August 2015 Edition - Access Press

Poetry book, Pg 12

Volume 26, Number 8

Someone you know deserves this award

www.accesspress.org Fun for all

ADA anniversary celebration time for rejoicing, reflection

by Access Press staff

by Jane McClure

Deserving disability community members are sought as nominees for the 2015 Access Press Charlie Smith Award. The award deadline is fast approaching on Friday, August 21.

The Access Press Board of Directors wants to hear from readers with nominations for the coveted award, which is given in recognition of outstanding service to Minnesota’s disability community.

Honorees can be nominated as an individual, a couple, a family, organization or an informal group of friends.

Award applications are available on the newspaper’s website, at www.accesspress. org and can be easily downloaded in pdf and docx formats. Anyone needing assistance or accommodations may call the newspaper office at 651-644-2133.

Completed nomination forms and questions about the nomination forms and process can be sent via email to CSAnomi nations@access press.org, via fax to 651- 644-2136, or mail to Charlie Smith nominee - p. 5

Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 25 years ago brought many positive changes to the lives of people with disabilities.

Curb curbs, assistive technology and accessible facilities were unheard of then. But much more needs to be done. That was the message July 26 as more than 1,000 people attended the state’s ADA Family Day celebration at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

Families enjoyed the chance to create artwork, learn about disability history, meet friends, view dis- Guests at Minnesota’s Americans with Disabilities Act celebration are plays and express what the shown in the Minnesota History Center’s ground level, enjoying the disADA means to them. Event plays. More than 1,000 people attended the event.

Photo by Schuler Communications attendees filled the seats in MHS’s auditorium, and crowded onto the the signing of the ADA, but also Rick stage to hear the speakers when space for Cardenas Day. Cardenas, who recently stepped wheelchairs and scooters filled up. Speakers down as co-director of Advocating Change Towere met with loud cheers. gether, was honored for his decades of commu“That’s really why we’re here today, isn’t nity activism. it? We really are disabled and proud,” said “We celebrate the flood of human potential event moderator Sam Jasmine. She is host of unleashed by the ADA,” said Steve Elliott, exthe KFAI Radio program, Disabled and ecutive director of the Minnesota Historical Proud. “We’ve come a long way in 25 years.”

Society. As he welcomed guests, Elliott deThe crowd erupted in applause and cheers scribed how the ADA has helped his daughter, when Gov. Mark Dayton declared Sunday, a teacher and parent who lives with spina July 26 to not only be the 25th anniversary of ADA anniversary - p. 13

August 10, 2015 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities. MN Permit No. 4766 Address Service Requested

“We rank second in the nation with the amount of support we provide for people with disabilities. I don’t look at that as something to be proud of, but I look at it as an indication of how badly 48 states are doing.”

— Gov. Mark Dayton

NEWS DIGEST

Life is fun and games for this young man.

Page 12

Recalling the days of the parent movement.

Page 2

Law center investigation

Restraints, seclusion used too often

by Access Press staff

The Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter is using seclusion and restraint in violation of its own policies and license conditions. A 16-month investigation by the Minnesota Disability Law Center, which was released in July, indicates that hospital staff strap patients to restraint chairs, isolate patients in locked rooms and use these and other measures when patients and staff are not at risk of harm.

The nonprofit law center report contends that the measures are used more as punishment than as emergency protection as required. The report also notes that use of seclusion and restraint varies a great deal from month to month, and that there isn’t the consistent downward trend in use that advocates desire. The report echoes many concerns and recommendations made in 2013 when the Legis-

The Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter is the subject of a recently released Minnesota Disability Law Center study on use of restraint and seclusion.

File photo

lative Auditor’s Office reviewed hospital operations.

More individualized treatment, added clinical staff, ongoing staff training and more patient involvement in treatment plans are among the report’s 17 recommendations. While some positive changes have been made in recent years, “We do have a number of concerns,” said Pamela Hoopes, legal director of the Minnesota Disability Law Center.

Interviews done as past of the report showed that many patients want to be part of the change, Hoopes said. Patients on average get a little more than one hour of therapeutic activity a day, which advocate see as not being nearly enough.

Another change Hoopes noted, which could be implemented right away, would be for staff to provide more information and documentation of what happened prior to incidents when restraint or seclusion had to be used. In the 103 files studied, 96 had restraint and seclusion intervention data forms. Thirty-four percent of those didn’t identify triggers and stated that incidents were “unprovoked.”

The hospital’s Unit 800, the Admissions and Restraints - p. 15

New accommodations planned for Minnesota State Fair guests.

Page 3

College accessibility lags far behind.

Page 4

Nominate someone for Judd Jacobson award.

Page 10

INSIDE Accessible Fun, pg 11 Events, pg 10 People & Places, pg 12-13 Radio Talking Book, pg 14 Regional News, pg 6 & 15

Pg 2 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

EDITOR’S DESK

Tim Benjamin No need to talk about the weather this month: it’s been pretty perfect. Besides, there’s just too much else going on.

There were several landmark anniversaries in the last few weeks. First was the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I spent Sunday, July 26, with many friends, colleagues and allies at the Minnesota History Center at a celebration hosted by the Minnesota State Council on Disabilities. The highlight of the day for me was hearing from Gov. Mark Dayton, former U.S. Senator David Durenberger and U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank.

Each of these speakers had a different personal story of that day in 1990 and of the months and years following the signing of this civil rights act. The governor presented two proclamations, one celebrating the day the ADA was signed. That proclamation said in part, “For the past 25 years, the Americans with Disabilities Act has focused on ending discrimination against individuals with disabilities and promoting their full integration and participation in society.”

The second proclaimed “Rick Cardenas Day,” celebrating our friend’s accomplishments over his lifetime. The governor’s proclamation stated, “Rick Cardenas has worked for full inclusion of individuals

with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. I, MARK DAYTON, Governor of Minnesota, do hereby proclaim Sunday, July 26, 2015, as RICK CARDENAS DAY.” It was a truly proud moment for Rick and for all who call him our friend. It was also significant for the many who call Rick whenever there’s a problem in the disability community that needs real action. Rick is the go to guy for organizing and taking strong action to make things happen fast for the disability community.

Amazingly, there were also two 50th anniversaries celebrated in July that are of huge importance to the country and to the disability community: the anniversaries of Medicare and Medicaid. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed both programs into law on July 30, 1965. These laws have changed the lives of tens of millions of Americans. Before Medicare, only half of our senior citizens had some form of health insurance, but ever since, all American seniors have had guaranteed healthcare. As he signed this law, President Johnson declared that healthcare was no longer a privilege, but a right. The 2015 presidential proclamation said, “We must recognize that this work, though begun a halfcentury ago and continued over the decades that have followed, is not yet complete. For far too many, quality, affordable health care is still out of reach—and we must recommit to finishing this important task.” Today Medicare has become part of the American way.

The establishment of Medicaid ensured that low-in-

come Americans had access to health care, and the cost of providing it is lower than private insurance. Recent expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act has given 40 million citizens free preventive health care options and services. Since 2010, nine million seniors on Medicare have saved $15 billion in prescription drug costs. The ACA is also expanding options to community-based services for people with disabilities through the expansion of Medicaid. Earlier this year, bipartisan legislation fixed the way physician payment systems work, creating a more cost-effective way to compensate doctors for how well they help their patients stay healthy. Even while expanding all these programs, the Medicare trust fund has extended its life by 13 years. I hope in 50 years that the next generation will be applauding the hundredth anniversary of our commitment to continue to advance the quality and affordability of healthcare for all Americans.

In my family, we’re celebrating a third 50th anniversary this month, as my sister Cindy and brother-in-law Jim Musselman reach this big milestone in a fabulous, loving marriage. It’s a goal they achieved through tenacity, confidence, pushing through hard times and always putting one another and family at the top of their priorities. They have created a wonderful family: four sons, thirteen grandchildren and soon, a great-grandchild. I love them both and I know I wouldn’t be where I’m today without their support and often pointing out (or predicting) my inevitable mistakes. When I’ve listened to them, they’ve always pointed me in the right direction. Not everybody’s lucky enough to have two sets of parents, but I had my mom and dad and Cindy and Jim, and that’s been a real blessing.

Have a good and safe August. See you at the Fair! ■

HISTORY NOTE

Parent movement helped set the stage for changes The parent movement helped set the stage for the larger disability rights movement which led to passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This history is excerpted from a history of the Partners in Policymaking program.

The vast majority of children and adults with intellectual disabilities lived in public institutions, hidden from view. Residents lived in filthy, dangerously overcrowded conditions under the care of overworked, often abusive caregivers. They typically received inadequate medical care and few, if any, educational opportunities. Individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities were viewed with pity or fear.

Many parents were made to feel ashamed of their children with disabilities and were often blamed for causing their children’s disabilities. Medical professionals routinely told parents to place children with developmental disabilities in institutions and forget about them. Parents who rebelled and kept their children with disabilities at home were instructed to place the child face down in a stroller when out in the community so that members of the public would not be

offended. There were no community supports. Few education programs existed because it was assumed that children with disabilities were unable to learn.

By the late 1940s, many parents of children with disabilities had become frustrated and angry over conditions in institutions. Unfortunately, parents with limited resources had no real alternatives to institutional care because no supports were available in local communities. Parents responded by coming together to demand access to education and community supports for their children. They organized formally in 1950 when 90 parents from across the United States traveled to Minneapolis to participate in the first national conference for parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. What is now The Arc, a national parents’ organization, was created at the conference.

Throughout the 1950s, representatives of the parent movement collectively pushed for legislative change, initiated and pursued critical court challenges and media exposés, and pressed for their children’s educational rights. They urged policymakers to think differently about people with disabilities and pass legis-

Volume 26, Number 8 • Periodicals Imprint: Pending ISSN Advertising Sales Business Manager/Webmaster Michelle Hegarty Dawn Frederick 612-807-1078 Co-Founder/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Cartoonist Co-Founder/Publisher Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-1996) Charles F. Smith (1990-2001)

Executive Director Tim Benjamin

Scott Adams

Board of Directors Production Brigid Alseth, Steve Anderson, John Clark, Ellen Houghton with Presentation Images Managing Editor Kristin Jorenby, Halle O'Falvey, Carrie Salberg, Jane McClure Distribution Cheryl Vander Linden, Walt Seibert and S. C. Distribution Mark Zangara Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.

