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Volume 23, Number 7
Voter ID awaits legal decisions
It has been a long, steamy summer and more heat and humidity may be on the way! People with disabilities face extra challenges in these conditions. Access Press has tips to help you beat the heat Read more about it on page 5.
by Access Press staff
As the Nov. 6 election nears, the fate of a proposed ballot question on photo ID is still unclear. So is a demand that state election officials do more to make sure that persons ineligible to vote are turned away from the polls. Both pending court actions could have a significant impact on people with disabilities and their rights to vote. The Minnesota Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the ballot amendment on July 17 as it weighs a challenge to the language of the proposed photo ID constitutional amendment. Supporters contend that the amendment, if adopted by the voters, would reduce cases of voter fraud. Opponents say it isn’t needed and would create barriers for some voters, including voters with disabilities. State lawmakers approved the ballot amendment in May before the 2012 Minnesota Legislature adjourned. The proposed ballot question states, “Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require all voters to present valid photo identification to vote and to require the state to provide free identification to eligible voters, effective July 1, 2013?” The League of Women Voter ID - p. 4
Disability and disclosure:
Dilemma or opportunity for a new job? by Access Press staff
To disclose or not to disclose? That is the dilemma facing many people with disabilities as they seek employment. Not surprisingly the June 27 forum on Disability Disclosure for Employment and Community Integration drew more than 100 people to a Roseville Public Library meeting room. Many state agencies, nonprofit service providers, employers and people with disabilities filled the room to learn more and share stories. Jeff Bangsberg, one of the organizers of the forum, said there’s a Jeff Bangsberg opens the forum on June 27. Photo by Judy Parker, DEED need to hear from the community at large. He recalled the days when it was difficouncils needed to hear from community memcult for policy makers to get people to even bers, so that they could get a better sense of the attend such a forum. The turnout wasn’t surchallenges and how to address them. prising given the strong community interest in Keynote speaker Cindy Held Tarshish of this topic, he and others noted. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) MinThe forum was co-sponsored by the State Renesota. “You are the people I am all about,” habilitation Council—General; Vocational Rewas Tarshish’s opening statement. habilitation Services; State Rehabilitation She outlined resources for those seeking inCounci—Blind and Statewide Independent Livformation about disclosure, and reviewed dising Council. Kim Peck, director of vocational closure issues as they relate to the ADA, affirrehabilitation services, noted that “significant mative action and federal Equal Employment barriers” to employment still remain. One of Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations. those is whether people with disabilities should Tarshish also gave examples of policies and disclose information when seeking a job. what does and doesn’t constitute a disability. “We have an opportunity as well as a responDisabilities and disclosure are covered under sibility to move the system forward,” Peck said. Title I of the ADA. Its general rule is that “No She said state officials and members of the four Disclosure - p. 11
St. Paul park eyed as new Miracle Field site
by Kevin Driscoll
An effort is underway to build a new ballpark in St. Paul. However, this one is not a $545 million shrine to the national pastime like Target Field in Minneapolis or the $54 million facility the St. Paul Saints have proposed in Lowertown. This one is called Miracle Field, a $250,000 diamond that would make it possible for children with disabilities to play baseball on a team in an organized league. Lucas Hagen, 11, has been playing baseball for the past five years in the West Metro Miracle League in Minnetonka. “We have a beautiful field at Bennett Family Park,” said Hagen, who has Down syndrome, and started with T-ball initially. “But I’ve gotten much better,” he said, “and now I hit a pitch from the coach. We have buddies who help us, and I love my buddies. They’ve helped me become a better athlete.” Hagen said he also enjoys singing the national anthem at the beginning of the game “and ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ in the final stretch. And we get treat tickets after each game. That’s also one of my favorite things.” Now, a corner of Dunning Park is being eyed for the new facility. It would be the 13th Miracle Field built under the guidance and support of the Children enjoy the Miracle Fields that have gone up in the Twin Cities. These children nonprofit Miracle League of Minnesota (MLMN), were at the Minnetonka field. Photo courtesy of Miracle League of Minnesota but the first in either St. Paul or Minneapolis. The Miracle Field - p. 15
July 10, 2012 Nonprofit Or g. Org. U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities. MN Permit No. 4766 Address Service Requested
“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” — George Bernard Shaw
NEWS DIGEST
Make plans to attend the ADA Celebration. Page 3
We still need your nominations for the Charlie Smith Award. They’re due Aug. 10. Page 12
UCP-MN has closed its doors. Read about it in Regional News in Review. Page 6
Check out our newest Directory of Organizations. Pages 7-10
INSIDE Accessible Fun, pg 11 Events, pg 12 People & Places, pg 13-14 Radio Talking Book, pg 13 Regional News, pg 6
Pg 2 July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
EDITOR’S DESK
Tim Benjamin I hope everyone managed to stay cool and have a safe Fourth of July. Those of us with spinal cord injuries are here to spread the news on the results of carelessness during so many of our summer activities. Have fun, but be careful, and stay safe. The recent Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Health Care Act (AHCA) is being seen as a critical milestone for the law and one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions in decades. The decision allows almost all of the AHCA to continue to unroll its far-reaching changes to healthcare in the US. The law was challenged because many states considered the mandate requiring everyone to purchase health insurance to be unconstitutional. They brought suit under a commerce clause, saying that Congress could not mandate people to buy health insurance or anything for that matter, and then impose a penalty upon those who don’t comply. The real upset, for those opposed to AHCA, is that Chief Justice John Roberts, one of the more conservative justices, ruled that it is constitutional for the government to impose a tax under the commerce clause and that the so-called penalty was nothing more than a tax.
The Obama administration’s defense lawyers claimed the mandate is necessary to allow other provisions of the health care law to function. The administration also presented an argument that childless households, while they don’t have to pay a penalty for not having children do pay a higher tax rate. In other words, those that don’t have children pay a higher income tax rate and those that don’t have insurance will essentially pay a higher tax rate for the healthcare the government provides. AHCA will also overhaul how insurance is sold, using new insurance exchanges and preventing anyone from being denied or charged extra for pre-existing conditions. Only one element of the AHCA was struck down by the court, and that was in their ruling that the federal government could not penalize individual states for not participating in the Medicaid expansion. Each state will still receive the same Medicaid subsidies they are receiving today. The states that expand their Medicaid programs to include low-income and middle-class insurance programs would be reimbursed 100 percent for those programs in the first two years and no less than 90 percent thereafter. Each state, then, has a fair and free choice to participate or not to participate in the expansion of the Medicaid program. For the majority of employed people, healthcare insurance won’t change dramatically, at least in the near term. But it’s important to remember how it is
still the minority of people with disabilities who are employed full-time and receiving insurance benefits at work. That’s something that must change. I spent a day at the Ramsey County Library June 27 attending the employment disclosure forum. I really hope that the organizers will continue this conversation as a series and make it available to more people with disabilities. It was extremely enlightening and generated questions for which lots of individuals there could provide answers. The only way that we will increase the employment of people with disabilities is through these kinds of forums that educate us on choices and our rights in the workplace. It’s just so important for all of us to feel like we have something to contribute and a way to participate in the same work as those without a disability. We deserve not only to contribute, but to earn a living and become part of mainstream America. Plans are in process for the Charlie Smith award banquet and we are accepting nominations now. We have a new process where nominations go directly to the Access Press board of directors’ mailbox (and the board members are the only ones who can verify that a nomination has been received.) There are a number of great people in this community who deserve your nominations. Please feel free, too, to nominate an individual that you have previously nominated. You can get the nomination form on our website at www.accesspress.org or call the office and we will mail one out to you. ■
HISTORY NOTE
Forgotten lives can now be found by Luther Granquist
More than 2,500 patients lie buried in three St. Peter State Hospital cemeteries. In the earliest cemetery, established shortly after the institution opened in 1866, small wooden crosses with identification tags marked the graves of about 550 patients until a prairie fire destroyed the crosses and tags in 1895. From
Volume 23, Number 6 • Periodicals Imprint: Pending ISSN Co-Founder/Publisher Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-1996)
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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 does not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press. Paid advertising is available at rates ranging from $12 to $28 per column inch, depending on size and frequency of run. Classified ads are $14, plus 65 cents per word over 12 words. Advertising and editorial deadlines are the last day of the month preceding publication, except for employment ads, which are due by the 25th. Access Press is a monthly tabloid newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd. Circulation is 11,000, distributed the 10th of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 450 copies are mailed directly to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders. Subscriptions are available for $30/yr. Lowincome, student and bulk subscriptions are available at discounted rates. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at the St. Paul, MN 55121 facility. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Access Press at 161 St. Anthony Ave, Suite 901, St. Paul, MN 55103. Inquiries and address changes should be directed to: Access Press care of The Kelly Inn Offices; 161 St. Anthony Ave; #910; St. Paul, MN 55103; 651-644-2133 Fax: 651-644-2136 email: access@accesspress.org www.accesspress.org
1896 to 1913 more than 400 patients were buried with numbered markers in a second part of this original cemetery. After 1913, more than 1,600 patients were buried with numbered markers in a different cemetery on the state hospital grounds. Remembering With Dignity, a program of ACT (Advocating Change Together), has placed markers with names and dates on the graves in the latter cemetery as well as a few in the earlier cemetery. Until recently, however, the names of the men, women, boys and girls buried in these cemeteries have not been readily available without a visit to St. Peter. Two volunteers changed that by adding memorial pages on Find A Grave for each of them and thus creating a record of their names for everyone to visit and to possibly find a family member. Nita Aasen, prompted by the death of her sons Erik and David in a car accident, decided to add memorial pages on Find A Grave for them and for all other persons buried in Resurrection Cemetery in St. Peter after she retired as Nicollet County Public Health Director. She expanded her work to include adding memorial pages for the state hospital patients buried in the
Graves in the St. Peter cemetery are documented on the Find a Grave website. Photo by Steve Carlson
