August 2025 Edition by Access Press

Treacherous tunnel to be rebuilt

As disability community members continue to sort through 2025 legislative actions, one measure to celebrate is called out.

A bonding bill passed during the June special session, and signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz, includes $8.5 million for accessibility upgrades to the tunnel that connects the capitol to the State Office Building. The funding is part of an overall $11.5 million allocation to the capitol area, which includes funding for security upgrades and other physical improvements.

The tunnel has long been a problem for those who use mobility devices, or who have issues walking. Its steep slope of more than 10.5 percent isn’t compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The permitted grade is 8.3 percent.

Plans indicated that work on the tunnel is in the early stage. These include construction of a new 15-by-85 foot section adjacent to the existing tunnel. Not only will there be an ADA-compliant slope, a new elevator will provide a connection to the capitol building's basement.

The tunnel has been closed during the ongoing renovations of the State Office Building. That work is expected to be mostly finished in time for the Minnesota Legislature’s 2027 session. Hearing rooms could remain under construction until summer 2027.

There was consternation among disability advocates in 2021 when the almost $480 million renovation plans were announced, without including tunnel work. Debate flared as to whether or not the work should have been included in the State Office Building scope of work.

In past news articles Rep. Jamie Long (DFL-Minneapolis) has described the exclusion of tunnel work as “probably an oversight.”

Community members and representatives of the state’s Department of Administration have cited the tunnel’s slope as problematic as they testified at hearings. Power wheelchairs and scooters can make the climb and descent, although some still need a push. Others struggle with their devices. State lawmakers at past hearings have described how they have had to help fellow lawmakers and constituents with their wheelchairs.

Former Rep. Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake), who used a wheelchair during his legislative service, was among them. Even those who can walk have had to stop and take a breath traveling uphill. The slope can also feel unsafe for people walking down.

The tunnel was first discussed in 1932 as the State Office Building was planned. It was the first pedestrian tunnel according to the Minnesota Historical Society. Learn about it and the larger capitol tunnel system of 4,990 feet through a 2016 TPT feature at https:// www.tpt.org/almanac-at-the-capitol/video/ tunnel-vision-29400/

Impacts of recent federal action are being

NEWS DIGEST

New fair foods

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Happy campers

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Long COVID wins

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Inclusion issues

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Hoffman on the mend

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HEALTH CARE To page 3

New ASL feature offered at the Minnesota State Fair

Summer draws to an end in August, but not before 12 days of fun. This year’s Minnesota State Fair is August 21 to September 1.

Visitors with disabilities will enjoy some new accommodations this year. These and planning ahead can make the fair a more enjoyable experience for people with disabilities, their staff, family members and friends.

Services are offered to disabled fairgoers through Minnesota State Fair Accessibility Services. Call 651-288-4448 or check www. mnstatefair.org/general-info/accessibilityguide/ or email accessibility@mnstatefair.org. The guide is subject to change so sign up for specific accessibility services updates at bit.ly/ msfemailsignup

Accommodations are as basic as large print maps and daily schedules, available at information booths on request.

Fairgrounds admission starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 9 p.m. every day except Labor Day. On Labor Day the gates close at 7 p.m. Hours for specific buildings and services vary. Check https://www.mnstatefair.org/general-info/ hours-of-operation/ Tickets are for sale online. Check admission

prices at https://www.mnstatefair.org/tickets/ admission-tickets/ Information is also online for other tickets for fair attractions such as rides and concerts.

Consider what items can stay home as fairgoers do go through screening.

Service dogs

Service dogs are allowed on the fairgrounds. Service dogs have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Consider what a service dog needs for the

time it would be at the fairgrounds and plan accordingly.

Pets are not allowed on the fairgrounds. What’s new?

One new feature this year is a roving American Sign Language (ASL) program. The roving interpreters will be onsite from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Programming will vary each day. With educational presentations, agricultural exhibitions and free entertainment on the schedule, there is something for everyone. View the full schedule at mnstatefair.org/ accessibility/asl

HANNAH LYNCH

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan addressed the crowd at Disability Pride at the state capitol July 17. More pictures are on page 7.

ASL services are expanded at this year's Minnesota State Fair.

Reconciliation Act's many consequences simply cannot

The Reconciliation Act is signed into law, and we Minnesotans with disabilities are waiting for axes to fall. Slashing more than one billion dollars from Medicaid will cause substantial harm. Chopping disability programs into pieces will cause substantial harm. Putting jobs of many direct support professionals at risk will cause substantial harm.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the act is “an unconscionable attack on the most vulnerable among us.” That is very true.

Many disability services and advocacy organizations are outlining the complexities involved. Suffice to say that the short-term and long-term impacts are staggering. This and so many other recent cuts touch every aspect of disability life in the United States.

Many of our allies have said this and we’ll say it again:

The Reconciliation Act may be big, but there is nothing beautiful about it. There is nothing beautiful about legislation that makes such deep and sweeping cuts to Medicaid and other vital programs that people with disabilities rely on for their quality of life. This is in direct contradiction to the promises of so many past acts of Congress and court decisions.

The fact that one in four of us either is disabled at birth or becomes disabled in our lifetime seems to have been swept under the rug. The Reconciliation Act affects a substantial swath of our population.

You cannot live in this country and not know someone with a disability if you are not yourself disabled. It’s as if our entire sector of the population became invisible.

What happened to the long-held belief that disabled Americans deserve the same quality of life that others have? What will happen now to our ability to live and work in our home communities? What happens to our

The Reconciliation Act may be big, but there is nothing beautiful about it. There is nothing beautiful about legislation that makes such deep and sweeping cuts to Medicaid and other vital programs that people with disabilities rely on for their quality of life.

civil rights? What happens to inclusion and equity?

How is everything just swept away?

How are the voices of disability so willfully ignored, in what seemed to be a rushed process for the so-called big beautiful bill? This is not democracy.

It may be big. But despite its name, there is nothing beautiful about a bill that slashes funding for home- and community-based services, takes away our protections and threatens to erase what we have gained.

Many of us will lose our lifelines.

Marlene Sallo, executive director of the National Disability Rights Network, may have said it best: “Medicaid is not wasteful spending—it is a vital program that enables people with disabilities to live full and productive lives in the community, rather than being forced into institutions.”

Quite frankly, people will suffer and die. Why is it not understood that with health

and personal care, we pay now or we pay much more later?

Losing care, therapies, medical devices and so much more will not save money in the long run. Long-needed food assistance and many other programs will not save money in the long run.

Keeping people with disabilities healthy and in their homes is far better than institutionalization. It will have financial and terrible human costs.

Hospitals that rely on Medicaid, especially those that serve low-income populations, will make drastic cuts. Some will close their doors entirely. People will have to travel longer distances for care if they can get care at all.

And then there are the work requirements being discussed for Medicaid. Many people on Medicaid including many people with disabilities, are already working. That seems to be ignored.

Disability-focused camps are celebrating anniversaries in 2025

Two of Minnesota’s longest-tenured summer camps are celebrating anniversaries in 2025. What was founded as Camp Courage opened in 1955. But it is a youngster compared to Camp Eden Wood.

The online Eden Prairie News recently published an article about Camp Eden Wood. The information below is excerpted. Tucked away on a dirt road in the northern end of Eden Prairie sits a 50-acre camp with 100 years of history.

Though originally a camp for children with tuberculosis, Camp Eden Wood now serves adults and children with a wide range of disabilities.

The team behind the camp is celebrating its century-long history this year, while also gearing up for major improvements to one of the camp’s original buildings.

The camp was first called Glen Lake Children’s Camp and was built as an extension of the Glen Lake Sanatorium in 1925. The sanatorium housed adults with tuberculosis, while the nearby

preventorium and camp served children exposed to or infected with the disease. The camp was built using money from local philanthropists George and Leonora Christian, whose son died from tuberculosis when he was 27. They were dedicated to fighting tuberculosis, even before losing their son, and establishing a space for children with TB at the site was part of their long-term vision. Back then, sunshine and fresh air were considered top treatments.

