The Arc awards, Pg 11
Volume 25, Number 1
www.accesspress.org
Facility Remembering with Dignity operated wins national attention without a license by Access Press staff
by Jane McClure
The Minnesota Specialty Health Systems facility in Cambridge operated for 10 months without a required state license and then tried to conceal that status. Those actions brought a scolding from U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank, who must now decide how to sanction the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Frank’s December 17 memorandum is just the latest chapter in a long and troubling saga centered on the DHS-run facility. During its years as the Minnesota Extended Treatment Options (METO) program, the Cambridge facility drew scrutiny for its treatment of about 300 residents with developmental disabilities. Use of seclusion and restraint were the major problems. Residents were restrained and at times were physically injured by staff, on top of the emotional injuries they sustained. METO settlement - p. 13
Remembering With Dignity, the initiative to properly mark graves at Minnesota institutions, has received nationwide recognition this winter. The program has been featured twice on PBS programs this winter, most recently on the News Hour December 26. It was featured earlier on the Religion and Ethics Newsweekly show. See the show at www.pbs. org/ Remembering With Dignity not only replaces old numbered stones with newshour/bb/nation/julymarkers. Artists with disabilities create portraits of those who were buried dec13/graves_12-26.html at state institutions. The painting here is by Duluth resident Bridget Supporters note that the Riversmith, a self-advocate and celebrated artist. The painting honors national publicity, coupled Gudrun Rafnson, born April 18, 1904 and died January 26, l916. with statewide coverage in Photo courtesy of Remember With Dignity Minnesota newspapers and in broadcast media, “The several hundred people buried here spent has enhanced Remembering With Dignity’s most of their lives invisible to the outside world.” visibility and has brought much-needed attenThe report centers on the family of Albertine tion to the forgotten people it honors. Articles Poitras. Her relatives had to go through historiabout the program have appeared in the Star cal archives to find her numbered grave. She Tribune and Pioneer Press. Remembering was developmentally disabled. Her family With Dignity has also been featured on stateplaced her at Faribault during the Great Depreswide broadcast media over the past few months. sion, when she was 34 years old. Family memIt is a program of the statewide self-advocacy bers believed they could no longer care for her. group Advocating Change Together (ACT). The program shows her grave with a name The PBS reports are by Fred de Sam Lazaro, marker, not a number, and family members as part of a reporting project funded by St. honoring her memory in a ceremony. The cerMary’s University. His December 26 report began emony included Poitras family members, ACT at the Faribault State Hospital cemetery. “One staff and former Faribault residents. solitary cross is all that suggests that this is a cemetery, and perhaps that’s fitting,” he said. Remembering - p. 3
Our look back at what made 2013 headlines January The merger of Courage Center and Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institution was underway. The merger, which was completed in spring 2013, was the end of one era and the start of another for two of Minnesota’s largest and oldest disability service organizations. The merged organization took the name Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute under the umbrella of Allina Health.
Family caregivers, who had taken a 20 percent pay cut in 2011, celebrated a legal victory. The Minnesota County of Appeals ruled that family caregivers shouldn’t be paid less than non-family caregivers. The case, Healthstar Home Health Inc., et al, vs. Jesson, was filed in the fall of 2011. The Arc Minnesota honored three women for decades of advocacy. Jane Donnelly Birks, Sally Swallen Helmerichs and Molly Woehrlin were recognized as pioneer lobbyists and advocates. Their work at the state capitol and elsewhere began in the 1960s, at a time when it was uncommon to see women lobbyists in that arena. They were honored not only for their years of hard work, but for serving as an inspiration for many other families. The newly reorganized Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MN-CCD) was starting the 2013 legislative session with its first-ever executive director, Rebecca Covington.
February
Activist Rick Cardenas celebrates with Metropolitan Council representatives, downtown residents and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Coundil Member Dave Thune at the tower groundbreaking. File photo
The 2013 Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton wound up an eventful first month. Dozens of bills affecting people with disabilities were introduced. Legislators and advocates were working toward their first deadline, March 15, when bills needed favorable action from the House or Senate. Dayton announced two major initiatives for people with disabilities. A package of reforms would provide better health care for 100,000 Minnesotans and lower costs for taxpayers. In an effort to further improve the state’s Medicaid program, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) partnered with six health care providers to test a new payment model. The governor also jump-started efforts toward completing Minnesota’s long2013 in review - p. 4
January 10, 2014 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities. MN Permit No. 4766 Address Service Requested
“In my country we go to prison first and then become President.” — Nelson Mandela NEWS DIGEST
The Minnesota Department of Human Services presented its Circle of Excellence Awards. Page 12
Find a wide array of resources through our Directory of Organizations. Pages 7-10
The recent METO case brings back painful memories of New York’s Willowbrook institution. Page 2
Learn how to be an Access Press Issue Sponsor and enhance visibility for your organization or business. Page 3
Make a New Year’s resolution to join a support group or find a new activity. Page 14
INSIDE Accessible Fun, pg 13 Events, pg 14 People & Places, pps 11-12 Radio Talking Book, pg 15 Regional News, pg 6
Pg 2 January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
EDITOR’S DESK
Tim Benjamin As we look ahead to 2014, I want to thank everyone for your financial generosity this past year to Access Press. Also, I want to thank everyone for your confidence in Access Press’ work to get the news to you as soon as it happens. It’s our goal at Access Press to keep you informed on important public issues for people with disabilities. For years the state’s Department of Human Services has continuously tried new tactics to improve the quality of Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS), and for years the department has overlooked what I consider to be the quality elephant in the room: wage reimbursement rates for care professionals. How can the quality of care improve when being a caregiver is so poorly compensated? Where is the incentive to do well and be professional? Because members understand that wages have a direct relationship to quality, the Minnesota Consortium for People with Disabilities (MNCCD) is working on the 5% Campaign, a request to the Minnesota
Legislature to increase the reimbursement rate for Personal Care Attendants (PCA) and Direct Support Professionals (DSP). If we want to increase the quality of care provided in the community by PCAs and DSPs, reimbursement to the agencies that employ direct caregivers needs at least to match what is offered in institutions like hospitals and nursing homes. Home health agencies, like other businesses, have to find some profit in order to provide quality services to their employees and in turn to their clients. While nursing homes are often highly profitable, even the best agencies—the ones that provide good workers, appropriate training and good backup support and also maintain high standards for fraud control—are not making financial ends meet. All of us who use HCBS have had our best care providers move on because there are no incentives or proper compensation packages for them to continue providing good care. Too often, PCAs are struggling to make a living even as they help us to live our lives. I know of some who are going to food shelves to provide food for their own families. Five percent can make a difference, and we need to make legislators understand that. In other important legislative news, in the last week of 2013, we were notified about the DHS formal request to the federal government to continue using the 1115 Medicaid Waiver for Minnesota. The waiver currently allows the state, when determining Medic-
aid eligibility, to exclude spousal income for a married couple with one spouse using an HCBS waiver. The Affordable Care Act’s rules and financial standards on spousal anti-impoverishment are good, especially for seniors. For individuals whose home state did not have a spousal disregard prior to the Affordable Care Act, this policy will be an improvement. But Minnesota’s existing policy is fairer, especially for any married couple under age 65 that has already been using Minnesota’s existing policies and planning their future accordingly. They should not be forced to lose assets in mid-life or as they are closing in on retirement. Remember, this only affects married couples with one spouse using HCBS’s waiver services for persons under age 65 with disabilities. It’s not a lot of us, but it’s a fair number who could lose homes, retirement accounts and many of the assets that people have worked very hard to get. Just a couple years ago, we were fighting to help Chuck Van Heuveln to protect the assets he’d built up over a lifetime of work. Like too many Americans, we have to repeatedly fight to gain and protect the same rights. It’s a good thing we’re a determined community. It’s a new year and it’s starting with record low temperatures. The meteorologists are saying that it has been more than a decade since we’ve had these kinds of cold temperatures. Well, we can probably count on a warm-up—in the weather and in politics. Stay warm and we’ll talk soon. ■
HISTORY NOTE
Willowbrook case brought needed national reform The recent sanctions in an ongoing federal court case focused on the former Minnesota Extended Treatment Options facility bring to mind how other abuse cases brought changes in laws and practices. One of the nation’s most scandalous incidents was exposed in the 1960s at the Willowbrook State School on Staten Island in New York City. Willowbrook shaped state and federal laws and policies including the 1980 Civil Rights of Disabled Persons Act and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA, but it took decades of pain and struggles.
