Minnesota’s disability community, with leaders who have championed inclusion.
Sue Abderholden, longtime executive director of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Minnesota, has announced her upcoming retirement after 24 years of leading the organization through remarkable growth and change. Her retirement is effective October 15
it will sunset by June 20, 2026 after two decades’ service. The difficult decision was made by the arts organization’s leadership. Upstream Arts was founded in 2006 by Julie and Matt Guidry.
Sue Adbderholden
through an extraordinary period of growth and impact. When she began in October 2001, the organization had 2.5 staff members and a modest $160,000 budget. Under her leadership, NAMI Minnesota has grown into a $3 million health advocacy organizations in the nation.
ACCESS PRESS IS TURNING
Throughout her tenure, Abderholden has been a driving force behind major legislative reforms that transformed Minnesota’s mental health system. Her advocacy helped pass more than two dozen landmark laws that reshaped education, healthcare, housing and criminal justice to better serve people living with mental illnesses. Among her accomplishments, Abderholden championed laws requiring mental health training for teachers, secured mental health screenings for individuals entering jails, helped reform Minnesota’s commitment laws to promote voluntary engagement in treatment, expanded crisis and early intervention services, expanded the diversity of the workforce, strengthened mental health parity protections, and fought to restrict the use of solitary confinement for individuals with mental illnesses in prisons.
“Sue Abderholden’s leadership has been nothing short of transformational,” said Jessica Gourneau, president of the NAMI Minnesota Board of Directors. “She has led NAMI Minnesota with vision, heart, and an unwavering commitment to those living with mental illnesses and their families. Because of Sue, our organization has grown in reach, reputation, and impact. Her fierce advocacy at the
TRANSITIONS To page 5
federal actions
spark many fears
Failing to agree on key budgets, including health and human services and education, sent the 2025 Minnesota Legislature into overtime. As Access Press went to press, state lawmakers had met through the Memorial Day weekend.
The intent was to have work done on several aspects of the 2026-2027 state budget. Then Gov. Tim Walz could call a special session. Without a budget in place before July 1, state
July’s many celebrations include time for disability pride
July is not only when the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is marked, it’s also a time to celebrate Disability Pride Month. Advocating Change Together (ACT) invites community members to get involved with the Third Annual Disability Pride Festival, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 17 at the state capitol grounds.
The free public celebration brings together hundreds of self-advocates, families, allies, educators and community leaders to celebrate pride, inclusion and disability culture in Minnesota. Many groups host tables, including tables where people can make art. Music and inspiring speeches are also part of the fun.
ACT is led by and for people with disabilities. Members fight ableism, build leadership and create spaces where everyone is seen and valued. Sponsors of the Disability Pride Month Festival are helping ACT to:
- Celebrate disability identity and pride
- Support advocacy and leadership training for people with disabilities
- Create a community space that’s inclusive, accessible and fun
Various sponsorship levels are available. Depending on sponsorship level, perks include
the ability to have a resource table at the festival; organization logos on signage, t-shirts and social media; food truck sponsorship and the chance to speak at the event.
Sponsorship levels are inspired by the colors on the Disability Pride Flag. Jennfier Walton, ACT executive director, said sponsors are needed by June 20.
Each level reflects the rich diversity of the disability community:
• $300 – Black Background sponsor six-foot table under resource tent
• $500 – Green Stripe sponsor Table and logo on event signage
• $750 – Blue Stripe sponsor Table, signage and social media recognition
• $1,000 – White Stripe sponsor Table, signage, t-shirt logo and social media shoutout
• $2,500 – Gold Stripe sponsor Full benefits listed above plus food truck
sponsorship • $3,000 – Red Stripe sponsor
Full benefits listed above, food truck sponsorship and speaking opportunity Can’t sponsor but still want to help? ACT welcomes in-kind donations including snacks, printing or event supplies. Volunteers are needed to help set up, greet guests and assist with accessibility. Another way to help is to offer rides to self-advocates who need transportation to attend. Every bit of support makes a difference.
Contact ACT at 651-641-0297 or act@ selfadvocacy.org. Editor’s note: Access Press is waiting to see if additional celebrations will be held this summer to celebrate 35 years of the ADA and pride. Watch our website for details, at www. accesspress.org. Sponsors should contact jane@ accesspress.org with information
ARRM
Protection of disability waivers is a focus for community members, who took this message to the capitol May 21
Last year's pride fest attendees showed what disability pride means to them.
Sue Abderholden
Disability issues and needs suffer when lawmakers cannot do their jobs
Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session sputtered to its mandated May 19 ending with much critical business left undone. Many Minnesotans with disabilities, their advocacy group leaders and their allies were frustrated. Again.
As this editorial was written, state lawmakers had formed working groups to pull together agreements on final bills to prepare for a special session.
Maybe we shouldn’t have expected much. After all, the 2025 session has had the most closely divided legislature in state history. Disagreements over leadership dominated much of the session in the House. We had changing faces with special elections. We’ve had issues that frankly seemed like distractions.
A looming $6 billion deficit hung over everything.
So much was left undone. Even policy bills, many of which should have passed easily, got hung up in the disagreements. So many disability focused initiatives are going to have to wait until next year.
It’s dismaying to realize that less than 10 percent of the state’s budget was wrapped up before the regular session ended. Less than 10 percent!
In Minnesota, we have sessions focused on budgets in odd years and sessions focused on bonding and policy in even years.
Dear lawmakers, what does “budget session” mean to you?
Work on budgets began again May 20. Until those were hammered out, Gov.
It's been years since we as a disability community have had to rally after a regular session gaveled to a close. But here we were, back in the capitol rotunda.
Tim Walz has indicated he won’t summon lawmakers back for a special session to get financing and spending plans in place. Without an approved budget, much of state government would shut down July 1. But the clock started ticking much sooner. Walz indicated in late-session interviews that the work of shutting down state government must start well before then. The issuance of layoff notices would have to start after June 1. That has a cost – a cost that could be better spent on other needs.
What was most worrisome May 19 was that major parts of the state budget, on health and human services and education, remained up in the air. Not only do those packages represent about two-thirds of the state budget, they are also two of the
HISTORY NOTE
most crucial areas for Minnesotans with disabilities.
The fact that those budgets and the work funded were to be thrown together in a special session is concerning. We are frankly worried about what could be left out or get lost in the shuffle. Waiver services and aspects of special education funding have been flashpoints this session.
It’s been years since we as a disability community have had to rally after a regular session gaveled to a close. But here we were, back in the capitol rotunda.
A rally and press conference May 21 was promoted as “Stand with Us to Defend Disability Services — Lives Are Not Line Items.” Advocates, community members, and disability rights organizations gathered
What was called 'battle fatigue' affected World War II veterans
World War II came to an end 80 years ago, over the course of several months. Germany surrendered in May 1945. The war didn’t end in the Pacific Theater until September 1945.
We are reminded of those times by the 1946 movie, The Best Years of Our Lives. The film is about three WWII U.S. servicemen readjusting to civilian life and changes in their hometown.
One man lost both hands in combat, a role played by a disabled veteran. A second man dealt with what today would be called posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
During and after WWI, veterans who suffered trauma were described as “shellshocked.” The terms “combat fatigue,” “battle fatigue” and “psychiatric casualties” were used interchangeably during and after WWII.
Many veterans came home with disabilities. Numbers vary by source.
The War History Network website has high numbers for WWII PTSD alone. It states that 1,393,000 soldiers, sailors, and airmen were treated for combat fatigue in World War II. Longer and more sustained battles pushed some soldiers to the brink.
About 40 percent of all the medical
discharges in WWII were for psychiatric reasons, according to the network. More cases were reported in the South Pacific than in Europe. On Okinawa alone, 26,000 psychiatric casualties were documented.
The National WWII Museum in New Orleans provides detailed information on the mental stress and lasting impacts soldiers faced. It also describes how military attitudes toward mental health and PTSD changed.
“In past wars and in the opening days of WWII, the War Department believed that soldiers suffering from combat fatigue had an underlying, pre-existing mental condition,” the website stated. Inductees were screened and sometimes rejected for service if it was believed they had the potential to have a mental health crisis during combat. The category of military discharge employed by the armed forces used for servicemembers judged mentally unfit for service was called a Section 8.
That attitude changed as the war went on, especially after the 1943 Guadalcanal Campaign. The museum website stated, “More than 500 Marines returning from Guadalcanal were treated for symptoms such
as tremors, sensitivity to loud noises and periods of amnesia—the condition was termed ‘Guadalcanal Disorder.’”
It’s shocking to realize today how soldiers were treated in the face of combat, and in the name of returning to duty as quickly as possible. Psychologically traumatized men were evacuated to aid stations just to the rear of the frontlines. A dose of the barbiturate sodium amytal induced a deep sleep for a period of up to 48 hours. That was followed by a hot meal, a shower, a clean uniform and a medical evaluation. Between 50 to 70 percent of such cases were returned to combat within three days.