St. Peter State Hospital Original Cemetery, which lies adjacent to Resurrection Cemetery. The first memorial page Steve Carlson added to Find A Grave was for his father. Because Carlson, an insurance agent from Brooklyn Park, felt that no one should be forgotten, he began to add memorial pages for other persons buried in the cemetery where his father was buried. He has since added 16,000 memorial pages, most of them for persons buried in cemeteries in Sibley, Ramsey and Nicollet counties. With the cooperation of Aasen and the Nicollet County Historical Society, he added 1,600 memorial pages for patients buried at the later St. Peter State Hospital Cemetery. Carlson is also copying the death certificates of as many of these persons as he can find in order to add information about them to their memorial page. He and Aasen hope that family members will see the online memorials, recognize these persons as part of their family, and link them with other relatives. By using the edit tab on a memorial page, interested relatives or friends may submit corrections or additional information about that person to Aasen and Carlson, who can then add changes to the page. The markers with names provided by Remembering With Dignity and the memorial pages created by Aasen and Carlson help to prevent these state hospital patients from becoming, as Carlson puts it, a forgotten group of people. They reHistory - p. 5
July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
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Wages prompt call for boycott of Goodwill by Jane McClure
Goodwill Industries International and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) are involved in a battle over wages for workers with disabilities. The dispute has the NFB calling for a boycott of Goodwill’s stores and programs. The boycott was announced June 7. The dispute centers on a federal labor provision that dates from the 1930s. At the center of the debate is whether workers with disabilities should be paid less than the minimum wage and under what circumstances is such pay justified. It’s a debate that pits two old and historic disability service organizations, the NFB and Goodwill, against each other. State affiliates of the NFB, including Minnesota, are meeting with their local Goodwill organizations to discuss the issue and to see what changes can be made. According to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by the NFB at the national level, Goodwill was found to be paying some employees as little as $1.44 per hour. That’s far below the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. But it is legal under federal language that dates from 1938. “Our goal is to get people with disabilities to be paid a fair minimum wage,” said Jennifer Dunnam, president of the NFB Minnesota affiliate. While two-thirds of Goodwill operations don’t use the federal wage exemption, those that do are being targeted for change. Dunnam said discussions with the Minnesota Goodwill officials are just getting started. NFB, along with many other organizations, supports the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act which would phase out and then repeal the nearly 75-year-old provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that permits special certificate holders to pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities. “Things were very different in 1938 when this exemption (Section 14 c) was adopted. It’s time to get rid of it,” Dunnam said. What happens with this issue hinges on what Con-
gress does. In October 2011, Congressmen Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Tim Bishop (D-NY) introduced the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011. The bill would phase out Section 14 c of the FLSA. Three members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation, Keith Ellison, Collin Peterson and Betty McCollum, are co-sponsors. The FLSA allows entities holding special minimum wage certificates to pay workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. These entities are usually segregated workplaces, such as sheltered workshops that employ workers with a wide range of disabilities. Federal law requires that certain goods and services procured by the federal government be purchased from these entities in order to provide workers with disabilities employment. But the NFB argues that because the workers don’t all get the federal minimum wage, they lack protections other workers have. The NFB also points out that recently some sheltered workshops have begun to pay disabled workers the minimum wage or higher. The NFB contends that because many places that use the wage certificates get the federal contracts, these places should have no problem paying employees a minimum wage. But some of the entities using the special wage certificates counter that they would have to lay off workers if they had to pay more and that the ability to pay less allows people with disabilities to have jobs they wouldn’t otherwise have. In a response posted on its website, Goodwill International stated:“Goodwill believes in the power of work for all individuals. Since 1902, Goodwill has trained millions of people for jobs and is the leading nonprofit provider of job training, employment placement programs and community-based services for people who face challenges to finding employment... Goodwill funds its mission by selling donated clothing, household goods and other items in more than 2,700 stores and online” Goodwill International indicated that it supports
People with disabilities want to work, but sometimes are paid less than minimum wage. File photo
changes in the FLSA so long as the right of people with disabilities to maintain employment of their choice is preserved. According to Goodwill, 79% of Americans with disabilities are unemployed. “The special minimum wage certificate is an important resource to employ individuals with significant disabilities,” Goodwill International stated. “The certificate enables Goodwill and thousands of other employers to provide opportunities for people with severe disabilities who otherwise might not be part of the workforce.” The statement goes on to note that they also allow “employers to pay a commensurate wage that could result in less than minimum wage to employees whose disability significantly impairs their ability to do their job. Goodwill estimates that more than 420,000 people with significant disabilities are paid with the certificates, through the FLSA. In Goodwill’s own network of 165 local, autonomous, community-based organizations in the United States and Canada, there are about 105,000 people employed. Of those about 30,000 are people with disabilities. Goodwill’s records indicate it has 64 organizations that employ approximately 7,300 people with significant disabilities under the Special Minimum Wage Certificate. The average hourly wage is $7.47. ■
ADA celebration features Paralympian Zimmerman
Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin was a featured speaker at a past ADA celebration File photo
A Twin Cities native who competed in two Paralympics will be a featured speaker at Minnesota’s celebration of the 22nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Dana Zimmerman now teaches physical education and adapted physical education in the River Falls, WI school system. He is also a motivational speaker who draws on his own experiences to inspire others. The event is 1-3:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 26 at the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center, 2001 Plymouth Ave. N., Minneapolis. The event is free and all are welcome. Zimmerman competed in the Summer Paralympics Games in 1996 and 2000. One highlight of his running career was winning a silver medal in the 1,500 meter race in Sydney, Australia in 2000. Zimmerman has cerebral palsy. He also has a learning disability and was in special education classes. He was bullied as a child, not just by other youngsters, but once by a teacher. His determination to succeed and to motivate others has taken him far. Zimmerman went on to not only graduate high school, but earn his bachelor’s degree at University of Wisconsin-Platteville and his
master’s degree at University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse. His advanced degree is in physical education, with a concentration in adapted physical education. His grade-point average in the master’s program was 3.7. “He used his disability as strength—as a way to break down barriers so he could interact well with other people whether faculty members, fellow students or the kids that he taught,” said Manny Felix, UW-L assistant professor of adapted physical education. Other featured speakers are U.S. Department of Justice attorneys who will give updates on 2010 regulations and current implementation. Bahram Samie and Ana Voss will present information that will be valuable to the community. The event will also feature entertainment by artists and performers with disabilities. The opening performance will be by Mark Erickson, a blind Anishinaabe drummer and storyteller. There will also be a performance by the Ole Olson Onstage Ensemble and Entourage. The group, from VSA Minnesota, will perform “See Me Hear Me— An Attitude toward Accessible Arts.” Performers with and without disabilities include Sam Jasmine, Juliette Silvers, Kaitlyn Mielke, Jon Skaalen and others. It will be ASL-interpreted, audio described and captioned. The closing performance will be by Mielke. She will perform “Defying Gravity” from the musical WICKED, in ASL. Mielke served as Miss Deaf Minnesota from
2009-2011 and is a summer intern at VSA Minnesota as part of her course work for a master’s program at the University of Minnesota. Accommodations of sign language interpreters, CART, assistive listening devices and audio description will be provided. Other disability-related accommodations requests were due July 9. Anyone needing additional accommodations or with questions should contact Cindy Tarshish, ADA Minnesota, at 651-6032015 or cindyt@mcil-mn.org Event sponsors are the University of Minnesota Disability Services, ADA Minnesota, VSA Minnesota, Access Press, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, State Services for the Blind, the Minnesota State Council on Disability and the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living. ■
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Voice recognition features provide help, but know pitfalls by Jennifer Mundl, MS, ATP
iPhones featuring Suri’s built-in voice recognition have received much attention, but the Apple iPhone brand isn’t the only phone, tablet or device with voice activation features. Speech recognition software has helped users for years. Now that technology has come to the iPad. Whether sending an e-mail, filling out a web form, or writing a proposal for work, knowing how to use speech recognition on the iPad saves users time. Dragon Naturally Speaking: Windows versus iPad Many use Dragon Naturally Speaking on a Microsoft Windows-based machine. Others have downloaded the application (app) through Nuance for the iPad. The iPad operating system is different from the PC version. The Dragon app needs a wireless Internet connection, works only with e-mail and not with many programs. The Dragon app needs a good WiFi or Internet connection to work. Translation is done remotely. A mes-
sage is dictated, it’s sent to a remote server and then sent back to the hand-held device. The user’s words don’t remain his exclusive property. Why? Most handheld devices don’t have the processing capabilities and Nuance uses the data to improve and refine accuracy of its other speech-recognition software. Users can only dictate about 20 to 30 seconds of material at once. Another downside is that it lacks an autosave feature and work is lost if it isn’t saved to the clipboard when a call comes in. Dragon Mobile Apps also provides the app for BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch users with fast, accurate and easy-to-use, voice-enabled solutions for e-mailing, texting, surfing the mobile web and more. Different Apps Dragon Search is the way to search online content on an iPhone and iPod Touch using voice. The Dragon Search carousel allows users to access results from multiple sources. Dragon Dictation is a voice-recognition application powered by Dragon NaturallySpeaking that allows users to speak and see text content for everything from e-mail messages to blog posts on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Dragon Search is a fast, easy and smart way to search online content on an iPhone using voice. It is important to speak clearly for this feature to work reliably and accurately. It is important to understand the difference between a voice-recognition app and a built-in voice control. Voice-control has a limited vocabulary of commands which controls a few instructions by using the voice. The iPad can be set up with Jailbreak for voice control (Siri). Many good demonstrations of setup can be found on YouTube.