Volume 25, Number 01 • 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. Maybe it should just say:News, display advertising and classified advertising deadline is routinely the 25th of the month. When the 25th falls on a weekend, deadline is the next Monday. January issue deadline is December 20. 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
Willowbrook was planned in the late 1930s as a home for children with intellectual disabilities, but instead it opened in 1942 as a U.S. Army hospital. In late 1947 the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene opened Willowbrook State School there as planned. Conditions were deplorable, with frequent outbreaks of hepatitis and controversial medical studies during its first decade. Willowbrook was designed to house up to 4,000 children with developmental disabilities. By 1965, it had a population of more than 6,000 children. Willowbrook was the world’s largest state-run institution of its kind. It had a reputation for housing children that families and the care systems had abandoned. When New York Sen. Robert Kennedy toured Willowbrook in 1965, he was shocked. In an interview, Kennedy compared the residents’ living conditions to a “snake pit.” Kennedy declared that residents were “living in filth and dirt, their clothing in rags, in rooms less comfortable and cheerful than the cages in which we put animals in a zoo.” Others also drew attention to Willowbrook. A series of articles in local newspapers described the horrible conditions and treatment of residents. Residents
suffered physical and in some cases sexual abuse. Public shock and outcry regarding abuse and neglect of residents exploded as organized parent protests and media exposes ignited mass awareness. In early 1972, Geraldo Rivera, an investigative reporter for WABC-TV in New York, was contacted by an activist physician recently fired for speaking out about the abysmal conditions. Rivera’s resulting exposé, Willowbrook: The Last Great Disgrace, garnered national attention. It was a stinging indictment of institutionalization and treatment of persons with developmental disabilities. Rivera won a Peabody Award and used the report to shine a spotlight on Willowbrook. He appeared on the Dick Cavett Show and showed part of the expose. A class-action lawsuit was filed in federal court on March 17, 1972. It resulted in a settlement with New York’s State Department of Mental Hygiene on May 5, 1975. It took years to implement and didn’t win final approval until February 1987. The settlement called for Willowbrook to close and residents placed in the community. The last residents left in September 1987. Many in the “Willowbrook Class” are adults living in community facilities throughout New York State. Some were featured in the 1997 documentary Unforgotten: 25 Years After Willowbrook. ■ The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org or www.mncdd.org and www.partnersinpolicy making.com
January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
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Sponsorships bring visibility, help Access Press One way to support Access Press is through issue sponsorships. An issue sponsorship provides statewide publicity and visibility to a business or an organization. Partnering with Access Press as an issue sponsor also helps Access Press continue its mission as Minnesota’s disability news source, with news and information by and for people with disabilities. Access Press invites all disability community members to consider becoming issue sponsors in 2014 and beyond. Access Press has a broad reach across the state and region. Readership is estimated to be about 30,000 people. Each month, more than 11,000 newspapers are printed and distributed to more than 300 Twin Cities locations. Newspapers are also distributed to more than a dozen locations in Greater Minnesota and North Dakota. Approximately 450 subscribers, all across the country, receive a hard copy of the paper. The website is accessed regularly with hundreds of hits. Facebook and Twitter feeds are closely followed. Issue sponsorships can be utilized in many ways. UCare uses its sponsorship of the August issue to highlight its work, in an issue that is distributed at the Minnesota State Fair. That gives UCare more visibility across the region. An issue sponsorship can be used to celebrate a major anniversary for a business or nonprofit, mark a major expansion or announce a name change. Sponsorships can also coincide with a month when a specific disability or disabilities are highlighted. For example, a jobs training firm could be the issue sponsor during Disability Employment Month (October). A group that advocates for persons with cerebral palsy could be an issue sponsor during Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month (March). Yet another way to use an issue sponsorship is to spotlight a major event, such as a gala or annual conference. Issue sponsors are recognized in print and with a highlighted ad in the Access Press online edition. Two levels of sponsorship are available. Issue sponsorships Remembering - from p. 1 Family member Blair Poitras said, “You go through different emotions. You go, well, how come your family members didn’t tell you about this person? And just to be buried as a number . . .” Those involved in Remembering with Dignity, which has marked more than 7,000 graves in recent years, described its importance in the PBS stories. “The Jewish saying is that you die twice,” said Halle O’Falvey, who works with Remembering With Dignity. “You die once, when you do die, but the second time you die is when your name isn’t spoken anymore. Mary Kay Kennedy, co-director of ACT, described the 2010 Minnesota State Legislature’s apology to those who lived and died in state institutions like Faribault. Faribault began as a residence for people with developmental disabilities. It is now part of the state’s correctional system. Kennedy told the PBS reporter that Faribault’s population peaked in the 1950s, at 3,355 people, which was about 45 percent over capacity. She noted that what had started in the 19th century as an innovative program had evolved into a place where only basic physical needs were met. Anyone wanting to learn more about Remembering with Dignity can attend the 10 a.m. service at Hamline Church United Methodist, 1514 Englewood Ave., St. Paul on Sunday, January 26. People from the program are guest speakers. The day is United Methodist Women’s Sunday and the service is a reflection on the 2014 UMW theme of “The Church and Disability.” The event is open to the public and will include a self-advocates’ art show honoring the lives of those buried at state institutions. Access the church from the Englewood alley door, where there is an elevator. ■
are first come, first served. Only one Gold Level sponsor and up to two Silver Level sponsors will be considered for a single issue. For the Gold Level Sponsorship, sponsors are recognized on page one of the print edition and with an advertisement on the front page of the online edition. If the sponsorship promotes an event, an online ad is also displayed on the events page. Sponsors receive a prominently placed, 400-word article in the print edition and online. Print placement options are available. For example, an upcoming event article can be placed on a calendar page. Others can be placed in the People and Places pages. Access Press staff can work with sponsors on copy and photos. Gold sponsors can also provide their own photos, text and logos. Gold sponsors also are recognized in a 1/12 page house advertisements honoring all issue sponsors. This runs for a full year. Sponsors also receive up to 300 papers for an event or other promotional purposes, five subscriptions and a copy of The Real Story, the Access Press DVD on disability and the media. A Gold Level Sponsorship is a great way to commemorate a key date in an organization’s history or to spotlight an organization or business and its work. For the Silver Level Sponsorship, the sponsors are recognized on page one of the print edition and online. Sponsors also receive a 200-word, prominently placed article. Placement options are available as they are on the Gold sponsor. Access Press staff can work with sponsors on copy and photos. Silver sponsors can also provide their own photos, text and logos. Silver sponsors also are recognized in a 1/12 page house advertisements honoring all issue sponsors. This runs for a full year. Sponsors also receive up to 100 papers for an event or other promotional purposes, and a copy of The Real Story. A Silver Level Sponsorship is a great way to give enhanced visibility and prominence to an upcoming event. Regular Access Press advertisers receive a discount for becoming an issue sponsor. Contact Tim Benjamin, executive director at Access Press, for details on becoming an issue sponsor, at 651-644-2133. ■
Pg 4 January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1 2013 in review - from p. 1 awaited Olmstead Plan. A group would develop and implement a plan to support freedom of choice and opportunity to live, work and participate in the most inclusive setting for individuals with disabilities. When guardians and conservators financially or physically abuse their clients’ vulnerabilities, the results can be disastrous. Recent cases in Minnesota illustrate why more protections were needed, according to Attorney General Lori Swanson. The ReelAbilities Film Festival announced its first showings in Minnesota. The event is the largest festival in the country dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. Partnership Resources, Inc. was leading the planning.
March Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) officials were criticized in a Minnesota Legislative Auditor’s report. The report indicated that new ways must be found to manage state-operated facilities and services for people with mental illness, chemical dependency and developmental disabilities. A number of problems were found, topped by what was described as inadequate oversight and accountability. Auditor James Nobles told state lawmakers that the audit revealed “significant and persistent problems.” Medical suppliers and their clients were coping with a federal change that restricts where supplies and equipment can be purchased. Minnesota-based Key Medical Supply had sued federal health and human services officials over a new federal competitive bidding program. The Key Medical case was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank on technical grounds. The case was later refiled. The restrictions on where clients can purchase supplies and equipment, and get equipment repaired, were causing great concern. Home health care workers were seeking the right to unionize, one of many issue before the 2013 Minnesota Legislature. The legislation targeted workers who aren’t employed by an agency. The Northland 300 Ride marked its 25th year of snowmobile riding fun.
ity Study: Routes to Rails in the Central Corridor was released by the District Councils Collaborative. It is seen as the first step in making changes. Activists were also campaigning to get downtown St. Paul skyway connection to light rail. Access Press hosted guests from Baku, Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic. The guest from Azerbaijan was in this country to learn about how to create a more favorable environment for children with disabilities in his own country. The Czech Republic delegation was a Rotary-sponsored group learning about the news media.