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. 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.

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. Low-income, 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; % The Capitol Ridge 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

lation that would ensure that children with disabilities received an appropriate education, provide access to vocational training, expand research into the causes and treatment of intellectual and developmental disabilities and educate society so that children with disabilities would have more opportunities to beThe parent movement helped come accepted, procountless people. ductive citizens.

By the 1970s, the advocacy efforts were paying off.

Conditions in state institutions were improving.

Community services, educational and employment opportunities were emerging. New, more supportive legislation was being discussed. Legislators, policymakers and service providers were finally History note - p. 15

August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

Pg 3

August 27 through September 7

More accommodations at Minnesota State Fair

by Jane McClure

People with disabilities spoke and the Minnesota State Fair staff listened. The result is more accessible parking spaces, respite space and additional accommodations. Changes have been made to the West End Market’s transit hub, which opened in 2014. The transit hub and new entrance are meant to direct more traffic to the western part of the fairgrounds.

Fair Communications Director The Minnesota State Council on Disability will Brienna Schuette said changes have its booth in the Education Building. Intern were made in response to George Shardlow set up last year’s booth. fairgoers’ comments last year Photo courtesy of MSCOD “We don’t get to have a soft opening, like many restaurants and stores do,” she said. “We rely on feedback from our guests to make changes.”

The West End Market replaced the longtime Heritage Square attraction. It not only offered a change to improve fair access, it also provided an opportunity to make the ground level to Dan Patch Avenue. Heritage Square was on a rise and getting in and out could be a challenge. “It had been decades since we’d made such a larger physical change to the fairgrounds,” Schuette said.

Schuette said fair officials received a lot of feedback that depending on where in the lineup a bus dropped passengers off, some fairgoers had a long trek to the gate and plaza where they could purchase tickets and rent a wheelchair or scooter. “We heard the call for a respite from the walk and the sun, so this year, we’re installing benches along the walkway with umbrellas to shade from the sun,” she said.

Shifting more fair arrivals and departures to the West End has also meant adding a fifth wheelchair and electric scooter rental location, at Gate 18 at the southwest corner of Randall Avenue and Underwood Street. “With more foot traffic through that gate with the reconfiguration of the West End and area north of the grandstand, we wanted to provide another option just inside a popular gate where people can pick up a wheelchair or scooter as soon as they start their day,” Schuette said.

North of the West End gate, the fair is adding about 80 more accessible parking spaces. Schuette said is also meant to accommodate visitors’ requests. Access to fairgrounds parking is at Larpenteur Avenue at Underwood Street and Gate #2 off Snelling Ave. at Hoyt Avenue. Additional accessible parking is available south of Como Avenue. Parking for people with disabilities is available on a first come, first served basis. Cost is $13. Vehicles with trailers will be charged $26.

Yet another new accommodation is at the West End Market’s Schell’s Stage.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be offered for the new “History On-A-Schtick” show offered at 9:30 a.m. daily. The show is produced by the Minnesota Historical Society. That brings the total of ASL-interpreted shows at the fair to four. The other ASL shows are the All-Star Stunt Dog Splash at 11 a.m. daily at the North Woods on Cooper Street between Randall and Lee avenues; performer Sean Emery at 12:30 p.m. daily on the Family Fair Stage in Baldwin Park, and the parade at 2 p.m. daily on the east side of the Family Fair Stage in Baldwin Park.

Roving ASL interpreters are available to interpret other shows and exhibits upon request every day between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Ask about interpretation at the administration building on Cosgrove Street.

Visitors will also notice this year that many of the fair’s curb cuts have been rebuilt, to comply with current standards.

Getting to the fair Driving to the fair? The fair provides a free park and ride lot with free wheelchair-accessible bus service for people with disabilities and their companions. The lot is located on the north side of the Oscar Johnson Arena, 1039 De Courcy Circle, south of the fairgrounds. Exit from Snelling Avenue at Energy Park Drive; travel east to the first left past Snelling east of the Merrill Corporation office building and go to the north side of Oscar Johnson Arena. Passengers travel nonstop to the fairgrounds and are dropped off at the Como Loop Gate #9. Buses run continuously, from 8 a.m. to midnight daily.

The transit hub and lots on Como offer access via accessible express buses. The majority of the buses operating at the following lots are wheelchair-accessible: Roseville Area High School/Grace Church (daily), St. Rose of Lima (Monday– Friday and Sundays after 1 p.m.), U of M -Minneapolis campus (daily) and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (daily & Sundays after 1 p.m.) All other lots have limited wheelchair accessible buses operating. Check the fair website for details.

Metro Transit also provides numerous wheelchair accessible options to the Minnesota State Fair through regular route buses. Call 612-373-3333 or visit www.metrotransit.org to find regular route bus information.

2015 will be the second year that Metro Mobility users will be able to use Loop Gate 9 off of Como Avenue as well as Gate 2 off of Hoyt Avenue. The Hoyt Avenue gate was added last year. The Como Gate is the suggested gate to drop off fair visitors who have mobility issues.

One advantage of the Como Gate is that it is closest to the drop-off point for

HomeTown Mobility equipment. HomeTown Mobility is accepting reservations for wheelchairs or electric scooters. Reservations will only be accepted for full day rental and must be made 24 hours in advance. Cancellation must be made 48 hours in advance to receive a full refund, less a $5 cancellation fee per rental unit.

At the fairgrounds hours are 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily. The deposit of a driver’s license or state ID is required.

Costs range from $20 per day for a wheelchair to $55 per day for an electric scooter, cash, credit cards and debit cards are accepted. The HomeTown Mobility’s office is 877-928-5388, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, on weekends during the fair.

Other accommodations Wheelchair battery recharging is available at the Care and Assistance Center at 1883 Dan Patch Ave. The center serves as headquarters for people of any age who have become lost or separated from their group. Infant care facilities are also available. Hours are 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Outlets to plug in scooters are also available on the south wall of the Grandstand Building.

Assistive listening devices are available free of charge for use during Grandstand events. Receivers and headsets are available from Guest Services in the Visitors Plaza. A valid driver’s license or state ID and a credit card are required for deposit An Attraction Access Guide is available to assist fairgoers in making choices about which rides are appropriate for them, at all ticket outlets on the Mighty Midway and Kidway.

Another point to keep in mind is that while entertainment venues have accessible seating, it is available on a first-come basis. Plan to arrive early for shows and events.

And if the sunscreen stayed in the car or on the kitchen table, there’s help. One new offering is free sunscreen at all information booths, thanks to a partnership with the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Vanicream Sunscreen and the State Fair. Fairgoers can use a hypoallergenic, SPF 30 sunscreen made in Rochester by Vanicream. It’s PABA-, benzophenones-, oil-, preservative- and gluten-free.

Anyone with additional questions about fair accessibility can call 651-288-4448 or e-mail accessibility@mnstatefair.org For other questions and information on new fair features, food and attractions, visit www.mnstatefair.org ■

Pg 4 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Where’s the outrage when colleges discriminate against students with disabilities?

by Lennard J. Davis Today, many colleges pride themselves on being accommodating to all students — but in fact, far from aiding the cause of Americans with disabilities, colleges have been instrumental in blocking those rights.

July 26th marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As we celebrate the accomplishments of that law, let’s not forget that while colleges have embraced efforts to promote diversity and the rights of people of color, women, and LGBTQ students and faculty, they have fought a less noticed war against disability rights. In the past, a good deal of the march toward the ADA was driven by activism and lawsuits brought by college students against their administrations - even while administrators were lobbying to eviscerate such legislation.

There was a time when there were virtually no students with disabilities on campuses. Blind and deaf people were sent to residential schools where they learned trades. People with mobility impairments couldn’t get out of the house to commute to colleges, and dorms were inaccessible. Learning-disabled people often didn’t make it to higher education.

But the polio epidemics of the 1950s and the returning disabled veterans aided by the GI Bill began to increase the demand for accessibility on campuses in the 1960s and 1970s. Legislation to give disabled public-school students, who previously may not have had the skills to go to college, individualized lesson plans created a flood of new students arriving on campuses in the 1990s. It was then that the pressure from these students, combined with the regulations of the ADA, created a situation that many higher-education institutions found onerous.

Colleges feared that renovating their campuses, adding sign-language interpreters, installing wheelchair-accessible facilities, and providing accommodations in a wide variety of areas including learning disabilities would be both difficult to achieve and costly.

Private colleges and universities were among the largest sectors affected by the first legislation granting civil rights to people with disabilities, and, along with the business community, they hired lobbyists and brought lawsuits to prevent the ADA and other civil-rights legislation from taking effect.

In fact, paradoxically, one of the reasons the ADA came into existence was to remedy the impact of a series of legal decisions involving students who were pursuing their civil rights. In 1979, a Supreme Court ruling in Southeastern Community College v. Davis basically eviscerated early disability-rights provisions. This was followed by the high court’s ruling in Grove City College v. Bell in 1984, which established that the institution, if it was receiving federal funding, would not be punished across the board if only one department or office practiced discrimination.

Yet despite significant opposition by universities, the ADA was signed into law in 1990. It would be comforting to say that colleges then stopped placing obstacles on the road to disability rights, but in fact ADA lawsuits brought by or against colleges continued. While many institutions of higher education complied superficially, many more did not actively develop plans for disabled students.

One of the major areas where higher education has resisted the law in recent years is learning disabilities and mental illness. Jennifer Mathis, deputy legal director at the nonprofit Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, said, “There has been a pretty widespread movement among colleges and universities in the last eight years or so to exclude many students with mental needs (particularly students who have had suicidal thoughts) from classes, student housing, and campus buildings.” She added that these students have often been forced to take long mandatory leaves from college, even when their treating professionals say they are fine. The Bazelon center has brought a

John Schatzlein, the first student body president at Southwest State in Marshall, is shown on campus in the 1960s.