While many combat veterans were able to recover, others carried the impacts of war home. As some WWII veterans aged beyond retirement, VA treatment centers saw a large influx of those veterans seeking treatment for PTSD in the 1990s.
Learn more about the museum at https:// www.nationalww2museum.org/
Learn more about the history network at https://warhistorynetwork.com/
for a press conference and rally to demand an end to harmful cuts to essential disability services. The message was that our lifelines ensure dignity, independence, and survival for thousands of people with disabilities. Stop balancing budgets on our backs.
A key message was that we disabled Minnesotans are getting the clear message that corporate interests are being prioritized while the rights and needs of people with disabilities are pushed aside. This is so wrong. But was anyone listening?
Yet this has been a session that has felt backwards at times. Look at the notion of seclusion rooms in schools, a measure all too often used for students with disabilities.
In 2023, state lawmakers prohibited the use of seclusion through third grade. That measure began in September 2024. That’s progress, right? Yet less than a year in, that change is threatened. The Senate passed an education bill that included expanded use of seclusion rooms as part of the education bill. The change would allow use of the rooms for any students, but would require parental permission up to sixth grade.
To hear seclusion rooms described as a measure of last resort in testimony was discouraging. For too many students, such a measure has felt like being in a jail cell.
Yet here we have been in 2025, rolling back gain after gain. State lawmakers’ inability to get their work done on time and backtrack on our needs hurts us all.
The History Note is a monthly column produced in cooperation with the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Past History Notes and other disability history may be found at www.mnddc.org
EDITORIAL: Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/ publisher of Access Press.
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‘Brain fog’ impacts linked to Long COVID are focus on latest studies
Living with debilitating Long COVID may mean adjusting to the challenges of what is often called “brain fog,” an inability to think clearly. People may become forgetful and cannot focus their attention.
For people who didn’t have disabilities before developing Long COVID, brain fog can be debilitating. For people with pre-existing disabilities, it can be more serious.
Estimates of how many adults have been affected by “brain fog” vary. Yale Medicine published a report in 2024 that about 7 percent of adults in the United States, or about 17 million people, reported having Long COVID. This was based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In another study of people with Long COVID, close to half reported having poor memory or brain fog.
While brain fog can go away, it can change lives. Some people find they have had to switch jobs or retire.
A newly released study by Michigan State University and Corewell Health provides more insights. It is the first to compare inflammation and stress responses in Long COVID patients with individuals who have fully recovered.
The study shows that those with continued brain fog and other cognitive issues have higher levels of stress hormones and inflammatory markers in their brains.
Here’s an excerpt from the MSU website: Up until now, physicians have found it difficult to understand why certain patients develop post-COVID cognitive symptoms while others do not. Recent studies estimate tens of millions of people worldwide still have not recovered from the COVID infection, even five years later.
The study is the work of lead author Michael Lawrence, PhD, neuropsychologist at Corewell Health, and MSU College of Human Medicine coauthors Bengt Arnetz, MD, PhD, Judith Arnetz, PhD, MPH, both professors emerita in the Department of Family Medicine, and Scott Counts, PhD, associate professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Translational Neuroscience.
“We compared our Long COVID participants to our healthy, fully recovered control group based on neurocognitive measures, emotional functioning, measures of quality of life as well as specific changes in blood markers assessing stress response,” said Lawrence. “To our knowledge, this is the first well-controlled study that shows specific selfreported neurocognitive and central nervous systems changes in Long COVID patients which validates the symptoms they’ve been experiencing.”
The pilot study included 17 confirmed COVID patients (10 with Long COVID and seven who were fully recovered with no lingering symptoms) and found the following:
Serum levels of nerve growth factor, a biomarker of the brain’s ability to change and adapt by forming new connections, were significantly lower in the Long COVID group. This group was also more likely to have higher serum levels of interleukin (IL)-10, a marker of inflammation.
While there was virtually no difference
between groups related to neuropsychological test outcomes, Long COVID participants did score significantly lower on letter fluency, meaning they had more difficulty with quickly and accurately accessing language centers in the brain and producing words beginning with various letters.
The Long COVID group also had significantly lower than healthy controls on quality of life, physical health, emotional functioning and psychological well-being responses.
“Although this is a smaller study and more work needs to be done, from a clinical application standpoint, physicians potentially can identify individuals who are struggling sooner and provide wrap-around care that could be helpful to them,” said Judith Arnetz.
According to the study authors, the struggle physicians have with identifying Long COVID patients is that when asked to complete various written diagnostic tests, they tend to look normal.
“These patients experience significant frustration, and their symptoms often may
be minimized by friends, family and even the medical community,” Lawrence said.
“It’s tough when everything looks normal on paper, but our patients continue to struggle and report a multitude of difficulties.”
Arnetz agreed and indicated that physicians might want to take a multidisciplinary approach to care and assess inflammatory and brain biomarkers, which could ultimately offer a better path forward in treating patients with Long COVID.
“Additional services such as speech therapy, psychotherapy for stress reduction and incorporating medications that target fatigue and mental fogginess could all be elements of creating a successful treatment plan as well,”
The story was initially published in Corewell Health. Read more at https://tinyurl.
Access Press provides coverage of COVID issues with support from the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL). Learn more about MCIL at https://mcil-mn.org/
This activity is made possible by a grant from the Long COVID Program of the Minnesota Department of Health.
FROM OUR COMMUNITY
Harmful cuts to an array of federal programs would affect basic needs for many
by Minnesota Budget Project Director
Nan Madden:
The Minnesota Budget Project is alarmed by the large and harmful funding cuts being considered by U.S. House committees that would dramatically cut essential public services and increase hardship in our communities.
The provisions being debated as part of the federal budget reconciliation process would make deep cuts to basic needs services while extending large tax cuts that would primarily benefit high-income Americans.
Minnesota’s representatives in Congress should reject any federal budget and tax package that cuts health care, food assistance, and other public services that help ensure every-day Minnesotans can build the lives they want for themselves and their families.
In particular, we are deeply concerned about the following threats to Minnesotans’ ability to meet their basic needs:
Cuts to Medicaid would put the health and financial well-being of more than one million
In a leaked budget memo from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there was a proposal to eliminate the Administration on Community Living and defund the national network of support created by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) in 1970. That network of support created a triad of programs: University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Developmental Disabilities Councils, and Protection & Advocacy systems. In Minnesota, those roles are fulfilled by the Institute on Community Integration, the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Minnesota Disability Law Center, respectively.
The loss of this funding would be devastating. Faced with budget cuts, some states are already taking steps backwards towards institutionalizing people with disabilities. The P&A system was created after the public learned of horrific conditions in state institutions. People were beaten, restrained, ignored, malnourished, denied medications, and kept in inhumane conditions. P&As were the nation's promise: never again. The designated P&A organization is often the only organization with legal authority to enter institutions (mental health facilities,
Minnesotans, as well as our health care system, at risk. Through Medicaid, people with disabilities, older adults, children, families, and low-income individuals in our communities can get the medical care they need. Neither states, health care providers, nonprofits, nor families could make up the difference from the deep cuts being proposed. Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutrition services would mean more Minnesotans would go hungry and pay more when buying their groceries. SNAP reduces health care costs, improves educational outcomes for children, and boosts local economies, especially during economic downturns. Food shelves cannot make up the difference – for every meal they provide, SNAP offers nine.
Proposals that block our refugee and immigrant neighbors from accessing basic needs services would create hardship and weaken our communities. People with the courage and tenacity to move to this country
jails, nursing homes) unannounced, talk to residents, and see conditions firsthand. This access has led to the discovery and prevention of physical abuse, medical neglect, sexual assault, and preventable deaths. Without this access, the abuse will continue, unreported and unchallenged. Without P&A systems, people will die.
In Minnesota, the triad of programs that support the DD Act serve thousands of persons with disabilities each year are:
• The Institute on Community Integration conducts groundbreaking research, delivers statewide and national training, and translates that knowledge into real-world improvement across education, healthcare, employment, and community living. From improving early autism diagnosis in rural areas to developing inclusive education practice, building a stronger disability workforce, and helping young people with disabilities transition to adulthood, ICI drives measurable outcomes that directly improve lives.
• The Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities is a powerful driver of inclusion, equity, and opportunity. The Council provides training, education, and advocacy that empowers people with developmental disabilities and their families, fulfilling federal
IN MEMORIAM
Gonnella a dedicated leader
Pamela Gayle Sagvold Gonnella was a caregiver who became an outspoken and effective advocate for people with disabilities. Gonella died this spring from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. She was 73 and lived in Rosemount.
Raised in Richfield, Gonnella pursued her education at the University of Minnesota, the University of Chicago, and William Mitchell College of Law. Her legal career was diverted by the severe brain damage her daughter Sarah suffered from viral encephalitis. Sarah was just five years old when she became ill. Gonnella took care of her daughter at home for 25 years, with the help of personal care attendants, including honorary aunts, Mary Dwire and Atsede Biru.
