers. the state pays about $10.00 . inability of the private for .the same sort of State empllayeesare paid m k x can be done? residential manaeers to raise employment. a different system, one which " wages in any meaningful gives them moresauhy with Mr. McInmy said k a e Mr. Joel Cary, also of the higher wages, a situath m ~ z e employees will hold a mass amounts. . . saidthee desirable than the private meeting at the Capitol on MaryT.ww=private midenrial Wties are contractorsare able to afford. January 15th to present their T&sm tthe+3fpAdiag w* WZS m serving approximately 4750 The fact that the state case to the legislature. Last provii t k - s~WWLretarded people. The state legiWlm seB criteria for both y w the' same event was held Typically, thi,s alw is done facilities are serving about p h is particularly distllrbing on Feb. 20th and 3800 people by increasing the ,budget for 1450 client& attended. to the protesters. sxvkes a m t a g e oflastyear'sbad~mpemaps The state emplayees are Some of the state run The staff at the Department a flat dollar amount. The mimkdandtheprivateworle asideneesare serving clients of Human Senrices said they budget limits are then passed bee is not. Mr. McInemy whoaremoresemdydisalded couldnotmketimeawayfrom down to the community said he doubted that than the private residences. th&mm toanwa redwith no particular unionization could change the This resulrs in a higIrer ratio our t e b b n e calls about this si~veryeasily,sincethe union nego&iation could only be with employers under contracts to the RHS and not the state. In addition to their annualb u d g e t b i ~ o n sthe , complexilyofthe~causes almost 258 of the annual allocation for these facilities to he disputed for one reason mano*. mdiSpwdmIal is o w c-tly, and is causing con;cern that the whole system may be cdlapm3. Residential facilities, which are classed as I C F M (IntermediateCareFacilities/ for Mentally Retarded) must emphy people able to takeon heavy mpomdbilitiesbut can only offer about $6.00 per hour in compensation. Very high turnover is experienced as well as a general ~

Terry Shapiro handing out leaflets ert DfES

Rqmsentstivesof ARRM, tfie candidates to their plight. Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota marched in front of the Minnesota Department of litman Services in a protest for bettea wages. Starting on October 15th and continuing election day on ber 6th, the marchers to alert both the and the leghhtive

The core of the argument is that wages paid to s e employees far similar work in resideitial facilities is substan* higher than the wage to outside providers of services.

Mr. Jerry McInemey of ARRM says this is a result of

$Wrnrn

Access Press

December 10,1990 9

Pacer Center Tackles Affordable Housing Parents of children with disabilities were invited by Pacer Center to spend an evening with Mr. Bob Laux, a New England real estate broker who specializes in setting up housing for mple with disabilities. The meeting was held at the Kelly Inn, St. Paul, on November 7th. vlr. Laux questioned the audience early in theevening about their specific needs, While the disabilities of their dependents covered a wide spectrum, the parents were uniformly concerned about long range housing prospects for their children.

Mr. Laux offered few specifics for individual families, but assured the group that almost all legislativeprogress and community efforts to provide housing solutionsare brought about by similar groups of those most affected. He feels the existing federal tax credits for the creation of affordable housing offer the best avenue of attracting investors into the low rent housing market. He also detailed some of the prevailing "myths" which have hampered reasonable development of affordable housing for handicapped individuals. The idea that people with disabilities prefer to live with others having similar disabilities is particularly destructive.

Fzq

An~eiarnpleof this is an apartment building specifically designed and built for handicapped people. This building has a limited use and thus is hard to finance. Investors see little possibility of normal appreciation, and many of the potential residents see it as segregated and therefore a less desirable place to live. The alternative, in this case, is a conventional building with a few apartments specially designed for disabled residents. Normal market rules apply and investors are more receptive. Mr. Laux also emphasized that "affordable housing" is not a problem limited to the disabled population. It is a major problem for all of those who have low incomes. A minimum wage working person may very well have no more income (or even less) than a someone receiving SSI or Social Security, and perhaps less ability to find help in solving their personal housing need.

Xs a result of the meeting, some parents have expressed their desire to study financing of alternative living arrangements as a group. If you are interested in joining such a group,

__----

Housing Commentary by William A. Smith, Jr.

noted in the article on Bob Laux's .lecture for Pacer's parents, affordablehousing isn't t a problem for people with disabilities. Affordable housing is a necessity for everyone. We are creating a larger class of "service employees" (who might have been the "peasants" in a different time) a class we thought would diminish in our prosperous culture. This permanent underclass, relegated to the aptly named serviceindustriespaying less than living wages, will have to find living quarters in some form of subsidized housing. Whether the subsidies are in the form of tax breaks for investors or direct aid such as the Section 8 program, they remain subsidies paid by taxing the more affluent. In Minnesota, our non-homestead tax program further complicates efforts to offer small homes or conventional duplexes, fourplexesand the like at affordablerates for lower income tenants. Many such tenants pay 50% or more of their income for their apartment, and landlords are still unable to pay for adequate maintenance. In the 1970's a serious effort was made to stimulate the construction of apartmentbuildings for low income people, and those with moderate incomes. Very few new projects were built in the 80'sand no effort was made to solve the problem, which worsens now as the older "lowincome" buildings deteriorate or are converted to market rate (i.e., higher) rents. It appears that conventional thinking, using conventional financial methods, will not bring about asolution to the problem of affordable housing. Constructioncosts and real estate taxes are too high, and interest rates are too high, to allow an investor to make a profit renting modest hoking to people with low incomes.