File photo

number of such cases to the Department of Education, including ones involving Princeton, Georgetown, and Mount Holyoke, while the Department of Justice has recently taken action against the National Board of Medical Examiners over a similar issue involving Yale University.

Colleges have fought against having alternate formats for testing and for evaluation, including more time to take tests for some students. Many students arrive on campus after being assured that their learning disabilities will be taken into account. However, as Bradley Elmendorf discovered at Duke University Divinity School, assurances are not guarantees.

Elmendorf said he was not provided with any accommodation for his dyslexia although he had been promised audio versions of all his texts. When he complained, he was told he would lose his fellowship if he didn’t withdraw his grievance. He filed suit and the case is still in the courts. Cases like this one abound.

Many universities have not made their own websites accessible, failed to provide Internet access for deaf and disabled students, and been negligent in making their distance-learning programs accessible.

The Department of Education, as a result of lawsuits and investigations, had to caution California Community Colleges and San Jose State University in this area.

More than 25 colleges, including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Northwestern, Penn State, Ohio State University, and the University of California at Berkeley, were sued or had a complaint brought against them for not providing access or alternative formats for disabled students or closed captioning for deaf students. If such an abysmal record had been discovered for racial or gender discrimination, the academic world would be in an uproar. But since this is about disabled people, the abuses go unnoticed until lawsuits or complaints are brought - and even then there is no public outcry.

This has been a long struggle, and even colleges that have traditionally supported civil rights and antidiscrimination efforts have been implicated. In April, Howard University, a historically black college, agreed to settle a suit based on discrimination against a disabled person who applied for a job and was rejected based on his disability. The university agreed to institute disability awareness training for its employees.

On the occasion of the ADA’s 25th anniversary, we should honor the progress made by so many students and faculty with disabilities, but we should also remember that colleges have a long way to go toward providing accessible and barrier-free education to all.

■ Lennard J. Davis is a professor of English, disability studies, and medical education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His most recent book, published this month, is Enabling Acts: The Hidden Story of How the Americans with Disabilities Act Gave the Largest US Minority Its Rights (Beacon Press, 2015).

August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

Charlie Smith nominee - from p. 1

Access Press, c/o Charlie Award Committee, 161 St. Anthony Avenue #910, St. Paul, MN 55103.

Nominees can be from anywhere in Minnesota. The board welcomes and encourages nominations from throughout the state.

Additional materials about an award nominee, such as a resume, letters of support, articles in other publications or links to broadcast news stories, are welcomed as part of a nomination. Don’t forget to send a high-quality picture of the nominee. The jpeg format is best; ask about other formats. Pictures can also be mailed or brought to the office for scanning. Please specify if a picture needs to be returned.

People cannot nominate themselves. Nor can past award winners be nominated again.

Past nominees can be submitted again, but with conditions. A nominator cannot submit the same nominee in consecutive years, but someone else can make the same nomination the following year.

Nominees can be nominated for two consecutive years. But then there is a one-year waiting period before the nominee can be submitted again.

Pictures and biographies of all nominees will appear in the September issue of the newspaper, on the Access Press website and on a display at the award banquet. The winner is the guest of honor at the annual banquet, which is Friday, November 6 at the Minneapolis Airport Marriot 2020 E. American Blvd., Bloomington.

The award is given in honor of the late Charlie Smith, founding editor of Access Press. He was a wellknown Minnesota disability rights advocate. With the support of his family and many friends, Smith founded the newspaper in 1990. He died of cancer in 2001.

Previous winners of the Charlie Award are: 2014: Christine Marble & Wendy Devore, DeafBlind Services of Minnesota 2013: Cal Appleby with the late Vern Bloom and Wayne “Mo” Moldenhauer, Augsburg College 2012: Charles “Chuck” Van Heuveln, Disability Rights Activist 2011: Jeff Bangsberg, consultant, legislative activist 2010: Steve Kuntz, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) 2009: Anne Henry, Minnesota Disability Law Center 2008: Pete Feigal, Cofounder, Tilting at Windmills 2007: Jim and Claudia Carlisle, People Enhancing People 2006: John Smith, University of Minnesota 2005: Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MN-CCD) 2004: Rick Cardenas, Co-Director of Advocating Change Together (ACT) 2003: Margot Imdieke Cross, Minnesota State Council on Disability Banquet tickets are $45 per person or $325 for an eight-person table in advance. That represents a savings of $35. Tickets are $50 per person at the doors November 6. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the newspaper office.

Guests enjoy a delicious meal (Tuscan chicken, slow-roasted beef or vegetarian), a fun silent auction and “pick your prize” raffle, speeches and time to socialize with friends. Family members and friends of the honoree are encouraged to attend. The Marriott is reasonably accessible. Interpretation is offered by request for any guests. Please let the Access Press staff know in advance if any accommodations are needed.

Contact the office at 651-644-2133 or access@accesspress.org ■

Pg 5

Sponsorships, donations bring visibility Being a sponsor for the Access Press Charlie Smith Award Banquet is one great way for a business or nonprofit group to enhance its visibility in Minnesota’s disability community. Giving to the banquet’s annual silent auction and “pick your prize” raffle is another.

Sponsorship level names reflect past and present newsroom titles. AccraCare and UCare are the 2015 event’s first sponsors, at the Editor-in-Chief level.

Keyliners Level: The first level is the Keyliners Level, at $200. In the pre-desktop publishing days, keyliners put the paper together. The keyliner sponsor logo will be displayed on special table signs and the organization/ company name will be listed in the 2015 Charlie Smith Award Banquet program. The sponsoring organization/company will be recognized in the November and December 2015 issues of Access Press with a special ad. Sponsors will receive one free website ad during the month of choice, a value of $100.

Proofreaders Level: The second level is the Proofreaders Level, at $300.

Proofreaders make sure all of the copy is correct before the newspaper goes to press. The sponsor logo will be displayed on special table signs and the organization/company name will be listed in the 2015 Charlie Smith Award Banquet program. The sponsoring organization/company will be recognized in the November and December 2015 issues of Access Press. Sponsors will receive two free rotating website ads during the months of choice, a value of $200.

Proofreader sponsors will be listed on a special banner displayed at the banquet.

Editor-in-Chief Level The third level for sponsors is the Editor-in-Chief Level, at $400. This title reflects the highest position in a newsroom. The sponsor logo will be displayed on special table signs and the organization/company name will be listed in the 2015 Charlie Smith Award Access Press CS awards sponsorship - p. 14

Pg 6 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

Regions tries motorized exoskeleton

REGIONAL NEWS Camera catch elder abuse A New Hope nursing home has fired two nursing assistants and suspended nine other works, after abuse of residents was captured on hidden cameras. Family members used the cameras at St. Therese of New Hope to discover the abuse. Use of the cameras is becoming more common nationwide although their use has sparked controversy.

The families set up the cameras after noticing bruises and cuts on their loved ones. They gave the videos to New Hope Police Department. The videos were taken over a period of several weeks. New Hope City Attorney Steven Sondrall, who viewed the videos, said that “Inappropriate conduct definitely occurred.” The City of New Hope is awaiting results of a state investigation before filing charges.

St. Therese administration contact families of residents to inform them of the incidents. This marks the second time in a year that one of the four St. Therese facilities has been investigated due to allegations of physical abuse. Last year the Minnesota Department of health investigated a Brooklyn Park nursing home after a staff member reportedly slapped a resident.

News accounts indicate that at least one family has moved a relative out of the New Hope facility, in light of the abuse allegations. ■ (Source: Star Tribune)

Project Lifesaver is questioned Questions are being raised about a tracking system that’s supposed to help find vulnerable people who’ve gone missing. Project Lifesaver is used as a way of tracking the whereabouts of people with disabilities, but some families who use the technology are concerned about how their calls for help are being answered.

In the Project Lifesaver program, families pay a monthly fee for a loved one to wear a bracelet with a radio transmitter. It helps emergency responders get a fix on someone’s location who has left their home.

Families appreciate the system but worry that there is a communications bottleneck. Families recently shared their concerns with KMSP TV, saying they worry about time delays in response. Another concern is that public safety dispatchers don’t seem to have information that should be readily available, such as the person’s description. Ramsey County’s dispatch center was cited by some people as having slow response times due to confusion. On three occasions this year, searchers who have tracking equipment were not alerted to respond to a Project Lifesaver call. Each person was found safe and county officials believe they handled calls in a proper manner. But parents are pushing for the county to keep information about each Project Lifesaver client in its computer system.

Every second can count in a search. The radio signal from the Project Lifesaver tracking bracelet only carries for about a mile. It’s important to get to the missing person’s last known location as fast as possible before they wander out of range.

(Source: KMSP TV)

Patients at Regions Hospital in St. Paul have been trying out a new motorized exoskeleton that lets them stand upright and, with no small effort, walk. One of those patients is Evans Bille, who fell a year ago when a deck railing gave away. Bille and a few other paraplegic patients are trying out ReWalk, a device made by a Massachusetts company. It was approved last summer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the only one of its kind cleared for use in the home or in public.

“That feeling of all of a sudden being six feet tall again,” Bille said, “is surreal.” The ReWalk resembles a pair of robotic legs. Motors strap to the outside of the patient’s thighs and calves, with a battery pack and a computer in the back. It’s controlled by a wristwatch. The motors move the legs as the patient uses crutches to balance.

The device was invented by Amit Goffer, an Israeli man who is quadriplegic. The device is rare. Its manufacturer is currently looking for hospital to partner with and run clinics to give patients a look at it. Regions was the first Minnesota hospital to try out the ReWalk.

Angelique Lele, the reigning Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota, also tried the device. When she stood up for the first time, she issued an audible “whoa.”

Dr. Steven Jackson, a spinal-cord specialist at Regions, said the device offers a handful of health benefits. It builds bone strength, which atrophies when limbs don’t bear weight. It’s a form of aerobic exercise. It alleviates sitting sores and cuts down on intestinal and bowel issues that crop up in patients who can’t stand. But its $70,000 cost isn’t covered by insurers. ■ (Source: Pioneer Press)

Clients get runaround from Comcast

Mistaken identity cased is probed

People with disabilities and senior citizens are supposed to get discounts on Comcast services in St. Paul.