June For Minnesotans with disabilities, family members and caregivers, the 2013 session of the Minnesota Legislature was remembered for key gains and major disappointments. A number of investments in health care marked the session. MinnesotaCare was preserved and Medicaid expanded. Steps were taken to implement the Affordable Care Act, including the creation of an insurance exchange. More money was found for special education, with an additional $40 million passed as part of the $15.7 billion education budget. Autism insurance changes also met cheers. But not everyone benefited from the state’s $38.3 billion budget. Personal care attendants saw only a modest rate increase, which meant planning got underway for 2014. After a combined 27 hours’ debate on the floors of the Minnesota House and Senate, about 21,000 Minnesotans who provide state-paid personal care attendant services or child care won the right to unionize. Foes of the measure have vowed to take legal action to block it. The groups have until 2017 to decide whether or not to organize. Longtime job service organization Midway Training Services changed its name to Ally People Solutions. The new name was seen as more reflective of the nonprofit organization’s mission and services.
July
July 1 was a significant date for Minnesotans who rely on medical supplies for daily living. New federal regulations on competitive bidding for Medicare suppliers took effect in the Twin Cities region. People questioned where supplies would come from and if costs would increase. While some suppliers contend that needed medical goods would arrive with little disrupApril tion and at the same or lower costs, clients and other suppliers worried about quality of prodMinnesotans with disabilities and senior citiucts, long shipping delays and how equipment zens objected to a new state law limiting earnwould be serviced. Some suppliers feared lost ings for those on Minnesota’s Medicaid or Medical Assistance (MA) program. The change Anne Henry gave testimony on Income Standards to the House Health and business and ultimately economic survival, as well as client harm. “If even one person is inis tied to the federal Affordable Care Act. It was Human Service committee. File photo jured due to competitive bidding, it’s unacceptcriticized by the state’s disability groups beable,” said Mike Bailey, chief executive officer of St. Paul-based Handi Medical cause it specifically leaves out Minnesotans with disabilities, while allowing other Supply. medical program participants to earn more. The push to support fair health care Minnesotans weighed in on quality of life issues as part of the state’s Olmstead policy for all was a key focus during the 2013 legislative session. The Minnesotan Plan. Release of an 83-page draft plan and opportunity to comment drew a large Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MN-CCD) noted that the new law crowd June 19 to the DS Event Center in St. Paul. leaves people with disabilities and seniors behind. MN-CCD and ADAPT-MN Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid celebrated its centennial. The agency, which includes were among the groups working to address the issue. The objection centers on the the Disability Law Center, has a long tradition of representing the legal rights of fact that people with disabilities and seniors who don’t have earned income and people with disabilities, senior citizens and low-income Minnesotans. who live on income from Social Security must give the state hundreds of dollars through a spend-down before they can gain access to the MA program. August More than 190 farmers and ranchers with disabilities, speakers and vendors took Just 5 percent. That is what Minnesotans with disabilities, aging adults, care a break from spring work to attend the National AgrAbility training conference providers, family members and advocates are requesting from state lawmakers. held April 8-11 in Bloomington. Farmers and ranchers with disabilities are served The 5% Campaign was gaining momentum to reverse years of funding cuts to reby the AgrAbility project, which just marked its 20th anniversary nationally. imbursement rates to home and community based services. Advocates with disMay abilities, older adults, caregivers, providers and family members throughout Minnesota sought what they call a “long-overdue” rate increase. Nursing home workCuts to services for people with disabilities have devastating effect on families ers received a 5 percent reimbursement increase from state lawmakers in 2013. But who are draining savings accounts and selling assets to pay for their children’s facilities and direct support providers for people with disabilities and aging adults medical supports. Adults without assistance are struggling to meet even basic needs. But until state legislators raise revenues, challenges will continue. That was only saw a 1 percent increase in the final health and human services bill. Voting changes would take effect in the fall and in 2014. The most anticipated the message self-advocates and families took to the capitol during the annual Dischange starts in 2014 when No Excuses Absentee Voting begins. Many Minnesoability Day at the Capitol April 25. tans with disabilities and senior citizens use absentee voting as a means to cast balWhen light rail trains begin operations on the Central Corridor or Green Line lots without waiting in long lines or arranging transportation. The law allows the route in 2014, getting to some stations may be easier said than done. Sidewalks voter to claim permanent absentee voter status, getting an absentee ballot mailed leading to University Avenue are broken, narrow, overgrown with brush and trees, before each election. or are poorly lit. And that’s where there are sidewalks. The Green Line Walkabil2013 in review - p. 5
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January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
2013 in review - from p. 4 Several University of Minnesota Gopher football players made a surprise appearance for campers and staff at Camp Friendship. Football players and campers had a fun day together, which ended with campers lining up for autographed maroon and gold t-shirts.
September
The Olmstead Plan Subcabinet was wrapping up its work. The subcabinet posted a final draft of the plan on the DHS website, including comments gathered from hearings around the state. The plan describes how the state is to provide services to people with disabilities, in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. While the plan won praise for addressing some issues, some parts of the plan were criticized. One area of criticism was mental health services. Planning was underway for the Twin Cities’ hosting
Construction was underway on a new vertical connection between downtown St. Paul streets and the skyway system. The elevator and stairway tower would connect to bus routes and the new METRO Green Line light rail, which opens in mid-2014. Rick Cardenas, co-director of Advocating Change Together, was the leaders in getting the $1.7 million connection built. A combination of funders paid for the elevator project. Longtime services provider Dakota Communities had a new name and logo. Living Well Disability Services was the chosen name to better reflect the agency’s work in providing residential care in client’s homes, as well as in its own group homes. Camps of Courage and Friendship (now True Friends) announced a new partnership with Creative Learning Ideas for Body and Mind or CLIMB Theater. The camp- Steve Larson, The Arc Minnesota's public policy director, exing program added the theater program to its extensive plains the plight of families as self-advocates look on. File photo list of offering. The program is the result of a merger of Reelabilities, a film festival dedicated to promoting between Camp Courage and Friendship Ventures. awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artisAugsburg College’s Cal Appleby topped a field of tic expression of people with disabilities. 13 candidates for the 2013 Access Press Charlie Smith November Award. The 5% Campaign continued to gain momentum, October with a huge rally at the capitol and statewide outComputer problems at the state level delayed payreach. The goal was to get legislators to pledge supchecks and hiring of staff bedeviled home health care port for a 5 percent personal care attendant wage inand personal care attendant agencies around the state. crease before the 2014 legislative session began. The Minnesota Department of Human Services’ MinMany disability advocacy groups were involved with nesota Information Technology Services (MN-ITS) the campaign, which was a focus during a series of system, which is used by Minnesota Health Care ProMN-CCD meeting during the fall. Gov. Mark Dayton grams providers, had been malfunctioning for almost told advocates that while he agreed with the pay eqa month. Agencies that file receipts through the sysuity issues being raised, he was concerned about longtem must do so to get Medicaid reimbursements. term impacts on state spending. About 52,000 providers use MN-ITS to issue payroll The Olmstead Plan was released November 1, to and to check the backgrounds of prospective workers.
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criticism and praise. State leaders said that plan would be an evolving document with regular reviews and updates. The plan helps the state document its services for people with disabilities including housing, education, health care, transportation and employment. Access Press Charlie Smith Award winner Cal Appleby was honored by a full house at the newspaper’s annual award banquet. Appleby and two deceased Augsburg College colleagues, Vern Bloom and Wayne “Mo” Moldenhauer did much to serve people with disabilities, especially in providing access to higher education.