Sarah's illness introduced her mother to the disability community. Gonnella used her advocacy skills at the state capitol and in Washington D.C. on behalf of people with disabilities and those who care for them. She served on the boards of Arc Minnesota (as president from 2004 to 2005) and of Living Well Disability Services.
Gonnella received several awards for her advocacy, including honors as Hero of The Arc and Tip of the Spear from MOHR.
She is survived by her husband Joe, daughter Sarah, two sons and their families, and two sisters. Services have been held. Memorials preferred to Arc Minnesota or Living Well Disability Services.
for a better life for themselves and their families would bear the brunt of many of the budget plan’s proposals. Immigrants play a vital role in our economy and strengthen communities in every part of Minnesota. We also are deeply concerned that it appears that funding cuts outlined in budget plans would be used to fund a broad program of mass deportation and detention.
These and other harmful budget cuts would be used to pay for tax cuts that give the biggest benefits to the most fortunate. Preliminary information about the tax legislation indicates it largely extends the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which provides the biggest tax cuts to high-income households. The tax plan’s provisions to increase the Child Tax Credit leave out the approximately 17 million American low-income kids who only qualify for a smaller credit, and takes away the CTC from 4.5 million U.S. citizen and legal resident children. We ask our Congressional delegation to focus on everyday Minnesotans in tax policy decisions, rather than expensive,
goals of capacity building and systems change.
• The Minnesota Disability Law Center, in addition to doing the Protection & Advocacy work described earlier, provides legal representation for more than 1,000 people with disabilities a year and reaches many more through education and systems change efforts.
The DD Act has been transformative. It has helped move our country away from institutionalization and toward systems that prioritize community, independence, and self-determination. DD councils drive policies that support individuals in homes, schools, and workplaces. UCEDDS bridge research and real-world practice, training professionals and families alike. P&As defend civil rights and protect against abuse. Together, they form an efficient, coordinated infrastructure that coordinates research, advocacy, education, and training, and policy at every level of society. Economically, DD Act funding is a small
For
large tax cuts for the wealthiest. We urge our Minnesota members of Congress to instead take a different path. They should put everyday Minnesotans first by protecting and strengthening basic needs services that our families and neighbors count on to get by, and ensure the country has the revenues needed to fund crucial public services that contribute to thriving communities in every corner of our state. The Minnesota Budget Project combines sound research and analysis with advocacy, engagement, and communications strategies to enact policy change toward a more just and equitable Minnesota. Established more than 25 years ago, it is a nonpartisan project of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. Its work is centered on equitable and just public policies so that all Minnesotans have what they need to pursue full and free lives. It focuses primarily on tax, budget, and economic policies, including work with the This is Medicaid coalition.
investment. Supporting people to live and work in the community reduces costly institutional care, strengthens local economies, and reduces costly crises. Dismantling this system would be wasteful and ineffective, forcing states to rebuild fragmented efforts that cost more and deliver less. We ask you to stand with the disability community in Minnesota and oppose cuts to DD Act funding.
The letter was sent to Minnesota’s Congressional delegation and was signed by Jennifer Purrington, Legal Director/Deputy Minnesota Disability Law Center; Colleen Wieck, Ph.D., Executive Director Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities; and Amy Hewitt, Ph.D., Director Institute on Community Integration. The Arc Minnesota, Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM), Fraser and Multi-Cultural Autism Action Network (MAAN) also signed the letter.
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FROM OUR COMMUNITY
Celebrate Access Press and the Americans with Disabilities Act
The July issue of Access Press will mark two significant milestones: the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the 35th year of dedicated service by Access Press. We note these momentous occasions by saying that now more than ever, Access Press and the disability rights movement need your support.
Access Press has faced numerous challenges throughout its history. We have weathered the storm of the pandemic, and endured the loss of our longtime executive director. Our existence as a vital news source is at risk.
We as a disability community now face threats to the civil rights that so many have tirelessly worked to secure.
We want to celebrate milestones and to continue the news coverage and advocacy work of Access Press. We invite you to help us celebrate by participating in the following ways: Tell Your Story
We are seeking essays that reflect on what the ADA or Access Press means to you. Selected essays will be published online throughout July, with a few featured in our print edition on
July 1, 2025. Submissions can be sent to Editor Jane McClure at jane@accesspress.org. should be up to 550 words.
Show Appreciation
Purchase a classified ad at the special rate of 35 words (210 characters) for $35. This twofor-one offer will feature your sentiments in both the print edition and online for the entire month of July 2025. You can also add a logo or photograph for an additional $198 to make your entry stand out. Celebrate with us, honor someone special, and show your support. Contact Rhett Lundgren, Advertising Sales, at 651-644-2134 x2 or rhettl@accesspress.org place an order. Deadline is June 10, 2025.
Thank you for your continued support of Access Press and Minnesota’s disability community we serve. Celebrate 35 years of news and of the ADA with us.
Together, we can celebrate our past achievements and look forward to a future of continued progress.
Jane Larson, Board President
PEOPLE & PLACES
Schmidt leaves Disability Law Center
Steven Schmidt has left the Minnesota Disability Law Center, and taken a post as senior attorney with the National Health Law Program’s (NHeLP) North Carolina office. Schmidt is part of NHeLP’s litigation and enforcement team, working in the courts to protect and advance the health rights of low income and underserved individuals. He worked for more than a decade at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s Minnesota Disability Law Center, where he represented people with disabilities in numerous cases under the Medicaid Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act and Fair Housing Act. His work included two Olmstead class actions against the State of Minnesota, which sought to expand access to home community-based services and
TRANSITIONS
From page 1
legislature, her strategic partnerships across sectors, and her tireless work to create culturally responsive, person-centered care have set the gold standard for mental health advocacy.”
Abderholden’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Health Equity Award from the Minneapolis Health Department, the Distinguished Citizen Award from Macalester College, the National NAMI Rona and Ken Purdy Award to End Discrimination, and repeated honors as one of Minnesota Physician magazine’s “100 Most Influential Health Care Leaders.”
Abderholden said, “It has been the honor of a lifetime to be part of this movement. The people who courageously shared their stories, the families who organized for change, and the advocates who never gave up — they are the reason for our success. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside so many incredible individuals to help build a better, more compassionate mental health system for Minnesota.”
The NAMI Minnesota Board of Directors will launch a leadership transition process. A succession committee was formed to oversee a thoughtful and smooth transition and has retained the executive search firm Ballinger | Leafblad.
Upstream Arts
The Guidrys call the winding down of Upstream Arts bittersweet. They were inspired to launch Upstream Arts after witnessing and continuing to experience the positive impact of the arts on their son Caleb. Upstream Arts has long advanced its core missional aim to “Use the power of the creative arts to activate and amplify the voice and choice of individuals with disabilities.”
The nonprofit organization utilizes a multidisciplinary arts curriculum to support social and emotional learning of people with disabilities, primarily within school and adult-day-program settings.
A chief consideration to sunset the organization in the coming fiscal year
ensure that individuals received services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.
He also worked on numerous policy matters that strengthened protections for Medicaid recipients, and provided education and training on a variety of disabilityrelated legal issues.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota.
Reach for Resources award winners
Reach for Resources has announced its annual award winners. The Minnetonkabased nonprofit helps people with disabilities live, work and play more independently.
Core Value Champion of the Year is Cassie Keller, who is currently Reach’s director of
pertains to significant funding declines in recent years, which are projected to continue in an unprecedented and unpredictable manner. Upstream Arts exists at the intersection of arts, disability, and education, three sectors which have historically been under-resourced, and all of which have experienced additional disinvestment from the beginning of the pandemic through present times.
The plans to sunset the organization are made in a manner that aligns with the organization’s values. “We have served into the right to end well, and in a way that gives the organization the best chance to care for our employees, partners, and the community that has allowed Upstream Arts to foster a sense of belonging among the estimated 25,000 folks we have served,” said Julie Guidry, cofounder and executive director.
It has engaged with an estimated 25,000 people for more than 195,000 hours through the multidisciplinary artistic gifts of more than 200 teaching artists.
“The beauty and power in the work that Upstream Arts has the privilege of activating continues to be rooted in the belief that every person is wonderfully complex, capable of a full range of emotional experiences and expressions, and deserving of access to every facet of life. We are driven by our mission to serve as a reminder that this truth should not exclude those with a disability as part of their identity,” said Matt Guidry, co-founder and artistic director.
Upstream Arts’ legacy includes diverse classes, programs and services including hundreds of residencies from across its Art of Social Skills to the Art of Relationships to its first Self-Advocacy Class that launched in 2021. Its work has continually challenged limited narratives around disability and championed a vision to change mindsets regarding ability and disability.
Upstream Arts will complete its last season of programming by December 2025. Its final six months will be spent taking steps to determine ways its artistic assets can continue to serve the disability community while completing the necessary steps to sunset a nonprofit in Minnesota. A celebration is planned for fall.
community living. She continually asks, “What can we do to make this better?” Keller has developed training materials, provided unwavering support to staff, reexamined practices, guided the nonprofit through Department of Human Services policy changes, and brought joy to events like the Bowl-A-Thon.