But when calling the cable services provider, many people have told the Pioneer Press that customer services representatives claim there is no discount available.

The city recently renewed a 10-year agreement with the cable service provider. The new agreement and an agreement covering the past decade each require that a discount be offered. The discount is to provide 10 percent discount off all cable-related services for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Customers who recently learned about the discount have been calling Comcast, only to be told that newspaper accounts were incorrect. One man, who said he spent an hour on the phone with Comcast, was told the discount is only good in other states and Puerto Rico.

Dave Nyberg, a Comcast corporate affairs manager, said the company has looked into the issue and is addressing it. He apologized for the inconvenience.

It’s not clear whether the discount applies in all other communities where Comcast is the service provider. People with questions should contact their home communities. Cities typically negotiate their own cable provider agreements, through city councils or cable access commissions. Discounts can be used as a negotiating tool, along with public access programming funding and public access channels. ■ (Source: Pioneer Press)

West St. Paul Police have reviewed their actions after using a stun gun on a man with developmental disabilities. While police have not found any violation of department policy or lapse of judgment, the man’s family members are still upset.

A police officer used the stun gun on the man while looking for a suspected gunman at a shopping center last month. Police Chief Bud Shaver said an officer drew his weapon when confronting the man and ordered the man to show his hands and get on the ground. When he didn’t the stun gun was used.

The man’s family members said he walks around the community and has done so for many years. They said it should have been obvious that he wasn’t a threat. But Shaver indicated that the man’s behavior was a concern. When police tried to handcuff him, he rolled and injured one of the officers.

Shaver said had he been on the scene, he would have known the man and known he was not a criminal suspect.

But he said he would have taken the situation seriously.

The man’s family members are questioning how the incident was handled. They said their family member didn’t even meet the suspect description and said people on the scene tried to tell police that the man wasn’t a threat and that he is well-known in the community.

The result is that the man is confused about the confrontation and has become fearful of the police. ■ (Source: Topix)

NextDoor eyed as housing option Jesse Lammi of White Bear Lake recalls the day four years ago when his 92-year-old grandfather fell off of a ladder while cleaning gutters. The injury forced him to recuperate in a nursing home away from his family.

Lammi has developed NextDoor housing units as a response, so that people with disabilities can live near family. The units are accessible and cost $50,000.

“The whole purpose is to keep people out of institutions,” said Lammi. The dwelling units come with a jack-up system that raises the house for highway travel, and then lowers it for placement.

Lammi and lifelong friend Jon Louiselle developed the units with a $342,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The grant was part

of a larger state pool of $5.3 million to develop ways to allow senior citizens to remain in their homes.

Lammi and Louiselle, who hope to begin manufacturing the NextDoor units this fall, already are renting out their first unit for about $1,000 a month. They have received many queries about the housing, although Lammi cautions those interested that they need to check into their community’s zoning regulations before moving ahead.

The unit’s 240-square-foot cottage is mounted on wheels. The shingled roof is peaked, and the seven windows make it look open and inviting. A bump-up roof on one end accommodates a loft inside. It can be hauled by most pickup trucks. The house’s wheels are NextDoor housing option - p. 15

BDC Management Co. is now accepting applications for our accessible 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 Slater Square Apartments Talmage Green Trinity Apartments Unity Place Vadnais Highlands Willow Apartments Woodland Court Apartments

Minneapolis Buffalo Minneapolis Hutchinson Anoka St. Paul Mahtomedi Minneapolis Eden Prairie Minneapolis Minneapolis Minneapolis Brooklyn Center Vadnais Heights Little Falls Park Rapids

(612) 824-6665 (763) 684-1907 (612) 338-3106 1-800-661-2501 (763) 427-7650 (651) 292-8497 (651) 653-0640 (612) 377-9015 (952) 941-5544 (612) 340-1264 (612) 623-0247 (612) 721-2252 (763) 560-7563 (651) 653-0640 (320) 632-0980 1-888-332-9312

We are accepting applications for our large number of mobility impaired accessible units.

Please call us for more information.

1 BR 2 BR 2 BR 1 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 BR 2 BR 1 BR 2 & 3 BR EFF & 1BR 2 BR 1 BR (sr) 2 BR 3 BR 1 & 2 BR 1 BR

August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

In St. Paul and Minneapolis

Speakers, activities, displays marked celebration

ADA celebration - p. 8

Kent’s Accounting Service, LLC Kent Fordyce Certified QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor 2015 2005-2014 6371 Bartlett Blvd Mound, MN 55364

Fax: 952-472-1458

612-889-2959

fordyce6@aol.com

Diamond Hill Townhomes Diamond Hill Townhomes is a great property located near the Minneapolis International Airport. We have spacious two and three bedroom townhomes that are HUD subsidized and rent is 30% of the total household’s adjusted gross income.

Our Three Bedroom waiting list is closed. We are only accepting applications for our Two Bedroom accessible units.

We are always accepting applications for our large number of mobility impaired accessible units. Please contact us for more information.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Please call (612) 726-9341.

Pg 7

Pg 8 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6 ADA celebration - from p. 7

August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

ADA celebration - from p. 8

Photos by Jane McClure, Jerry Smith, Schuler Communications and City of Minneapolis

Pg 9

Pg 10 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

UPCOMING EVENTS Advocacy Plan for training conference As part of the ongoing commemoration of the 25th anniversary of passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Minnesota State Council on Disability hosts an ADA Celebration/Training Conference Wed, Oct. 28 at Mpls Convention Center. The conference focuses on employment, technology, advocacy, and community living and includes a career fair for people with disabilities, in partnership with the Minnesota Business Leadership Network. It will also feature speakers and informative breakout sessions. The noon hour keynote program will be broadcast live statewide on tpt with participation from communities across Minnesota. The council is examining how employment has been impacted by the ADA as part of an overall effort to describe its role in Minnesota. Take a short survey on employment: http://tinyurl.com/ ADA25employmentMN FFI: 651-361-7803, www.disability. state.mn.us/ada/ Save date: Autism in Business On Thu, Oct. 22, the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) will bring together Minnesota’s top corporate leaders, business professionals, state agencies and autism advocates in St. Paul for Autism in Business, a forum focused on providing positive strategies for employing and retaining individuals with autism. It will feature a keynote presentation, leadership luncheon and breakout sessions on topics including how to achieve diversity hiring goals, theory of mind in the workplace, a moderated panel of people with autism discussing their employment experiences, successful employment stories from business managers and leaders, and tactics for companies wishing to employ individuals with autism. FFI: www.ausm.org

Save the date: The Arc MN The Arc Minnesota reminds everyone to save the date for the annual conference, set for Sat, Oct. 24 at Shoreview Community Center, Shoreview.

Theme is A Working Life and keynote speaker is Nancy Brooks Lane, senior consultant, Center for Social Capital. Watch for details. FFI: www.thearcmn.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 the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to pick and choose sessions catered to their needs. Top 10 Topics to Help Your Child Succeed in Special Education, is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tue, Aug. 18 at the Anoka-Hennepin Staff Development Center (Erling Johnson Room C), 2727 N. Ferry St., Anoka, Minn. Parents who participate in this interactive workshop will learn 10 important areas in the special education process that will help their child be more successful. Parents will also be provided with four useful tools to help in the process.

Managing Life the Smart Way with Technology for Teens is 6:30-8 p.m. Wed, Aug. 19 at PACER Center. Managing homework, time and health sometimes feels overwhelming for youth but technology can help. Participants will learn how smart-phones, tablets, and computers, can help students more independently manage school work, time, and wellness. Family strategies for using technology to foster independence will also be discussed. The workshop is

Jacobson Award nominees sought Nominate an entrepreneur Courage Kenny Foundation is seeking worthy applicants for the 2015 Judd Jacobson Memorial Award. Established in 1992, the Judd Jacobson Memorial Award recognizes pursuit or achievement of a business entrepreneurial endeavor by a person with a physical disability or sensory impairment.

The award recipient receives a $5,000 cash award to advance his or her entrepreneurial business endeavor and is honored at a special event. Applications are due Sept. 4. designed for students in middle school and up, and their parents.

FFI: PACER at 952-838-9000. In Greater Minnesota, call 800-5372237 (toll free), www.pacer.org Free family course offered Do you have a family member living with a mental illness? The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Minnesota is offering a free educational course that helps families gain a greater understanding of mental illness, discuss resources, build communication skills, reduce stress and find support. More than 3,000 Minnesota families have benefited from this course.

Join others for this series taught by family members who have walked the walk. The Family-toFamily course meets weekly for 12 weeks. The course starts 6:-30-9 p.m. Thu, Sept. 3, at Jewish Family Service, 1633 W. 7th Street, St. Paul. Registrants must commit to attending the entire course and registration is required. FFI: Marilyn, 651-4976858; Deb, 952-836-5927

Info/assistance Vision loss group activities Vision Loss Resources offers free and low-cost activities in the Twin Cities for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Life skills classes for those with low vision; card games, craft classes, book clubs, walking groups, dinners out, special out-

Nominees must have a physical disability or sensory impairment, and demonstrate pursuit of achievement of an entrepreneurial business endeavor.

Nominees must be 18 years of age or older and reside in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota or South Dakota. To be consideration, a nominee or a ings and technology classes are among the offerings. Participants need to RVSP to participate. One upcoming activity is making Braille angels, 2-4 p.m.

Thu, Aug. 20 in St. Paul. Cost is $5. Learn to cut and assemble beautiful angels made from recycled Braille paper. Take home two angels and make extra for the Friends of VLR Craft Booth in November. FFI: RSVP hotline 612-843-3439; activity phone 612-253-5155, www.visionlossresources.org MCIL offers classes/activities The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) offers many life skills classes as well as fun outings and activities for people with disabilities.