December The 5% Campaign made itself heard. Hundreds of supporters jammed all three levels of the capitol rotunda November 12 in a show of force before the 2014 Minnesota Legislature convenes February 25. Self-advocates, organization representatives, families, personal care attendants and direct support providers turned out to support the call for a 5 percent rate increase for home- and community-based services for people with disabilities. They were also joined by several of their Minnesota legislative allies. Old tangled and broken piles of Christmas light strings could be recycled through January 31 and provide jobs for people with disabilities. Help the environment by replacing old lights with new, energy-efficient lights. Help employ people with disabilities and help reach the goal of collecting and processing 200,000 pounds of lights this season. Recycle Your Holidays is a one-of-a-kind statewide holiday light recycling program in Minnesota created and managed by the Recycling Association of Minnesota. Access Press released The Real Story in October after a year of production and is offering DVDs for sale. The documentary examines media coverage of disability issues in Minnesota and nationally and examines the role of mainstream media in reporting on issues important to all people with disabilities. It had its first premiere at the University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center in late October. (Additional film showings can be hosted by contacting Access Press.) ■
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Autism studied in Somali community
REGIONAL NEWS Great strides in federal hiring The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that in Fiscal Year 2012, people with disabilities were hired at a higher percentage than at any point in the past 32 years. Additionally, people with targeted disabilities were hired at a higher percentage than at any time in the past 17 years. This success has also led to more people with disabilities serving in federal service than at any time in the past 32 years. “People with disabilities are a vital part of the federal workforce, as we are better able to serve the American people because of the talents and experience they bring to the table,” said Office Director Katherine Archuleta. “Since President Obama issued his Executive Order in 2010, we’ve made substantial progress in hiring and retaining people with disabilities over the past three years. This work is enabling the federal government to continue to develop as a model employer for people with disabilities.” According to the “Employing People with Disabilities in the Federal Executive Branch” report in FY 2012, federal employees with disabilities represented 11.89 percent of the overall workforce, including veterans who are 30 percent or more disabled. 16 percent of new hires in FY 2012 were people with disabilities, up from 14 percent in FY 2011. Additionally, 14 percent of General Schedule grade 14 and 15 new hires in FY 2012 were people with disabilities, up from 12 percent in FY 2011. On July 26, 2010, President Barack Obama issued Executive Order, Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, in which he stated that the federal government must become a model for the employment of individuals with disabilities. To view the report, visit: http://tinyurl.com/disemployment ■ (Source: Office of Personnel Management)
The incidence of autism spectrum disorder is higher among Somali children in Minneapolis, higher than the city’s children as a whole. It also appears to affect them more severely, according to University of Minnesota researchers. This announcement confirms suspicions of many parents in the city’s large East African community. Somali children were more likely to have the disorder than non-Somali children in the city, the study found. The study didn’t explore why and didn’t speculate on possible reasons. But the findings back up the common belief among Somalis in Minneapolis that their children suffer from high rates of the disorder, said Amy Hewitt, the lead researcher on the study. “A lot of children in the city of Minneapolis, including Somali children, have autism spectrum disorder and many of them are getting diagnosed late,” Hewitt said in an interview. “The average was five years. Kids can be reasonably diagnosed at age 2. So it’s really important to get these kids and families connected to services.”
Anti-bullying bill to return Anti-bullying groups held rallies in St. Paul and Duluth December to renew efforts to pass a statewide anti-bullying law. A stronger law is sought by many groups, including parents of children with disabilities. They contend current law is too vague and is ineffective. Rallies across the state called for a new anti-bullying law to replace Minnesota’s short, 37-word statute. Schools are required to have anti-bullying policies. Critics say the current law is among the weakest in the nation. A proposed law, to be introduce during the 2014 legislative session, would include detailed definitions of bullying, require schools to teach staffers how to see it and stop it, and investigate all reported cases. Foes of the proposals criticize it as having high costs for schools. They also claim it is too vague and potentially intrusive. Some school districts have objected to changing the law. The Minnesota Legislature failed to pass an antibullying bill in 2013, despite efforts by many advocacy groups to get a bill passed. ■ (Source: WCCO-TV).
According to the study, about 1 in 32 Somali children ages 7 to 9 were identified with autism spectrum disorder in Minneapolis in 2010, compared with 1 in 48 Minneapolis children overall. The incidence was 1 in 36 Caucasian children, which the researchers said was not a statistically significant difference from the Somali figure. The Minnesota researchers said they reviewed more than 5,000 clinical and school records, using established CDC statistical methods for estimating the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in a community. The study looked only at data from Minneapolis, the center of Minnesota’s Somali community, which is the largest in the United States. The study was funded by the CDC, the National Institutes of Health and Autism Speaks. Read more about the Minnesota Somali Autism Spectrum Disorder Prevalence Project: http://rtc.umn.edu/autism ■ (Source: Star Tribune)
Westrom to run for Congress Sen. Torrey Westrom (R – Elbow Lake) is running for Congress in Minnesota’s 7th District. Westrom announced last month he is running for the seat currently held by Democrat Collin Peterson. Westrom is one of Minnesota’s most high-profile elected officials with a disability. Westrom lost his sight at the age of 14 in a farmrelated accident. As an elected official, he has been a strong advocate for people with disabilities. He has long worked to eliminate barriers to help them become more independent in their living and employment opportunities. He was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1997, and later elected to the Senate. Westrom is a conservative with a record of creating rural jobs and ensuring that the government operates within its means. Westrom is a strong supporter of smaller government and supports the need for a balanced budget amendment. Westrom grew up on a Minnesota dairy farm. He and his wife, Anna, are small business owners. They have three children. To learn more, visit www.Torrey Westrom2014.com ■ (Source: Westrom for Congress)
January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
Pg 7
ADVOCACY Advocating Change Together (ACT)
V-651-641-0297
TF-800-641-0059
Arc Greater Twin Cities
V-952-920-0855
F-952-920-1480
www.arcgreatertwincities.org
www.selfadvocacy.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 Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0725
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
MCIL
V-651-646-8342
F-651-603-2066
www.mcil-mn.org
MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
V-651-523-0829x112
F-651-523-0829
www.mnccd.org
MN Developmental Achievement-Center Assoc
V-651-647-9200
F-651-647-9353
www.mndaca.org
PACER Center, Inc.
V-952-838-9000
TTY-952-838-0190
Take Back the Air
V-952-303-6218
F-952-303-6468
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. Assisted Living
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
www.pacer.org www.takebacktheair.com
ASSISTED-LIVING PROGRAMS
BRAIN INJURY Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0312
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
www.dungarvin.com
Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance
V-612-378-2742
TTY-800-669-6442
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
DeafBlind Services Minnesota (DBSM)
V-612-362-8454
TTY-612-362-8422
www.dbsmllc.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
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Mary T. Inc. Human Service Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.marytinc.com
www.marytinc.com www.braininjurymn.org
CHEMICAL HEALTH Vinland National Center
COMMUNITY LIVING
MCIL
V-651-646-8342
F-651-603-2066
www.mcil-mn.org
Metro Work Center, Inc
V/TTY-612-729-7381
F-612-729-7382
www.metroworkcenter.org
Opportunity Partners
V-952-938-5511
TTY-952-930-4293
Reach for Resources
V-952-988-4177
F-952-988-6728
www.opportunitypartners.org 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.smilescil.org
CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-362-4437
Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
www.cipmn.org TTY-651-365-3736
CONTINUED
www.lifeworks.org
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Pg 8 January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
EDUCATION 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
www.mrc-mn.org
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
F-612-353-6638
www.upstreamarts.org
Ally People Solutions
V-651-641-0709
F-651-641-0976
www.allypeoplesolutions.org
Assistive Technology of MN - DBA Equip A Life
V-763-479-8239
TF-866-535-8239
EMPLOYMENT/VOCATION
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CCP Works! - Cooperating Community Programs
V-651-379-9744
Chrestomathy, Inc.
V-952-974-0339
Community Connections Partnership (CCP)
V-763-540-6833x302
www.equipalife.org
www.theccpinc.com/employment_support.aspx F-952-974-0307
www.chrestomathyinc.org www.communityconnectionspartnership.org
Community Involvement Programs (CIP)
V-612-353-4595x101
V-612-353-4595x102
Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0564
TTY-763-520-0245
www.cipmn.org
East Suburban Resources, Inc.
V-651-351-0190
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
www.CourageCenter.org www.esrworks.org
Lifetrack - Minneapolis
V-612-788-8855
F-612-788-8577
www.lifetrack-mn.org
Lifetrack - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
www.lifetrack-mn.org
Lifeworks Services, Inc.