For (almost) hands-free calls in the car, iOS’s builtin Voice Control is the best bet. Press and hold the Home button (or the equivalent on the headset). After the beep, speak a command such as “call” or “dial” followed by the name or number. Or users can initiate a FaceTime connection by saying “Face-Time” and then a name and location. There are many other voice input apps available through iTunes and Google Play. By far the closest comparison to Siri is Vlingo, a free app which has its own voice-recognition engine, a powerful cloud-based back end, and almost all of Siri’s functionality, including booking restaurants. But it can’t set reminders, although a new release might fix that. And unlike its Android brother there doesn’t seem to be a voice-activated hands-free, incar mode. There’s also a Vlingo app for just about every platform, including BlackBerry and Nokia phones, and Windows, but not Mac. Dragon Go is a free voice interface to a wide variety of web services, including Wolfram Alpha, Google, Yelp and Google Maps. It interfaces with Pandora, Spotify and Netflix. There’s also Dragon Diction, which is all about dictating messages or longer notes. You can then send your voice-recognized musing via e-mail, Twitter, Facebook or SMS. Voice recognition isn’t a straightforward method of access for the iPad compared to options available on the Macintosh and PC operating systems. It takes technical know-how to set up and use many options for the iPad, especially for more complex use. Users may want to investigate simple solutions for voice to become the main access method or use another program geared toward users with disabilities. ■ Jennifer Mundl, MS, ATP is the lead assistive technology specialist at Courage Center
Voter ID - from p. 1 Voters (LWV) is challenging the ballot question language, calling it misleading. Attorneys for the Minnesota Legislature disagree and argue that lawmakers have “very broad and exclusive discretion” to prepare ballot amendments. A court ruling in the LWV’s favor could either change the proposed ballot language or even drop it from the November ballot. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie told Chief Justice Lorie Gildea that state election officials need a final decision by Aug. 27, if not by Aug. 21.The Aug. 27 date is key because that is when Minnesota counties take the primary election results and incorporate them into the November ballots. In a second case that could impact voter ID, U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank heard arguments June 22 from the Minnesota Voters Alliance and others who want steps taken to determine who is eligible to vote. This group is targeting felons and people deemed ineligible to vote by the state. The issue the plaintiffs are arguing “vote dilution” from the counting of ballots from persons who are ineligible to vote, and how those voters affect outcome of very close elections. Ritchie and elections officials from Ramsey, Chisago and Crow Wing counties are defendants in the suit. The Minnesota Voters Alliance contends that election officials aren’t doing enough to check voter eligibility; defendants contend that it would place more burdens on election judges, In the hearing Frank asked several questions about state law and disability issues including guardianship, whether a person is too incapacitated or not competent to vote and various Constitutional issues. What has alarmed many
disability rights advocates is that affidavits filed in the case include objections to group home residents and people with disabilities voting. The affidavits describe incidents dating back to 2006. One parent filed an objection to her son voting with staff from his group home, even though he has not had his right to vote legally taken away. Other affidavits were filed by election officials and candidates for office. Those filing affidavits said they believe voters with disabilities were being unfairly influenced as to whom to vote for. The affidavits describe “large and disorganized” groups and people talking to voters in a “child-like manner.” Under state election law, voters can bring a helper to the polls. Helpers can assist but they cannot influence the voter. Or a voter can ask for help from election judges, two from different parties. In her affidavit, Harris election judge Alissa Rossini stated: “I was furious about this because I knew that these people were being used to cancel out my vote and the vote of other LEGITIMATE voters. It really angered me that the person who was elected to protect the integrity of the election process didn’t seem at all concerned about the fraud that I was reporting, leaving me completely unable to do anything to stop it. If this wasn’t blatant enough to stop, what would be? I took an oath that day to do my part in ensuring integrity in the process, and I was trying my hardest to do so, but my biggest obstacle was that there was no REAL method for preventing it.” Frank has yet to issue his ruling in the case. He has indicated he will rule within the next two months. ■
July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
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At work or play, be ready to stay cool, beat the heat It has already been a hot summer in the Midwest. People with disabilities and the elderly need to be especially mindful of high heat and humidity, and how it makes them feel. While everyone is susceptible to illnesses due to extreme heat, certain populations may be especially vulnerable to health effects including people with preexisting medical conditions, people with disabilities, the very young (less than 5 years old) and the elderly (older than 65). People who are overweight may also be more vulnerable to heat-related illness. Other factors that can increase the risk from extreme heat events include living alone (especially the elderly), having prolonged exposure to the sun (construction workers), consuming alcohol, living in an urban area (heat island effect), not having access to air conditioning and living in a top floor apartment. Data indicates that Minnesota is getting hotter and more humid, which may increase the number of extreme heat events. Trends assessed by the State Climatology Office suggest that Minnesota’s average temperature is increasing and the number of days with a dew point temperature greater than or equal to 70°F may be increasing. People accustomed to Midwestern climates often begin to feel uncomfortable when the dew point temperature reaches between 65 and 69°F and most consider dew points above 75°F extremely uncomfortable or oppressive. On July 19, 2011, the dew point temperature reached 82° in the Twin Cities. On that same day, the state record dew point temperature was reached in Moorhead with a dew point temperature of 88°F. The only other spot in the Western Hemisphere with a dew point temperature in the 80s that day was in the Amazon Jungle in South America. Extreme heat events can cause a range of health problems from relatively minor health issues, such as a heat rash, to life-threatening conditions, such as heat stroke and ultimately death. Heat exhaustion is the most common heat-related illness. Signs and symp-
toms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, thirst, fatigue, headache, nausea, visual disturbances, weakness, anxiety, confusion and vomiting. Untreated heat exhaustion can progress to heatstroke, which can be fatal. Symptoms of heat stroke include an extremely high body temperature (above 103°F); red, hot, and dry skin; rapid breathing; racing heart rate; headache; nausea; confusion and unconsciousness. Despite the fact that most heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable, a significant number of people die and suffer from extreme heat events every year in the U.S., according to health officials. In anticipation of the hot weather, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) makes available its Minnesota Extreme Heat Toolkit to help local public health agencies better prepare for extreme heat events and to help inform the public about steps they can take to avoid heat-related illnesses. From 1979 to 2003, more people in the U.S. died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined. “Extreme heat events do not typically make the news headlines compared to other extreme weather events and they do not leave a lasting trail of infrastructure damage that continuously reminds people of their impact,” said Kristin Raab, MDH climate change coordinator. “That is why extreme heat events have been called the silent killers.” “Yet, almost all of the negative health outcomes from extreme heat can be prevented by ensuring that the public stays cool and hydrated during an extreme heat event,” Raab added. The Extreme Heat Toolkit contains background information on Minnesota climate trends, public health concerns related to extreme heat and recommended steps to help prepare for and respond to extreme heat. For additional information, see the MDH Climate Change website at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/ climatechange/extremeheat.html or the MDH Office
File photo
of Emergency Preparedness website at www.health. state.mn.us/divs/eh/emergency/natural/index.html While weather affects everyone, people who work outdoors are particularly at risk when the heat index soars. The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched its Summer Safety Campaign for workers, “Water. Rest. Shade,” on June 20, the first day of summer. OSHA has released a free application for mobile devices that enables workers and supervisors to monitor the heat index at their work sites. The app displays a risk level for workers based on the heat index, as well as reminders about protective measures that should be taken at that risk level. Available for Android-based platforms and the iPhone, the app can be downloaded in both English and Spanish by visiting http://s.dol.gov/RI. OSHA also has a web page and printed materials on heat-related illnesses and how to prevent them, and what to do in case of emergency, at www.osha.gov/ SLTC/heatillness/index.html Information for this article is from OSHA and the Minnesota Department of Health ■
Medicaid Reform 2020: Pathways to Independence Creating a simpler, more sustainable Medical Assistance system is the goal of a proposed redesign. Now Minnesotans affected are being asked to weigh in. The Department of Human Services’ plan to reform significant portions of Medical Assistance or MA, Minnesota’s Medicaid program, is in the midst of a 30-day comment period. The period ends July 17 and Minnesotans who would be affected by the proposed reform plan are urged to contribute their thoughts. The plan and comment links are available at http:// mn.gov/dhs/about-dhs/public-participation.jsp DHS regularly invites client, stakeholder and citizen involvement in its initiatives and proposed program changes. The plan encompasses three broad reform efforts. First, it broadens supports to serve people in their homes and communities, increasing independence and avoiding reliance on more intensive, expensive services. Second, it engages consumers in their care by providing more choice and opportunities for self-direction. Third, it furthers DHS’s health reform agenda through integration of primary and behavioral health and direct contracting with providers for better health outcomes. The plan is a result of bipartisan legislation and part of the 2011 budget agreement. It is designed to be budget neutral in the short term and to produce savings in the long term. “This plan will give people more choice, get them services earlier and in less costly settings and help se-
History - from p. 2 mind us that the persons buried in state hospital cemeteries were not inmates or cases or even residents or consumers but men and women whose lives should be remembered and who deserved and deserve our respect. The easiest way to find these memorial pages is to Google “St. Peter State
cure the stability of our programs for years to come,” said Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. “We thank the many stakeholders included in the development and will need their continued involvement in finalizing the plan for submission.” A major portion of the plan seeks to revamp Minnesota’s home and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities. Currently, many participants with complex conditions are on a waiting list or are not eligible for certain services. Making more flexible community supports accessible to a broader group of people are a key part of this reform package. Individual assessments will result in personal budgets that fit the individual person, rather than a set list of predetermined services. Enrollees will then be able to participate in directing those budgeted dollars, enabling more choice of services and caregivers. Other services in the proposal include employment supports and housing assistance to keep people connected to work and community. “Minnesota is justifiably proud of our No. 1 national ranking for quality, access and affordability in our current home and communitybased Medicaid services,” said Jesson. “But given the
Hospital Original Cemetery” or “St. Peter State Hospital Cemetery.” Find A Grave is at www.findagrave.com The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities,, www.mncdd.org and www. partnersinpolicymaking.com ■
demographics of our state, we need to begin the next wave of change to be ready for 2020.” Many of the proposals in the plan require new federal approval, including a provision that would allow the state to contract directly with providers to care for people on publicly-funded health care programs. DHS is providing opportunities for public comment on the plan before mid-July, with the request for approval for certain policies from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to be officially submitted July 31. It is expected that negotiations with CMS on the terms and conditions of this request would be completed in December and be reflected in Gov. Mark Dayton’s 2013 budget proposal to the Legislature. A copy of the reform proposal and information on submitting comments is available on the DHS website. In addition, two public hearings were held to provide stakeholders and other interested parties the opportunity to comment on the waiver request. ■
Pg 6 July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