Impact Supporter of the Year is Jan Sanner, a mother of two and former Reach board member. Sanner has been a dedicated supporter for many years. She first discovered Reach while seeking inclusive activities for her son, Craig, who has since thrived in programs like adaptive sports, dances, and community events. Inspired by the positive impact on Craig, Jan and her husband became committed donors, helping expand opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Reach Star of the Year is Emily Reimer.
who in 2024 took part in an incredible 90 adaptive recreation programs. With her bright smile and friendly personality, she’s always bringing people together and making every event and program more enjoyable. She is also a dedicated self-advocate, serving on the advocacy committee to help create positive change in the community.
Volunteer of the Year is David Brown, who has dedicated more than 200 hours to supporting the finance and administration teams since joining Reach in December 2023. As a CPA nearing retirement, he saw volunteering as a meaningful way to give back, especially with a personal connection to Reach through his nephew. His expertise has been invaluable in easing the administrative workload. He’s also an active participant in community events like the Reach Golf Tournament.
Tim Benjamin, longtime executive director o f Access Press, ponders the "disability" entrance.
PEOPLE AND PLACES
High-flying Dakota United Hawks win two adapted softball crowns
As baseball legend Yogi Berra would say, it was déjà vu all over again. The 2025 Minnesota State High School League Adapted Softball Tournament saw the Dakota United Hawks repeat as CI and PI division champions.
Last year’s double title win was a first for the state’s adapted prep softball program, which began in 1994.
The tournament was held May 16-17 at Chanhassen High School. Sixteen teams competed in the two divisions. PI Division
The Dakota United Hawks PI team has won 61 games in a row after clinching a fourth consecutive title. The top-seeded Hawks defeated second-seeded Rochester 14-4 in four innings in the championship game.
This was the second time the two teams met this season. The Hawks won the first game 14-4.
“To say I’m proud of what our team has been able to do over a span of seven seasons would be an understatement,” said Dakota United head coach Brett Kosidowski after the title game.
“The ability to have turned over our team numerous times from one group of amazing kids to the next is a direct reflection of District 196’s ongoing support of our adapted athletics programs. We are grateful to be part of a community that truly believes in the potential of all athletes, no matter what their abilities may be.”
In addition to the past four years, Dakota United also won in 2006, 2008, 2016 and 2020. The Hawks marched to this year’s title game with wins over St. Paul Humboldt and Minneapolis South. The win over Humboldt was 15-0 in five innings.
While Dakota United won its fifth
consecutive PI title, it is still short of a record. Which program holds that mark?
Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka won six in a row from 2009 through 2014.
The third place title went to the Osseo Orioles, with a 14-6 win over the Tigers of Minneapolis South. This was the second consecutive fourth-place showing for Tigers. The Orioles went home with consolation honors in 2024.
In the consolation final, South Suburban Flyers topped Anoka-Hennepin Mustangs, 13-10.
The eighth team in the tournament was Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka.
PI Division All-Tournament teams members are Cayden Needham, Reece Martin and Will Warder, Dakota United; Andrew Westerman, Braxton Small and Cooper Morrissey, Rochester; Evan Bartlett and Badou Sowe, Osseo; Mariah Artis and Eliseo Sanchez-Piedra, Minneapolis South; Jasir Morgan, South Suburban and Maci Mauch, Anoka-Hennepin.
CI Division
Dakota United topped New Prague 4-2 in the title game, breaking through with back-toback home runs in the fourth inning to go up 3-0. The Hawks also got out of a bases-loaded
jam in the fifth inning when they caught a fly ball to centerfield and doubled up a New Prague runner. Both teams played stellar defense the entire game with strong fielding and catching.
The Hawks began their run with a 15-4 quarterfinal victory over South Suburban, in five innings, and then defeated South Washington County to get to the finals.
The Hawks’ win was a bit of a payback. New Prague, which placed third in the 2024 tournament, defeated Dakota United 11-8 in the season opener for both teams.
For third place, the Blazing Cats of Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville downed South Washington County, 9-8. These teams met earlier in the season, with the Cats winning with the identical score of 9-8.
Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville went home with runner-up honors last year.
The consolation crown went to the Chaska/ Chanhassen/Prior Lake/Shakopee Southern Stars, with a 16-4 win over Osseo.
The eighth team in the tournament was St. Cloud Area.
CI Division All-Tournament Team members are Makai Smith, Henry Eisele and Colin Price, Dakota United; Logan Bermel, Nikos Parrin and Trystan Segar, New Prague; Zahven Kotzlan and Laynie Quitus, Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville; Logan Curtis and Brett Wedan, South Washington; Dylan Noaman, Chaska/Chanhassen/Prior Lake/Shakopee and Dylan O'Hotto, Osseo.
The CI division is for students with cognitive disabilities.
The final state tournament of the 2024-2025 academic year is track and field, June 10-12 at St. Michael-Albertville High School.
Top prep bowlers strike gold in three divisions at adapted state tournament
The Minnesota State High School League’s Adapted Bowling Tournament ended with gold medals awarded to athletes from 10 programs. The tournament featured three divisions with four competitions each. Winona bowlers had a great day, winning two team titles. The tournament also featured many new champions. Thirty-nine programs from around Minnesota had bowlers competing. This year’s tournament was May 9 at Bowlero in Brooklyn Park.
The ASD Division is for athletes on the autism spectrum. Hayfield/Zumbro Education District sophomore Glen Hiel totaled 481 pins to earn the boys’ singles gold medal. St. Peter/ LeSueur Henderson’s Connor Mugaas placed second at 446. Goodhue County's Ethan Sindt and Monticello's Braydon Onchuck tied for the bronze with scores of 432.
Anoka-Hennepin senior Kaleigh Knutson earned the girls’ singles’ gold medal with 434 total pins. Zimmerman's Lydia Reimann (425) and Julia Hollerich of Mankato East (424) were awarded the silver and bronze medals.
In doubles, St. Michael-Albertville (STMA) duos were on the medal stand, including champions Matthew Centko and Waseezm Ezzaid with a score of 890. Zimmerman's Daniel Anderson and Lydia Reimann (880) were runners-up. STMA’s Brody Hochstetler and Noah Jensen (877) tied for third with Walter Johnson and Michael Sauter of Dassel-Cokato. Simley's Rafe Sporer, Mari Burggraf, Tristan Moy and Theo Skar combined for a score of 1,697 to win the team ASD title. Fridley was second and Alexandria third. The CI Division is for athletes with cognitive disabilities. Another Hayfield/Zumbro athlete,
ninth-grader Corbin Hiel, finished first with a score of 485. St. Paul Humboldt's Dylan Feesl (471) and Simley's Donovan Gallahue (464) were second and third.
In girls’ singles, with a score of 463, Zimmerman eighth-grader Jordyn Gendreau captured the state title. Anoka-Hennepin's Chloe Bosley earned the silver medal with 453 total pins. STMA’s Kara Vetsch (449) was third. Tartan's Eduardo Arce Mercado and Octavio Arce Mercado claimed the state CI doubles’ championship with a score of 917. Minneapolis Roosevelt's Eliseo SanchezPiedra and Mariah Artis scored 890 for silver medals. Singles runner-up Dylan Feesl paired with St. Paul Humboldt teammate Adrian Cornely for bronze, totaling 870.
Winona totaled 1,743 to top the team standings with Beckett Bergstrom, Malachi Kelly, Jasen Kosidowski-Jaskola and Rebecca Schneider. Zimmerman was the runnerup, while Mankato East had the third-place team. Zimmerman teams placed second and third last year.
The PI Division is for students with physical disabilities. New London-Spicer senior
Vaughn Hanson claimed the boys’ singles title with a score of 487. Winona’s Easton Gudmundson finished second. Albany's Andre Robinson was the bronze medalist.
The girls’ singles competition featured a one-two finish for St. Paul Humboldt, as seventh-grader De'Liyah Goines won the gold medal with a score of 473. McKenzie Green was the silver medalist with 445. Austin's Diana M. Hernandez (443) and Sydney Lange (437) followed in third and fourth.
A North High-North St. Paul duo earned the doubles title for the third year in a row, this time Omolola Akindele and Addison Cuffe with a score of 970. Teammates Rosaria Valles and Tashayanna Collins — both past gold medalists — received the bronze with a score of 912. Tartan's Eh Hser Gay and Samy Abaciry scored 935 for the silver. Gay was part of the 2024 championship team.
Winona added to its hardware with the top PI team. Gudmundson, Windley-Daoust, Ailayah Mueller and Julian Winn produced a score of 1,792. Tartan took second. Four North High-North St. Paul doubles medalists teamed up for third.
Medals are given to the top 10 in each of the singles and doubles categories. See all of the results at https://www.mshsl.org/2025adapted-bowling-results
A bowler in the ASD division focused before letting the ball fly.