MCIL is at 530 N. Robert Street, St Paul and most activities are there or start there. Classes and events are listed on the website, www.mcil-mn.org. Click on “Classes Groups and Sessions” for updated information or to print their calendar. Please give two weeks’ notice if alternative format or other accommodations are needed. Events are free, accessible and mostly scent-free.

FFI: 651-603-2030 Adult support groups offered Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) offers free support groups for adults with autism spectrum disorder. Groups include those for adult family members, women with autism spectrum disorders and independent adults with autism. Check the web site for upcoming groups.

Groups meet at the AuSM offices at 2380 Wycliff St. FFI: 651647-1083 ext. 10, www.ausm.org 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 Medi-

nominator must fill out a form and clearly specify how the money will be used to further the business endeavor. Nominees may attach supplementary information to support the nomination, including a biography/resume, letters of recommendation and a business plan. Finalists may be asked to come to Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute for an interview. Recipient and runners up will be notified of the selection committee’s decision shortly after the interview. FFI: www. allinahealth.org/jacobson ■ care. FFI: 1-877-523-1518, www.ucare.org Mental health support offered NAMI of Minnesota offers more than 300 free educational classes statewide each year, along with help in navigating the mental health system. NAMI also has more than 60 free support groups living with a mental illness and their families. In the Twin Cities 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. A NAMI Connection peer support group for adults recovering from mental illness meets 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wed, at Centennial Methodist Church, 1524 Co. Rd. C-2 West (Snelling at Co. Rd. C2), Roseville. FFI: 651-645-2948.

A family support group meets in St. Paul on the second Wednesday of each month at 6-7:30 p.m., at Goodwill-Easter Seals, at the Fairview location in room 123.

FFI: Sonja, 651-357-2077. A family support group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, from 7:008:30 p.m., at Canvas Health, 7066 Stillwater Blvd., Oakdale.

FFI: Dan, 651-341-8918. A full calendar of all events is offered online. FFI: 651-645-2948, www.namihelps.org

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 a senior on a regular basis and do things that you both enjoy, like watching a movie, playing games or friendly conversation. One-time or ongoing opportunities through the NIP Senior Program. FFI: Jeanne, 612-746-8549, 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, 651-2519110, volunteer@mnliteracy.org, www.mnliteracy.org/volunteers/ opportunities/adults ■

August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6 Pg 11

ACCESSIBLE FUN Finding the Light Finding the Light aims to erase the stigma of mental illness through shared stories and art. Learn more 2-5 p.m. Sun, Sept. 27 at Neighborhood House, 179 E. Robie St., St. Paul. The grassroots community initiative, Finding the Light, is hosting the event to help erase the stigma of mental illness and to encourage those with mental illness to share their stories. Storytellers will be joined by photographers, videographers, painters, musicians, writers and other artists to express their stories.

Artists will be exhibiting their collections for the public to view. Free. FFI: Louis Garcia, 651-338-6010, www.findingthelight.net

tions ($10-20) collected at show’s end. Seating is limited, advance reservations are requested. FFI: 800-8383006; 612-619-2112, www.mixedprecipitation.org

Becoming Dr. Ruth Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company presents the remarkable story of Ruth Westheimer, at Highland Park Community Center Theater, 1978 Ford Pky, St. Paul.

AD show is 1 p.m. Sun, Aug. 23. Tickets: $20-32; FFI: 651-647-4315, www.mnjewishtheatre.org

Hairspray Artistry presents the story of a young woman’s desire for social change, at Bloomington Center for the Arts, Schneider Theater, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington. AD show is 2 p.m. Sun, Aug. 30. ASL: show is 7:30 p.m. Fri, Sept. 11. Tickets reduced to $27 for AD/ASL (regular $36, senior $32, age 25 & under $19, Wed. $3 less). FFI: 952-563-8575; www.btacmn.org

Run, Walk, Roll Against Bullying Registration is now open for the Sat, Oct 3, PACER Run, Walk, Roll Against Bullying. One out of every four students report being bullied during the school year.

Participate as an individual or team, raise money and have fun. The event is at Norman dale Lake Park, Normandale Blvd & 84th St, Bloomington. Check-in and Tshirt pickup is at 9 a.m. with the two and four-mile events at 10 a.m. Activities and program at 11 a.m.

Costs are $10 for youth and $20 for adults. FFI: 952838-9000, www.PACER.org

Celebrate Rise Gala Rise’s fourth annual Celebrate Rise Fundraising Gala is 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thu, Oct. 8 at the Mpls Marriott Northwest, Brooklyn Park. The evening includes a social hour with special games and events; a delicious dinner, a live auction and fundraising ask. Rise’ing stars will also be honored, Table hosts and corporate sponsors are still need. RSVP by Sept. 24. Ticket prices and other information online. FFI: Noel McCormick at 763-783-2832, www.rise.org

A Breath of Hope A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation hosts the ninth annual Twin Cities Lung Run/Walk 8:30 a.m. Sat, Aug. 15 at Lake Harriet Band Shell, Mpls. This is Minnesota’s largest lung cancer awareness event. Raise money for research, learn about lung cancer and support survivors and their families. FFI: 952-456-2463, www.abreathofhope.org

Stage Kiss Guthrie Theater presents the tale of actors thrown together as romantic leads, at Guthrie Theater, McGuire Proscenium Stage, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD shows 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug. 14; 1 p.m. Sat, Aug. 22. Captioning 1 p.m. Sat, Aug. 15; 1 p.m. Wed, Aug. 19; 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug. 21; 1 p.m. Sat, Aug. 22. (Captioning by c2 inc.)

ASL shows 7:30 p.m. Fri, Aug. 21; 1 p.m. Sat, Aug. 22.

Tickets reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for Captioning (regular $34-85). FFI: 612-377-2224, www.guthrietheater.org/visit/access_services

Pirates of Penzance A touring company presents the tale of high seas hijinks, at Ordway Center Music Theatre, 345 Washington, St. Paul. Captioning by C2 on Thu, Aug. 13, AD/ASL shows 2 p.m. Sat, Aug. 15. Tickets: $33-110; if using ASL, request seating in that area. FFI: 651-224-4222, www.ordway.org/accessibility/

Charley’s Aunt Commonweal Theatre Company presents the story of a colorful chaperone, at Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro. AD show is 1:30 p.m.

Sun, Aug. 16; pre-show at 1:10 p.m. Please make AD reservations at least one week in advance, noting if a tactile tour is desired at noon. Two-week notice requested for a Braille program. Five-week notice requested for ASL interpreting. Assistive listening devices available at the box office; special seating available for persons with mobility issues. Tickets reduced to $15 for AD/ASL patrons (regular $30; student $15). FFI: 507-467-2525, 800-657-7025; www.commonwealtheatre.org

Escape from Alcina’s Island: A Picnic Operetta Mixed Precipitation returns with its performances at Twin Cities community garden spaces, with some movement required of the audience. A sighted guide is suggested for patrons with vision loss. ASL shows are 7 p.m. Thu, Aug. 20 at Dodge Nature Center, 1701 Charlton St., West St. Paul and 4 p.m. Sun, Aug. 23 at Falcon Heights Community Garden, 2050 Roselawn Ave. W., Falcon Heights. AD shows are 2 p.m. Sat, Sept. 5 at Alexis Bailly Vineyard, 18200 Kirby Ave S, Hastings and 4 p.m. Sun, Sept. 6 at Squash Blossom Farm, 7499 60th Ave. NW, Oronoco. Voluntary dona-

Open Flow Forum The Artists with Disabilities Alliance’s monthly gatherings resume 7-9 p.m. Thu, Sept 3 at Carleton Artist Lofts community room, 2285 University Ave. W., St. Paul.

Artists with disabilities and supporters have this no-cost opportunity to share visual art, writing, music, theatre and other artistic efforts with each other in an informal, fragrance-free setting with refreshments. Enter on the north side of the building (not the light rail side). The meeting room is directly opposite the security entrance.

Facilitators are Pamela Veeder, Mike Price and Dan Reiva. Contact Jon at VSA Minnesota, 612-332-3888 or jon@vsamn.org for special accommodations. FFI: www.carletonartistlofts.com/ or http://vsamn.org/artistsdisabilities/

A Splendid Legacy: Minnesota Collectors and their Stories Mpls Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls. offers interpreted tours on the first Sun of the month at 1 p.m., with exceptions noted. Begin under the “Tours meet here” red circle by the Information Bar in the upper lobby except as noted differently. Interpreted tours are also scheduled on other days. On the second weekend of each month, free tours are offered for visitors with memory loss, Alzheimer’s and their friends or care partners. Free. FFI: 612-870-3000 or 612-870-3131; dhegstro@artsmia.org

Dancing at Lughnasa Yellow Tree Theatre presents a story of 1930s rural Ireland, at Yellow Tree Theatre, 320 5th Ave. SE, Osseo.

ASL show is 7:30 p.m. Wed, Sept. 16. Tickets are paywhat-you-can (regular $18-25). FFI: 763-493-8733; www.yellowtreetheatre.com

Annapurna Jungle Theater presents a story of reunion, love and loss, at Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls.