What can be done? In the next few issues of ACCESS PRESS we'll show you some actual examples of individuals and families, whoare coping with this housing crunch. How they do it and what must be sacrificed to pay the rent will probably surprise and offend you.

We'll also offer some ideas we think are potential solutions ta me stdtu 'Qu . his is our problem. All of us are ultimately affected by the slow deterioration of our cities. We have to take an interest! People, like the neighborhoods are losing this fight for a decent existence.

Editorial & Advertising Deadline for January 10th issue is December 30

ALDA advocates the use of realtime

el-

SECRETARY DMSION OF NATURAL SCIENCES & MATHEMATICS

CASHIERIDATA ENTRY CLERK BUSINESS OFFICE Responsibilities include receipting payments on accounts, processingall cash and ~ ~ s h - ~ e l amsactions ted accurate cashier window records, preparing bank deposits, and assisting other areas in the Business Office as needed.

This position provides professional secretarial supportto the approxhlately20 facultymembers in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Augsburg CollegeResponsibilities include typing course syllabi, hand-outs, exams, proposals, etc., answering phones, and processing daily mail.

Applicants must enjoy extensive public contact, possess , and data ~ ~will have ~M ~l i1-2 i years ~ ~ ~ ~, experience, be familiar with chemical, biological and mathematicalsymbols, and high school mathematics. Word This is a full-time, year-round position which will include processing experiencerequired, Macintosh P.C. experience including preferred. send letter of inquiry,resume, and salary

HELPWANTED. Wordprocessorsor transcribers. Must

Personnel Department Augsburg Cdlege 731 21 Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55454

own equipment for possible future contract work. Send resume and expected hourly or per page rate. James Maher, Ultraflex Enterprises, 2631 South Columbus, Apt. 205, Mpls., M N 55407

Commission advertising person needed. For ACCESS PRESS, call for details at 379-0989.

Augsburg College is an Affirmative Action Employer. Minorities and Women are Strongly Encouraged to Apply

Send letter of inquiry, resume, and salary requirements to Personnel Department Augsburg College 731 21 Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55454 Augsburg College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities and Women are Strongly Encouraged to Apply.

hlin continued from page I

-McG

"Increasingly,"he said. "elected of ad-hoc ones. The six Though his overall vision for the officials are at the end of the are: Ways and Means, Social m t y is in anecessarily evolving process". The successful politician operates not so much for people as fhrouah them. he Intragovenunental. a result places community involvement and

This is a part-time (20 hours/week) position August 15 through June 15 with summers off. Excellent benefits including tuition waiver.

Court held for the school district, and the Schuldts have

from kgiS1partisan. to county commissioner was not a result of seething ambition for the ofti= as and considered reflection. He had already det-ined

he leamed that the commission seat in his was to be vacated. thatHerme* County was the second-largest governmental unit in the state; managing abudgetof one billion d o h forp0and saviCes; that his would be one of seven voices, not 134; and that scrambling for CXXnmittee assignments would be a thing of the Past (all mission^ sit on he opted for the oppommity.

He professes a holistic approach to governmental services consider the effect of individual decisicms an the overall organism, and emphasize prevention as opposed to -air.

"It would not be in agreement with the intent of P L . 94-142 w #504 ...to deny a childplacement in the school closest to hislher home because of accessibility. " OSEP, Oct. 8,1980

part a scholar by background,

community, he feels. one needs to engage the community. To engage the community,programs rmust be offered which meet identifled needs. To identify needs, and prioritize the expenditureof limited resources ("limited" - a resource of any size faced with ademandgreater thanits supply) to most effectively and fairly meet those needs. careful analysis must be made of not only what has worked and has not. but why. Creative solutionsmust be devised for the -no&w. proposals for tapping

Withvicm*hism~fo impact increased significantlyH*-v provi&awide variety services* includmg healthprogramslsocialservices. financial assistance* law d m e n ~ wansportation* solid waste management and suburban libraries. the budget (and the tax levy necessary to raise it). establishingpolicies for of services* the resource pool must be and w t i n g staff a d a k d , and the entire. program members. presented in the form of avisim for the county in a manner that To the m y ' s one million both the haves and the have-no residents* 8500 Persons are will see is to their ~dividual employed. advantage.

~~~

As w integralpart of that equation. he will work with all interested provider and consumer parties to involve the schools directly in the &-on process. ''What holds neighborhoods together?.. he said. "Schools."

recycling. He personally buys the family's milk from Tom Thumb. because they supply it in returnable containers, the * U t h a t erecycling". He plans to pay particular attention to providing apamnent building and business owners with greater opportunities for recycling. From an overall perspective. McGlaughlin plans to lobby for achange in the process of county budget determination. C m t l y . the budget is established by the adminismtian. revealedin A~~~~ of each year, and subsequently exposed for public input. While expressing a p i a t i o n for the realities of the budgeting process. the new Commissioner would modify it to the extent of formalizing public input at the

front end, through the offices of From his on the job* PeterMcGlaughlinisgoingtobe the Commissioners themselves. MaGlaughlin will sit on six a busy man. In this mama. the revealed budset standing committees, and any would presumably reflect

solutions to problems (or positions) currently not able to be addressed until afterpublic exposure. Aware of his position as the new kid on the county block, McGlaughlh not a H s t a n d e r by impulse or training, plans to

bring both lis("outside") .&me obsucle betWeen and negotiating ("inside") skills noi .+, and achievement**,he said to his new role, not to m d o n '&ismode of lf then is insights and relationships to be change, there must be developedduringhisbeet-s orientation to change. It is my as state legislator. intention and my hope to help create an atmosphere in which He will also bring his personal innovation can ocmw. philosophy.