SMUGMUG
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Disability-focused projects are among those awarded MRAC funding
The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) has announced two sets of grantees. Some projects will serve people with disabilities and elders in the seven-county metropolitan area.
Flexible Support grantees for 2025 include several disability and elder-focused projects.
Anoka County has two grantees with a disability focus. Northern Starz Theatre Company will pilot a program for the very young with special needs to foster social skills, self-expression and confidence on and off the stage. Rise, Incorporated will create an accessible clay arts program for adults with disabilities to foster self-expression.
Carver County has one disability-focused project. Drama Interaction will establish new relationships and providing artistic resources to adults with special needs.
Hennepin County has several projects. Alive & Kickin will present 15 community concerts by the Seniors Rock Ensemble, with community sing-alongs for adults with all abilities.
Breanna’s Gift will present arts programming for seriously ill, hospital-bound children, providing support for their overall physical/mental health, quality of life and healing.
DisabiliTease Festival will present its 2025 festival, showcasing disabled burlesque, drag, cirque and cabaret performers.
MNprov will host a series of free improv classes for neurodivergent adults at Twin Cities community centers.
Partnership Resources Inc. will expand arts access for individuals with disabilities by increasing self-advocacy skills.
Reach for Resources will offer inclusive and person-centered music therapy to individuals with developmental, mental health and physical disabilities.
Silicate Arts LLC will create opportunities for lower-income, older and/or disabled adults living in congregate housing to experience creativity and community through working in clay.
Speaking Out Collective will help parents and young children understand mental health
disorders through interactive puppet shows performed by high school volunteers.
Really Spicy Opera will commission seven new 12-minute operas with performances at senior centers and nursing homes.
The Urban Spectrum Theatre Company will develop a strong working structure to enhance its ability to present shows in a changing environment.
Z Puppets Rosenschnoz will present a glowin-the-dark performance of cell division at Pillsbury House Theater. Improvisational vocalists will be featured.
Ramsey County has more than half a dozen grantees. Amherst H. Wilder Foundation will support arts access for older adults and people with disabilities to engage with clay, mixed
media, painting and musical experiences.
Collide Theatrical Dance Company will present school performances with a mental health education focus to metro-area middle school students.
Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota will host a two-week film media intensive for teens and adults with Down syndrome, including storyboarding, acting and a final
sing-along group with older adults living with disabilities and chronic health conditions.
Women’s Drum Center will develop an accessible drumming program for seniors in residential settings.
Scott County has one funded project. Generations Theatre Company will present a summer musical performed by youth ages 8–18, and a smaller jukebox show presented at nursing homes and memory care facilities.
MRAC has also announced its Arts Impact for Individuals grantees for 2025.
In Carver County, Anne Krocak will provide a 12-week series of art experiences in multiple mediums for adults with mental health issues. The project will end with a traveling art show in Carver County Libraries.
In Hennepin County, Martha Bird will present basketry classes at Vail Communities to benefit people living with mental illness, culminating in a community celebration and reception.
Deborah Jiang-Stein will host writing workshops for people in recovery who have cognitive disabilities. The intent is to help build resilience and to experience the freedom of storytelling through writing and discussion.
Kathy McCurdy will support dance performances at care facilities by and for elders. This will include education, musical demonstrations and interactions between dancers and the audience.
In Ramsey County, Kira Bunkholt will develop and produce a short film about navigating mental illness and survival through therapy, spirituality, humor and self-reflection
Matt Jenson will create an interactive puppet show for autistic children, written by an autistic author and featuring autistic characters. Six community performances will be help.
Ellie Kidder will provide inclusive programs, workshops, and consultations to ensure deaf artists and communities have accessible and enriching arts opportunities. series for people who identify as BIPOC and persons with disabilities to collaborate on a sci-fi or fantasy story based on their lives,
Partnership Resources will use funding to expand options for working with clay.
Fight over accessible housing, modifications continues REGIONAL NEWS
A Maplewood family that is fighting eviction and the loss of numerous disability accommodations in their home goes back to court in June. Nikki Villavicencio Tollison and Darrell Paulsen return to Ramsey County District Court for a virtual hearing on June 5 before Judge Reynoldo Aligada.
Both are longtime disability rights advocates, and she is a member of the Maplewood City Council. Their family is in a dispute with landlord Layers Investment Group, which bought their fourplex last year.
The property owner took the family to court earlier this year and won a judgment ordering that they be evicted, claiming issues including lease violations. That has promoted protests outside of their Maplewood home.
The court later granted a stay on the eviction, allowing the family to stay while an appeal moves forward. An appeal of the
Group homes investigated
Three group homes in Crystal are now under investigation by the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Crystal Police Department, facing accusations of maltreatment and questions concerning potential fraud.
Crystal has 90 group homes in its city limits. Police say the ones run by Empathy Home Care get more police calls than the rest combined. Investigators from the Minnesota Department of Human Services visited Empathy Home Care in Crystal in May, after police raided the company's three group homes.
“It came to attention for us because we knew we were getting called back to the same residence for the same issues,” Assistant Crystal Police Chief Brian Hubbard told KARE 11 News.
Hubbard said their department, in a 14-month span, received 452 calls for service, which he said is an astronomical number.
"Clearly would suggest there is a problem there somewhere," he said.
Crystal Police have already been involved in maltreatment investigations. State records show two findings of maltreatment substantiated by the Health Department, including one in 2022 resulting in death. That case led to a wrongful death lawsuit which was settled.
On top of those cases, last July, Hubbard says officers responded to the group home on Colorado Avenue for a woman who overdosed. Police contend that the Empathy Home Care staff member working that night didn't even attempt CPR nor was trained in it.
Empathy Home Care CEO Fatou Jallow, in November, signed an agreement with the state Board of Executives for Long-term Services and Supports to cease and desist from being an assisted living director while she appeals maltreatment findings.
The latest investigation involves the Attorney General's Office, according to multiple search warrants filed publicly, after Crystal Police raised questions about billing for Empathy Home Care, which brings in about $6 million each year through Medicaid reimbursements.
"We believe that the company was billing for days when we know the individual wasn't there – either because they had been reported as missing or were in a hospital facility," Hubbard said.
Ramsey County District Court decision was filed with the Minnesota Court of Appeals May 2. They also filed a motion for a new trial. For now the matter remains in district court.
A May 8 motion stated several reasons for a new trial, including procedural errors in the termination of their lease and the serving of eviction documents. Another argument centered on the reasonable accommodation the family was granted by their previous landlord. The family has had more than $85,000 in various accommodations installed since moving into their home in 2018.
On May 22, the attorney for Layers Investment Group asked that the request to vacate the judgment and have a new trial be denied.
(Source: Access Press staff)
According to the search warrants, the death of Shaylah Brown is being reviewed by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office as possible criminal maltreatment.
Empathy owner Fatou Jallow refused to comment.
(Source: KARE 11 News)
Autism study involves brain scans
Brain scans may be able to detect autism in children as young as six months old, according to a first-of-its-kind study happening in Minnesota.
“It was a really remarkable finding,” said Dr. Meghan Swanson, neuroscientist at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
The Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain in Minneapolis is one of five sites participating in the nationwide Infant Brain Imaging Study.
“We were the first study to do brain imaging of babies that went on to be autistic. We were able to show how autism both emerges and develops in the brain,” Swanson explained.
The study began in 2006, recruiting babies who have older siblings with autism, as they are more likely to be diagnosed later on themselves as well.
The participants undergo MRI brain scans at six months, one year and two years old.
“We were able to show that we could identify autism in the brain of a six-monthold,” Swanson said. “That had never been seen before.”
The initial study spanned almost a decade and included about 400 babies and their families.
Swanson said teams of scientists took meticulous measurements from the brain scans in order to identify the biomarkers for autism.
“I can’t point to the brain and say, ‘This is where autism is in the brain.’ It was much more about how the whole brain was growing together. These babies that went on to be autistic had faster growing surface area and cortical thickness,” Swanson said.
Now, researchers are replicating the study with 250 more babies across the country.
“This round of the study is called the replication, and it’s really the gold standard in science. When you have studies of really high clinical importance, we do this to make sure the findings are going to hold in a new sample of participants before the results are brought out to the broader community,” Swanson said.
Psychologists working with children with autism believe early diagnosis can be a gamechanger.
“Early intervention can make a huge difference,” said Dr. Amy Esler, psychologist at the University of Minnesota Medical School. “The median age of diagnosis in Minnesota is after age four. I’m often seeing children later in childhood after they’ve had a period of development where a lot of difficulties have become really established.”
Esler said early intervention offers children critical help with speech and behavior.
“Things like aggression, things like selfinjury, if I could intervene on those things before they’re even two years of age, it’s much more likely that we can get them using other skills to replace those more challenging behaviors,” Esler said. “And by the time they’re eight, by the time they’re 16, we don’t see those behaviors anymore.”
(Source: KSTP-TV)
Infant screenings expanded
Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham has approved the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee’s recommendation to add metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) to the list of conditions for which Minnesota newborns are routinely screened.