AD: show is 7:30 p.m. Thu, Sept. 17. Assistive listening devices available. Contact the theatre about a possible ASL-interpreted show. Tickets reduced to $14 (regular $28-48). FFI: 612-822-7063; www.jungletheater.com

Arts Access Chautauqua Minnesota artists, arts administrators and arts participants with disabilities will come together for this statewide celebration of artists with disabilities and greater accessibility to the arts since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law 25 years ago. In forums, presentations, showcases and a public performance (7:30 Fri, Sept. 25), Minnesotans with and without disabilities will speak, perform, exhibit and discuss as musicians, actors, storytellers, dancers, writers, visual artists and audience members. In addition to acknowledging successes, the Arts Access Chautauqua will recognize and show artistically the emergence of people with disabilities as active members of the Minnesota arts community; identify challenges that continue to serve as barriers to full inclusion of people with disabilities in the

MS events coming up The MS Society reminds everyone that Walk MS events start this fall in the region, with the first upper Midwest Walk Sat, Sept. 19 in Aberdeen, S.D. That is the same day as the Twin Cities Muckfest in Somerset, WI and the week before the Challenge MS Walk in the Twin Cities Sept. 2627. Many options are available to help raise funds. Form a team or walk on your own. Gather pledges and help in the fight against multiple sclerosis. FFI: 855-372-1331, specialevents@MSsociety.org ■ arts; clarify best practices for arts organizations to serve people with disabilities more effectively; and explore new opportunities to fully engage people with disabilities with the arts. The event is Sept. 25-26 at Cowles Center for Dance & Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. ASL, AD, Captioning offered. Registration available soon. FFI: 612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883, shelia@vsamn.org, www.vsamn.org

Art Show: Tanya L. Dickinson Vision Loss Resources hosts a free show by Princeton artist Tanya L. Dickinson, at 1936 Lyndale Ave. S. (at Franklin), Mpls. Lobby open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Mon-Fri. It is part of a rotating series of exhibits coordinated by VSA Minnesota and runs through Aug. FFI: VLR: 612-871-2222; VSA MN: 612-332-3888, http:// vsamn.org/artists-disabilities/exhibit-program/

Art Show: Simon Carvalho Park State Bank, 1108 Nicollet Mall, Suite 210, Mpls. hosts a free exhibit of photography of beautiful flowers

by St. Paul photographer Simon Carvalho. Lobby open 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri. It is part of a rotating series of exhibits coordinated by VSA Minnesota and runs through Sept. Photos are for sale. FFI: Park State Bank: 612-238-0430; VSA Minnesota: 612-332-3888. http:// tinyurl.com/vsa-dis-art

More events information VSA Minnesota is at http://vsamn.org The website has a large calendar at in the upper right hand corner of its home page. 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 800-8013883 (voice/TTY). To hear a weekly listing of accessible performances, call 612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883. Another web events’ listing is http://c2net.org (c2: caption coalition, inc.), which does most of the captioned shows across the country. Facebook is another way to connect with performances. Sign up to connect with Audio Description Across Minnesota (http:// tinyurl.com/ d34dzo2). Connect with ASL interpreted and captioned performances across Minnesota on Facebook http:// tinyurl.com/FBcaption ■

Pg 12 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

PEOPLE & PLACES

Video game project is young man's challenge

Nate Allard showed off his video game, which is popular with his friends.

Photo courtesy of Autism Society of Minnesota

For Nate Allard, a 15-year-old from Chanhassen, obstacles don’t stand a chance at keeping him away from his life’s missions. Those include creating, designing and building a video arcade game from scratch, a feat he accomplished despite some challenges.

When he was three, Allard was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a neurological disorder that falls on the autism spectrum. Autism often affects social interaction, the ability to communicate ideas and feelings, imagination, self-regulation, and the ability to establish relationships with others. Autism also can encourage focus or fascinations on specific subjects,

creating focus and evolving deep passions for those subjects.

Allard’s area of focus is gaming, with game development as a social and artistic outlet, according to his mother, Shylla Allard. His interest in programming began at age two when he figured out how to change the screen saver on his family’s home computer. “It comes easy,” he said. “It’s like I already know how to do it.”

In first grade, he started learning a game development program called Game Maker, and attended after school classes with fifth graders. “Nate was so interested and could read at a fifth grade level – we knew he could take this class,” his mother Shylla Allard said.

He continued with programming classes throughout elementary school, and he searched the Internet to self-teach and dissect game animation. He was too advanced for one set of classes at the Science Museum of Minnesota. An ID Tech Camp experience this summer allows Allard to take classes in the computer language C++ as well as engineering and programming.

Since 2012, he had a vision of making an arcade machine out of Lost Glitch, a game he developed from countless pencil sketch concepts and then programmed using Game Maker 8 for Windows. He named the game based on what happened when he removed a game cartridge from an old gaming system – the game would “glitch out.”

The time was right in the summer of 2014, the summer before freshman year at Chanhassen High School. The project required ordering parts, painting,

New poetry book wins praise Steven J. Jacobson has just published his first fulllength book of poetry. Spiritual Gait is a collection of free verse writings about daily life and spirituality.

Here is a celebration that is decidedly religious in tone. Readers with affection for spiritual sentiments will find it a prerequisite to appreciating works that center upon creation, joy, and life’s little facets.

Jacobson live with a form of schizo-affective disorder, but continues enjoying life and pursuing his interests of all kinds. He is a lifelong Midwest resident, currently living in Hopkins. His work has been published in Access Press, Linnet’s Wings, Burningword Literary Journal, and Calvary Cross. He is a featured poet in metric conversions: poetry of our time (Editura StudIS, 2013) a compilation of poetry described by author and translator Taner Murat as an act of “intercultural exchange.”

In his first book-length publication, Jacobson strives to illuminate the glory of God the creator by examining and rejoicing the many wonders of nature, including our physical surroundings—the sky, the earth, a river—as well as the delight of children and other aspects of being human. His compositions feature both language and concepts that are at once accessible to all and inspirational.

Spiritual Gait has won praise for its simple beauty and clarity. Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Mid-

west Book Review, said, “Most poetry collections are fairly dense and inaccessible, which tend to regulate the entire literary genre to an audience of college educated followers and specialty readers. Not so Spiritual Gait, a collection of simple free verse writings about daily occurrences, relationships with God, soul rebirth, and more. Here is a celebration that is decidedly religious in tone: readers with affection for spiritual sentiments will find it a prerequisite to appreciating works that center upon creation, joy, and life’s little facets.”

Donovan added, “Here is an observation of July 4th celebrations and its effects not only on people, but nature (“…fireworks lace the sky with a deluge of bombardments of bright flashing forms and colored lights…”), there an observation of a child’s closer connections to God (“…the innocence given by God/ to a child remains a mystery/to the adult world. /the love unconditionally/expressed by a child to another/ is unparalleled in this life.”) Whether it’s observations of nature or observations of children, Spiritual Gait is an accessible, simple collection recommended for spiritual readers who seek light, simple, and joyful observational pieces.”

Spiritual Gait is in paperback and costs $15. It is available on Amazon. ■

carpentry, working with a graphic designer for the artwork, electrical wiring, grounding buttons, installing a monitor, wiring for sound and light, and detailed assembly of the actual arcade machine. His father helped with painting and wiring. “Wiring the buttons was really hard,” Allard said.

By winter 2015, Lost Glitch – Special Arcade Version was complete. The video game’s main character, Neito, has a mission to eliminate enemies and collect points while eating a variety of foods. Neito must make it through 20 increasingly challenging game levels. Showing his respect for the influence of Japanese game designers, Allard chose the name Neito because it translates to Nate in Japanese.

The main character is a young version of its creator, even wearing the green T-shirt, joker hat and blue shorts Allard favored as a child. The game is positive and happy-go-lucky, unlike many violent video games.

When friends visit, they eagerly head for the Allard basement to give Lost Glitch a try. “My friends who have played the game call it ‘Nintendo hard’ because it’s very difficult to solve,” he said. “They’re shocked by the game – they can’t believe I made it.”

Allard continues to build his gaming ideas and has his sights set on a new mission. “I want to be a game director so I can design and direct the creation of games,” he said. “For now though, I’m really satisfied to have finally accomplished one of my major life goals.” ■ This article is excerpted from Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM).

Commission appointees announced Gov. Mark Dayton has announced the following appointments to several boards and commissions, including the Commission of Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans, Minnesota Assistive Technology Advisory Council, Minnesota Board on Aging, Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Minnesota State Council on Disability. New appointees to the Commission of Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans are Lloyd Ballinger, Rochester, Kay Cameron, Moorhead and Kathryn Rose, Eden Prairie. They replace Susan Gensmer, Lyle Hoxtell and Jason Valentine. Tracy Ivy, Minnetonka; Brenda Ackerson, Warren; Emily Smith Lundberg, Lakeshore and John Wodele, Minneapolis, were reappointed to their current seats. Valentine, who lives in Minneapolis was reappointed as an at-large member, replacing Alan Parsnes. Valentine was previously a regional representative.

Harlan Tardy, Virginia; Jeffrey Hane, Hallock; Neil Johnson, Maplewood; Carolyn Perron, Fridley and Don Samuelson, Brainerd were reappointed to the Minnesota Board on Aging. Sonja Hayden Berg, St. Cloud, replaces Jane Olson. Patrick McFarland, Champlin, replaces Larry Houk. Mor Vue, St. Paul, replaces Stan Ferneyhough. Gregory Wright, Rochester, replaces Chisanne Piepe.

David Andrews, St. Paul; Alison Canty, Woodbury; Sharie Hawkins, St. Paul and Jennifer Mundl, Golden Valley, were all reappointed to the Minnesota Assistive Technology Advisory Council.

On the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, Emilie Breit of Lakeville replaces Wendy Wangen. State Rep. John Hoffman of Champlin replaces Dawn Bly. Kate Onyeneho of Burnsville replaces Dan Reed. Jacqueline Rightler of Chaska replaces Steve Kuntz. Linda Simenstad of Shakopee replaces Kevin Dawnson. David Quilleash, Plymouth, was reappointed.

On the Minnesota State Council on Disability, Timothy Boyer, Bemidji, replaces Barbara Stensland.

Nancy Fitzsimons, North Mankato, replaces Stephen Grams. James Thalhuber, Blaine and Kathleen Wingen, St. Cloud were reappointed. ■

— Find more People & Places on p.13 —

August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6 Pg 13

ADA anniversary- from p. 1 bifida. Elliott noted that the ADA means that “each person is entitled to pursue his or her dreams.”

The ADA was a dream until it was adopted in July 1990. Margot Imdieke Cross, Minnesota State Council on Disability (MSCOD) accessibility specialist, recalled being in Washington, D.C. when the ADA was signed into law. About 3,000 people filled the White House lawn to watch then President George H.W. Bush sign the bill.

“It was a hot, steamy day,” said Imdieke Cross.

White House officials wanted a small ceremony but ADA advocates said otherwise. “We said no, no, no, it’s got to be big. It’s got to be momentous. It’s got to be wonderful.”