The camp operated until 1950, when the advent of antibiotics helped control TB. The sanatorium had its last patient in 1976 and was demolished in 1993. But the campgrounds remained.

Arc of Hennepin County operated the summer camp for people with developmental disabilities starting in the late 1950s, before the county transferred control to Eden Prairie in 1983. True Friends, the nonprofit currently leasing the space, took over in 1995.

Kathie Case, president of the Eden Prairie

Historical Society, said it’s a special property. It’s one of only two sites in Eden Prairie on the National Register of Historic Places, the other being the Cummins-Phipps-Grill House. Most camps of its kind were simply torn down, but Camp Eden Wood still boasts some of its original buildings.

“One is the dormitory where the kids slept, and it still continues to be used today,” Case said. “That’s been updated, but they have kept the integrity of the historic building. The other one is the mess hall, which they call Birch Hall today.”

The dormitory got a new roof last fall, and extensive changes are planned for Birch Hall. Funding for the project requires larger grants than the society typically has access to, but sharing the history far and wide helps in fundraising. The hope is that as more people learn of the project, more people will contribute.

The historical society also assists by providing images and historical details to the Minnesota Historical Society and similar

Editor Jane McClure

Board of Directors

Yet not everyone can work. And not everyone can handle the jobs being opened up as we lose our immigrant communities that harvest our food, clean our communities and yes, help take care of us.

We just marked 35 years of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It feels as if that and the many years before that needed to get the ADA in place are being disregarded.

Elders with disabilities have long questioned whether they’ll be around to see our civil rights movement truly succeed. Yes, we have faced challenges and setbacks in the past. We will continue to face these obstacles. We will rise, again and again. We will continue the fight for our critical services. We will continue to advocate for our care, our services and supports, our ability to live and participate in our home communities. We will persist.

But we must say, it gets exhausting. Speak out on security changes

The recent tragic assassinations and assassination attempts against elected officials have understandably brought calls for increased security at the Minnesota capitol and at other places where we advocate for our civil rights. Statewide, elected officials are discussing the need for personal safety.

The world has changed and not in a way that is favorable for democracy. We understand and support increased safety.

But as we have often said on so many issues, don’t forget us. Remember that our needs in getting through a security clearance can be as complex. If you have ever had a wheelchair, oxygen tank or brace set off an alarm, or have even had to explain what a fidget spinner is, you know what we mean. Please include the voices of disability in security and safety discussions

entities. Case said the photos and stories are a big part of what helps the organizations secure grants.

It’s wonderful that the camp, with its up-north feel and wooded surroundings, continues to serve children facing health challenges and disabilities, she said. She hopes to see the mess hall project completed soon to continue that mission.

“That’s really an important structure to make sure that it stays there another 100 years and is used and enjoyed by all,” Case said.

Read the complete article and see historic pictures at https://www.eplocalnews. org/2025/07/03/camp-eden-wood-eyes-siteimprovements-while-celebrating-100-yearhistory/#:~:text=Camp%20Eden%20Wood%20 eyes%20site,City%20of%20Eden%20Prairie Past History Notes and other disability history may be found at www.mnddc.org

S. Benjamin, Catherine Hunter, Jane Larson (Chair), Brandon Miller, Lynda Milne, John Tschida,

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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Legislative win protects funding for Long COVID research and more

by Betsy Ladyzhetz, the Sick Times

Despite recent threats from some state legislators, funding for Minnesota’s leading Long COVID program remains in place. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will continue supporting Long COVID research, communications, and community grants for at least another two years.

Recently this Long COVID program — which is unique across the U.S. in receiving funding directly from the state — came under fire during Minnesota’s budget process. Republicans in the state House proposed cutting all support for the program, as part of a broader effort to reduce health spending as the state faces a potential budget deficit.

Minnesota advocates pushed back on the proposed cuts, led by local myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) groups including #MEAction’s Minnesota chapter and Minnesota ME/CFS Alliance. People contacted their representatives and contributed public comments about the House budget. Out of 44 people who submitted comments to the House Health Finance and Policy committee, 24 responded to the proposed Long COVID cuts, according to #MEAction.

“Advocacy works,” said Terri Wilder, chair of #MEAction’s Minnesota chapter, in an interview. “I’m really proud of all the people who showed up. I’m really proud of the people who wrote letters, who called their representatives.”

More than 375,000 people in Minnesota have been affected by Long COVID and related infection-associated chronic conditions (IACCs), according to MDH’s research. About two-thirds of those with Long COVID symptoms reported “difficulty with at least one daily activity” in a 2023 survey by the MDH program.

In the final 2026–27 budget, funding for the MDH Long COVID program continues with zero cuts. That’s despite a $70 million reduction in the overall health and human services budget for the state.

The Long COVID program will continue research into how Long COVID impacts Minnesotans, public awareness efforts,

HEALTH CARE

From page 1

people here could lose Medicaid coverage over the next decade

An estimated $1 trillion in cuts could result in as many as 12 million Americans losing their coverage. That number is from a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.

There is currently an estimated cost of about $12 billion per year for the 1.3 million Minnesotans currently on Medicaid. That includes people with disabilities as well as low-income Minnesotans and children.

One stereotype of people on Medicaid and other programs is recipients don’t work. But that is not the case. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that around twothirds of people on Medicaid between 19 and 64 are already employed. Some are exempt due to disability, illness or responsibilities including caregiving for someone else.

The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Oversight Committee met July 8 to discuss the impacts of Medicaid changes.

State officials are continuing to analyze the overall impacts of the reconciliation act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in early July. An array of concerns have been raised about various cuts that would affect health coverage and many other programs. Another issue being eyed is when various cuts take place.

Many new Medicaid requirements won’t to go into effect until early 2027, after the midterm elections. But other public assistance, such as food assistance, are taking effect sooner.

One big change that will affect individuals is a work requirement. The changes bring a work requirement of 80 hours per month for people between the ages of 18 and 64, so that they can receive benefits. Medicaid providers will have to do monthly and quarterly checks on client eligibility and addresses, as opposed to a longstanding requirement for annual checks.

Minnesota Medicaid Director John Connolly told those at the hearing that the added paperwork could prompt some people to drop Medicaid entirely.

The work requirement and other recordkeeping requirements could bring even more work at the county level. A huge worry county officials have outlined in recent

convening healthcare providers, supporting projects run by community organizations, and more. #MEAction is among the community organizations that received a grant from MDH; its project seeks to improve home and community-based care for people with Long COVID, ME, and related diseases in Minnesota.

“We hope this news will be a glimmer of relief for those impacted by Long COVID and related conditions, as well as for everyone whose efforts are supported by this funding,” wrote program lead Kate Murray in an email sent to grantees and partners.

She noted that the program’s forthcoming work will include “an engaged, statewide strategic plan” for how to address IACCs in Minnesota and “support those most impacted.” Murray and her colleagues are “honored and humbled” to continue their work, she wrote.

“I am so grateful we were able to preserve the Minnesota Department of Health funding for Long COVID,” said Sen. Lindsey Port (DFL-Burnsville), who has Long

months is that more social services costs could fall on Minnesota counties and their property taxpayers.

Minnesota is one of 10 states where counties handle Medicaid. One estimate cited at the committee meeting is that the increased workload could bring $160 million in added costs for counties. While Twin Cities area counties could see the highest costs, smaller, rural counties could be hardhot by any type of budget increase.

Matt Freeman of the Association of Minnesota Counties outlined the concerns, and the fact that workloads could double for some counties. “We're expecting property tax burdens to counties, increased workload for the folks that are currently working on eligibility, we're concerned about the ability to add that workforce. Making the system more complex with more steps doesn't inherently prevent fraud.”