TF-866-454-2732
TTY-651-365-3736
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
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
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
www.lifeworks.org
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
www.mncdd.org
STAR Program
V-651-201-2640
TF-888-234-1267
www.starprogram.state.mn.us
www.mnworkincentives.com
GOVERNMENT www.disability.state.mn.us
HEALTH CARE COORDINATION AXIS Healthcare
V-651-556-0887
F-651-556-0880
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Cornerstone Solutions
TF-888-562-8000
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
V—763-502-1505
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www.breakthrucare.com www.inhomepersonalcare.com
HEALTH CARE PLANS
HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES Break-Thru Home Care, Inc. In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
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Mary T. Inc. Home Health Care
V-763-754-2505
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People Enhancing People (PEP)
V-763-586-0049
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www.pepeople.org
Rolling Acres Home Health
V-952-474-5974
F-952-474-3652
www.mtolivetrollingacres.org
CONTINUED
Kent’s Accounting Service, LLC Kent Fordyce Certified QuickBooks Online and ProAdvisor 2013 and 2005-2012
6371 Bartlett Blvd Mound, MN 55364
Fax: 952-472-1458 612-889-2959 fordyce6@aol.com
www.marytinc.com
January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
HOSPICE CARE Mary T. Inc. Human Services Programs
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
HOUSING-RENTAL Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
V-651-645-7271
TTY-800-466-7722
www.accessiblespace.org
Ebenezer Park Apartments
V-612-879-2233
TTY-612-879-8889
www.fairviewebenezer.org
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
www.marytinc.com
www.atmn.org
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL RESOURCES Assistive Technology of Minnesota
V-763-479-8239
TF-866-535-8239
Minnesota State Council on Disability
V/TTY-651-361-7800
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
STAR Program
V-651-201-2640
TF-888-234-1267
www.starprogram.state.mn.us
V-651-294-0710
TF-800-886-7201
F-651-644-9137
V-612-334-5970
TF-800-292-4150
www.mndlc.org
www.pacer.org
INSURANCE Lee F. Murphy Insurance Group
LEGAL MN Disability Law Center
MEDICAL SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT Handi Medical Supply
V-651-644-9770
F-651-644-0602
www.handimedical.com
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 Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0312
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org
Dungarvin Minnesota, LLC
V-651-699-6050
TTY-651-695-5802
www.dungarvin.com
Fraser
V-612-861-1688
F-612-861-6050
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
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.tamarackhti.com
MENTAL HEALTH
CONTINUED
www.cipmn.org
www.fraser.org www.lifetrackresources.org www.namihelps.org www.PeopleIncorporated.org www.vinlandcenter.org
Pg 9
Pg 10 January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
PHYSICIANS 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 Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-520-0537
Mind Body Solutions
V-952-473-3700
Mixed Blood Theatre Company
V-612-338-6131
www.mixedblood.com
Simple ArtAble (formerly Simply Jane)
V-612-354-3961
www.simplyjanestudio.com
Upstream Arts
V-612-331-4584
TTY-763-520-0245
www.CourageCenter.org www.mindbodysolutions.org
F-612-353-6638
www.upstreamarts.org
RECREATION-TRAVEL/CAMPING Camp Character
V-218-760-8442
Camp Winnebago
V-507-724-2351
Camps of Courage & Friendship
V-952-852-0101
info@familyfoundationsmn.com F-507-724-3786
www.campwinnebago.org www.campscouragefriendship.org
Hammer Travel
V-952-277-2458
TF-877-345-8599
www.HammerTravel.org
Ventures Travel
V-952-852-0107
TF-866-692-7400
www.venturestravel.org
Wilderness Inquiry
V-612-676-9400
TF-800-728-0719
www.wildernessinquiry.org
REHABILITATION (PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY THERAPISTS) Courage Kenny Rehabilition Institute
V-763-588-0811
TTY-763-520-0245
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
Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
V-651-291-2848
TF-800-719-4040
www.fraser.org www.gillettechildrens.org
In Home Personal Care
V-763-546-1000
F-763-546-1018
Lifetrack Resources - St. Paul
V-651-227-8471
TTY-651-227-3779
www.inhomepersonalcare.com www.lifetrackresources.org
www.capstoneservices.net
RESIDENTIAL/GROUP HOME PROGRAMS Capstone Services, LLC
V-651-641-0042 x211
F-651-645-2780
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
Living Well Disability Services
V-651-9688-8808
F-651-688-8892
www.dakotacommunities.org
Mary T. Inc. Human Services Programs
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
www.cipmn.org www.dungarvin.com
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-952-767-3350
F-952-767-3351
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
SERVICE ANIMALS
Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs)
F-952-988-9296
www.helpingpaws.org
V-952-226-2063
www.PawPADS.org
www.welcov.com
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES Bethel Healthcare Community
V-651-224-2368
F-651-224-1014
Ebenezer Care Center
V-612-879-2262
TTY-612-879-8889
Metro Meals On Wheels
V-612-623-3363
F-612-331-9401
www.meals-on-wheels.com
Restart, Inc.
V-952-767-3350
F-952-767-3351
www.restartincmn.org
Assistive Technology of MN - DBA Equip A Life
V-763-479-8239
TF-866-535-8239
www.equipalife.org
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 www.marytinc.com
www.fairviewebenezer.org
SOCIAL SERVICES
TECHNOLOGY
Mary T. Assistive Technology
V-763-754-2505
TF-888-255-6400
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
TRANSPORTATION RENTAL/SALES/MODIFICATION IMED Mobility
V-651-635-0655
TF-800-788-7479
www.imedmobility.com
VISION IMPAIRMENT 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
WAIVER CASE MANAGEMENT AXIS Healthcare
January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1 Pg 11
PEOPLE & PLACES Two Minnesotans are 2013 Heroes of The Arc A self-advocate and a parent of a child with disabilities are the 2013 Heroes of The Arc. Charlie Applequist of Rochester and Stewart Shaw of Winona were honored at the annual Heroes Luncheon December 6 in Roseville. Applequist, who serves as vice-chair of the southeastern Minnesota chapter of Self-Advocates Minnesota, has been a leader in The Arc and other self-advocacy organizations for more than two decades. His many activities on behalf of people with disabilities have included serving as a board member for People First Minnesota since 1991 and serving on the board of The Arc Minnesota, including service as board secretary. The veteran self-advocate frequently speaks at local forums of elected officials and at the capitol. He also frequently gives time to do news media interviews, speaking about the services he and others receive, and the importance of funding support services. “Speaking up for yourself is so important,” Applequist said. “I know by telling my story, I’m helping others and helping legislators understand the needs of self-advocates and the services we depend on.” Applequist also is an active member of Remembering with Dignity, the statewide organization dedicated to remembering those who died at Minnesota state institutions in the past century aren’t forgotten. The Remembering with Dignity organization works to mark residents’ graves with individual names and not the numbered markers used for decades. Shaw began his involvement in The Arc when his second son, David, was born with Down syndrome. He and his wife Kay joined the local chapter of The Arc in St. Paul, where they lived at the time. “I did not anticipate learning anything about people with developmental disabilities or working on their behalf until David was diagnosed,” Shaw said. “Throughout my many experiences with The Arc
Past Presidents of The Arc Minnesota Stewart Shaw (left) and Dennis Theede celebrated Stewart’s recognition at The Arc Minnesota Heroes Luncheon.
Charlie Applequist shows Karli Harguth the award he received at The Arc Minnesota’s Heroes Luncheon.
Minnesota and Home and Community Options, I have enjoyed working with wonderful, caring people. Whatever successes we enjoyed were the results of team effort. I played my role, and other people did as well—with excellence.” After his son was born, Shaw began working on projects to improve educational, employment, recreational, and living opportunities for everyone with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He eventually became a leader with The Arc Minnesota and served as its board president. Shaw has an extensive list of activities that have benefited people with developmental disabilities and The Arc. He championed the movement of people with developmental disabilities from the state institutions to life in the community. He also helped start and build The Arc Minnesota’s planned giving program to create a more sustainable future for the agency. After moving from St. Paul to Winona, he became a dedicated leader for Home and Community Options, Inc., serving as board president and chair of many committees in the agency. Shaw continues his public policy advocacy by meeting with local legislators, writing letters to the editor, and speaking up for proposals that improve the quality of services and raise the wages of staff that support people with disabilities. Leaders in The Arc praised the heroes. “Charlie has
been one of the most dedicated Minnesotans with disabilities that I’ve known who speaks up for the rights and dignity of people with developmental disabilities,” said Buff Hennessey, executive director for The Arc Southeastern Minnesota in Rochester. “His voice has been heard in Rochester, throughout southeastern Minnesota and at the state capitol.” “During the holidays, we gave thanks for the people who have made a difference on our lives,” said Dennis Theede, development director for Home and Community Options and past president of The Arc Minnesota. “Those of us involved in disability services and advocacy included people like Stewart, who have helped make it possible for Minnesotans with disabilities to get the support they need to be full members of our communities. His service and advocacy for people with disabilities are broad-based, consistent, and substantial. He truly qualifies as a Hero of The Arc.” The Arc Minnesota is a non-profit organization that promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. It has 12 affiliated local chapters and more than 3,500 members across the state of Minnesota. Learn more about The Arc Minnesota’s activities and services at www.arcmn.org ■
Minnesotan joins amputees’ board The Amputee Coalition has announced its 2014 officers and board of directors. Minnesotan Leslie Pitt Schneider is treasurer. Dennis Strickland of Georgia is chairman and Marshall J. Cohen of New York is immediate past chair. Other officers include chair-elect Dan Berschinski of California; vice chair Jeff Lutz of Louisiana and secretary Mahesh Mansukhani of California. Each officer will serve a one-year term. “We are fortunate to have such accomplished board members who are also dedicated and passionate about serving the limb loss community,” said Sue Stout, interim president & CEO of the Amputee Coalition. “The depth of their backgrounds and expertise is invaluable to the coalition.”