REGIONAL NEWS New career paths described The just-released Impact: Feature Issue on Supporting New Career Paths for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, from the Institute on Community Integration, is now online at http://ici.umn.edu/ products/impact/251/251.pdf and in a text-only version at http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/251. This report ties directly into the national conversation about jobs, the discussion of employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their changing role in the American workforce. This impact issue explores some of the innovative thinking and resources that are providing expanded employment options for people with disabilities today, and offers success stories of some of the individuals taking new career paths. In addition to the online publication, print copies of this Impact are available by contacting the Publications Office at 612-624-4512 or icipub@umn.edu. The first print copy is free. To order additional copies at $4 each, please complete and mail the order form at http://ici.umn.edu/products/order.html [Source: Institute on Community Integration]
Nursing home was neglectful in death Red Wing Health Care Center neglected a resident in September when the man was placed in the wrong wheelchair, took a tumble and died from complications from the fall, according to an Office of Health Facilities Complaints report made public in June. The resident had dementia and had a history of trying to get out of his wheelchair. The man’s own wheelchair was fitted with a self-release seat belt and an alarm that sounded when the man stood up. But after a worker put the man in his roommate’s wheelchair, workers heard him fall and found him lying beneath it. The man sustained fatal injuries and died at a hospital. The home now places initials on wheelchairs and has told staff to read care plans. [Source: Star Tribune]
Charter school enrollment eyed
UCPMN winds down operations
As more charter schools open around the country, children with disabilities are enrolling at a lower rate than the rest of the population. Only 8 percent of students at charter schools had disabilities in the 20092010 school year, compared with 11 percent at traditional public schools, according to a Government Accountability Office report released in June. The difference could be due to several reasons, including fewer parents of special education students choosing to enroll their children, charter schools discouraging disabled students from attending, and constraints on resources making it difficult for charter schools to meet their needs, the report found. Charter schools, which are funded by taxpayers but operate independently of many of the laws and regulations that govern traditional public schools, have seen enormous growth over the last decade. More than 2 million students now attend charters, and the Obama administration has encouraged their expansion through initiatives like Race to the Top, the $4 billion grant competition. Many states lifted caps on the number of charter schools permitted in order to increase their chances of winning. Advocates have praised charters for being an innovative alternative to the traditional neighborhood school, but there have been persistent concerns over accountability, access and quality. The GAO report found significant disparities among states, when students with disabilities were scrutinized. Overall, however, there were lower rates of special education enrollment at charters in all but eight states: Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wyoming. Researchers also found there were a higher percentage of charter schools with 20 percent or more disabled students, possibly due to an increase in the number of charters that focus solely on students with disabilities. That trend is something that has many special education advocates concerned. They worry it will lead to increased segregation. [Source: Pioneer Press]
United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota (UCP-MN) has made the decision to shut down. The organization officially filed its Notice of Intent to Dissolve with the State of Minnesota in late May and closed its office on June 22. The formal dissolution will be filed in early September. It’s a sad end for the longtime disability service and advocacy organization, which has struggled with funding in recent years. Anyone needing specific information on the MATLN Program should wait for details. The program has been housed at UCP-MN for more than a decade. The program is currently in limbo, but more information on its future will be available soon. After June 22nd, anyone needing the other services offered by UCP-MN can contact UCP of Central M innesota in St. Cloud, at 320-253-0765 or 888-6163726 (toll free). The website is www.ucpcentralmn Another point of contact is UCP National in Washington, D.C. D.C. at 800-872-5827 (toll free). The website is www.ucp.org Questions for the UCP-MN board can be sent to boarducp@gmail.com Anyone with legal questions or creditor claims can contact attorney Jeremy Prose, at Jeremy@proselawoffice.com [Source: UCP-MN]
Assisted living home death prompts changes When paramedics determined a choking victim needed CPR, staff at a Brooklyn Park assisted living facility read from a document instructing them not to resuscitate. But they had consulted information for a different resident, they later learned. That prompted action by the state and changes by facility operated by Dungarvin. Details of the incident were released in June the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Health Facilities Complaints. State officials found that neglect had occurred. Facility staff overheard the client coughing and gave him a glass of water. They called 911 when that didn’t help. “Emergency personnel arrived and once Regional News. - p. 15
July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
Pg 7
ADVOCACY Advocating Change Together (ACT)
V-651-641-0297
TF-800-641-0059
Amputee Coalition
V-888-267-5669
F-865-525-7917
www.amputee-coalition.org
Arc Greater Twin Cities
V-952-920-0855
F-952-920-1480
www.arcgreatertwincities.org
Arc of Minnesota
V-651-523-0823x115
TF-800-582-5256
www.thearcofminnesota.org
Association of Residential Resources in MN
V-651-291-1086
TTY-800-551-2211
www.arrm.org
Courage Center
V-763-520-0725
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Hearing Loss Assoc. of America (HLAATC)
V-763-537-7558
MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
V-651-523-0823x112
www.selfadvocacy.org
www.hlaatc.org F-651-523-0829
www.mnccd.org www.mndaca.org
MN Developmental Achievement-Center Assoc
V-651-647-9200
F-651-647-9353
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
www.pacer.org
Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
V-651-645-7271
TTY-800-466-7722
www.accessiblespace.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
www.dungarvin.com
Mary T. Inc. Catered Living
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
Brain Injury Association of Minnesota
V-612-378-2742
TTY-800-669-6442
www.braininjurymn.org
Courage Center
V-763-520-0312
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
ASSISTED-LIVING PROGRAMS
BRAIN INJURY
www.marytinc.com
Tandem Residential
V-651-641-0491x315
F-651-645-2780
www.tandemresidential.com
TBI Metro Services - Richfield & W. St. Paul
V-612-869-3995
V-651-457-4756
www.opportunitypartners.org
V/TTY-763-479-3555
F-763-479-2605
www.vinlandcenter.org
CCP - The Cooperating Community Programs (CCP) V-651-503-8618
F-651-917-8322
www.theccpinc.com
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsm.llc.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
www.dungarvin.co
CHEMICAL HEALTH Vinland National Center
COMMUNITY LIVING
Howry Residential Services
V-651-917-9111
F-651-917-1018
www.howryinc.com
Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
Metro Work Center, Inc
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
TTY-952-930-4293
Reach for Resources
V-952-988-4177
F-952-988-6728
www.reachforresources.org
REM Minnesota
V-952-945-4952
F-952-922-6885
www.remminnesota.org
S. MN Independent Living Enterprises & Services
V/TTY-507-345-7139
TF-888-676-6498
www.metroworkcenter.org www.opportunitypartners.org
www.smilescil.org
CONTINUED
BDC Management Co. is now accepting applications for our waiting lists at the following affordable communities Albright Townhomes Buffalo Court Apartments Elliot Park Apartments Evergreen Apartments Franklin Lane Apartments Hanover Townhomes Lincoln Place Apartments Olson Towne Homes Prairie Meadows Talmage Green Trinity Apartments Unity Place Vadnais Highlands Willow Apartments Woodland Court Apartments
Minneapolis Buffalo Minneapolis Hutchinson Anoka St. Paul Mahtomedi Minneapolis Eden Prairie Minneapolis Minneapolis Brooklyn Center Vadnais Heights Little Falls Park Rapids
(612) 824-6665 (763) 684-1907 (612) 338-3106 1-800-661-2501 (763) 427-7650 (651) 292-8497 (651) 653-0640 (612) 377-9015 (952) 941-5544 (612) 623-0247 (612) 721-2252 (763) 560-7563 (651) 653-0640 (320) 632-0980 1-888-332-9312
We are accepting applications for our large number of mobility impaired accessible units. Please call us for more information.
1 BR 2 BR 2 BR 1 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 BR 2 BR 1 BR 2 & 3 BR 2 BR 1 BR (sr) 2 BR 3 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 BR
Pg 8 July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS
We’re here 24/7 on Facebook, Twitter and www.accesspress.org
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4437
www.cipmn.org
Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-651-365-3736
Community Education Network on Disabilities
V-651-748-7436
V-507-494-0950
V-320-529-6500 x6271
Institute on Community Integration
V-612-624-6300
F-612-624-8279
www.ici.umn.edu
MRC - Minnesota Resource Center
V-612-752-8100
TTY-612-752-8019
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
F-612-353-6638
V-763-479-8239
TF-866-535-8239
www.lifeworks.org
EDUCATION
www.mrc-mn.org www.upstreamarts.org
EMPLOYMENT/VOCATION Assistive Technology of MN - DBA Equip A Life CCP Works! - Cooperating Community Programs
V-651-379-9744
Chrestomathy, Inc.
V-952-974-0339
www.equipalife.org
www.theccpinc.com/employment_support.aspx F-952-974-0307
www.chrestomathyinc.org
Community Connections Partnership (CCP)
V-763-540-6833x302
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-353-4595x101
V-612-353-4595x102
www.communityconnectionspartnership.org
Cooperating Community Programs (CCP)
V-651-503-8618
F-651-641-8623
Courage Center
V-763-520-0564
TTY-763-520-0245
East Suburban Resources, Inc.
V-651-351-0190
www.cipmn.org www.theccpinc.com www.CourageCenter.org www.esrworks.org
Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota
V-651-379-5800
F-651-379-5803
www.goodwilleasterseals.org
Kaposia Inc.
V/TTY-651-224-6974
F-651-224-7249
www.kaposia.com
Lifetrack Resources - Minneapolis
V-612-788-8855
F-612-788-8577
www.lifetrackresources.org
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
www.lifetrackresources.org
Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-651-365-3736
www.lifeworks.org
Merrick, Inc.
V-651-789-6231
F-651-789-9960
www.merrickinc.org
Metro Work Center, Inc.
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
www.metroworkcenter.org
Midway Training Services
V-651-641-0709
F-651-641-0976
www.midwaytraining.org
Midwest Special Services, Inc.
V-651-778-1000
F-651-772-4352
www.mwsservices.org
Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI)
V-651-999-8200
F-651-999-8242
www.mdi.org
MRC - Minnesota Resource Center
V-612-752-8100
TTY-612-752-8019
www.mrc-mn.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
TTY-952-930-4293
www.opportunitypartners.org
Partnership Resources, Inc.
V-952-925-1404
F-952-925-6055
www.partnershipresources.org
Partnership Resources, Inc. - Minneapolis
V-612-331-2075
F-612-331-2887
www.partnershipresources.org
Partnership Resources, Inc. - Older Adults Program
V-952-746-6206
F-952-746-6209
www.partnershipresources.org
ProAct Inc.
V-651-686-0405
F-651-686-0312
www.proactinc.org
Rise, Inc.
V/TTY-763-786-8334
F-763-786-0008
www.rise.org
TBI Metro Services - Richfield & W. St. Paul
V-612-869-3995
V-651-457-4756
www.opportunitypartners.org
TSE, Inc.
V-651-489-2595
F-651-489-0410
www.tse-inc.org
University of Minnesota Disability Services
V-612-626-1333
F-612-625-5572
http://ds.umn.edu
Work Incentives Connection
V-651-632-5113
TF-800-976-6728
Minnesota State Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800
TTY-800-945-8913
MN Gov. Council on Developmental Disabilities
V-651-296-4018
TF-800-627-3529
V-651-556-0887
F-651-556-0880
Cornerstone Solutions
TF-866-601-8962
TTY-800-627-3529
www.cornerstone-solutions.org
Medica
V-800-266-2157
TTY-800-855-2880
www.medica.com
UCare
V-800-707-1711
TTY-800-688-2534
www.ucare.org
Break-Thru Home Care, Inc.
V-763-502-1505
F-763-502-6777
www.breakthrucare.com
Edelweiss Home Health Care
V-763-315-1050
F-763-315-1090
www.edelhomecare.com www.inhomepersonalcare.com
www.mnworkincentives.com
GOVERNMENT www.disability.state.mn.us www.mncdd.org
HEALTH CARE COORDINATION AXIS Healthcare
www.axishealth.com
HEALTH CARE PLANS
HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
Mary T. Inc. Home Health Care
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
HOUSING-CONSTRUCTION/REMODELING AccessAbility Options, Inc.
V-763-571-6789
F-800-632-0798
www.accessoptionsmn.com
Accessibility Design
V-952-925-0301
F-952-926-7712
www.accessibilitydesign.com
Accessible Homes, LLC.
V-612-978-1054
F-651-554-3085
www.accessiblehomesllc.net
Equal Access Homes, Inc.
V-651-249-7751
F-651-450-1330
www.EqualAccessHomes.com
McCarthy Builders & Remodelers, Inc.
V-612-250-0816
www.McCarthyBuildersandRemodelers.com
SRR Construction, LLC
V-612-419-5787
www.SRRConstruction.com
HOUSING-RENTAL Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
V-651-645-7271
TTY-800-466-7722
Ebenezer Park Apartments
V-612-879-2233
F-612-879-8889
www.accessiblespace.org www.fairviewebenezer.org/minneapolis
HousingLink
V-612-522-2500
F-612-521-1577
www.housinglink.org
National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc
V-651-639-9799
F-651-639-9699
www.nhhiaccessiblehousing.com
Villas and Townhomes by Mary T. Inc.
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
CONTINUED
www.marytinc.com
July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
Pg 9
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL RESOURCES Arc Greater Twin Cities
V-952-920-0855
F-952-920-1480
Assistive Technology of Minnesota
V-763-479-8239
TF-866-535-8239
Fair Table Counseling Services, LLC
V-952-881-3650
Minnesota State Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800
www.arcgreatertwincities.org www.atmn.org www.FairTableCounselling.com
TTY-800-945-8913
www.disability.state.mn.us
The Natl Multiple Sclerosis Society - MN Chapter
V-612-335-7900
TF-800-582-5296
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
www.mssociety.org www.pacer.org
V-651-294-0710
TF-800-886-7201
F-651-644-9137
INSURANCE Lee F. Murphy Insurance Group
LEGAL Fair Table Counseling Services, LLC
V-952-881-3650
MN Disability Law Center
V-612-334-5970
TF-800-292-4150
www.FairTableCounselling.com
Handi Medical Supply
V-651-644-9770
F-651-644-0602
HME Medical Shop
V-800-258-6313
F-800-258-6313
www.hmemedicalshop.com
Key Medical Supply
V-651-792-3860
F—651-792-3867
www.keymedicalsupply.com
Liberty Oxygen & Medical Equipment
V-952-920-0460
F-952-920-0480
www.libertyoxygen.com
Phoenix Medical Services Inc.