Fears were raised that people might faint, so Imdieke Cross and others were armed with waterfilled squirt bottles to spray anyone who might need a pick-me-up. “We just had a grand time,” she said.

With the sense of fun also came questions about what was ahead, she said. “Many of us in the audience were very excited but also very fearful. We accomplished something monumental but we were scared because we had to make it work.”

Former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger also recalled the signing. He worked to get business leaders on board to support the ADA and address concerns about mandatory access. Durenberger used the July 26 event to thank people with disabilities for teaching him the need to make changes for the same rights others took for granted. He said it has taken time “to slowly rid the nation of stereotypes so often built into public policy and politics.”

The ADA has focused on trying to end discrimination against people with disabilities, and to promote full integration and participation in society. About 20 percent of all Americans have a disability as defined by the ADA. Dayton’s ADA proclamation noted how more communities are becoming inclusive and free of physical, communication and social barriers and how government services are continually improving and becoming more accessible to Minnesotans with disabilities.

On the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we celebrate and recognize the progress

that has been made, we acknowledge challenges still exist on our horizon, and we reaffirm our commitment to full equity and inclusion for all,” the proclamation stated.

Dayton said that while everyone at the celebration should be pleased with the accomplishments of 25 years, “there’s still more to do.” He joked about U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank, who has been involved in several high-profile disability cases, “looking over our shoulders to make sure we help people.”

Frank has presided over cases including the settlement of complaints of abuse of patients at then Minnesota Extended Treatments Options facility in Cambridge and the ongoing work on the state’s Olmstead Plan. “Many people with disabilities have opened my eyes and mind to the issues” that community members face, Frank said.

He thanked people with disabilities for making him a better person and judge, and for making Minnesota a better place.

It has taken people with disabilities stepping forward to make the case for full inclusion in society. “The point is, it’s individuals with disabilities who have stepped forward. They have not been silent,” Frank said.

He noted an instance years ago when there were questions about placing a woman with blindness on a jury. After the trial ended, the jury foreperson said, “We were a better jury with her than without her.”

Frank also discussed the promise of Olmstead, which stems from a U.S. Supreme Court decision calling for people with disabilities to be in the most integrated community settings. He spoke of the “unjustified isolation” people with disabilities endured without the plan.

He urged those present to fight for full integration for people with disabilities, in living situations, jobs, education and other aspects of community living.

“There can’t be silence,’ he said. “We have to have better opportunities for people in the community.”

At least one of the displays is expected to make its way to the Minnesota State Fair Education Building later this month. A large red and blue ADA 25 display was used July 26 to display sticky notes, Event attendees were asked to answer the

PEOPLE & PLACES Intergenerational center is open Olu’s Center, the first facility of its kind in the Twin Cities north metro area, opened its doors in North Minneapolis in July. The unique, intergenerational center provides daycare to senior citizens, and also to preschool and school-age children, in a clean, natural and environmentally-conscious atmosphere.

Olu’s Center provides licensed child care for infants and children age six weeks to three years; preschool care for children from three to six years of age; supervision and educational activities for children six to 12 years old, and senior day care.

Olu’s Center’s strategically-designed activities for children and seniors includes arts and crafts, gardening, healthy eating, exercise, and field trips. Additional offerings for seniors include estate-planning assistance and memoir-writing.

For children, Olu’s Center offers a curriculum that encourages imagination, builds pride, and offers new challenges. It provides opportunities for academic success and promotes additional knowledge in core subject areas, through a variety of experiences.

The center is affiliated with Olu’s Home, a licensed care organization founded in 1999 that provides resiCurious to see if there are accessible properties?

Contact me to do a search for you at NO COST!

dential and in-home services to the elderly, and persons with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness. Along with the Center, Olu’s also operates nine, state-licensed group homes in the Minneapolis area. The homes provide residential and in-home services to individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries and mental illness.

Gloria Freeman, founder and CEO of Olu’s Home and Olu’s Center, said the new center is designed to provide “a nourishing environment where seniors and children can build relationships, inspire, give and learn freely.” Freeman also said that the opening of innovative center, located in a former charter school building in North Minneapolis, represents the culmination of a dream. ■

Judge Donovan Frank addressess the crowd July 26.

Photo by Jerry Smith

question. “What does access mean to you?”

Responses were varied. “Make the most of life,” “no barriers,” “accessible entrances to all buildings,” “Able to have sign language interpreting and caption services,” “respect and dignity to choose” and “Freedom!” were among some of the many response.

Minnesota State Council on Disability (MSCOD), which led planning for the July 26 event, will continue the ADA celebration at the 2015 Minnesota State Fair, August 27 through September 7. MSCOD will again have its booth in the Education Building, on the eastern side of the fairgrounds.

Stop and get free posters created by artists with disabilities — Annie Young, Michelle Morine-Chapa, Renee Granger-Smith and Joshua Paisley. Free information from a variety of groups will be available, as will the popular grab and go emergency preparedness kits. Live performances are also planned. State agency commissioners will be available including Matt Massman, administration; Brenda Cassellius, education; Kevin Lindsey, human rights; Lucinda Jesson, human services; Ken Peterson, labor and industry; Thomas Landwehr, natural resources and Ramona Dohman, public safety. Dayton may also make an appearance.

Get details of who, what and when (including ASL interpretation times) at www.mscod25ada.com/eventsactivities/state-fair-2015-schedule/ American Sign Language interpretation will be available. People can also register for the employment conference on October 28 in Minneapolis. For more details, go to www.disability.state.mn.us/ newsevents/ ■

Pg 14 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6

Radio Talking Book August Sampling Need something special recorded?

Special materials can be read and recorded by the Radio Talking Book/State Services for the Blind audio volunteers. A book not available through the National Library Service, a diary by an ancestor or anything else can be recorded by the volunteers. Contact Dan Gausman at 651-539-1422 for details. Callers outside of the Twin Cities region may call the front desk at 800652-9000 and ask for Dan.

Books available through Faribault

Chautauqua • Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m.

The Ignorant Maestro, Nonfiction by Itay Talgam, 2015.

Six broadcasts. Begins Aug. 25. Great contemporary leadership mixes control and letting go. It promotes new knowledge by choosing to be ignorant, creates unity through embracing gaps, and enhances effectiveness by adopting keynote listening. Read by Dan Sadoff.

Past is Prologue • Monday – Friday 9 a.m.

Empire’s Crossroads, Nonfiction by Carrie Gibson, 2014. 18 broadcasts. Begins Aug. 26. Ever since Columbus stepped ashore, the Caribbean has been a stage for fantasies and competition between world powers. The story of the Caribbean is not simply the story of slaves and masters, but also fortune seekers, tourists, scientists, and pirates. Read by Chris Colestock.

Bookworm • Monday – Friday 11 a.m.

Best to Laugh, Fiction by Lorna Landvik, 2014. 10 broadcasts. Begins Aug. 26. As a child, Candy Pekkala seemed to get unhappy experiences in Minnesota. So when a cousin called with a Hollywood apartment available, Candy jumped at it. Moving to California was accompanied by temp jobs and trying stand-up comedy.

Read by Diane Ladenson.

she reports it. Federal prosecutor Nick Davis investigates and turns up a body. But one body quickly leads to another. L – Read by Neil Bright.

Off the Shelf • Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

Funny Girl, Fiction by Nick Hornby, 2015. 12 broadcasts. Begins Aug. 27. Though she’s crowned Miss Blackpool in 1964, Barbara Parker would rather make people laugh than be a beauty queen. In London, a chance meeting with an agent leads to a new name, Sophie Straw, and an audition for a new BBC comedy that becomes very popular. L – Read by Beth Marie Hansen.

Good Night Owl • Monday – Friday midnight A History of Loneliness, Fiction by John Boyne, 2015.

13 broadcasts. Begins Aug. 12. Father Odran Yates served as a chaplain at a boy’s school for almost thirty years and he was always content. But when scandal begins to engulf the church, Odran is taken from the school to serve in a parish whose priest has been removed. L – Read by Tom Speich.

Tesla, Fiction by Vladimir Pištalo, 2015. 17 broadcasts.

Begins Aug. 31. Nikola Tesla was one of the twentieth century’s most prodigious and colorful inventors. His rise and fall reveal the many dimensions of a visionary whose influence is still felt today. L – Read by Bob Malos.

Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. Call 1-800722-0550, 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 The Writer’s Voice for the National Library Service.

An Uncomplicated Life, Nonfiction by Paul Daugherty, Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either 2015. 11 broadcasts. Begins Aug. 24. Jillian Daugherty Weekend Program Books live or archived programs from the previous week on the was born with Down syndrome, but her parents refused Your Personal World (Saturday at 1 p.m.) is airing Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb Call the Talking Book Lito allow her to grow up needy. Through her love for othDown Size, by Ted Spiker, and Goddesses Never Age, brary for a password to the site. To find more informaers, her charisma, and boundless capacity for joy, Jillian by Christiane Northrup, M.D.; For the Younger Set tion about Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network has inspired those around her to live better and more (Sunday at 11 a.m.) is airing The Song of the events go to the Facebook site at http://tinyurl.com/ fully. Read by Jim Gregorich.

Quarkbeast, by Jasper Forde; Poetic Reflections (SunRadioTalkBook Audio information about the daily book day at noon) is airing The Last Two Seconds, by Mary listings is also on National Federation for the Blind Night Journey • Monday – Friday 9 p.m.

Jo Bang, and How to Dance as the Roof Caves In, by (NFB) Newsline. Register for NFB Newsline by calling Indefensible, Fiction by Lee Goodman, 2014. 15 Br. Nick Lantz; The U.S. and Us (Sunday at 4 p.m.) is airing 651-539-1424.

Begins Aug. 24. When birdwatcher Cassandra Randall Stolen from the Garden, by William Swanson, and Access Press is featured at 9 p.m. Sundays on the sees two men digging something she thinks is a grave, Northern Slave, Black Dakota, by Walt Bachman. ■ program It Makes a Difference.

Abbreviations: V – violence, L – offensive language, S – sexual situations.