One issue outlined July 8 is the loss of about $500 million in federal reimbursements for nursing homes and hospitals, which could force some places to close. Department of Human Services Commissioner Shireen Gandhi discussed those issues with the committee.

The state has already had losses in hospital services. Nursing home closures are already a concern. Some statistics indicate that Minnesota has lost 41 nursing homes since 2007. Twenty-three of the closures were between 2019 and 2023. Eight nursing homes closed in 2023 alone.

Of the nursing homes that have closed since 2007, 31 were in rural areas..

The reconciliation act doesn't specifically name hospitals that would close. Various news reports have indicated that Fairview Range Regional Medical Center in Hibbing and Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont could close.

The Minnesota Budget project continues to provide information about Medicaid impacts. It leads the This is Medicaid Coalition.

The nonprofit recently held a conference call with news media.

Laura Mortenson, who works with the budget project, pointed out that more than half of Minnesotans in nursing homes utilize Medicaid. So do people using child care programs and housing programs.

COVID herself. “With the current cuts and uncertainty at the federal [level], strong programs through the states are more necessary than ever.”

Port added, “We still have much work to do to ensure every patient with Long COVID gets the care they need, and preserving funding in MN is an important step in that direction.”

Rep. Robert Bierman (DFL-Apple Valley), co-chair of the House Health and Finance and Policy Committee, similarly expressed support for the program. “I am very pleased that our conference committee with the Minnesota Senate was able to drop the provision reducing the grant funding for Long COVID care and treatment,” he said in a statement. “The advocacy of testifiers and the many letters received was very beneficial in this effort.”

While MDH’s Long COVID program was primarily supported by state funding, this department and others had also used federal public health grants to support Long COVID research and communications. The Trump administration rescinded $11 billion in this public health funding in March, impacting

UCare woes

Financial issues at UCare will force about 88,000 people to switch Medicaid health plans by September. The Minneapolisbased health maintenance organization will stop providing state-funded coverage in 11 Minnesota counties. The service area reduction affects clients in the Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP) and MinnesotaCare.

Benton, Chisago, Crow Wing, Pennington, Ramsey, Roseau, Sherburne, Stearns, St. Louis, Wadena and Wright are the counties affected.

UCare is one of Minnesota’s largest health insurers. Much of its business is with clients who are in publicly funded programs.

The changes aren’t affecting seniors and people with disabilities on the special needs plans according to information from UCare.

Nor are the cuts tied to what is happening at the federal level with Medicaid. Instead UCare has cited significant losses in Medicaid due to a payment issues.

Long COVID work at several state agencies. That funding cut is currently on hold thanks to a lawsuit that 23 states (including Minnesota) filed against the federal government, but its longer-term future is uncertain.

Trump administration actions are likely to continue hurting state and local government budgets across the U.S. Ben HsuBorger, program director for #MEAction’s Minnesota grant project, expressed concern that cuts to Medicaid funding could “create holes in the state budget,” potentially leading to further threats to the Long COVID program. “This is going to be a fight every step of the way,” he said.

Still, in a political landscape full of threats for Long COVID and COVID-19 research and supports, the Minnesota program represents a win for advocates and a model for other states. In reflecting on the win, Wilder noted the importance of sharing personal stories about Long COVID, ME, and related diseases with policymakers, as well as the value of state-level organizing.

State chapters have been part of #MEAction since Jennifer Brea and Beth Mazur founded the organization, Wilder said. “Because they had this vision to set up these state chapters, it helped us meet the moment in Minnesota.”

Public comments about the proposed cuts emphasize that MDH is a leader in tackling Long COVID at the state level. “The MDH Long COVID Program creates a desperately needed network of knowledge, care, and commitment to solve what most other states, institutions, and practitioners continue to ignore,” wrote one commenter, who is a mother to a ten-year-old with Long COVID.

Read more articles at https://thesicktimes.org/ 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.

Nor do the changes affect UCare’s Medicare Advantage health plan. It provides coverage to about 180,000 seniors in Minnesota. Medicare Advantage is a form of Medicare through which seniors can seek government-funded benefits through private health insurers.

UCare’s work to provide coverage for individuals and families through the MNsure health insurance exchange also is not affected.

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FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Family’s home was not just a place to live, but a place they built to live

Editor’s note: The Villavicencio-Paulsen family recently lost a legal fight to retain their Maplewood apartment, which included disability accommodations. The good news is that they have purchased a new home and can stay in Maplewood, where Nikki Villavicencio is on the City Council.

by Nikki Villavicencio

The reason being evicted from 1681 County Road C, Unit C East in Maplewood is so devastating to me and my family is because of everything that space held: the physical access we designed, the memories we made, the care we received - and the care we never received. The life we shaped there, in all its good and its grief. That space was not just shelter. It was our vision -realized.

The accessibility we built into that home was monumental. We dreamed of it for years. We had a ramp in the back, covered by an awning, which protected the path from snow and gave us safer access to Metro Mobility, without needing to dig ourselves out in freezing temperatures. When we moved in, (daughter) Alley was only six years old. There was no way she could shovel us out of a back basement unit. That ramp gave us independence and safety. Inside, we had the bathroom remodeled which was a whole journey in itself. We had to fight to prove to the county why we needed it, and we had to explain that there’s no one-size-

fits-all for accessibility. My partner Darrell has cerebral palsy and is right-side dominant. I live on the floor and am left-side dominant. Accessibility had to be thoughtful, not generic. We also built an accessible kitchen. During the pandemic, we were stuck in our home like so many others and cut off from care. We had to find new ways to survive: delivery services, neighbor connections, mutual aid. But we also had to fight for something deeper: to be able to cook for ourselves and our daughter. We showed the county that an accessible kitchen was not a luxury. It was a necessity. Feeding ourselves is survival, especially for disabled people living with a nursing-level of care, who are choosing to live in community.

That kitchen, that bathroom, that rampthey were not gifts. They were won through advocacy, through persistence, through necessity. They were a part of our right to live.

And then there were the memories. I will keep trying to hold them. That home saw me through two campaigns. I never thought I would run for office, let alone win. But I did. From that very home. I was elected while living there. It was surreal. It felt like I was truly part of a community that saw me, believed in me and lifted me up.

One of our final accessibility projects at 1681 was the garage door opener with a security camera. That was not just convenience. It was care. It allowed us to see who was at the door.

It helped us monitor if our daughter needed assistance. It gave us access to the garage 24/7. It allowed us to come and go safely, and be the kind of parents we wanted to be—showing up in the neighborhood, the parks, and the world, just like any other parent in Maplewood.

Darrell and I fought for years alongside others to make that possible, not just for us, but for all disabled parents in Minnesota. Through our efforts, a pilot project was created and eventually written into the waiver system. Parents with disabilities could now get the supports they need, including assistive tech like that door opener. That policy change was born right there, inside the home we were forced to leave.

This eviction was not just about losing housing. It was about losing infrastructure we fought to build. It was about being torn from a space that held our victories, our dreams, our survival.

We did not just live at 1681 County Road C.

We built a life there. And it was stolen.

Home, to me, is where you belong. It is where you can feel comfortable, where you can breathe and be yourself. It is a place where safety is not something you fight for every day, but something that is built into the walls, the routines, the care that surrounds you.

Home is where you can build consistency and a rhythm that holds your body and spirit. It’s not just about shelter. It is where you build a life

for yourself, for the people you love, and for the people who love you back.

Home is something you want to share. You want to open the door and welcome your friends, your family, your community into a space that reflects who you are. That is what we have always tried to create.

For me and my family, home is where we build community. It’s where we feel like our existence matters. Where our presence is honored, where our access is respected, where our survival is not questioned, but embraced. Home is where we feel that our existence is worthwhile in seeing.

Home is where we feel that our existence is worthwhile in seeing.

I write it again and again because it’s the core of everything. We have been treated like we are too much: too complex, too inconvenient, too disabled to deserve peace. But we are not giving up. We are building a home not just made of walls, but of justice, love, and visibility.