V-651-636-0848
F-651-636-5746
www.PhoenixMedical.org
Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc.
V-763-795-0057
TF-866-795-0057
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4434
V-612-362-4452
Courage Center
V-763-520-0312
TTY-763-520-0245
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
Howry Residential Services
V-651-917-9111
F-651-917-1018
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
www.mndlc.org
MEDICAL SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT www.handimedical.com
www.tamarackhti.com
MENTAL HEALTH
National Alliance on Mental Illness of MN
V-651-645-2948
TF-888-NAMI-Helps
People Incorporated Mental Health Services
V-651-774-0011
TTY-651-774-6535
Vinland National Center
V/TTY-763-479-3555
F-763-479-2605
www.cipmn.org www.CourageCenter.org www.fraser.org www.howryinc.com www.lifetrackresources.org www.namihelps.org www.PeopleIncorporated.org www.vinlandcenter.org
PHYSICIANS Courage Center
V-763-520-0453
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Wound Healing Center
V-715-268-0175
TTY-715-268-0177
www.AmeryMedicalCenter.org
RECREATION-ADAPTIVE HOBBY/EXERCISE/SPORTS/ARTS Capable Partners Inc.
V-763-439-1038
www.capablepartners.org
Courage Center
V-763-520-0537
Mind Body Solutions
V-952-473-3700
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
F-612-353-6638
www.upstreamarts.org
Camp Winnebago
V-507-724-2351
F-507-724-3786
www.campwinnebago.org
Friendship Ventures
V-952-852-0101
TF-800-450-8376
www.friendshipventures.org
Hammer Travel
V-952-277-2458
TF-877-345-8599
www.HammerTravel.org
Margaret’s Missions
V-651-583-4471
www.margaretmission.com
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org www.mindbodysolutions.org
RECREATION-TRAVEL/CAMPING
Ventures Travel, LLC
V-952-852-0107
TF-866-692-7400
www.venturestravel.org
Wilderness Inquiry
V-612-676-9400
TF-800-728-0719
www.wildernessinquiry.org
CONTINUED
Diamond Hill Townhomes Diamond Hill Townhomes is a great property located near the Minneapolis International Airport. Our waiting list is cur cur-rently closed. Call for updated openings as this can change from time to time. We have two and three bedroom townhomes that are HUD subsidized and rent is 30% of the total household's adjusted gross income.
We would like to acknowledge and thank UCare and The Arc™ Minnesota for their generous Issue Sponsorship.
We have a lar ge number of mobility impaired accessible units. large
To c hec k ffor or futur e w aiting list openings chec heck future waiting please call (612) 726-9341.
Please consider joining as an Issue Sponsor. Call: 651-644-2133
Pg 10 July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY THERAPISTS) Courage Center
V-763-588-0811
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Courage Center - Burnsville
V-952-898-5700
F-952-898-5757
www.CourageCenter.org
Courage Center - Forest Lake
V-651-464-5235
F-651-464-3547
www.CourageCenter.org
Courage Ceter - St. Croix
V-651-439-8283
F-651-439-0576
www.CourageCenter.org
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsm.org
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-291-2848
TF-800-719-4040
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
www.gillettechildrens.org
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
www.lifetrackresources.org
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
RESIDENTIAL/GROUP HOME PROGRAMS Capstone Services, LLC
F-651-645-2780
www.capstoneservices.net
CCP-The Cooperating Community Programs - Residential Services
V-651-641-0042 x211
V-651-503-8618
www.theccpinc.com
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4403
V-612-362-4417
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
www.fraser.org
www.cipmn.org www.dungarvin.com
Howry Residential Services
V-651-917-9111
F-651-917-1018
www.howryinc.com
Mary T. Inc. Human Services Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
Mt. Olivet Rolling Acres
V-952-474-5974
F-952-474-3652
www.mtolivetrollingacres.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
TTY-952-930-4293
www.opportunitypartners.org
Phoenix Residence
V-651-227-7655
F-651-227-6847
www.phoenixresidence.org
Restart, Inc.
V-763-588-7633
F-763-588-7613
www.restartincmn.org
Can Do Canines
V-763-331-3000
F-763-331-3009
www.can-do-canines.org
Helping Paws, Inc.
V-952-988-9359
F-952-988-9296
www.helpingpaws.org
V-952-226-2063
www.PawPADS.org
SERVICE ANIMALS
Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs)
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES Ebenezer Care Center
V-612-879-2262
www.fairviewebenezer.org/minneapolis
SOCIAL SERVICES Metro Meals On Wheels
V-612-623-3363
F-612-331-9401
www.meals-on-wheels.com
Restart, Inc.
V-763-588-7633
F-763-588-7613
www.restartincmn.org
V-763-479-8239
TF-866-535-8239
www.equipalife.org
TECHNOLOGY Assistive Technology of MN - DBA Equip A Life Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-291-2848
TF-800-719-4040
www.gillettechildrens.org
Marbesoft - Simtech
V-763-755-1402
TF-888-755-1402
www.marblesoft.com
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
STAR Program
V-651-201-2640
TF-888-234-1267
www.starprogram.state.mn.us
Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc.
V-763-795-0057
TF-866-795-0057
www.tamarackhti.com
www.pacer.org
RANSPORTATION RENTAL/SALES/MODIFICATION IMED Mobility
V-651-635-0655
TF-800-788-7479
www.imedmobility.com
American Council for the Blind of Minnesota
V-651-428-5059
V-612-486-5180
www.acb.org/Minnesota
Vision Loss Resources
V-612-871-2222
F-612-872-0189
www.visionlossresources.org
Volunteer Braille Services
V-763-544-2880
F-763-544-3612
www.vbsmn.org
V-651-556-0887
F-651-556-0880
www.axishealth.com
VISION IMPAIRMENT
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July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
Movies in the Park
ACCESSIBLE FUN July 2012 Welcome to the Access Press Accessible Fun listings. Readers looking for additional opportunities to enjoy the arts have these options:
Visit the North Shore and enjoy free captioned movies at Leif Erikson Park, 12th Ave. E. & London Road, Duluth. Bring blankets, folding chairs, umbrellas for comfort. Events may be cancelled due to high winds or lightning, not rain. Films are at dusk Fridays through August, no film Labor Day weekend. FFI: 715-392-3480, www.twinportsoutdoormovies.com/mitp.htm
Cabaret
For information on galleries and theater performances around the state, join the Access to Performing Arts email list at access@vsamn.org or call VSA Minnesota, 612-332-3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY). To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call 612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883. On the web accessible performance listings are found at www.vsamn.org/ calendar.html, www.mrid.org,www.accesspress.org, or http://c2net.org (c2: caption coalition, inc.), which does most of the captioned shows in Minnesota and across the country.
The musical set in 1930s Berlin will be performed by Lyric Arts Company at the Main Street Stage, 420 E. Main St., Anoka. This show contains adult language and mature themes, and is recommended for patrons age 13 and older. ASL performance is 2 p.m. Sun, July 15. Seats for ASL patrons are held in reserve until two weeks prior to the show, then released to the general public. When ordering tickets, please indicate your need for seating in this section; if there are no reservations, the interpretation will be canceled. Tickets are reduced to $13-16 each for guests requiring ASL interpretation and a companion. FFI: 763-422-1838; boxoffice@lyricarts.org, www.lyricarts.org
Connect with performances on Facebook. Sign up to connect with Audio Description Across Minnesota on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Audio-DescriptionAcross-Minnesota/202035772468). Sign up to connect with ASL Interpreted and Captioned Performances Across Minnesota on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ pages/ASL-Interpreted-and-Captioned-PerformancesAcross-Minnesota/257263087700814.
Rosetown Playhouse presents the popular musical with a lot of “tradition” at Como Lakeside Pavilion, 1360 Lexington Parkway N., St Paul. ASL performance is 7 p.m. Thu, July 19. Tickets are $10; ages 6-12 $8; age 5 and under, $5. Advance purchase recommended. FFI: 651-792-7414, tickets@rosetownplayhouse.org, www.rosetownplayhouse.org
It’s the Can Do Woofaroo Can Do Canines’ Heel and Wheel event is now the Woofaroo. This year’s event starts at 11 a.m. Sun, Aug. 5th at the Can Do Canines facility, 9440 Science Center Drive, New Hope. Kick off International Assistance Dog Week while helping raise money for those who are in need. The day includes facility tours, dog demonstrations, vendor booths, and a one-mile walk starting at 1 pm. Proceeds go toward providing assistance dogs to those who need them. FFI: 763-331-3000, www.can-docanines.org
Golf tournament The 17th Annual Paul Adelman Children with Disabilities Golf Classic & Paul’s Party are Mon, July 23 at Oak Ridge Country Club, Minnetonka. Events start at 11 a.m., including golf, hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auctions, a wine wall raffle, and lots of fun. WCCO’s Aristea Brady is emcee. Proceeds help children with disabilities at several Twin Cities locations. FFI: Sheila Johnson, 612-708-0591, sheila@pauladelmanendowment fund.com to register for golf and/or Paul’s Party; Floyd Adelman for sponsorship opportunities at 952.935.5801 or floyd@pauladelman endowmentfund.com.
Disclosure - from p. 1 employer shall discriminate against any qualified individual [with a disability] in regard to any aspect of employment.” That includes all aspects of employment, from recruitment for a job to discharge. Some of the biggest challenges in disclosure are hidden disabilities, which make up the largest group of disabilities, said Tarshish. These include major health conditions, psychiatric conditions and learning disabilities. Disclosure should be on a need to know basis, said Tarshish. An employee may provide details of a disability, as it applies to work-related accommodations. This disclosure is only made to the individual who is in the position to facilitate the accommodation request. What an employee may disclosure is general information about a disability, why it is being disclosed, how the disability affects ability to perform key work tasks, types of accommodations that have worked in the past and what accommodations are needed in the future. Accommodations can have side benefits, Tarshish noted. She told one story of a person whose disability required air conditioning in that person’s office. Productivity in that office climbed
Fiddler on the Roof
The Vampire! University of Minnesota Showboat Players present a haunting thriller, with musical interludes, on the showboat at Harriet Island, St. Paul. AD performance is 2:30 p.m. Sat, July 21. ASL is 2:30 p.n. Sat, Aug 11. Tickets are $18-25. FFI: https://theatre.umn.edu/showboat/ticketing.