Continuing on the Amputee Coalition Board are Ron Drach of Maryland; Michael Estrada of North Carolina; Col. Gregory D. Gadson of Virginia; Terrence P. Sheehan, MD, of Maryland; and Charlie Steele of North Carolina. According to Strickland, the board anticipates expanding and adding additional board members over the next 18 months. The Virginia-based group is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is “to reach out to and empower people affected by limb loss to achieve their full potential through education, support and advocacy, and to promote limb loss prevention.” ■
Photos courtesy of The Arc Minnesota
Playground fund drive continues Turtle Lake Elementary PTA Playground Leadership has received a $20,000 investment from the Paul Adelman Children with Disabilities Endowment Fund. The group is working to build a fully accessible playground at the Shoreview school and has conducted the “A Playground for Everyone” campaign for several months. The school, which has more than 1,000 students, is part of the Mounds View School District. As of midDecember, the Turtle Lake Elementary Playground Committee had raised $110,290. The group is working to raise $280,000 by April 1. For detailed information on this project and the benefits of inclusive play visit http://turtlelakeplayground.weebly.com ■
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
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Pg 12 January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
PEOPLE & PLACES FAST, Therapy Dogs Chapter 125 are among DHS honorees Eight Minnesota organizations were honored with 2013 Commissioner’s Circle of Excellence Awards in December. Presented by Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner Lucinda Jesson, the awards are for organizations that make outstanding contributions to human services program clients. This is the third year for the awards. Recipients were recognized at a ceremony at the Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building in St. Paul. Jesson noted that the winners stand out among many organizations providing critical human services programs and promoting healthy and productive communities in Minnesota, “Our vision at the Department of Human Services is healthy people, stable families and strong communities, but we know that we won’t get there alone,” said Jesson. “The people and organizations being recognized today represent the very best of the many successful partnerships we have across Minnesota.” Several of the organizations honored serve people with disabilities and the elderly. One honoree is Families Achieving Success Today (FAST), a pilot initiative funded and led by Ramsey County Workforce Solutions. FAST provides integrated and co-located employment and mental and physical health services to Ramsey County’s Minnesota Family Investment Program clients with disabilities. These clients might otherwise apply for Supplemental Security Income or have difficulty engaging in employment services. FAST supports the belief that every parent can work to some degree and provides the opportunity for parents to obtain employment and utilize extra help to retain their jobs over time. FAST partners include Goodwill Easter Seals as a lead agency, along with HIRED, Open Cities Health Center and People Incorporated Mental Health Services. Therapy Dogs International Chapter #125 was also honored by Jesson. The group is a chapter of Therapy Dogs International and serves the Twin Cities metro area with more than 80 certified handler-dog teams. Since the 1980s, Therapy Dogs International Chapter #125 dogs have provided emotional comfort by sharing unconditional love and affection through regular visits to the Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center, hospitals, schools, nursing homes and other locations. Research has shown that therapy dogs have many benefits including lowering blood pressure and
Members of Families Achieving Success Today (FAST), a pilot initiative led by Ramsey County Workforce Solutions to provide integrated and co-located employment and mental and physical health services, celebrated their Circle of Excellence Award. Pictured left to right are Jane Samargia, executive director, HIRED; DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson; Patricia Brady, director of workforce development, Ramsey County; Jill Wiedemann-West, chief operating officer, People Incorporated Mental Health Services; Douglas Hanson, chief executive officer, Open Cities Health Center; and Michael Wirth-Davis, president and chief executive officer, Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota.
cholesterol levels, increasing survival rates of people who have suffered cardiac arrest, easing depression, increasing patient and staff morale, providing social stimulation and improving quality of life. Jesson honored the Mental Health Crisis Alliance, a coalition of health plans, the state of Minnesota and consumer groups working together to improve the mental health crisis system in Ramsey, Dakota and Washington counties. The Mental Health Crisis Alliance formed as a result of a system-wide crisis that was sending mentally ill patients far from home to receive inpatient psychiatric care. In 2011 the alliance created the new Urgent Care for Adult Mental Health in St. Paul to consolidate and integrate services, providing immediate crisis services to people in need. The Urgent Care for Adult Mental Health is the first such facility in the state and has measurably improved outcomes for consumers and reduced system costs.
Therapy Dogs International Chapter #125, a volunteer organization serving the Twin Cities metro area with therapy dog visits to various locations, brought four-legged friends to the event. Pictured left to right are Clare Grendler, Marilyn Miller, Paulette Julson, Marsha Rusco, Debra Anderson, DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson, chapter director Jaci Carufel, Donna Grendler and Lorena Palm. Photos courtesy of Minnesota DHS
Another winner is Fairview Partners, a nonprofit organization based in Edina. Fairview Partners has been providing care to seniors since 1996, including participants in the Minnesota Senior Health Options program. Fairview Partners exists as a collaborative partnership to enhance the quality of life and health status for older adults in the seven-county metro area by providing proactive and coordinated care management in the most appropriate environment. Due to the unique partnerships that comprise Fairview Partners, there is a commitment to collaboration through joint decision-making, fiscal responsibility and quality outcomes. Other winners include Alexandria’s Caring Hands Dental Clinic and its work to provide services to those in need; Bemidji’s Conifer Estate’s transitional housing program for homeless families; the statewide hunger relief organization Hunger Solutions Minnesota; and the White Earth Band of Ojibwe Indian Child Welfare Program in the Becker, Clearwater and Mahnomen counties area. ■
Arc Greater Twin Cities awarded grant The Arc Greater Twin Cities received a three-year grant totaling $425,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence against Women. The funding will support an initiative aimed at greater justice for victims of violence who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The grant funds the development of a community needs assessment for victims with disabilities, which will be conducted jointly by The Arc Greater Twin Cities and the Sexual Violence Center. The two organizations will work with an outside consultant to develop plans.
The initiative complements The Arc Greater Twin Cities’ Abuse Prevention Initiative, which started in 2009. People with disabilities are at far greater risk for abuse than people without disabilities and most abuse is unreported. The Arc works closely with first responders to better serve the needs of victims with disabilities, and educates persons with disabilities and their family members to recognize and report abuse and to live safely. Since the initiative’s official launch in 2011, more than 1,000 professionals and community members have received information and training on supporting individuals with disabilities who have been abused. “People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are citizens, and they deserve equal justice,” said Kim Keprios, The Arc Greater Twin Cities CEO. “This important grant enables The Arc Greater Twin Cities to take our work to the next level and make a real difference for our community’s most vulnerable residents. We’re looking forward to working with the Sexual Violence Center to strengthening our practices and procedures, ultimately better serving victim survivors.” ■
UCare names new vice president UCare has hired Edith Dorsey as the nonprofit health plan’s new Senior Vice President of Operations. As a member of UCare’s senior management team, Dorsey will provide strategic guidance and executive leadership for UCare’s operations departments including claims, customer service, and membership billing and enrollment. She has fiscal responsibility for the accurate and timely processing of more than 4.7 million claims annually and related audit and fraud investigation activity. Dorsey also oversees the resolution of UCare member and provider issues. Dorsey most recently was associate vice president at Trizetto and executive client deployment leader at Eventus Solutions, two Colorado health care consulting companies. She was responsible for deploying initiatives to support integrated health care management and the California Health Benefit Exchange, respectively. She lives in St. Paul. ■
January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1 Pg 13
The Petrified Forest
ACCESSIBLE FUN Welcome to the Access Press Accessible Fun listings. Readers looking for additional opportunities to enjoy the arts have these options: 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. The web accessible performance listings 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. Performances on Facebook; sign up to connect with Audio Description Across Minnesota (www.facebook. com/pages/Audio-Description-Across-Minnesota/ 202035772468). Connect with ASL Interpreted and Captioned Performances across Minnesota on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/FBcaption
The Wizard of Oz GREAT Theatre presents the story of Dorothy Gale of Kansas, her dog Toto and the characters she meets after a twister carries her away, at College of Saint Benedict, Escher Auditorium, St. Joseph. ASL show is 7 p.m. Fri, Jan. 17. Tickets are $11-22. FFI: 320-259-5463, www.GreatTheatre.org