This moment is messy, painful and exhausting but also full of meaning. I am holding grief and pride at the same time. I am holding the ache in my joints and the joy of a milestone I thought would never come. I am here - and I am still rising.

Investing in inclusion means we move forward together as a community

by Amy Hewitt

My brother-in-law Nathan lives on his own, has held many jobs, and is a valued member of his community. But that almost wasn't the case. Nathan lives with autism, an intellectual disability, and mental health challenges. When he was young, he was shuffled through segregated classrooms before eventually being expelled.

Only through the intervention of state support organizations — which staffed, recruited, and trained professionals who worked with him directly — was Nathan able to go from being thrown out of school to earning a GED and living an independent, happy, and productive life.

Nathan’s story reflects the progress made possible by a federal commitment to inclusion. In 1967, nearly 195,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities lived in large, state-run institutions; today, that number is closer to 15,000. This dramatic shift didn’t happen by accident; it was the result of coordinated efforts by a national network established under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (the DD Act), which supports state developmental disabilities councils, protection and advocacy systems, and university centers for excellence in developmental disabilities like

the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota.

Now, that network is under threat.

The recently signed federal budget eliminates direct funding for university centers like the Institute on Community Integration, a national leader in disability research, training, and information-sharing. This decision could effectively dismantle a critical infrastructure that supports research, training, innovation, and workforce development in disability services. This isn’t fiscal belt-tightening; it’s pulling the foundation out from under a structure that has taken decades of bipartisan effort to build.

Unlike direct service providers, university centers don’t offer day-to-day care. We build the systems that make quality support and community inclusion possible. Our work informs policy, improves education and employment outcomes, tracks key data trends and prepares the workforce that individuals with disabilities rely on to live full, self-directed lives.

The Institute on Community Integration has led or helped launch some of the most widely used and effective tools in the field, including the College of Direct Support, used by millions of frontline workers, and the Residential Information Systems Project,

which has provided 40 years of national data on where and how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live.

These programs don’t make headlines, but they quietly and powerfully shape lives, not just in Minnesota but nationwide. They’re also a smart investment. For every $1 in core federal funding, our center returns $33 in grants, contracts, and partnerships that reduce reliance on institutional care and improve long-term outcomes.

Eliminating this funding risks unraveling that progress. Block-granting the funds to states, as the budget proposes, is not a substitute. History shows this approach leads to fragmentation, less oversight, and fewer resources reaching those who need them most.

All of this is happening just as demand is rising. People with disabilities are living longer, often with complex support needs. At the same time, the direct-support workforce is in crisis, with chronic shortages and high turnover threatening the stability of home- and community-based services. Slashing the very infrastructure that trains workers, develops evidence-based practices, and informs public policy is shortsighted and dangerous.

Programs like ours have long enjoyed strong bipartisan support because they work. They are cost-effective, rooted in community, and

results-driven. They prepare professionals, empower families, support self-advocates, and help shape the policies that keep people with disabilities out of institutions and living with dignity in their communities. We must act before this progress is undone. Without continued federal support, the systems that empower people with disabilities to live, learn and thrive in their communities are at serious risk.

Call, visit or write your members of Congress. Tell them to restore funding for University Centers on Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), such as the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota. This isn’t just about funding; it’s about our values. It’s about continuing to build a country where every person has the opportunity to live a full life. Minnesota has been a leader in disability rights and services for generations. Let’s remind Congress this network is worth saving. When we invest in inclusion, Nathan and many others become part of their communities — and we all move forward together.

Amy Hewitt, Ph.D. is director of the Institute on Community Integration (ici.umn.edu) at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She wrote this for the Duluth News Tribune. It is reprinted with permission.

Despite Medicaid cuts, we can still uphold disability inclusion’s promise

by Julie Johnson

July marked the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the historic legislation prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities and guaranteeing their equal access to employment, transportation, and public services. It remains an incredible civil rights victory—and one that disability advocates have worked tirelessly to protect and expand in the years since.

June marked the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s critical decision in Olmstead v. LC (1999), a case that empowered the ADA by ruling that people with disabilities have the right to live in the most communityintegrated setting possible. The landmark ruling was handed down after more than a century of institutionalizing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/ DD) in large, state-run facilities, even when living in the community was both possible and more appropriate.

Fast forward to today: institutionalization is no longer the default for people whose disabilities require more intensive levels of support. Nevertheless, it is a practice that remains in place, and as of 2020, it was estimated that more than 15,000 people with I/DD were still living in a large, state-run facility.

That number, though staggering, has been steadily decreasing over the years, down from nearly 38,000 people with I/DD living in large institutions as of 2006. However, many

Minnesotans are now reckoning with the possibility that years of progress could be lost.

This is thanks to Congress’s recent approval of nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid—the program that funds the vast majority of services that make community inclusion possible for people with I/DD.

To be clear, the nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts signed into law on July 4 will equate to funding cuts for home-and community-based services (HCBS) that support people with I/DD. States are not required to fund HCBS; as a result, more

than 500,000 people with I/DD are already languishing on waiting lists across the country. When Medicaid funding is cut at the federal level, states must find ways to reduce the shortfall in state budgets. In turn, optional programs—such as HCBS—are often first on the chopping block.

Here in Minnesota, Medicaid funds essential services that support about 35,000 people with I/DD to live, work, and thrive in their communities through HCBS waivers. These services make possible some of the most basic necessities, as well as programs that

support people with disabilities to find work, live in their own homes, build meaningful relationships, and more.

Meanwhile, investing in these supports makes it possible for families of people with I/DD to remain in the workforce while ensuring their loved one receives proper care, thereby enabling them to avoid dependence on social safety net programs themselves.

At my organization, MSS, we’ve already seen the challenges that come with a failure to invest in services like these. Many providers MEDICAID To page 11

mn.gov/dhs/10-ways-en

New food and beverages await at accessible fair dining venues

Many people who attend the Minnesota State Fair make a point of trying new foods or enjoying longtime favorites. For fair visitors with disabilities, being able to enjoy fair dining can take a little planning.

Access Press works with Minnesota State Fair staff each year to prepare an accessible dining guide. The guide is updated each year to reflect new vendors and changes to existing places. These food and beverage concessions offer:

• Seating areas accessible by curb cuts

• Hard and sturdy floor surfaces

• Tables a guest can pull up to in a wheelchair or scooter, or where a chair can be moved to make room for a wheelchair or scooter

Here are the 2025 accessible vendors. Those listed with an asterisk are on the new foods list.

• Andy’s Grille: South side of Carnes Ave between Chambers and Nelson streets

• Ball Park Cafe: East side of Underwood St between Dan Patch and Carnes avenues

• *Blue Barn: At West End Market, south of the History & Heritage Center (limited general seating picnic tables)

• Blue Moon Dine-In Theater: Northeast corner of Carnes Ave and Chambers St

• Butcher Boys London Broil: North side of Dan Patch Ave between Nelson and Underwood streets (limited general seating picnic tables)

• Cafe Caribe: South side of Carnes Ave between Chambers and Nelson streets

• Charcoal Hut: East side of Judson Ave between Underwood and Cooper streets, next to the International Bazaar

• Chicago Dogs: In The Garden on the southeast corner of Dan Patch Ave and Underwood St

• *Coasters: Southeast corner of Carnes Ave

and Liggett St

• Danielson’s & Daughters Onion Rings: Between Underwood and Cooper streets, outside the south side of the Food Building (shares seating with the vendors located in this plaza area between the Food Building and the Agriculture Horticulture Building)

• *Dino’s Gyros: North side of Carnes Ave between Nelson and Underwood streets

• El Sol Mexican Foods: East side of Underwood St, outside the southwest corner of the Food Building (shares seating with the vendors located in this plaza area between the Food and the Agriculture Horticulture Buildings)

French Creperie: North side of Carnes Ave between Nelson and Underwood streets

• French Meadow Bakery & Cafe: North side of Carnes between Nelson and Underwood streets

• Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade, Fruit Smoothies, Orange & Strawberry Treet: Between Underwood and Cooper streets, outside the south side of the Food Building (shares seating with the vendors located in this plaza area between the Food Building and the Agriculture Horticulture Building)

Frontier Bar: South side of Carnes between Liggett and Chambers streets

• *Gass Station Grill: West side of Cooper St, outside the southeast corner of the Food Building (shares seating with the vendors located in this plaza area between the Food and the Agriculture Horticulture Buildings)

• *Giggles’ Campfire Grill: Southeast corner of Lee Ave and Cooper St at The North Woods

• Hamline Church Dining Hall: side of Dan Patch Ave between Underwood and Cooper streets. The church has had a dining hall for more than 120 years and is the oldest food establishment at the fair. When arriving with a diner using a wheelchair or scooter, ask to have a seat saved.