Seussical Dr. Seuss’ stories come to life in this presentation by Stages Theatre Company, at Hopkins Center for the Arts Mainstage, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. ASL performance is 1 p.m. Sat, July 21. AD performance is 7 p.m. Fri, Aug. 3. Tickets are $11, $9 child or senior, group $8.50, school group $5.50; plus $1.50 per ticket handling fee for single tickets. FFI: 952-979-1111, www.stagestheatre.org
Into the Woods The Stephen Sondheim musical twist on old fairy tales will be performed by Paradise Community Theater and Northfield Arts Guild Theater, at Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave. N., Faribault.
overall after all of the employees could work in comfort. Disclosure of a disability is a way to ask for accommodations at a job, and to receive assistance and civil liberties specific to an employee’s needs. Disclosure can also explain an unusual circumstance or phenomenon tied to a specific disability. The positives can be in receiving accommodations and in gaining protection from on-the-job harassment or discrimination. Another possible benefit is that there are many workplaces where a percentage of people with disabilities must be employed there, to comply with government contracts. Disclosure of a hidden disability in that situation can help the employee and employer. Also, disclosure can give a more accurate picture of the true number of people with disabilities in the workplace. Not everyone should discloses disability. For some, an accommodation may not be needed. In many cases, there are concerns that someone may be misunderstood or discriminated against. There are often reservations of violation of confidentiality. There are also fears that disclosure could lead to a loss in work hours, loss of wages or demotion. ■
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AD performance is 2 p.m. Sun, July 22. ASL performance is 7:30 p.m. Thu, July 26. Tickets are $15, $10 children 12 & under; group of 10+, $1 off per ticket. FFI: Phone: 507-332-7372, www.paradisecenterforthearts.org/
The Sunshine Boys Guthrie Theater presents the Neil Simon classic on the Guthrie Theater Wurtele Thrust Stage, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD performance is 1 p.m. Sat., July 28; sensory tour at 10:30 a.m. There is also an AD performance at 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug 3. ASL performances are 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug 10 and Thu, Aug. 16. Captioning is 1 p.m. Wed, Aug. 15 and 7:30 p.m. Fri., Aug. 17. Tickets are reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for Captioning (regular $29-73). FFI: 612-377-2224, TTY 612-377-6626, www.guthrietheater.org
Minnesota Fringe Festival The 19th annual Minnesota Fringe Festival, August 2-12, features 165 companies presenting 840 performances of theater, dance, performance art, storytelling and other theatrical entertainment at 15 venues in Minneapolis and St. Paul, all accessible to people with mobility impairments. Shows last 60 minutes or less, with a new show starting every 90 minutes. Performing groups come from Minnesota as well as from across the country.The 2012 Fringe Festival schedule with show descriptions will be searchable at www.fringefestival.org after July 1 or available for download in PDF format. For a daily recording of shows presented with AD or ASL, call VSA Minnesota at 612-332-3888. Want to see a show interpreted or described? Email robin@fringefestival.org and Fringe will attempt to find an ASL interpreter or audio describer. For tickets, a $4 Fringe button is required of all attendees. Attend one show for $12, get a five-show punch pass for $50, a ten-show punch pass for $100, or an Ultra Pass for unlimited shows for $225. Punch cards are transferable and may be used by multiple people to attend one performance (as long as everyone has a button). Fringe box offices accept cash, checks and credit cards and open 30 minutes before each show time. Advance reservations ($2 fee) guarantee your seat. This reservation fee is waived for people using access services, with the code “access” over the phone or online. Starting on July 1, tickets can be purchased online at www.fringe festival. org or by calling OvationTix at 866-811-4111. The website www.fringefestival.org after July 1 for schedule, ticket buying info and a venue map. Use sort functions to find shows you’ll like, write audience reviews, or create your own Fringe schedule. ■
Pg 12 July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
UPCOMING EVENTS Workshops, conferences Minnesota symposium on disability studies The Minnesota Symposium on Disability Studies is July 27-28 at the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus, with the Interdisciplinary Graduate Group in Disability Studies, the School of Music, Disability Services and the Office for Equity. Rooms at the University Days Inn will be reserved for symposium participants at the very reasonable conference rate of $75 but participants will have to cover the full cost of lodging. The hotel provides breakfast and has a free local shuttle service. FFI: http:// blog.lib.umn.edu/gara0030/iggds/2012/05/minnesotasymposium-on-disability-studies-third-annualconference.html Sign up for symposium PACER Center’s Mann Foundation Symposium is 8 a.m.4 p.m. Mon, Aug. 6 at DoubleTree Hotel, 7800 Normandale Blvd, Mpls. This is a learning opportunity for general education teachers, administrators and parents interested in mental health and learning disabilities in children and young adults. Understand the key warning signs of earlyonset mental illness in children and adolescents. $20 fee; space limited. FFI: www.pacer.org/help/symposium/ Voter education offered Minnesota’s primary election is Aug. 14. The Secretary of State Voter Education and Outreach staff and Disability Law Center are eager to connect with groups with disabilities that are interested in free voter education workshops and training—which can be catered specifically to the groups request. Information is also available at www.mnvotes.org. FFI: Pamela Hoopes, Minnesota Disability Law Center, 612-746-3711, phoopes@mylegal aid.org; Claire Wilson, Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State, 651-201-1339, claire.wilson@state.mn.us Partners in Policymaking Partners in Policymaking is accepting applications for its free eight month leadership training program. Individuals with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities will be trained at no cost in monthly sessions, starting this fall. Applications are due by July, 20th. Sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, Partners is celebrating its 25th anniversary. FFI: Carol Schoeneck, GTS Educational Events, 651-222-7409, ext. 205 (metro) or 1-800569-6878, ext. 205 (non-metro), cschoeneck@mngts. org, www.mngts.org/partnersinpolicymaking
Adult classes Independent living classes offered The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) offers free and accessible classes on living independently for people with disabilities. Most classes are held at 1600 University Ave., #16, the green tile building at University and Snelling, St. Paul, unless specified. Discuss self-esteem and how to improve it 10 a.m.-noon Tue, July 10. Peer mentor training is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tue, July 17.Minneapolis farmers’ market trip and lunch is 11 a.n.-1 p.m. Thu, July 19 and Aug. 9 Meet at the office and take the bus over. Get the Dirt on hygiene 1-3 p.m. Wed, July 25. Grill and socialize 1-5 p.m. Tue, July 31. Learn simple techniques, patterns and designs of knitting. Adaptive knitting equipment available; for all levels
of knitters. Other crafts are welcome, 10 a.m.-noon Tue, July 24; 10 a.m-noon Mon, Aug 6 and 1-3 p.m. Mon, Aug. 20. Other August events include Como Park and Normandale Park outings, conflict resolution and bus rider training. Weekenders outings are for those who are tired of sitting home all weekend. Meet other people who share similar interests and want to meet new people. Guests are welcome and encouraged. Play bocce ball in Como Park Sat, July 21. Please bring your spending money for events. Events are free (with the exception of Weekenders outings), accessible and mostly scent-free. Please RSVP and give two weeks’ notice of needed accommodations. FFI: Corbett Laubignat, 651-603-2028, corbettl@mcil-mn.org, Cindy, 651-603-2037, cindyl@mcil-mn.org, 651-603-2037
Youth and families Youth Building Legacies Conference Space is limited for this conference, presented by the Youth Legacy Foundation. Youth with chronic Illnesses/ disabilities will learn to build their legacies, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat, July 28 at Courage Center; 3915 Golden Valley Road; Golden Valley. Preregistration required. FFI: Bridget Siljander, 612-272-0281, bridget@youthlegacyfounda tion.org, www.surveymonkey.com/s/YLF-RSVP-2012-07-28
Support groups, meetings UCare meetings UCare hosts informational meetings about its UCare for Seniors Medicare Advantage plan. Meetings are held all over the region. UCare for Seniors has more than 75,000 members across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. UCare serves Medicare-eligible individuals and families enrolled in income-based Minnesota Health Care Programs, such as MinnesotaCare and Prepaid Medical Assistance Program; adults with disabilities and Medicare beneficiaries with chronic health conditions and Minnesotans dually eligible for Medical Assistance and Medicare FFI: 1-877-523-1518 (toll free), www.ucare.org Mental Illness support groups The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota (NAMI-MN) reminds everyone that July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. NAMI-MN sponsors free support groups for families who have a relative with a mental illness. NAMI has about two dozen family support groups, over 20 support groups for people living with a mental illness, anxiety support groups, groups for veterans and other groups. Led by trained facilitators, the various groups provide help and support. FFI: 651-645-2948 Open Door Anxiety and Panic support, meets at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Thu at Woodland Hills Church, 1740 Van Dyke St., St. Paul. It meets at 6:30 p.m., on
the first and third Thu. FFI: NAMI at 651-645-2948, www.namihelps.org Partners and Spouses support group meets 6:45 p.m. the first Tue of each month at Falcon Heights United Church of Christ, 1795 Holton St. FFI: Lois, 651-788-1920, or Donna, 651-645-2948 ext. 101. NAMI Connection peer support group for adults are led by trained facilitators who are also in recovery lead NAMI Connection groups. One group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tue, at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 285 Dale St. N., St. Paul. FFI: Shelley, 651-228-1645. GLBTQ communities support group meets 1-2:30 p.m. Sat at Minnehaha Spirit of the Lakes Church, 4001 38th Ave. S., Mpls. This support group will be a safe place to confront the challenges that many members of the GLBTQ communities face including low self-esteem, social isolation, stigma, discrimination, anxiety and depression. FFI: Kim 763-267-5881, Gabi 314-800-4134.