METO settlement - from p. 1 That led to legal action led by three residents’ families in 2009 and a $3 million class action settlement in December 2011. The settlement called for a number of changes, including mandate training for DHS staff, emphasis to positive behavioral support, regular reporting and completion of the federally required Olmstead Plan. METO closed in late June 2011 and Minnesota Specialty Health Systems opened in its place. The families involved in the case are concerned that the state isn’t acting in good faith. One huge red flag they raised at a November 2013 hearing is that the current Cambridge facility wasn’t licensed by the state from July 1, 2011 until April 24, 2013. That issue was raised in June 2013 by a court monitor. DHS officials admitted that they didn’t submit a license application for the Cambridge facility until February 2012. That means the Cambridge facility operated without a license, in violation of the December 2011 settlement agreement, for more than three months. In court document, DHS officials admitted that violation and called it “inexcusable.” “This violation is anything but a trivial or unimportant matter,” Frank wrote in the memorandum. “For example, Cambridge residents and their families were entitled to have a facility which complied with fundamental legal requirements. This court is more than a mere bystander to this very important settlement agreement where all parties promised to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The court further finds that DHS consciously concealed and misled the plaintiffs and the court with regard to the lack of licensure, or if not consciously concealed and misled, was indifferent to both the violation and the expectation of candor with all parties, including the court; conceding the violation once it was reported by the court does not mitigate this in any way.” The plaintiffs have asked that $150,000 be paid into a fund set up for people with developmental dis-
Lakeshore Players Theatre presents the suspense thriller about a disenchanted man on his way to the forest, at Lakeshore Players Theatre, 4820 Stewart Ave., White Bear Lake. ASL show is 2 p.m. Sun, Jan. 19. (If no ASL seats are reserved within two weeks of the performance, the ASL-interpretation will be cancelled.) Tickets are reduced to $10 for ASL patrons (regular $20, senior/student $18). FFI: 651-429-5674, tickets@lake shoreplayers.com, www.lakeshoreplayers.com/Laura.html
Macbeth Minnesota Opera presents Shakespeare’s classic tale at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul. Captioning: Sung in Italian with English captions projected above the stage at every performance: 7:30 p.m. Sat, Jan. 25; 7:30 p.m. Tue, Jan. 28; 7:30 p.m. Thu, Jan. 30; 8 p.m. Sat, Feb. 1; 2 p.m. Sun, Feb. 2, AD show is 2 p.m. Sun, Feb. 2; pre-opera discussion at 1 p.m. Tickets are reduced to half-price for AD patrons (regular $20-200). FFI: 612-333-6669, www.mnopera.org
Six Degrees of Separation Theatre in the Round Players present a play based on the true story of a charming young con man, at Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls. AD show is 2 p.m. Sun, Jan. 26. Tickets are $22. Discounts available Fri. & Sun. for students (with ID) and seniors (62+). FFI: 612-333-3010, www.theatreintheround.org
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites Children’s Theatre Company presents Eric Carle’s children’s stories at Children’s Theatre Company, United Health Group Stage, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls. AD and ASL shows at 7 p.m. Fri, Jan. 31. Sensory Friendly show is 11 a.m. Sat, Feb. 8. (For 10% discount, use promo code HUNGRY). Ask about special price rates for ASL/AD patrons (regular $16-40). FFI: 612-874-0400; tickets@childrenstheatre.org, www.childrenstheatre.org
The Putnam County Spelling Bee Bloomington Theatre and Art Center presents the tale of six young people vying for a spelling title, at Bloomington Center for the Arts, Schneider Theater, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington. ASL show is 7:30 p.m. Fri, Jan. 31. AD show is 7:30 p.m. Fri, Feb. 7. Tickets are reduced to $25 for AD/ASL (regular $32, $29 senior, $25 age 25 & under). FFI: 952-563-8575; boxoffice@btacmn. org, www.btacmn.org
The Mitten Stages Theatre Company presents a ballet-inspired production of an old favorite, at Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. ASL and AD shows are 1 p.m. Sat, Feb. 1. Sensory-Friendly show is 10 a.m. Sat, Feb. 15. Tickets are $15, child/student $12; discount for AD/ASL/OC: $11, child/senior 60+: $9. FFI: 952-979-1111, x4; www.stagestheatre.org
Highlights of the Target Wing: The Sacred
abilities and their families, and that $50,000 be paid to cover legal costs. While Frank December 17 granted the motion for sanctions, he needs more time to decide what those sanctions should be. While the only issue before the court in the current proceeding is the lack of proper state licensing, in his memorandum Frank also expressed unhappiness at DHS’s “slow pace” in coming into compliance with what is now a two-year-old settlement. The facility’s operating license was required by the original settlement agreement. In December 2011, as part of the federal class action settlement, DHS agreed to “immediately and permanently discontinue the use of mechanical restraint,” including handcuffs and other devices at Cambridge and all other state-operated facilities serving people with developmental disabilities. DHS Deputy Commissioner Anne Barry responded to the order with a statement saying the legal settlement has “resulted in system-wide improvements in Department of Human Services facilities and in the lives of many of the clients we serve.” DHS has also contended that it has made much progress in reducing the use of seclusion and restraints throughout its system, and that more people are being moved from state-run institutions to community settings. Another accomplishment in the settlement agreement is the recent completion of Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan, which was released in October 2013. An Olmstead Plan is a way for states to document services provided to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the individual. Olmstead plans include analysis of current services, concrete commitments to increase integration and to prevent unnecessary institutionalization, and specific and reasonable timeframes, among other components. One part of Minnesota’s plan is meant to guide expansion of the range of community and home-based settings for people with disabilities. ■
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Ave. S. hosts a free ASL-interpreted public tour on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. begins by the Information Desk in the museum lobby. Interpreted tours are also scheduled on other days. On the second Friday and Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m., free tours are offered for visitors with memory loss, Alzheimer’s and their friends or care partners. Assisted listening devices and wheelchairs are available. FFI: 612-870-3131, 612-870-3140, TTY 612-870-3132; dhegstro@artsmia.org, www.artsmia.org
The Black Snowman SteppingStone Theatre presents the story of a snowman who comes to live when an African storytelling cloth is placed on his shoulders, at SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development, 55 Victoria St. N., St. Paul. AD show is 7 p.m. Fri, Feb. 7. ASL show is 3 p.m. Sun, Feb. 9.Tickets are reduced to $10 access rate (regular $15; youth/senior 55+ $12). FFI: 651-225-9265, info@ steppingstonetheatre.org.www.steppingstonetheatre.org
Five Course Love Minneapolis Musical Theatre presents a show where the characters are seeking true love, at New Century Theatre, 615 Hennepin Ave., #145, Mpls. AD and ASL shows are 5 p.m. Sun, Feb. 9. Tickets are $24-29; discount to $20 using promo code: ADASL. FFI: 612-4559501, BoxOffice@HennepinTheatreTrust.org, www.hennepintheatretrust.org/events/five-course-lovetickets-new-century-theatre-minneapolis-musical-theatre-2014 or www.aboutmmt.org/ ■
Pg 14 January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1
Pay attention to proposed income, asset changes
UPCOMING EVENTS Advocacy Discuss legislative issues The Arc Greater Twin Cities invites residents of Senate District 63 to discuss issues affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families at a legislative visit with elected officials, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thu, Jan. 16 at Minnehaha United Methodist Church, 3701 E. 50th St., Room 310, Mpls. It is hosted by Antonietta Giovanni. Elected officials invited to participate are Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, Rep. Jim Davnie, Rep. Jean Wagenius, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Minneapolis City Council Member Andrew Johnson, Minneapolis Park Board District 5 Representative Steffanie Musich and At-Large Members Annie Young and Meg Forney, Minneapolis School Board members Alberto Monserrate, Richard Mammen and Rebeca Gagnon, and Metropolitan Council Representative Adam Duininck. Elected officials need to know about the concerns of constituents who have disabilities and their families. Participants can educate state and local policymakers by sharing their stories and perspectives on issues such as transportation, special education, recreation, Consumer Directed Community Supports, county case management services, Medical Assistance and state budget issues impacting Hennepin County. The event is free but participants should pre-register by Wed, Jan. 15. FFI: 952-915-3665, denafelper@thearcgtc.org
Youth and families PACER offers workshops PACER Center offers many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources for families of children with any kind of disabilities. Workshops are at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, unless specified. Advance registration is required for all workshops. Check out PACER’s website and link to a new bimonthly newsletter of workshops statewide that allows participants to pick and choose sessions catered to their needs. One upcoming workshop is Swapping Shoes and Finding Clues: Understanding Learning Styles and Finding Technology Solutions for Individuals Struggling with Reading, Writing, and Attention Skills, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tue, Jan. 14 at PACER Center. It can be difficult to comprehend how learning feels from the perspective of someone with reading, writing, or attention disabilities. Through exercises and simulations, this workshop for parents and professionals will demonstrate that feeling, and explore how the right technologies can match learning styles to promote successful learning. Disabilities such as ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and visual challenges will be addressed, and multiple technologies will be covered. No prior AT knowledge is needed. FFI: 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237 (toll free), www.PACER.org
The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is alerting everyone to a waiver request and its consequences. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has submitted its 1115 waiver request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow for Minnesota to continue to disregard income and assets of a spouse when the other spouse uses HCBS waiver services. The request would affect married couples with one spouse using HCBS waiver services for persons with disabilities under the age of 65. Minnesota needs this federal waiver because the ACA requires all states to apply the spousal anti-impoverishment rules (designed for senior couples where one is going into a nursing home facility) to couples under age 65