• The Hangar: Northeast corner of Murphy Ave and Underwood St

• Isabel Burke’s Olde Tyme Taffy: Between Cooper and Underwood streets, outside the southeast corner of the Food Building (shares seating with the vendors located in this plaza area between the Food and the Agriculture Horticulture Buildings)

• Italian Junction: South side of Dan Patch Ave between Nelson and Underwood streets

• JJ Vescio’s: East side of Chambers St and south of the Grandstand

• Key Lime Pie Bar: West side of Cooper St, (shares seating with the vendors located in this plaza area between the Food and the Agriculture Horticulture Buildings)

• Lancer locations in the Coliseum (Aldo’s, Sabino’s Pizza Pies, *Rooted & Wild [Snack House], Swine & Spuds): Nearby seating inside the Coliseum seating area. Coliseum is located on the south side of Judson Ave between Liggett and Clough streets.

• *LuLu’s Public House: At West End Market, south of the Schilling Amphitheater (most accessible seating on the second level, via elevator)

• Mancini’s al Fresco: North side of Carnes Ave between Nelson and Underwood streets

• Mexican Hat: East of Chambers St, south of the Grandstand

• Mighty Midway food concessions: Near shared seating area – Leimon’s Pizzeria; Sugar Shack; The Donut Family; Westmoreland Concessions

• *Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop: North side of Dan Patch Ave between Cooper and Cosgrove streets

• Minnesota Wine Country: West side of Underwood St between Carnes and Judson avenues

• *O’Gara’s at the Fair: Southwest corner of Dan Patch Ave and Cosgrove St

The Peg: Outside on the southeast side of the Agriculture Horticulture Building

• Patio Grill: East side of Nelson St between Carnes and Judson avenues, next to KARE TV

• Pickle Barrel Sirloin Tips: Northeast corner of Judson Ave and Nelson St

• Ragin Cajun: In The Garden on the southeast corner of Dan Patch Ave and Underwood St

• *RC’s BBQ: North side of West Dan Patch Ave between Liggett and Chambers streets Salem Lutheran Church: North side of Randall Ave south of the Progress Center

• Shanghai Henri’s: At the International Bazaar, north wall

• Tejas Express: In The Garden on the corner of Dan Patch Ave and Underwood St

• *Urban Glow Mocktails: At the North End, northwest section, across from the North End Event Center

Learn about the official 2025 new foods, at https://www.mnstatefair.org/new-this-year/food/

Coasters uncrustaburger

Mancini's al Fresco cannoli gelato nachos

Pot of Gold potato dumplings

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Merrick’s Barker ends long career;

Greenbaum takes helm

It’s a changing of the guard at Merrick, Inc., a Vadnais Heights-based disability services provider. Longtime leader John Wayne Barker has retired after 27 years’ service. He is succeeded by Michael Greenbaum. Barker’s retirement, which was announced at the beginning of the year, was effective July 1. He planned his retirement in order to give plenty of time for a smooth transition. But his absence will be deeply felt by colleagues and clients.

Barker was honored at a going-away party and at a picnic where he took a turn in the dunk tank. Over the course of his 27-year tenure, Merrick has experienced remarkable growth, establishing itself as a leader among disability service providers in the state. A great deal of Merrick’s success can be attributed to his leadership and mission-focused approach. From the start, he has been a staunch advocate of Merrick’s mission, constantly seeking new and innovative ways to best meet the needs of the clients who choose our program. Notable highlights of his tenure include paying off the mortgage on the 3210 Labore Road building in September 2022, supporting A-Team’s legislative and self-advocacy initiatives, and opening the expanded Life Enrichment Program at 1239 Willow Lake Boulevard in November 2022.

He has also been very active in statewide advocacy groups.

The search for a new executive director began in late December 2024, led by an internal search committee. Greenbaum’s hiring was announced in the spring.

Greenbaum began his career in the

Conference room is dedicated

The Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD) celebrated one of its own with the dedication of its fully accessible conference room earlier this summer. The room honors the legendary access advocate Margot Imdieke Cross, who died in July 2024.

Imdieke Cross served MCD and Minnesota’s disability community with unwavering commitment and dignity for more than 30 years.

MCD staff, council members, community advocates and honored guests enjoyed the event and the celebration of Imdieke Cross’s extraordinary legacy. The Margot Imdieke Cross Conference Room is one of the few state facilities in Minnesota named after a woman, a testament to her impact and leadership.

Guests enjoyed music by pianist Loc Tran. Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville), Secretary of State Steve Simon, and Erika Rivers of Wilderness Inquiry spoke about Imdieke Cross, as did her husband, Stuart Cross. They highlighted the many ways she blazed trails across Minnesota, dedicating her life to advancing access and inclusion for people with disabilities.

Gaelynn Lea, one of Imdieke Cross’s favorite artists., closed the event with her rendition of “I Wait.” It served as a powerful tribute to the ongoing fight for people with disabilities to be seen, heard and included. McCray retires after 38 years

Kelly McCrary, orientation and mobility instructor, has completed a remarkable career at Vision Loss Resources. McCray is stepping down this summer after a 38year career. He was honored in July at a retirement event.

For four decades McCray has provided the instruction that people with visual disabilities need to be independent, active Minnesotans. McCrary and his students have been instructing in the rain, in the snow, on blazing hot days and freezing cold ones. They have worked together indoors, outdoors, in parks, on streets, in malls, in canoes or anywhere else that an independent blind student would want. In short, if students were ready to learn, McCray was ready to teach, anywhere and anytime. He has worked VLR at its various facilities and out in the community, retiring from the Little Canada facility.

Unified Work grant awarded MDI has received a $10,000 grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation to support its Unified Work program, which provides free, accessible career skills classes to people with disabilities and other community members who face barriers to employment. The grant will help support the classes, as well as innovative workforce learning experiences

disability services field in 2000, when he joined Merrick, Inc., in a fundraising and chief financial officer role. He left in 2014 to be the executive director of Newtrax, Inc., a nonprofit that provides transportation services to adults with disabilities. Newtrax works with many Merrick clients. Greenbaum began the transition to Merrick in May and took the helm in mid-June. Merrick, Inc., has been providing day services to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities in Ramsey County since 1964. The nonprofit offers a mix of life enrichment, work and self-advocacy options to about 400 clients. Merrick is the largest day program in Ramsey County with a 59year history of leadership in person-centered planning, self-advocacy, meaningful work options, community inclusion, operational excellence and continuous innovation.

including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities and interactive virtual reality headsets.

“From supportive soft skills training courses and creative technology experiences to interactive learning opportunities, MDI’s Unified Work program seeks to empower individuals with disabilities and build a more accessible workforce for everyone,” said MDI Vice President of Employment Services Jeanne Eglinton. “This grant ensures Unified Work can continue its efforts to build a more qualified and experienced workforce. We’re grateful for the CenterPoint Energy Foundation’s support.”