Volunteer, Donate Teach English or be a classroom tutor Help adult refugees and immigrants learn the reading, writing and speaking skills needed to thrive in the U.S. Morning, afternoon or evening classes are available throughout the Twin Cities through the Minnesota Literacy Council. The council has many opportunities that are accessible to volunteers with disabilities, and makes accommodations whenever possible. The literacy council provides training and support. FFI: Allison, 651-2519110, volunteer@mnliteracy.org, mnliteracy.org/volunteers/opportunities/adults Give away that car Autos for Arc can take old vehicles off your hands, give you a tax deduction and say “Thank you” for helping change the lives of people with disabilities. Autos for Arc accepts cars and trucks of any model and condition and other vehicles including boats with trailers, RVs, ATVs, golf carts, personal watercraft, motorcycles and snowmobiles. Within the seven-county metro area, Autos for Arc can arrange to have a vehicle towed free of charge. Call the toll-free Autos for Arc hotline, 1-877-778-7709, to arrange a pickup. Or drop off vehicles at a Value Village location. FFI: 1-877-778-7709, www.autosforarc.org Volunteer with RSVP Volunteers age 55 and older are eligible to receive free supplemental insurance, mileage reimbursement and other benefits through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) sponsored by Volunteers of America of Minnesota. RSVP/Volunteers of America of Minnesota and AARP Foundation need volunteers with good budgeting and organizational skills to help manage finances of older or disabled low-income individuals. Have a few hours a month to volunteer? Money Management Program staff will train and match you with someone in the community. FFI: 612-617-7821. ■
Charlie Award nominations needed Nominations for the 2012 Charlie Smith Award are being taken by Access Press, Minnesota’s disability community newspaper. The newspaper’s Board of Directors announced that the nomination period is underway. Nominations close Aug. 10. The award is given to an individual or group, in recognition of outstanding service to Minnesota’s disability community. The nominee and finalists are honored in the September issue of Access Press. The winner is feted at the annual award banquet, which is Friday, Nov. 2 at the Minneapolis Airport Marriot 2020 E. American Blvd., Bloomington. That event includes a delicious meal, a silent auction and raffle, speeches and social time. The Marriott is fully accessible. Interpretation is offered for guests. The nomination form is on the Access Press website, at www.access press.org and can be downloaded in .pdf and .docx formats. Anyone who needs accommodations to fill out the form, or needs the form in another format, can call the newspaper office at 651-644-2133. Nominees can be from
anywhere in Minnesota. Past nominees can be nominated again. Nominations and questions about the nominations can be sent via email to CSAnominations @accesspress.org, via fax to 651-644-2136, or mail to Access Press, c/o Charlie Award Committee, 161 St. Anthony Ave #910; St. Paul, MN 55103. If possible, send the newspaper office either a jpeg photo or an actual picture of the nominee, or be prepared to tell the editors where a picture can be obtained. Pictures of nominees will be published in the September issue of the newspaper and displayed at the banquet. The Charlie Smith Award is named in honor of the late Charlie Smith, founding editor of Access Press. He was a well-known Minnesota disability rights advocate. With the support of his family, Smith founded the newspaper in 1990. He died in 2001. Reservations can now be made for the Nov. 2 banquet, which starts at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner and ceremony at 7 p.m. Cost is $45 per person if you register early, $50 per person at the door or $325 for an eightperson table. The table rate represents a savings of $35. Registration can be made online, at www.access press.org. Look for the Charlie Awards tab at the top left corner of the home page. Checks with the name and number of guests can be mailed to Access Press, Attn: Dawn, 161 St. Anthony Ave Ste 910, St. Paul, MN 55103. Please make checks payable to Access Press and note banquet in the notation line. Credit card transactions can be made over the phone by calling the office at 651-644-2133 and speaking with Dawn. ■
July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
Radio Talking Book July sampling
Chautauqua • Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m. Thinking, Fast and Slow, Nonfiction by Daniel Kahneman, 2011. There are two concurrent systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. The two systems shape our judgments and decisions. Read by Leila Poullada. 19 broadcasts. Begins July 11.
Books available through Faribault Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. Phone is 1-800-7220550 and hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The catalog is online and can be accessed by going to the main website, http://education.state.mn.us, and then clicking on the link. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books by contacting their home state’s Network Library for the National Library Service. Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived programs from the last week, on the Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call the staff for your password to the site. See more information about events on the Facebook site for the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network. Facebook is a fee social networking web site. Register at www.facebook.com Access Press is one of the publications featured at 9 p.m. Sundays on the program It Makes a Difference.
Weekend Program Books Your Personal World (Saturday at 1 p.m.) is airing 10 Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn; For the Younger Set (Sunday at 11 a.m.) is airing Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke and How to Rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston; Poetic Reflections (Sunday at noon) is airing Chronic by D.A. Powell, and The Foot of the Rainbow by Thomas R. Smith; The U.S. and Us (Sunday at 4 p.m.) is airing North Country by Mary Lethert Wingerd, and Keeping Watch by Kathryn A. Sletto.
Past is Prologue • Monday – Friday 9 a.m. Midnight Rising, Nonfiction by Tony Horwitz, 2011. Plotted in secret and launched in the dark, John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry ruptured the union between North and South. Yet few Americans know the true story of the militant idealists who invaded Virginia before the Civil War. Read by Marylyn Burridge. 13 broadcasts. Begins July 25. Bookworm • Monday – Friday 11 a.m. The Age of Miracles, Fiction by Karen Thompson Walker, 2012. Julia and her family discover that the rotation of the earth has begun to slow. Days and nights grow longer, gravity is affected, and the environment is upset. L - Read by Connie Jamison. 9 broadcasts. Begins July 17. The Writer’s Voice • Monday – Friday 2 p.m. The Memory Palace, Nonfiction by Mira Bartok, 2011. Mira’s mother, Norma, was schizophrenic with difficult behavior. After one encounter, they had no choice but to change their names and sever contact with Norma. L Read by Esmé Evans. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 23. Choice Reading • Monday – Friday 4 p.m. Tell the Wolves I’m Home, by Carol Rifka Brunt, 2012. When June’s Uncle Finn dies, she loses the one person who understands her. But his death brings an unexpected friendship, someone who will help her heal and question all she thinks she knows. She’s not the only one who misses Finn. Read by Mary Hall. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 19. PM Report • Monday – Friday 8 p.m. Muzzled, Nonfiction by Juan Williams, 2011. In today’s partisan world, each side, liberal and conservative,
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preaches to a choir that revels in expressions of anger, ideology, conspiracies, and demonized opponents. The result is an absence of truth-telling and honest debate. Read by John Demma. 10 broadcasts. Begins July 30. Night Journey • Monday – Friday 9 p.m. The Chalk Girl, Fiction by Carol O’Connell, 2011. The girl appeared in Central Park, dirty-faced but smiling widely. She looked perfect except for the blood on her shoulders. She was looking for her Uncle Red who had turned into a tree – and then they found the body in the tree. V,L Read by Pat Kovel-Jarboe. 14 broadcasts. Begins July 12. Off the Shelf • Monday – Friday 10 p.m. Field Gray, Fiction by Philip Kerr, 2011. Bernie is a toughtalking cop who spent eleven years as a homicide detective in Berlin. He became a private detective in 1933, then was forced into the SS in 1940. But after the war, he became a marked man because he knew too much. L Read by John Schmidt. 15 broadcasts. Begins July 23. Potpourri • Monday – Friday 11 p.m. Orange Is the New Black, Nonfiction by Piper Kerman, 2011. Piper Kerman was sentenced to a federal correctional facility for delivering a suitcase of drug money. She went from being a well-heeled Smith College alumna to being inmate #11187424. L - Read by Ann Reed. 12 broadcasts. Begins July 24. Good Night Owl • Monday – Friday midnight Zero Day, Fiction by David Baldacci, 2011. Military investigator John Puller is called to a brutal crime scene in West Virginia coal country. But nothing in this small town, and no one in it, is what it seems. L - Read by Neil Bright. 16 broadcasts. Begins July 16. After Midnight • Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m. Webs of Fate, Fiction by Darlene Quinn, 2011. Danielle is guilty of betrayal. As her mentor tries to uncover the truth, every step draws Danielle closer to a deadly trap set for her by her fiancé’s son. S - Read by Lynda Kayser. 17 broadcasts. Begins July 24.
Abbreviations: V - violence, L – offensive language, S - sexual situations.
PEOPLE & PLACES Adapted sports competitions wrap up The Minnesota State High School League’s spring adapted sports tournaments wrapped up June 8-9 with the track and field competition at Hamline University. Adapted soccer takes place in the fall, adapted floor hockey in the winter and adapted softball, bowling and track in the spring. Two divisions are offered in all but track and field, with the CI division for athletes with cognitive impairments and PI for athletes with physical or health impairments. Each sport has its own set of specific rules, covering everything from uniforms to equipment. Athletes from the northeastern Twin Cities suburbs vied for titles in 2A boys’ track and field competition. Mark Braun of Irondale High School and Jackson Larson of Cambridge-Isanti High School went onetwo in the 800 and 1,000 meters wheelchair races, and in the wheelchair shot put and discus throws. The crowd went wild as the two competed. Braun won the 800 wheelchair in a time of 1:55.85; Larson was second in 2:28.7. Braun won the 1,600 wheelchair in a time of 4:02.4, with Larson clocking 5:03.86. Braun won the wheelchair shot put with a throw of 20’0”.75, with Larson second with a throw of 15’6.5”. Braun also won the wheelchair discus with a throw of 58’8”; Larson threw the discus 33’8”. Braun is a senior so there will be new champions in the events in 2013. In Class 1A girls’ competition, Kathryn Lubahn of Pine Island High School won the wheelchair shot put and the discus throws. Her shot put throw of 14’6.25” is an all-time state record. She won the discus with a throw of 35’1”. Standout athlete Rose Hollerman of WatervilleElysian-Morristown didn’t compete as she was trying out for the Paralympics basketball team this spring. Her recent settlement with the Minnesota State High School League made many changes in track and field events for young athletes with disabilities. Other titles decided this spring were in adapted softball and bowling. In softball, Robbinsdale/Hopkins/ Mound-Westonka made it four in a row as the Robins
snagged the PI Division adapted softball state champion trophy, downing Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville 9-2 in the championship game. The Robins are a force to be reckoned with as they have won 11 of the past 12 titles in PI softball, soccer and floor hockey. Robins junior Charlie Wittmer’s three RBI led the team in the title match. The team outscored its tournament opponents 31-5 in three games. Anoka-Hennepin defeated Wayzata/Minnetonka to claim third place. Dakota United’s PI won the consolation bracket with a victory over South Suburban. In the CI Division, another adapted sports powerhouse won the title. Anoka-Hennepin Mustangs won its third consecutive CI title with a 7-2 victory over the Dakota United Hawks. This marked the Mustangs’ eighth consecutive championship, including
titles won in adapted soccer and adapted floor hockey. Dakota United is a cooperative that includes Apple Valley, Eagan, Eastview and Rosemount high schools. The team was undefeated this season until reaching the state finals. But the Hawks had a powerful foe. No Anoka-Hennepin CI team has lost a match since November 2009. Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville wound up taking third, defeating South Washington County 14-11. Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville defeated Osseo in the consolation championship, 16-15. Softball teams are co-ed and followed adapted sports rules. The state bowling tournament was held at Brunswick Zone in Eden Prairie, with new team Adapted sports - p. 15
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Pg 14 July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
PEOPLE & PLACES
stand the broken neck thing,” Steve said when asked about how his girls get along with dad in a chair. “So I just say my legs don’t work. McKenzie’s growing up with it, she doesn’t see it as anything different, but I’m sure she’ll start asking questions in the next several years, I’m anxiously awaiting it.” Some of his favorite moments with his 11-monthold daughters are spending quality time cuddling, rocking, singing songs and reading books. “It is absolutely hectic. My wife, Chau, will have one or two and I’ll have one!”