The Minnesota Newborn Screening Program will be working toward implementation, which includes validating a test method and developing result and followup protocols. A start date for screening will be determined, likely in 2026.
MLD is a type of lysosomal disease, caused by an enzyme deficiency leading to a buildup of fats called sulfatides. This buildup causes damage to the brain and nervous system. Symptoms of MLD include not reaching developmental milestones, regression of skills and seizures. It can be fatal.
There is no cure for MLD, but early intervention can help manage symptoms and slow the progression. Gene therapy offers a promising approach for treating MLD. The Minnesota Newborn Screening program expects to identify approximately one baby each year with MLD, who will benefit from early interventions and life-changing outcomes because of newborn screening.
Minnesota has one of the most comprehensive newborn screening programs in the country. Since 1964, when Minnesota
started screening for PKU (phenylketonuria), all Minnesota newborns have had a blood sample sent to the Minnesota Department of Health for newborn screening unless their parents opted out. As scientific knowledge has advanced, Minnesota has expanded its newborn screening panel to help detect more than 60 conditions with beneficial interventions or treatment. Newborn screening can identify children affected with these conditions early and get them connected with the care they need to be as healthy as possible.
(Source: Minnesota Department of Health) County unveils outreach vehicle Ramsey County’s new mental health outreach vehicle will bring crucial mental health support, outreach, wellness resources and eventually telehealth services directly to neighborhoods throughout the county. County officials unveiled the new vehicle this spring, and held a contest to choose a name for it. It is promised as a welcoming space where residents can ask questions, learn about services and connect with knowledgeable mental health professionals.
“Our outreach vehicle is a mobile connection to care, support, and healing. We believe mental health services should meet people where they are, and this bus helps us reach communities across Ramsey County in an innovative way,” the county website stated. The vehicle rolls out at a time when mobile mental health services have changed in St. Paul. Last year the St. Paul Police Department ended its Community Outreach and Stabilization Unit, which began in 2018. The unit put behavioral health practitioners with police officers to assist with mental health and/or chemical dependency calls. The city plans to launch a new program this year.
A contest to name the new county vehicle was held in May. It provides mental health outreach and resources: Information and conversations about mental wellness. It Also provides access to county services: and information about programs and supports available , including adult mental health case management, urgent care, housing support and more. It will soon add telehealth appointments. virtual visits with mental health professionals in a private and supportive space on board the van.
(Source: Ramsey County)
Alley, Nikki Villavicencio Tollison and Darrell Paulsen
operations faced a shutdown.
Hundreds of people at the state capitol on May 21 to draw attention to the prospect of more than $1 billion in potential cuts over the next four years. The emergency rally was held two days after the regular session adjournment on May 19. Participants chanted “we are human” and demanded to know why so much would be taken from those who have the least.
Rep. Kim Hicks (DFL-Rochester) told the crowd that they needed to speak out to prevent potential destabilization of disability services. She said state lawmakers need top pay attention to people with disabilities and their caregivers, not corporations that profit off of the community.
“We will not be silenced by the people who want to balance the state budget on the backs of people with disabilities,” Hicks said to loud cheers.
A key focus of the rally was the potential for waiver cuts. About 130,000 Minnesotans receive some type of waiver services, Hicks said. Other speakers said it is essential for state lawmakers to know that cuts to disability services could have a greater fiscal impact in the long term.
“It is a crisis of priorities, it is a test of who we are as a people,” said Jillian Nelson of the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM). She has a waiver for services.
Special sessions to finalize state budgets aren’t unusual in Minnesota. In the past 25 years there have been eight such sessions. Two, in 2005 and 2011, resulted in state government shutdowns.
Without an agreement by June 1, Walz indicated that state officials would have to start sending out layoff notices. He and other leaders hope to avoid such an action.
One challenge Minnesota’s disability community has faced is how many asks were still pending as the regular session ended, tied up in policy and budget bills as the regular session ended.
One measure that did pass and get signed into law will expand housing protections for volunteers of assistance dog organizations to be able to train service dogs in homes managed by homeowners associations or HOAs.
Can Do Canines Executive Director Jeff Johnson and Emily Hedenland, lead trainer, appeared with assistance dogs in training Tucker, Bueller, Pearl and Novah before four different House and Senate committees.
SF1317, authored by Sen. Bonnie Westlin (DFL-Plymouth), and HF688, authored by Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), will prohibit HOAs from placing restrictions on volunteers of service dog organizations who are training service dogs. This will allow more volunteers to potentially host assistance dogs in their homes. The bill passed the House 114-15, and the Senate 60-2. The new law will take effect on August 1.
In a news release from the Minnesota House of Representatives, Frazier said, “Service dog training organizations like Can Do Canines depend on dedicated volunteers who open their homes to future assistance dogs. These volunteers play a crucial role in preparing these animals to transform the lives of people with disabilities. Unfortunately, many potential volunteers face housing restrictions that prevent them from participating in this vital work. I'm proud my legislation will build upon existing protections for service dogs by extending them to service dogs in training, enabling accredited organizations throughout Minnesota to expand their volunteer base and ultimately serve more individuals in need. By removing these barriers, we can ensure that more lives will be changed through the remarkable human-canine partnerships that assistance dogs make possible.”
Federal cuts take a toll
Federal cuts continue to take a toll on and impact decisions made at the state and local levels. A huge tax and spending bill championed by U.S. House Republicans and President Donald Trump would pass about $14 billion per year in costs to states. Those would including costs affecting Americans with disabilities.
The bill passed the House, 215-214, May 22. It goes to the Senate.
The impacts are staggering. Critics contend it provides tax breaks for the wealthy, on the backs of people who are disabled and low-income.
Trump has described the bill as ‘‘big, beautiful.’’ But for many people, it is anything but that.
The deadline on Senate passage is July 4, ahead of a potential debt default.
More than $1 trillion in spending reductions in the House package target Medicaid, food stamps and other programs.
One huge sticking point is more stringent work requirements for older Medicaid recipients. Those make up much of the bill’s $700 billion savings from the program.
While Trump has said he doesn’t want Medicaid cuts, he has also spoken in support of the House bill.
Some senators have raised red flags about the House bill’s impacts on everything from rural hospitals to increased health care costs and co-pays.
Another issue is how costs such as food stamps would be shifted to the states. One estimate is that it would result in more than 3 million people losing food assistance in a typical month.
Advocates note that the country’s system of services and supports for low-income and disabled people is already in a precarious state. Not only is Medicaid targeted for work requirements, three would also be more frequent eligibility checks.
The Congressional Budget Office released an estimate that changes called for in the bill would lead to a $698 billion decrease in federal Medicaid subsidies between 2026 and 2034.
The savings, cited by supporters as helping to end fraud and abuse, are seen as helping to pay for extension of tax cuts from Trump’s first term and for his other priorities.
“No matter what some Congressional leaders repeatedly deny, this budget contains some of the largest cuts to Medicaid in history,” said Nicole Jorwic, chief program officer at Caring Across Generations, an organization advocating for caregivers and people who rely on them. Jorwic was quoted in a Disability Scoop article “This will impact disability service systems. Providers will close, wages will go down for an already underpaid (direct support professional) workforce, and disabled people will be at risk of losing their coverage if they don’t break
through red tape and jump through the hoops being created by eligibility checks and work requirements.”
“Community-based services for people with disabilities are not federally mandated and are especially vulnerable to Medicaid funding reductions at the state level,” said Elise Aguilar, senior director of federal relations at the American Network of Community Options and Resources, or ANCOR, told Disability Scoop. ANCOR represents disability service providers across the nation. “Historically, when states face Medicaid funding shortfalls, non-mandatory services like home and community-based services are among the first to be scaled back,
restricting access to essential supports people with disabilities need to live, work and thrive in their communities.”
What could happen to waiver services also comes into play. There are estimates that more than 700,000 people are on waiting lists for Medicaid waivers.
Lydia Nunez Landry with the disability rights group ADAPT said that waiting lists will only increase under the House bill forcing people with disabilities into institutions.
“The cuts are draconian and will have a catastrophic impact on people with disabilities, older Americans, children and poor people,” Nunez Landry told Disability Scoop. “Disabled people will be socially removed into institutions and die.”
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The capitol rotunda was packed for the May 21 rally
RADIO TALKING BOOK
Enjoy Radio Talking Book
For June, 22 new books will premiere. Radio Talking Book is not just for listeners with visual disabilities. Anyone with difficulty reading or turning pages can enjoy the service.
Radio Talking Book schedules can be emailed. Sign up at tinyurl.com/RTBemail. If email is preferred over other formats, sign up and also contact Ronnie Washington at 651539-1424 or SSB. Equipment@state.mn.us to indicate what version is desired.
The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Listen to RTB’s live or archived programs online at www.mnssb. org/rtb, and learn more about programs.
Hear programming on a hand-held mobile device, for either iOS or Android. Visit the Apple App Store for iOS, or Google Play for Android, and download the Minnesota Radio Talking Book app.