MDI’s groundbreaking Unified Work program launched in 2017, offering in-person and virtual classes to equip individuals with disabilities across Minnesota with the soft skills necessary for success in the workplace. It now offers general career skills programming to outside organizations and community members facing barriers to employment. In 2025, Unified Work’s goal is to provide 50,000 learning experiences through classes, virtual reality work, STEM experiences and other opportunities, putting MDI on track to achieve its target of achieving one million learning experiences by 2030.

CenterPoint Energy Vice President for Community Relations June Deadrick said, “The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is proud to support dynamic workforce development programs like MDI’s Unified Work. By investing in this initiative, we hope to help sustain and inspire meaningful employment opportunities for all Minnesotans.”

Based in Minneapolis with additional facilities in Grand Rapids, Cohasset, Hibbing and Roseville, MDI is a nonprofit social enterprise manufacturer with a mission of providing meaningful employment for Minnesotans with disabilities.

State appointments announced Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan have made several recent appointments to boards, commission and committee involved with Minnesota’s disability community.

Several people have been appointed or reappointed to the Minnesota Council on Disability. They are Addyson Moore, Red Wing (chair); Megan Bistodeau, Brainerd; Tad Dolphay, Eagan; KiloMarie Granda, Morris; Mark Stafford, St. Cloud; Leah Cameron, Janesville and Sarah Driever, Minneapolis. The Minnesota Council on Disability provides leadership to empower and strengthen the rights of Minnesotans with disabilities, collaborates with the public and private sectors as a policy and technical

PEOPLE AND PLACES To page 11

More Accessibility Guest Services Than Ever Join Us!

Our Accessibility Guide has all the details! bit.ly/msfaccessguide Aug.

★ Electric scooter and wheelchair rentals at all major gates

★ Designated Metro Mobility and rideshare service drop-oﬀ and pick-up points

★ Free Park & Ride lot and shuttle service exclusively for those with disabilities and their companions

★ Sensory-Friendly Morning on Monday, Aug.  at Kidway ( a.m.-noon) and Mighty Midway (- a.m.)

★ Tips and pre-visit story for those with sensory sensitivities

★ Take-a-break oasis at the Fraser Sensory Building

★ Three locations with adult-size changing tables, including the Momentum Refresh Universal Changing Room with Hoist and KaiBi Mobile Family Care Center

★ Captioning for the Draft Horse Six-Horse Hitch exhibition and performances of Minnesota History On-A-Schtick

★ Additional ASL and audio description services available upon request with two weeks advance notice

★ Pre-recorded audio description of select works in the crop art exhibit and the Fine Arts Exhibition

★ A bigger variety of ASL-interpreted shows – the schedule changes daily – with ASL interpreters on-site into the evening

★ Visual assistance using the Aira app on mobile devices

★ Pre-recorded audio description of select works in the crop art exhibit and the Fine Arts Exhibition

★ Visual assistance using the Aira app on mobile devices

★ Pre-recorded audio description of select works in the crop art exhibit and the Fine Arts Exhibition

★ A bigger variety of ASL-interpreted shows – the schedule changes daily – with ASL interpreters on-site into the evening

★ Pre-recorded audio description of select works in the crop art exhibit and the Fine Arts Exhibition

★ Additional ASL and audio description services available upon request with two weeks advance notice

★ Captioning for the Draft Horse Six-Horse Hitch exhibition and performances of Minnesota History On-A-Schtick

★ Three locations with adult-size changing tables, including the Momentum Refresh Universal Changing Room with Hoist and KaiBi Mobile Family Care Center

★ Take-a-break oasis at the Fraser Sensory Building

★ Tips and pre-visit story for those with sensory sensitivities

★ Sensory-Friendly Morning on Monday, Aug.  at Kidway ( a.m.-noon) and Mighty Midway (- a.m.)

★ Free Park & Ride lot and shuttle service exclusively for those with disabilities and their companions

★ Designated Metro Mobility and rideshare service drop-oﬀ and pick-up points

★ Electric scooter and wheelchair rentals at all major gates

Our Accessibility Guide has all the details! bit.ly/msfaccessguide

Michael Greenbaum

Our Disability Pride shone throughout

A photo booth was the place for fun.

Visitors made pride signs.

Face painting was one of many activities.

REGIONAL NEWS

Senator Hoffman gives update in first interview since shooting

Sen. John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) is on the mend from a June assassination attempt. He granted his first post-shooting interview July 21 with radio talk show host Al Travis and said, “it’s good to be alive.”

Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot and badly injured in June during a crime spree that took the lives of House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Vance Boelter, who is accused of the crimes, is in custody and awaiting trial for what has been described as a political assassination spree.

Hoffman joked about how the only other person he has heard who was shot nine times and lived is rap singer 50 Cent. He said his nickname should be “50-senator.”

Hoffman moved to transitional care in early July. He was shot nine times. Yvette Hoffman was shot eight times. Their daughter Hope was with them when the shootings occurred, but was missed by gunfire. She pushed the door shut, locked it and called 911.

In the interview Hoffman praised his daughter for calling 911 after they were attacked.

“She’s a hero, man. There’s people alive because of how she said something on 911,” Hoffman said. “She was very much in charge.”

In the interview Hoffman described his work to get his strength back while in transitional care. He described how he has had to retain his sense of humor. “I had to have humor in this because it’s hard as hell,” he said.

Fraud alleged at autism centers

Dozens of autism treatment centers registered in Minnesota are now under investigation by the state amid a new crackdown to root out fraud, according to KSTP-TV.

Minnesota’s autism program, overseen by the state Department of Human Services (DHS), pays out Medicaid claims to clinics and organizations that provide early intervention treatment to kids diagnosed with autism.

Records show that DHS has paid out claims totaling nearly $700 million since the program began a decade ago.

There is real demand, with many children being put on waitlists. But there is now growing concern over how many providers are doing real work.

“It strikes me to my core that people are stealing from the program,” said Shireen Gandhi, the temporary commissioner of DHS.

Gandhi said the state’s crackdown started last fall, around the time the feds raided Smart Therapy in Minneapolis and Star Autism Center in St. Cloud. According to a federal search warrant, the two centers billed for services that were never provided, totaling more than $20 million.

Since then, many autism centers have been subjected to unannounced compliance visits from the DHS enforcement team.

“We are visiting every single one,” Gandhi said, adding that they’ve already visited 270 locations since November.

The new crackdown has led state officials to open 85 investigations into autism providers — roughly 20 percent of all providers in the state.

DHS says that an “open investigation” is not necessarily an indication of fraud, but allows the state to determine if credible evidence exists for fraud, waste, or abuse.

“There was such a high need for autism services in Minnesota when the state began offering it that it’s an unlicensed service, so there aren’t the same structures in place that there are for other programs,” Gandhi said. “We have to catch up and provide the oversight needed.”

The program has experienced significant growth in recent years, marked by an increase in the number of claims and new providers. There are now more than 450 autism centers registered in the state.

DHS has added new oversight measures this summer.

Autism providers are now required to undergo enhanced background checks, and the agency has designated all providers as “high-risk,” indicating the need for a more thorough screening process.

Perhaps the most significant new measure is a system to finally license autism centers, similar to daycares or other programs overseen by DHS. The commissioner must propose the licensing system by January 2027.

(Source: KSTP-TV)

Travis’ radio show is on several Minnesota stations. Hear the complete interview at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IrC7U2GzDaM

Sober homes face dilemma

Some operators of sober housing in Saint Paul are facing a dilemma. To qualify for state funding, many must seek new state operating licenses as a type of supportive housing. That has triggered longer city distance requirements, prompting requests for variances to the requirements. Sober housing facilities in Saint Paul can be as close as 330 feet from each other. Supportive housing must maintain a minimum distance of 1,320 feet.

The Saint Paul Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) in May reviewed the variance requests of five sober housing facilities in four neighborhoods. On the advice of the city attorney’s office, the BZA denied four of the variance requests but approved a variance for Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota at 709 University Ave. Appeals have gone to the Saint Paul City Council. Council members said they need a solution, rather than closing facilities and possibly forcing people into homelessness.