Access Press CS awards sponsorship - from p. 5 Banquet program. The sponsoring organization/company will be recognized in the November and December 2015 issues of Access Press Sponsors will receive two free rotating website ads during the months of choice, a value of $200.

Editor-in-chief sponsors will be listed on a special banner displayed at the banquet.

The sponsoring organization/company will be recognized by the emcee during the banquet. A table will be named in the sponsor’s honor the evening of the event. This sponsoring level also include free Access Press subscription, a value of $30 and one Directory of Organizations listing, good for one year, a value of $60.

The silent auction includes items put out for traditional written bids, as well as the “pick your prize” raffle. Items in the raffle could be won for as little as 50 cents – the price of one raffle ticket. Ban-

quet attendees buy tickets and then put tickets in marked jars. Winners are drawn at the close of the dinner. The intent of the “pick your prize” raffle is to allow more people the chance to take home a prize.

Raffle tickets can be purchased in advance.

The raffle and silent auction have featured a wide variety of prizes and 2015 promises to be the same.

Donations are needed to make the events a success.

Theater, concert and sports event tickets are always welcome. So are hand-made items, including throws, scarves, hats, soap, jewelry, wood carvings and more.

Fine art and photography, gift and spa baskets, treats, certificates for goods and services, gift cards and oneof-a-kind items are always welcomed. Some of the most popular donations in recent years have included a stay at an accessible cabin, a portable ramp, an iPad and visits to area brewpubs.

For any questions, or interest in sponsorship or in

Carol Fury checked out the 2014 silent auction and raffle.

File photo

making donations to the silent auction and pick your prize raffle, please contact Access Press Office Manager Dawn Frederick at 651-644-2133, or by email at dawn@accesspress.org ■

Thanks to all of you for supporting Access Press FRIEND SPONSOR ($50 and above) Monte Blair (in memoriam) Ellen Boucher Susan Bulger Mike Chevrette Yoshiko Dart Teresa Dock Steve & JoAnn Erbes Lee Ann Erickson Marjorie Goldberg Sherry Gray Pamela Hochrein Stuart Holland Marjorie Huebner Ellen & Skip Houghton Laurie Jarvis Sandi Lane Gene Martinez Christopher Meyer Paula Newman-Scott Lee Ohnesorge Linda Paulson Kelly Rathcke Virginia Schwartzbauer John Sherman Mary Treacy Hammer Residences Life by Designs, Inc. LOTTSA Tax & Accting Services MBW Company

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August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6 Pg 15

Uncertain future for Kirkbride

REGIONAL NEWS Attorney is under investigation Attorney Paul Hansmeier, who has filed lawsuits against at least 70 businesses in state and federal court since 2013 on accessibility issues, is under scrutiny by the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board.

Hansmeier has accused business owners of not complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Minnesota Human Rights Act. He represents a group called the Disability Support Alliance.

The nonprofit group has five members and no office.

But it has filed dozens of lawsuits in the last year, targeting businesses all over the state. Some have fought the charges while others have settled out of court.

Accessibility experts and attorneys for businesses question the intent of the lawsuits, which have forced a few small businesses to consider shutting their doors. Some contend the lawsuits are supports to bring quick monetary settlements rather than lasting solutions. The Minnesota State Council on Disability and other advocates have worked to help businesses come into compliance in the wake of the lawsuits.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is working with state lawmakers and legal experts to help businesses comply with state and federal laws without facing huge litigation costs. “The rapid increase of ADA lawsuits targeting a number of small Minnesota businesses is a serious concern,” Chamber Executive Director Ben Garber said. ■ (Source: KTSP-TV) NextDoor housing option - from p. 6 hidden when it is lowered. The house is designed to be accessible with a small ramp. Inside, all furniture and fixtures can be used by people in wheelchairs.

The homes can be hooked up to electricity and water, and have their own small septic tanks. ■ (Source: Associated Press) Restraints - from p. 1 Crisis Care Unit, and Unit 900, which houses women with a variety of mental illnesses, had most of the restraint and seclusion incidents. One Unit 800 patient told the law center staff he was often “set up for failure.” He and others described the atmosphere as tense and chaotic, when compared to that of other units.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) responded to the report after its July 29 release and agreed to meet with Disability Law Center staff for a more detailed review. The statement said, “Minnesota Security Hospital has significantly reduced the use of restraint and seclusion since 2012. But there is still work to do to address this issue while balancing concerns about the safety of our employees.”

DHS has worked with hospital staff over the past few years to greatly reduce use of seclusion and restraint. DHS has also made many changes to improve patient and staff safety, including new security cameras in some areas, setting up a four-bed admission unit to protect new patients from more violent ones and buying more protective equipment for staff.

While there has been some progress, Hoopes said the use of restraint and seclusion is still a very serious issue that needs to be addressed.

The report was prepared through review and analysis of DHS records, and patient and staff interviews.

Records of incidents from June 2011 to March 2014 were reviewed. It was found that 98 patients were restrained and secluded. Another 17 were secluded only, with 42 only restrained.

Additional research centered on 11 patients who were also being tracked by DHS staff, because of high incident rates of seclusion and restraint for those patients.

The report found that hospitals staff didn’t discuss traumatic restraint and seclusion episodes with patients. Instead of using debriefing as part of patient treatment and suggesting other responses, the investigation found that in many cases patients were blamed for their violent behavior. Six debriefing sessions did not involve the patients because staff said that

Fergus Falls city officials are deciding this month what to do with the former Regional Treatment Center, known locally as the Kirkbride. In July city officials cut ties with developer Historic Properties LLC. The city and developer had discussed property redevelopment for three years, but too many missed deadlines raised red flags.

The Georgia-based developments had proposed a $41 million redevelopment for the four-story, 500,000square-foot complex. The facility housed 1,700 people at its peak, making it the largest mental health complex in the state. The company planned to rehab the centuryold structure in phases, the first one costing $21 million, yet the final point of contention centered on $350,000.

“The sad thing is that the city has put a lot of time and resources into the current developer, and the developer has put a lot of time and resources into the project, too,” Fergus Falls Council Member Justin Arneson said Tuesday.

The developers wanted the money but front but later offered to accept it later. But City Council mem-

bers decided enough was enough. The City Council will hold a community meeting in August to discuss ideas, and then decide how to market the property and seek another developer. The former state hospital at Fergus The hospital was falls, known locally as Kirkbride, closed in phases faces an uncertain future.

File photo between 2005 and 2009, with the state officially handing over the keys for the building to Fergus Falls in 2007. The state set aside $4 million for the city to use to either renovate or demolish the building. The funds will expire in 2016. ■ (Source: Star Tribune)

Counties struggle with inmates At least three Minnesota county sheriffs have been told by the state Department of Human Services (DHS) in recent weeks that they would have to hang on to their mentally ill committed inmates because the state had inadequate or unavailable treatment beds. That is a violation of a law that requires inmates to get treatment within 48 hours of a judge-issued order.

Now Hennepin County and the state sheriffs’ association are considering legal options to force state officials to explain in court why they can’t find beds for often violent inmates who could pose a risk to themselves or others without proper treatment and medical supervision.

“We are doing the best we can to get patients into beds as quickly as we can,” said DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. “But only when it’s safe for inmates and other patients. Even if it means breaking the 48hour rule, I have to think about patient and staff safety.”

Jim Franklin, executive director of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association, said: “The DHS commissioner would’ve been “un-therapeutic.” Eight times, staff recommended electroconvulsive therapy as treatment.

The Minnesota Security Hospital houses about 225 of Minnesota’s most dangerous and mentally ill patients.

As of the end of June, there were 68 workplace-related injuries logged for 2015. That could put the facility on pace to break last year’s record number of 101 injuries.

Earlier in July a 16-year-old patient grabbed a staff member by the hair. He repeatedly kicked her in the head and hit her head against a wall. Minnesota occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) officials paid a surprise visit to the facility days later along with representatives of the hospital’s employee union. Gov. Mark Dayton has also raised concerns about the assaults. His chief of staff, Jaime Tincher and state lawmakers recently toured the hospital.

Leaders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union, which represents 790 St. Peter workers, have taken issue with the report and continued to raise concerns about the assaults. They noted that staff go through a chain of command that ensures proper use of restraint and seclusion, and there are incentives that require use of restraint, seclusion or both.

AFSCME officials have contended that current restraint and seclusion policy is too restrictive and puts staff in a position of only being able to respond after they have been assaulted. Policy calls for restraint and seclusion only when a patient is an “imminent risk” to self or others.

Another issue is staffing. In July 20 security counselor posts and about two dozen other jobs were open. Union officials contend that another 54 security counselors are needed. But the report takes issue with the notion of security counselors, noting that those staff members are trained in criminal justice and not in mental health treatment. The report even raised question about the name “security counselor” and the mixer feelings raised by the name. ■ To read the report, go to http://tinyurl.com/DLCreport

is telling us they no longer can comply with the law, and that leaves us with an interesting dilemma. Do we hold inmates illegally in jail, or is the commissioner failing in her public duty and violating a judge’s order? The victim in all this is the person with mental illness sitting in jail.”

State officials have been warning since 2013 that they were running out of space to house mentally ill inmates and had concerns over safety and staffing. In late April, Jesson took the rare step of informing state sheriffs they would start limiting admissions of jail inmates to Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center, the state’s second-largest psychiatric hospital.

Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said he plans to pursue a legal strategy to resolve why the DHS can violate the 48-hour rule, which became law in July 2013. He said the county could sue the agency or seek an order requiring a DHS representative to explain to a judge that they can’t fulfill the law. ■ (Source: Star Tribune) History note - from p. 2 beginning to question the belief that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were unable to contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Today, parents continue to play a critical role in obtaining full community integration and inclusion for their children with disabilities. ■ Read the entire history at http://tinyurl.com/piphistory The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org, www.mncdd.org or www.partnersinpolicymaking.com

CLASSIFIEDS Access Press Classifieds are $14 for the first 12 and 65¢ per word thereafter. They must be prepaid. Mail 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

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Pg 16 August 10, 2015 Volume 26, Number 6