Missed a book broadcast? Access it for one week following its original broadcast in the online weekly program archive.
For help accessing the archive, contact Ronnie Washington at 651-539-1424 or SSB. Equipment@state.mn.us.
If the book’s broadcast is no longer available in the archive, contact staff librarian Molly McGilp at 651.539.1422 or Molly. McGilp@state.mn.us
Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available for loan through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The catalog is at www.mnbtbl.org. Call 800-722-0550, MonFri, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. CST.
Updates are also on the Facebook site Minnesota Radio Talking Book.
Audio information about the daily book listings is on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424. The NFBNEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers. To learn more, visit www.nfb.org/programsservices/nfb-newsline or call 612-562-7803.
Staff welcomes any feedback. Contact Joseph Papke at 651-539-2316 or joseph. papke@state.mn.us. Contact Tom Conry at 651-642-0880 or thomas.conry@state. mn.us with comments about periodicals and newspapers programming.
Chautauqua*
Monday – Friday 6 a.m.
The Singularity Is Nearer, nonfiction by Ray Kurzweil, 2024. The noted inventor and futurist explores how technology will transform the human race in the decades to come. Read by Carl Voss. 12 broadcasts;
begins Mon, June 2.
The Ancient Art of Thinking For Yourself, nonfiction by Robin Reames, 2024. How rhetoric—the art of persuasion—can help us navigate an age of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and political acrimony. Read by Judy Woodward. 10 broadcasts; begins Wed, June 18. – L
Past is Prologue*
Monday – Friday 11 a.m.
The Great River, nonfiction by Boyce Upholt, 2024. A sweeping history of the Mississippi River―and the centuries of human meddling that have transformed both it and America. Read by Dan Sadoff. 11 broadcasts; begins Wed, June 11. – L, R
The Situation Room, nonfiction by George Stephanopoulos, 2024. A recounting of the history-making crises from the place where 12 presidents made their highestpressure decisions: the White House Situation Room. Read by Pat Ocken. 11 broadcasts; begins Thu, June 26. – L
Bookworm*
Monday – Friday 12 p.m.
Leaving, fiction by Roxana Robinson, 2024. Forty years after their breakup, lovers run into each other at intermission in the opera house, and nothing will ever be the same. Read by Cintra Godfrey. 14 broadcasts; begins Tue, June 10. – S
Negative Space, fiction by Gillian Linden, 2024. A young mother navigates the instabilities of teaching, parenting and marriage in the wake of the pandemic. Read by Jodi Lindskog. Five broadcasts; begins Mon, June 30.
The Writer’s Voice*
Monday – Friday 1 p.m.
My Beloved Monster, nonfiction by Caleb Carr, 2024. A bestselling author tells the extraordinary story of Masha, a half-wild rescue cat who bonded with him as tightly as any cat and human possibly can. Read by Jill Wolf. 12 broadcasts; begins Mon, June 9.
Byron: A Life in Ten Letters, nonfiction by Andrew Stauffer, 2024. A user-friendly biography of the major Romantic poet, framed around some of his most revealing missives. Read by Michele Potts. 12 broadcasts; begins Wed, June 25. – S
Choice Reading*
Monday – Friday 2 p.m.
Blood Test, fiction by Charles Baxter, 2024. A comic novel about a divorced Midwestern dad who takes a cuttingedge medical test and learns that he has
a predisposition to murder. Read by Paul Ranelli. Eight broadcasts; begins Thu, June 5. – L
Penalties of June, fiction by John Brandon, 2024. A compelling thriller set around Tampa in the 1990s where a young ex-con struggles to start his life over, even though the deck is stacked against him. Read by Paul Ranelli. 10 broadcasts; begins Tue, June 17. – L, G
Afternoon Report*
Monday – Friday 4 p.m.
You Will Own Nothing, nonfiction by Carol Roth, 2023. An investigation of what would happen if a new financial world order took hold, one in which global elites own everything and people owned nothing— and yet are somehow happy. Read by Mike Tierney. 15 broadcasts; begins Tue, June 10.
Night Journey*
Monday –Friday 7 p.m.
Mysterious Tales of Old St. Paul, fiction by Larry Millett, 2024. Tales of murder and revenge: the early exploits of detective Shadwell Rafferty. Read by Therese Murray. 11 broadcasts; begins Wed, June 4.
Still Waters, fiction by Matt Goldman, 2024. A tale of siblings returning to their familyrun resort in the Northwoods of Minnesota to investigate their brother’s murder, uncovering the past before it’s too late.
Read by John Schmidt. Nine broadcasts; begins Thu, June 19. – L
Off the Shelf*
Monday – Friday 8 p.m.
Annie Bot, fiction by Sierra Greer, 2024. A powerful, provocative novel about the relationship between a female robot and her human owner, exploring questions of intimacy, power, autonomy and control. Read by Laura Young. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, June 5. – L, S
Long Island Compromise, fiction by Taffy Brodesser-Akner, 2024. An exhilarating novel about one American family and the dark moment that shatters their suburban paradise. Read by Tom Speich. 17 broadcasts; begins Thu, June 19. – L
Potpurri
Monday – Friday 9 p.m.
The Year of Living Constitutionally, nonfiction by A. J. Jacobs, 2024. The hilarious adventures in attempting to follow the original meaning of the Constitution, while searching for answers to one of the most pressing issues of our time: How should everyone interpret America’s
All times listed are Central Standard Time.
Abbreviations
V – violent content
R – racial epithets
L – strong language
S – sexual situation
G – gory descriptions
foundational document? Read by Robb Empson. 10 broadcasts; begins Tue, June 10. Devil's Contract, nonfiction by Ed Simon, 2024. A devilishly fascinating tour of the Faustian bargain through the ages, from brimstone to blues and beyond. Read by Jill Wolf. Nine broadcasts; begins Tue, June 24. – L, S, G
Good Night Owl
Monday – Friday 10 p.m. Rouge, fiction by Mona Awad, 2024. A surreal, scary fairy tale for the modern age about a lonely young woman who’s drawn to a cult-like spa in the wake of her mother’s mysterious death. Read by Julia Brown. 16 broadcasts; begins Mon, June 16. – L
RTB After Hours*
Monday – Friday 11 p.m.
A Long Time Dead (rebroadcast) Fiction by Samara Breger, 2023. A lush, Victorian romance, drenched in blood and drama, about the lengths two women will go to secure a love that cannot die. Read by Mary Beth Redmond. 16 broadcasts; begins Mon, June 9. – L, S
Weekend Program Books
Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents How to Be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and The Quest for Fulfillment by Skye C. Cleary, read by Bev Burchett.
For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Roof Over Our Heads by Nicole Kronzer, read by Stuart Holland; followed by Krabat and the Sorcerer's Mill by Otfried Preussler, read by Julia Brown.
Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents Out of the Blank by Elaine Equi, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by Human Resources by Ryann Stevenson, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by Hold Everything by Dobby Gibson, read by Mary Beth Redmond.
The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents They Would Not Be Moved by Bruce White, read by Yelva Lynfield.
BENEFACTOR
($1000 & up)
Janice Chevrette
John and Marilyn Clark
Catherine Hunter and Christopher Ockwig
Jane Larson
Brandon Miller
Lynda Milne
Kay Willshire
Dena Belisle
Ronna Linroth
Maple Grove Women of Today
Morgan Stanley Gift (anonymous)
Liza Robson
Tamarack Habilitation Tech on behalf of Mark Payette
American Online Giving Foundation, Inc.
Anonymous Donor from Burnsville
Bebe Baldwin
Jeff Bangsberg and Anita Boucher
Alex Bartolic
Gretchen Bratvold
Mark Daly
Nancy E. Casey Choice, Inc. Tom Clark
Yoshiko S. Dart
Dean Doering
Neil Doughty Kent Fordyce
Mary Graba
Sue Abderholden
John Albanese
Terry Carlson
Nancy E. Casey
Craig J Dunn
Tamara Eastman
Lee Ann Erickson
Sue Abderholden
Anonymous Donor from Oakdale
Aileen Beall Stephanie Cunningham
and
Paulsen and Company Inc
John Albanese
Terry Carlson
Craig J Dunn Lee
Erickson
Claudia Fuglie
Robert P Gregory Maggie Hanrahan Dale H. Janiszeski Julie
Payette
Olson
Sheila Olson
Anne L. Henry Kim Keprios Scott Neamy
Julee Quarve Peterson
Barbara Smith
Amanda and Mark Tempel
Daphne Thompson
Dan and Emily Ward
Dr. Michael Wirth-Davis
Thurston
Willshire
Nancy N. Eustis
Mary Gaasch
Vicki Gerrits
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Robert (Rob) Lane is the new chief executive office at Blaine-based Achieve Services. The appointment was announced by the organization’s board of directors.