Facility operators are worried that the variance denials could force their closure and leave vulnerable people at risk of homelessness.

“You’re putting us between a rock and a hard place,” said Mark Schwartz, operator of one sober house.

BZA members said they found the situation frustrating. They encouraged the facility operators to appeal to the City Council and to take their case to state legislators.

“None of us signed up for the position we are in today,” said BZA member Christian Schweitzer.

Supportive housing refers to facilities that cater to people with disabilities or special needs. The intent of the distance requirement is to prevent a high concentration of such institutions in the same neighborhood, according to a city attorney.

The distance requirement for supportive housing was upheld in a lengthy and complicated legal fight between the city of Saint Paul and FamilyStyle Homes. FamilyStyle operated more than two dozen mental health group homes near the Schmidt Brewery. In 1991, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld state and local regulations for distance requirements between supportive housing facilities, leading FamilyStyle Homes to close.

Sober housing is regulated differently from supportive housing, also due to federal legal actions. These facilities provide a place for people to live with others in recovery from addiction. The city adopted the 330-foot minimum distance requirement in 2008. Changes in how facilities obtain financial support are driving the need for sober housing operators to seek state licensure as supportive housing. Different sources of funding are tied to different state licenses. These licenses might enable facilities to

provide overnight staff, on-site meals and other support services. But acquiring such licenses can reclassify a facility as supportive housing and trigger the 1,320-foot distance requirement.

(Source: MyVillager) Housing programs targeted FBI agents have raided five Twin Cities businesses and two homes as part of an investigation into Medicaid housing assistance fraud.

In 2020, Minnesota became the first state to use Medicaid dollars to help people with disabilities find and keep housing. Legislators initially expected the Housing Stabilization Services program to cost the Medical Assistance program, Minnesota’s version of Medicaid, $2.6 million annually. But investigators note that in its first year, it paid out $21 million, and by 2024, that figure reached $104 million.

In a newly unsealed search warrant, FBI Special Agent Kurt Beulke writes that there's been an “explosion in fly-by-night providers” that have exploited the program amid a housing and addiction crisis while providing no services. Details of the investigation are outlined in the warrant; federal prosecutors have not filed criminal charges in the case.

Twenty-two purported providers have business addresses at the Griggs-Midway Building in St. Paul. They collectively billed taxpayers $8 million over 17 months and used fake documentation to back their claims, the FBI alleges.

The FBI contends that the companies have used personal client information, including information about disabled people, to defraud taxpayers.

FBI agents also executed search warrants at the homes of the owners of Leo Human Services, Liberty Plus and Pristine Health. MPR News is not naming them because they have not been criminally charged. One of the homes raided is shared by two brothers, one of whom owns Leo and the other Liberty.

In a statement, the Minnesota Department of Human Services says that prior to the raids, it had stopped payments to three of the providers, and the agency briefed law enforcement "when credible signs of fraud were seen."

The agency adds that it has open investigations into all five of the providers, and “uses all of the tools at its disposal to detect and prevent Medicaid fraud.”

“Minnesota has a fraud problem—and not a small one,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said in a statement. “For too long, organized fraud schemes like this have flourished in plain sight, draining public resources dry. Today’s warrants are another step in a much bigger reckoning. This state needs to confront the scale of its fraud problem—because ignoring it is no longer an option.”

(Source: Minnesota Public Radio) Ulta settles lawsuit

The national cosmetic store chain Ulta has settled a lawsuit with the widower of a 29-year-old woman who died by suicide after a lengthy battle with her employer over her service dog and other work accommodations.

Allan Zimney sued Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. in May 2024, claiming the company violated the rights of his late wife, Lanie Zimney.

Lanie Zimney worked as a hairstylist at the Ulta salon in St. Cloud for about five months in early 2019. When she disclosed she was pregnant, she was allegedly abruptly escorted from the store and told she couldn’t work until she provided paperwork on the accommodations she required because of her

disability, according to the lawsuit. When she applied for the job, Zimney had disclosed her chronic physical and mental conditions, including bipolar disorder, conversion disorder, hip dysplasia and fibromyalgia — conditions for which she said she could provide medical documentation. But no one required it, the lawsuit stated. Her accommodations included access to a water bottle and chair at her work station, as well as her service dog, Bingo, who was trained to remind Zimney to take her medications, retrieve medicine or water and respond to seizures.

In May 2019, when Zimney told management she was pregnant, “Ulta withdrew its accommodations, barred Ms. Zimney from the workplace, and demanded Ms. Zimney run through a paperwork gauntlet,” the lawsuit stated. She briefly returned to work but management greatly reduced her shifts, the suit said.

Allan Zimney previously told the Star Tribune his wife felt dehumanized and suffered from depression. She died by suicide on Oct. 8, 2020, at their home in Ogilvie, Minn.

In April 2023, the director of the local Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office found “reasonable cause to believe that [Ulta] discriminated and retaliated against [Zimney] based on disability and sex (pregnancy) by suspending her, denying her reasonable accommodation and demoting her.”

Ulta submitted its answer to the complaint in January. In it, attorneys denied the allegations and said many of the claims were “overly vague, factually inaccurate … or taken out of context.”

In May, Judge Nancy Brasel ordered the case to be dismissed after attorneys for both parties submitted a document stating the claims were “completely compromised and settled by and between the parties.”

The terms of the settlement are not included in the official court record.

Zimney’s attorney, Benjamin Kwan, confirmed Tuesday that the matter has been resolved but declined to comment further, saying he is bound by a confidentiality agreement. Attorneys for Ulta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zimney now lives in northwest Wisconsin with his children and Bingo, and owns an auto body shop and an outdoor sporting goods company.

(Source: Star Tribune)

More funding support

Six state legislators worked to secure more than $8.3 million in funding for Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services. The funding will ensure 1,100 Minnesotans living with mental illness can continue to access vital employment support and remain part of the workforce.

An initial budget proposal would have dramatically reduced funding for IPS programs. Employment is a cornerstone of mental health recovery, and this development changed the course to ensure support continues to be available for those who need it most.

The IPS Collective calls the funding “a significant state legislative victory. This crucial funding will largely preserve current service levels through June 30, 2027. The funding is part of the recently enacted state budget for 2026-2027.

The initial budget proposal, which, combined with the expiration of temporary

Sen. John Hoffman

Various Minnesota disability-focused organizations and groups will be at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. One place to find community members is in the Education Building, where the Minnesota Council on Disability has a large booth with information and resources. A number of other groups will also be in the Education Building.

Go north of the Education Building to the 4-H Building and find the Minnesota State Fair Newspaper Museum, where old-time equipment brings a 1930s newspaper to life. The newspaper includes an article about Access Press. Access Press Editor Jane McClure edits the fair newspaper.

Gillette Children’s will be at the fair promoting Together We Play, a new initiative focused on inclusive play for children of all abilities. Through this effort, Gillette will create spaces where every child can learn, grow and connect through play. This can be on playgrounds, participating in inclusive activities or through adaptive sports.

Gillette mainly specializes in treating children who have complex medical conditions

STATE FAIR

From page 1

Roving service joins ASL interpreting available for concerts at the Grandstand and Bandshell upon request. Requests should be made at least 14 days prior to the concert. A separate concert ticket is required for Grandstand shows. Shows at the Bandshell are included in fair admission.) Contact accessibility@mnstatefair.org or 651-288-4448 to request ASL interpreting.

A second new feature is for those with an artistic side. Expanded pre-recorded audio descriptions will be offered in the fine arts exhibition. Guests will be able to scan QR codes throughout the fine arts exhibition in the Fine Arts Center, as well as the crop art display located in Agriculture Horticulture Building. They will be able to hear detailed audio descriptions of select pieces with their mobile device.

A third new feature is part of the ongoing $22 million investment being made in the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum. New accessible ramps in the concourse allow for guests to enter the improved wheelchair seating areas in the arena will debut in 2025. Access the ramps in sections 28 and 16. The work on the coliseum will be finished in 2026.