PACER video wins award
Dad on Wheels winner Steve Laux shows off his three children. Photo courtesy of Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
Dad on Wheels gets around Steve Laux, 35, of Minneapolis is the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation’s 2012 Best Dad on Wheels. Being a dad is “the best job ever!” according to Laux, who netted almost 4,500 online votes. Laux lives with a C5, C6 level spinal cord injury from a diving accident at Lake Superior in 1998. Father to his three daughters, McKenzie, 3, and twins Devon and Dakota, 11 months, Laux said, “I’ve only been at it three years, so I’ve obviously learned more from them than any other job I’ve had. It’s an outstanding role to look into these eyes.” Along with being a father and husband, Laux is a market development consultant at Medtronic, Inc. “I enjoy working for a company whose mission is aligned with my aspirations in life,” he said. Laux also serves on nonprofit organization boards and volunteers at the Courage Center, where he is involved with the ABLE program, which is part of the Reeve Foundation’s Community Fitness and Wellness Facility. “I couldn’t be happier to have been a part of this contest,” he said. Laux noted that the Best Dad on Wheels contest comes at an opportune time as the beginning of summer marks an increase in recreational accidents resulting in spinal cord injuries. “It is truly great that Christopher Reeve’s foundation is continuing his remarkable legacy of being an outstanding person and dad, while bringing awareness to another aspect of life with a spinal cord injury.” “We are pretty easy going. They can’t really under-
A PACER Center video about uncovering the talents and skills of children with disabilities through appropriate services and education has won a Telly Award. “Hidden Treasure,” which debuted at PACER Center’s 30th Annual Benefit in May, was a Bronze Winner in the 33rd Annual Telly Awards, Charitable/ Not-for-Profit category. This widely known and highly respected international competition receives more than 12,000 entries annually from all around the world. “The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. “PACER Center’s accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.” “The goal of our video is to show that children with disabilities have great possibilities,” said Paula Goldberg, PACER’s executive director. “PACER’s mission is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, and we are so pleased that this video starring a wonderful five-year-old boy has received such a great honor.” “Hidden Treasure” was written and produced by Julie Holmquist, Senior Writer/Editor at PACER Center, and directed and edited by Evan Johnson of Ellida Productions in Marine on St. Croix. Five-year-old James Gladen, who has cerebral palsy and is the son of Jim and Allison Gladen of Victoria starred in the video. A portion of the video was filmed at Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul.
Hospital celebrates six years of operation Minnesota’s first Community Behavioral Health Hospital (CBHH), located in Alexandria, is marking six years of providing mental health services to area residents. CBHH-Alexandria was established as part of a redesign of mental health services in Minnesota intended to replace inpatient mental health treatment provided on large regional treatment center campuses with smaller, 16-bed psychiatric hospitals and an array of other community mental health supports. Like the community behavioral health hospitals that opened after it, the Alexandria hospital has provided individualized, person-centered treatment close to the patient’s home and community. In its six years, the facility has served more than 1,000 patients. As the hospital marks this milestone, administrator John Cosco, who opened the facility in February 2006, is preparing to retire Aug. 1. “I’ve been a senior-level health care executive for the past 40 years and the commitment, dedication and passion that I have seen displayed by our staff in Alexandria is unparalleled,” said Cosco. “Here, people are treated as people, not as numbers.” The average length of stay at the Alexandria hospital is 20-22 days, compared to 4550 days at regional treatment center campuses.
Friends of the Elderly presents Awards The Minneapolis/St. Paul Chapter of Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly honored eight community partners as recipients of the 2012 Ambassador Award at its Annual Meeting on June 21 in Minneapolis. The awards recognize individuals and organizations for the significant contributions they’ve made in advancing the agency’s mission of providing companionship to isolated elders in the Twin Cities area. “We’re pleased to present the Ambassador Award to these partners who have worked tirelessly to connect isolated elders with the community through events, sponsorships, grants, professional services and one-on-one efforts,” said Greg Voss, Executive Director of Friends of the Elderly. Several businesses and institutions were honored for providing professional services, sponsorships, event help and resources. They are Blake School, UCare, McGough Construction, Prom Center, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church and Franke+Fiorella Brand Identity Design. Individuals honored for volunteer service are Claudia Brumm and Michael Dietrich. Photos of the event can be viewed on Friends of the Elderly’s Facebook page, facebook.com/LittleBrothersMN.
ARRM elects new board The Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota (ARRM), a statewide association of private community-based providers that support people with disabilities, is pleased to announce its 2012-2015 board of directors. “We are especially excited about the potential contributions of our new directors,” said ARRM’s CEO Bruce Nelson. “As disability services in Minnesota undergo a dramatic transformation, this board will be instrumental in advancing ARRM’s reform plan, as well as sustaining and building ARRM’s membership.” ARRM’s board is comprised of disability industry leaders empowered by their organizations to make decisions affecting services for thousands of Minnesotans with disabilities. During the nomination process, ARRM sought experts from the disability provider community who will make significant contributions to ARRM and the larger disability industry the coming years. Each director can serve up to three 3-year terms on ARRM’s board. The incoming members of ARRM’s 2012-15 board of directors are David Doth, REM Minnesota; John Estrem, Hammer; John Everett, Community Involvement Programs; Brenda Fagan, Range Center, Inc.; Brenda Goral, Opportunity Partners, Inc.; Sandy Henry, Sengistix, LLC; Barb Hoheisel, Mains’l Services, Inc.; Rhonda Peterson, Integrity Living Options, Inc., Karin Stockwell, Dungarvin Minnesota and Lisa Zaspel, Fraser.
Holland is new president Stuart Holland, manager of Minnesota’s Radio Talking Book, has been named president of the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS). He was named to the post this spring at an IAAIS gathering in Houston, TX. The organization encourages and supports the establishment and maintenance of audio information services that provide access to printed information for individuals who cannot read conventional print because of blindness or any other visual, physical or learning disability. It is a volunteer-driven membership organization of services that turn text into speech for people who cannot see, hold or comprehend the printed word and who may be unable to access information due to a disability or health condition. Since its formation in 1977, IAAIS (formerly the Association of Radio Reading Services) has assisted, represented and set standards of good practice for audio information services worldwide. IAAIS currently represents 140-some services and developing services. Member services can be found throughout the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom, People Places - p. 15
July 10, 2012 Volume 23, Number 6
Adapted spor ts - from p. 13 sports
Miracle Field - from p. 1 synthetic-turf field would be cushioned to prevent injuries. Its bases would all be flush to the ground to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices and its dugouts would be handicapped-accessible. “For children facing physical and mental challenges, the Miracle League offers an opportunity to get out in the sunshine and enjoy playing baseball,” said Kevin Thoresen, founder and executive director of MLMN. Thoresen approached the St. Paul Department of Parks and Recreation earlier this year and inquired about the “unprogrammed” space in Dunning Park along Syndicate Street, between the fenced-in Jim Kelly and Brian Peterson fields. MLMN does not purchase the land for its Miracle Fields. “We work in cooperation with city parks and recreation offices to be given the land,” Thoresen said. “We privately raise all the money to build the field and then provide a turn-key asset for the city. We also help in developing the leagues with cities or other baseball organizations. “Community buy-in is critical for us,” Thoresen said, “not only for building the fields and their ongoing operations but for participation as well.” The disabled members of a Miracle League team are assigned “buddies” who assist them in fielding and in hitting the ball and running the bases, he said. Buddies can be schoolmates, parents, college students or “anyone who wishes to volunteer their time,” Thoresen said. Thoresen discussed his proposal for Dunning on May 24 with the Union Park District
The Minnetonka Miracle Field turf reduces injuries. Photo Courtesy of the Miracle League of Minnesota
Council’s Parks and Recreation Committee. Committee members “agreed to work with Mr. Thoresen to get the community feedback that he needs and we think is necessary before he makes a formal proposal and we make any recommendations,” said committee chair Barb Deming. Although the space in question at Dunning is “unprogrammed,” Deming said, meaning there are no regularly scheduled activities there, it is “the last such space in Dunning Park and it’s used a lot by neighborhood residents for pickup games of soccer and the like. Do residents want to give that up, even for such a worthy cause? We’ll find out.” Thoresen also met on May 29 with the Lexington-Hamline Community Council. “We’re excited about this potential resource for the city,” said Karen Randall, who chairs the board of that neighborhood association. “We have some concerns about providing alternative space for Lex-Ham residents currently using that area of Dunning Park for a variety of activities.” However, Randall added, the Lexington-Hamline Council will work with the city’s Parks and Recreation
Regional News - from p. 6 they determined that client required CPR, the emergency personnel requested (his) resuscitation status,” the report stated. “Facility staff obtained and provided to the emergency personnel in error, another client’s resuscitation guidelines document from the binder where the clients’ signed forms were kept.” The resident who died did have orders to resuscitate on file. He died while the ambulance was still in the facility’s parking lot. A supervisor raised questions after the death was reported. Staff then checked the resuscitation
guideline document they gave the emergency personnel and another client’s name was on the document.” Dungarvin Minnesota operates the facility and has had its correction plan accepted by the state. The facility operators said they taken the incident very seriously and made changes including having separate binders on hand with each client’s information, and not a shared binder. Staff has been educated regarding DNR orders and giving accurate information to emergency responders. ■ [Source: Star Tribune]
People and places - from p. 14 Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Africa. Many IAAIS members in the United States are associated with public radio stations, colleges, universities or libraries. The first president of the or-
ganization was C. Stanley Potter, who was the Director of the State Services for the Blind in Minnesota when the Radio Talking Book began. Holland is the only other Minnesotan to hold that post. ■
Department, neighbors, Thoresen and other local organizations those address those concerns. Thoresen has also met with the Dunning Booster Club, which runs a variety of baseball programs at Dunning, and with representatives of the Highland Little League and Highland-Groveland Recreation Association. “Everybody agreed that a Miracle Field would be a great fit for Dunning Park because of our existing programs, its central location and parking,” said Jim Kelley, a member of the Dunning Booster Club. “The Highland folks said they would send some buddies over to the Miracle Field at least once a week.” If Thoresen succeeds in garnering neighborhood support for his plan, the city will take a closer look at it, according to Parks and Recreation Department spokesman Brad Meyer. “Even though (Thoresen) will be raising the money to construct the Miracle Field, he’ll still have to work with our design and construction division to work up the plans and sign some agreements about who’s responsible for what after the field is up and running,” Meyer said. The City Council will also have to sign off on the plan. More information on the Miracle League is available at www.miracleleaguemn.com ■
champions crowned. Twentyseven schools had teams in the competition. In the PI divisions, St. Paul Humboldt captured both the team and boys’ singles titles. Humboldt junior Tony Campanaro dominated the field, rolling a two-game series of 513, to win the PI Division boys’ singles championship. Campanaro entered the tournament with the lowest handicap (45) in the field, and contributed solid scores to help the Hawks win the team crown. Austin High School’s Rachel Cook won the PI girls’ singles championship with scores of 224 and 251 for a 475 series. Minneapolis South’s duo of Tyler Spratt and Hassan Upsher won the doubles title with a combined score of 871. In the CI Division, a strong bowler led her team to the title
Pg 15
and won the girls’ singles title as well. North St. Paul/Tartan won the team championship with a one-pin victory over Albany, 1,627 to 1,626. Ashleigh Miller of North/Tartan won the girls’ singles crown rolling a 228 in her second game and series score of 475. Mankato East’s Colby Tolzmann won the boys’ singles title with a 450 series, Minneapolis North’s Jerick Sands and Ronnie Kennedy took first place in doubles with a score of 889 pins. Boys’ or girls’ singles, doubles and team competitions are offered for athletes in each of the two divisions. Doubles pairs and teams may be co-ed. There is no limit on the number of bowlers who can compete in the various categories of competition. However, one individual athlete cannot participate in all three categories. ■
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