Lane brings more than 27 years of nonprofit leadership experience, including a track record of expanding services, cultivating inclusive teams, and strengthening community partnerships. His extensive career has spanned multiple organizations committed to supporting individuals with developmental and medical challenges. Most recently, Lane served as CEO of Arc of Maui County. He also held senior leadership roles at Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ramsey County’s Lake Owasso Residence and Fraser. His experience also includes nationally recognized program development, such as launching the first-ever HIV/AIDS family retreat at Camp Knutson.
“I am honored to join an organization with such a rich history and committed team. Together, we will build on Achieve’s legacy while seeking new, innovative ways to expand opportunity, access, and inclusion for the individuals and families we serve,” said Lane.
Tamera Hagen, chair of the Achieve Services Board of Directors, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Rob to the Achieve community. His decades of experience, visionary mindset, and deep empathy for the people we serve make him the right leader at the right time.”
Lane succeeds Tom Weaver, who is retiring after 14 years at the helm. Weaver served as a steadfast and passionate advocate for individuals with disabilities throughout his tenure.
Achieve Services is a nonprofit organization providing innovative employment opportunities and life enrichment programs for adults with disabilities.
Matthews announces retirement
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is recognizing an individual who has dedicated his career to supporting the mental health of Minnesota’s farm families. Ted Matthews, a long-serving agricultural mental health counselor, retires at the end of June after decades of service to farmers across Minnesota. Matthews has spent more than 30 years listening to farmers through some of the most difficult moments in their lives. In the 1990s, Farm Business Management instructors, with support from the MDA and funds from the Minnesota Legislature, helped launch a pioneering model of mental health care tailored to the unique realities of rural life. Matthews’ approach was simple: meet farmers where they are, honor their unique challenges and culture, and offer counseling without red tape, insurance requirements, or cost. Research shows that farmers experience common mental health conditions more often than the general population. According to the National Rural Health Association, the suicide rate among U.S. farmers is 3.5 times higher than the national average. Matthews is quick to point out that the persistent stress inherent in farming and ranching can take a significant toll on health, relationships and outlook even without a formal mental health
Over his long career, Matthews has supported individuals and families coping with anxiety, depression, loss and isolation. He’s been there for farm couples navigating relationship strain, families grieving a loved one lost to suicide, and those dealing with the trauma of having to depopulate flocks or herds during disease outbreaks. His presence has been a lifeline during times when few others knew what to say or how to help.
“Ted’s impact on rural mental health in Minnesota can’t be overstated. He has brought hope and healing to many in crisis with humility and heart,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen.
Wieck is honored
Colleen Wieck, executive director of the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, was honored this spring with the University of Minnesota's Outstanding Achievement Award. Wieck, who earned her PhD. from the university in 1980, was saluted for five decades of transformative leadership advancing the rights, inclusion and quality of life for people with disabilities.
The Outstanding Achievement Award is the highest nondegree award conferred by the University of Minnesota. The award may be conferred only on graduates or former students of the University, who have attained unusual distinction in their chosen fields or professions or in public service, and who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership on a community, state, national, or international level.
The candidate's education at the university should represent a significant portion of his or her total postsecondary education. Nominees cannot be a current member of faculty or staff, or a sitting regent, but retirees are eligible.
Wieck has been recognized for her work throughout her career, including the 2023 Lifetime Achievement for Delivering Services to Citizens Award from the organization Service to the Citizen.
CLASSIFIEDS
METES & BOUNDS MANAGEMENT Company manages the following Section 8 & Section 42 (Tax Credit) properties in Minnesota. Income and rent restrictions apply.
Greenwood Wadena 218-631-2575 Highwood Homes Prior Lake 952-447-6961
Mission Oaks Plymouth 763-559-5770 Rustic Creek Two Harbors 218-595-1018
Todd 27 Long Prairie 320-732-6154 Town Square East Grand Forks 218-773-3631
Victory Duluth 218-722-2629
Section 42 (Tax Credit)
Abbott Apartments Mpls 612-338-5588 Eastwood Village Oakdale 651-773-1949
Nature's Edge St. Cloud 320-203-7726 Parkside Rochester 507-281-9003 Valley High Rochester 507-536-4797 Cottages of White Bear Lake White Bear Lake 651-413-7977
Metes & Bounds is an equal housing opportunity housing company
TAKE NOTE!
Gaelyn Lea releases new album
Minnesota violinist, songwriter and disability rights activist from Minnesota Gaelyn Lea has just released her first full-length album in five years, entitled Music From Macbeth.
She has been in the United Kingdom for an album release tour, playing ten cities throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
Lea got her big break when she won NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016. Since then, she has been captivating audiences around the world with her haunting songs and fiddle tunes. In 2022, she composed the original score for Macbeth on Broadway, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga.
Music from Macbeth is a mostly instrumental concept album—one long track per act—that is book-ended by two vocal songs.
Gaelynn Lea wants to take the listener on an epic audio journey that mirrors the winding and tragic path of Macbeth himself.
She has been featured on PBS NewsHour, On Being with Krista Tippett, The Moth Radio Hour, The Science of Happiness Podcast, and via two TEDx Talks. In 2024, Gaelynn was awarded both the Disability Futures Fellowship and the Whippoorwill Arts Fellowship.
Gaelynn Lea was also included on the Curious 100 list by the Eames Institute in 2025.
She co-wrote, acted, and sang in a musical
disabled storyteller Kevin Kling. She co-founded RAMPD—Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities— with Lachi. She co-directs the Music Inclusion Ensemble with disabled musicians Adrian Anantawan and Molly Joyce, celebrating disability culture in classical music. It Wasn’t Meant to Be Perfect, her debut book about touring and disability advocacy, will be published by Algonquin Press in early 2026.
Take Note! and consider sponsorship
Access Press is listing fewer calendar items in print and encouraging more to be posted online. The change allows more immediate information about upcoming events. Online options include our free events calendar. Ways to post an event can be found at www.accesspress. org under the listings tab. The event must be disabled focused, offer accommodations or led by a disability service organization. Please list your accommodations and complete information, such as time, date and place. That information is especially needed for users of paratransit who must often schedule rides in advance. Anyone with questions can contact Editor Jane McClure at jane@ accesspress.org or 651-644-2133 ext. 1 Another option is to
consider an online or print ad to get the word out. If your organization or group isn’t in our Access Press Directory a listing is an economical way to get the word out. Email ads@accesspress.org is to sponsor our online calendar. Being a sponsor is a great way to support Minnesota’s disability community and its events. Information can be obtained by emailing ads@accesspress.org
A fourth, ongoing option for an interested business or disability service organization is to sponsor our online calendar. Being a sponsor is a great way to support Minnesota’s disability community and its events. Information can be obtained by emailing ads@ accesspress.org
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT ACCESS PRESS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OVERVIEW
For 35 years Access Press has been a leading publication dedicated to covering disability issues and promoting inclusivity. We are searching for an Executive Director to lead us into the future. This individual will be at the helm of the organization, responsible for overall strategic, operational, editorial, and financial leadership.
Like all news organizations and nonprofits, Access Press faces ongoing challenges in an everchanging media environment with rapidly rising costs. The competition for readers’ attention is fierce among an enormous array of news sources and social media.
Access Press offers its executive director and staff a unique place in the media landscape through its focus on the needs and interests of people with disabilities—including the growing population of seniors with acquired disability. The work is rewarding and the opportunity for voice and influence is significant. Access Press is an organization where you can collaborate with an eager community and bring to light the lives, the civil rights and vital interests of over 600,000 Minnesotans.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership and Strategy
• Implement the strategic vision and mission of Access Press in partnership with the Board.
• Act as a highly visible public spokesperson, promoter and advocate for the organization’s mission and values.
• Collaborate with writers, editors, and contributors from throughout the disability community to produce high-quality, relevant, and compelling stories and features.
Editorial Oversight
• Oversee content creation, editing, and publication cycles in print and online.
• Ensure that comprehensive legislative coverage and advocacy remains a cornerstone of Access Press content.
• Maintain journalistic integrity and uphold the editorial standards of Access Press
Operational Management
• Ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and organizational policies.
• Develop and implement marketing strategy.
• Manage staff and contractors, supervising performance and fostering professional development.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring fiscal efficiency and journalistic effectiveness.
Financial Management
• Develop and manage the annual budget, ensuring financial sustainability and accountability.
• Identify and actively pursue fundraising strategy and opportunities, including grants, sponsorships, and donations.
• Provide regular financial reports to the board and stakeholders.
• Oversee financial planning, analysis, and risk management.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, business administration, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Proven experience in a leadership role, preferably in the media and/or nonprofit sector.
• Strong editorial acumen and experience in publication of print and online content.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams and manage multiple projects.
• Experience in financial management and fundraising.
• Commitment to the mission of Access Press and a deep understanding of disability issues.
PAY AND BENEFITS
• $50,000+ per year
• Benefits to be negotiated.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and a writing sample (1-2 page essay or letter on a disability policy or social issue) to careers@accesspress.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. For more information, visit accesspress.org.
Access Press is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.