with one using HCBS waiver services in the community. Changing what Minnesota is now doing for antiimpoverishment provisions could be very disruptive and possibly result in some individuals losing Medical Assistance (MA) HCBS services. If you, or someone you know, would be impacted by changes to spousal anti-impoverishment provisions, state officials need to hear the community’s stories, either at a hearing or in writing by Jan. 22. Written comments can be submitted to: Section1115WaiverComments@state.mn.us Testimony can be given 1-4 p.m. Tue, Jan. 14 at the Room 6146, Department of Human Services, 444 Lafayette Rd., St. Paul. The consortium has additional information at www.mnccd.org ■
Information and assistance
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. A group meets at 6:30 p.m., on the fourth Tue of the month, at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553 Fairview Av., St. Paul (The group previously met at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.) FFI: Shelly, 651-228-1645. Bi-weekly adult recovery groups meet at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wed at Centennial United Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, Roseville. FFI: Will, 651-578-3364. A family support group meets in St. Paul on the second Wed of each month from at 6-7:30 p.m., at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553 Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul, in room 123. FFI: Sonja, 651-357-2077. A family support group meets in Oakdale on the second and fourth Tue of each month, from 7:00-8:30 p.m., at Canvas Health, 7066 Stillwater Blvd., in the community room. FFI: Dan, 651341-8918. A group also meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wed of each month at Centennial United Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West, on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. FFI: Anne Mae, 651-730-8434
Vet Connection Group meets in Minneapolis NAMI Vet Connection gives veterans the opportunity to talk with other veterans and share their experiences, and the successes and hardships of the reintegration process. The group meets 2:15-3:45 p.m. Mondays at the Mpls VA, 1 Veterans Drive, in Room 1B-102 (1st floor). FFI: Rebecca, 612-801-7415 or Brian, 651-645-2948 x116. UCare meetings UCare hosts informational meetings about its UCare for Seniors Medicare Advantage plan, as well as informational meetings about the UCare’s new UCare Choices and Fairview UCare Choices health plans available on MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace. Learn about the various plans, as well as key dates and penalties associated with health care reform. 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 Minnesota Care 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, www.ucare.org Mental health support offered NAMI-MN offers free support groups for families who have a relative with a mental illness. NAMI has about two dozen family support groups, more than 20 support groups for people living with a mental illness, anxiety support groups, groups for veterans and other groups. Led by trained facilitators, groups provide help and support. FFI: 651-645-2948. A full calendar of all events is offered online. 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, 651-7881920, or Donna, 651-645-2948 ext. 101. 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 and 6:30-6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thu at Goodwill-Easter Seals, 553 Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul. FFI: 651-645-2948. NAMI Connection peer support group for adults are
Volunteer, Donate Share a smile Brighten the day of a senior citizen in north or southwest Minneapolis and have fun. Visit an elder and do things together: movies, games, crafts or just friendly conversation. Hang out with an elder on a regular basis and do things that you both enjoy, like watching a movie, building stuff, playing games or friendly conversation. One-time or ongoing opportunities through the NIP Senior Program. FFI: Jeanne, 612-746-8549, srvolunteer@neighbor hoodinvolve.org or www.neighborhoodinvolve.org Open the Door to Education Help adults reach their educational goals and earn their GED. Tutor, teach or assist in a classroom with the Minnesota Literacy Council. Give just 2-3 hours a week and help people expand their opportunities and change their lives through education. The literacy council provides training and support and accommodations for volunteers with disabilities. FFI: Allison, 651-251-9110, volunteer@mnliteracy.org, www.mnliteracy.org/volunteers/opportunities/adults. ■
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January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1 Pg 15 before seen by Western science have shown up frequently in these mountains. Read by Chris Colestock.
Radio Talking Book January Sampling 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. Call 1-800-722-0550, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The catalog is online at www.mnbtbl.org, click on the link Search the Library Catalog. Persons living outside of Minnesota may obtain copies of books via inter-library loan 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 previous week, on the Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call the Talking Book Library for a password to the site. To find more information about Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network events go to the Facebook site at http://tinyurl.com/ RadioTalkBook. Audio information about the daily book listings is also on NFB Newslines. Register for NFB Newslines by calling 651-539-1424. 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 The Slow Fix, by Carl Honore; For the Younger Set (Sunday at 11 a.m.) is airing Magicalamity, by Kate Saunders; Poetic Reflections (Sun at noon) is airing The Year of What Now, by Brian Russell, and Scratching the Ghost, by Dexter L. Booth; The U.S. and Us (Sunday at 4 p.m.) is airing Black White Blue, by William Swanson. Chautauqua • Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m. Gold Rush in the Jungle, Nonfiction by Dan Drollette, Jr., 2013. 10 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 21. Where the borders of Vietnam meet those of Laos and Cambodia, is a region known as “the lost world.” Large mammals never
Past is Prologue • Monday – Friday 9 a.m. Here Is Where, Nonfiction by Andrew Carroll, 2013. 17 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 20. Andrew Carroll has traveled America exploring locations where remarkable individuals lived and extraordinary moments occurred. The places we pass by often harbor amazing secrets. Read by John Potts. Bookworm • Monday – Friday 11 a.m. The Honey Thief, Fiction by Najaf Mazri and Robert Hillman, 2013. Eight broadcasts. Begins Jan. 20. In a world of bloodshed and brotherhood, miracles and catastrophes, magic and wonder help people endure astonishing extremes. This is the case with the Hazara, the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. Read by Leila Poullada. The Writer’s Voice • Monday – Friday 2 p.m. The Shape of the Eye, Nonfiction by George Estreich, 2013. 13 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 27. When Laura was born, the family was puzzled about the shape of her eyes, which might indicate Down syndrome or a Japanese grandmother. As she aged, she took her place in the Estreich family as a unique child. Read by Yelva Lynfield. Choice Reading • Monday – Friday 4 p.m. The Afterlife of Emerson Tang, Fiction by Paula Champa, 2013. 12 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 21. Emerson Tang’s prize possession is a car, a 1954 Beacon. When his health begins to fail, his caretaker is approached by a French man determined to buy the car at any cost. Then they discover that it has been compromised. Then another finds them, the heir to the ruined Beacon Motor Company. Read by Beth Marie Hansen. PM Report • Monday – Friday 8 p.m. Nuclear Roulette, Nonfiction by Gar Smith, 2012. 14 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 15. The nuclear industry would have the public believe it is a safe source of energy; that
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FOR RENT Lewis Park Apartments: Barrier-free housing with wheelchair users in mind. Section 8 subsidized. Oneand two-bedroom units. For more information on availability call 651-488-9923. St. Paul, MN. Equal Opportunity Housing. Oak Park Village: We are accepting applications for the waiting list for one-bedroom wheelchair accessible apartments. Section 8 subsidized. Convenient St. Louis Park location. Call 952-935-9125 for information. Equal Opportunity Housing. Calvary Center Apts: 7650 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN. A Section 8 building now accepting applications for our waiting list. Call 9 am to 4 pm, Mon – Fri 763-546-4988 for an application. Equal Opportunity Housing. Holmes-Greenway Housing: One- and two-bedroom wheelchair-accessible apartments. Section 8 subsidized. Convenient SE Minneapolis location. Call 612-378-0331 for availability information. Equal Opportunity Housing.
Night Journey • Monday – Friday 9 p.m. Crime of Privilege, Fiction by Walter Walker, 2013. 17 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 28. When George is cornered by the father of a young woman slain years before, and asked why certain leads were never explored, he agrees to look into it. This murder and a rape in Palm Beach have nothing in common but the presence of an American family of privilege. L - Read by Neil Bright. Off the Shelf • Monday – Friday 10 p.m. Sweet Salt Air, Fiction by Barbara Delinsky, 2013. 15 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 13. Once best friends, many years and secrets have kept Charlotte and Nicole apart. When Nicole, a food blogger, is commissioned to write a book about island food, she invites Charlotte back to her Maine island house for a summer, to help. What both women don’t know is that they are each holding something back that may change their lives forever. L - Read by Nikki LaLiberte. Good Night Owl • Monday – Friday midnight Dirty Love, Fiction by Andre Dubus III, 2013. 13 broadcasts. Begins Jan. 20. Slivered by happiness and discontent, shadowed by aging and death but also hope and forgiveness, Dubus expresses tenderness toward humans, our vulnerable hearts and bodies, our fulfilling and unfulfilling lives alone and with others. L, S – Read by Dan Sadoff. After Midnight • Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m. The Fairest of Them All, Fiction by Carolyn Turgeon, 2013. Nine broadcasts. Begins Jan. 24. Rapunzel’s adoptive mother, the witch Mathena, gives her a wedding present when she is to marry the king who had climbed her tower years before. But the present, a mirror, speaks to her and she falls under its spell. S - Read by Kristi Sullivan. ■
Abbreviations: V - violence, L - offensive language, S - sexual situations.
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is not so. There is an average of one major disaster every decade, while “near misses” occur monthly. Read by Art Nyhus.
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Pg 16 January 10, 2014 Volume 25, Number 1