Restroom returns

Several popular services and features will return, including the universally designed changing restroom with hoist. Momentum Refresh is the nation’s first fully accessible, universally designed, mobile restroom. It is back for the third year.

In addition to a toilet, the vehicle is equipped with a height-adjustable universal changing table, an overhead ceiling hoist to facilitate easier transfer from wheelchair to changing table or toilet, a height-adjustable sink, enough room for an individual and caregiver, and a team of trained professionals available to inform guests about amenities and to maintain the space. Momentum Refresh will include breastfeeding and sensory-friendly space. It is located on the north end of the fairgrounds on the east side of Cosgrove Street, north of Lee Avenue. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., closing at 8 p.m. on Labor Day. Drive or be driven?

Updated information, including sites of park and ride lots, can be found at https:// www.mnstatefair.org/get-here/ Be sure to check with transit providers on accessible buses.

A free park-ride lot with free wheelchairaccessible bus service is offered for people with disabilities and their companions. The lot, open to those with a disability certificate or license plate, is on the north side of the Oscar Johnson Arena at 1039 De Courcy Circle. Buses run continuously to the fair from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (7 p.m. on Labor Day). Return trips from the fair to the parking lot are available 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. on Labor Day).

Passengers are dropped off and picked up at the Loop Gate 9 on Como Avenue on the south end of the fairgrounds. https://www. mnstatefair.org/get-here/vehicle/ Metro Mobility drops off and picks up passengers at two locations on the

including brain, bone and movement conditions. But there is also a mission that focuses on advocating on behalf of children and families in the disability community, which is where Together We Play and the campaign to promote inclusivity for people of all abilities comes into play.

Inclusive play supports physical development, improves social skills like teamwork and turn-taking and fosters empathy and resilience in every child. By removing barriers to play through Together We Play events, Gillette will educate communities about the importance of accessible recreation.

“Inclusive play is vital because it teaches empathy, promotes social connections and ensures every child—regardless of ability—can experience joy and belonging,” said Matt Witham, director of Child and Family Services at Gillette. Inclusive recreation is fundamental

Rideshare service drop-off and pick-up locations are at the north and south ends of the grounds, which is geofenced to guide those using apps.

Taxis drop off and pick up passengers at the Loop Gate 9 on Como Avenue.

Accessible parking spaces at the fair are available on a first-come basis. Vehicles must have a valid disability parking certificate. Lots fill up early each day so there is no guarantee that space will be available. The cost is $20 per day, cash or credit. FFI: https://www.mnstatefair.org/parking/vehicle/ Mobility needs

HomeTown Mobility rents wheelchairs and electric scooters from five sites within the main entrance gates to the State Fairgrounds. Advance rental reservations are accepted by contacting HomeTown Mobility directly. Reserve before a visit as mobility devices are spoken for quickly. FFI: https://www.mnstatefair.org/ general-info/accessibility-guide/

people use the space to regulate. It is located on the west side of Cosgrove Street, south of the Home Improvement Building. It is open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (8 p.m. on Labor Day)

Captioning for guests who are deaf or have difficulty hearing is offered at free events, no reservations required. A monitor displaying the captioning is positioned near the stage or

The events are Minnesota Historical Society’s History On-A-Schtick at the Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 10 a.m. August 23-28; and the Draft Horse Supreme Six Horse Hitch Classic Series Exhibition, Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum, 2 p.m. August

Audio description for guests who are blind or have low vision will be offered at these free shows, with no reservations required. Headsets for audio description can be picked up from the audio describer, who will be located near the stage prior to the show. History On-A-Schtick at the Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater offers audio

August 25. Rides with reduced light brightness and sound volume are offered 9-11 a.m. that day at Kidway, and then at 10 a.m.noon at Mighty Midway.

Sensory-friendly hours apply only to Mighty Midway and Kidway. Other areas in the fairgrounds will still contain loud music and lights during these hours. Note that in the Mighty Midway and Kidway, some lights and sound may still occur. Not all attractions can completely eliminate all sound and light.

Information and tips to help guests choose which amusement attractions are appropriate for them are located in the Accessibility Guide on the State Fair website at mnstatefair.org/general-info/accessibilityguide/#midway

The Fraser Sensory Building is for fair guests of all ages with sensory-processing challenges who may find the sights, sounds, smells and crowds of the fair overwhelming. It is staffed by Fraser-trained sensory support volunteers, who have items on hand to help

Audio description services for additional, select free entertainment shows will be available by request. Requests must be made at least 14 days prior to the show by contacting accessibility@mnstatefai .org or 651-288-4448

RADIO TALKING BOOK

Weigh in with survey

Radio Talking Book staff want to hear from listeners. Please take a moment to provide feedback about experience with Minnesota’s Radio Talking Book. They survey is only six questions long but will provide needed information. Go to https:// tinyurl.com/surveyRTB

Summer Reading

For August, 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, sign up and also contact Ronnie Washington at 651-539-1424 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

Hear programming on a hand-held mobile device, for 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, 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 NFB-NEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers. Visit www.nfb.org/programs-services/nfbnewsline; 612-562-7803.

Staff welcomes any feedback or suggestions. Contact Joseph Papke at 651539-2316 or joseph.papke@state.mn.us or Tom Conry at 651-642-0880 or thomas. conry@state.mn.us about periodicals and newspapers programming.

BENEFACTOR

($1000 & up)

Janice Chevrette

Catherine Hunter and Christopher Ockwig

Jane Larson

Brandon Miller

Lynda Milne

Kay Willshire

GOLD ($500-$999)

Dena Belisle

John and Marilyn Clark

Ronna Linroth

Morgan Stanley Gift (anonymous)

Liza Robson

Tamarack Habilitation Tech on behalf of Mark Payette

Chautauqua*

Monday – Friday 6 a.m.

Golden Years, nonfiction by James Chappel, 2024. An account of the history of old age in modern America, showing how unprecedented security was created for some, with painful uncertainty for others. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 18 broadcasts; begins Tue, Aug. 19.

Past is Prologue*

Monday – Friday 11 a.m.

Half-Life of a Secret, nonfiction by Emily Strasser, 2023. A poignant journey of discovery, revealing the secrets, stories and human and emotional cost of the facility that helped develop the first atomic bomb. Read by John McClure. 12 broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 4. – V

The World Will Never See the Like, nonfiction by John L. Hopkins, 2024. An examination of the 1913 Civil War reunion through the lens of the veterans within the context of society, politics and the national mood at the time. Read by Mary Beth Redmond. Nine broadcasts; begins Wed, Aug. 20. – L, R

Bookworm*

Monday – Friday 12 p.m.

Season of the Swamp, fiction by Yuri Herrera, 2024. A thoughtful portrait of one revolutionary’s remarkable resilience, far from home in nineteenth-century New Orleans. Read by Lisa Bromer. Five broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 4.

Paradiso, fiction by Dante Alighieri, 2025. A new translation of the epic poem that employs language and references recognizable to its readers. Read by Stuart Holland. Six broadcasts; begins Tue, Aug. 11.

The Sweet Blue Distance, fiction by Sara Donati, 2024. A young midwife travels west to the New Mexico Territory to care for women in need and faces dangers more harrowing than the ones she’s fleeing in this epic tale of survival, redemption and love. Read by Bonnie Swenby. 29 broadcasts; begins Tue, Aug. 19.

The Writer’s Voice*

Monday – Friday 1 p.m.

The Rulebreaker, nonfiction by Susan Page, 2024. A biography of the most successful female broadcaster of all time, Barbara Walters. Read by Carol McPherson. 17 broadcasts; begins Mon, July 14.

Choice Reading*

Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

You Never Know, nonfiction by Tom Selleck, 2024. An intimate memoir from one of the most beloved actors of our time, a highly

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Bebe Baldwin

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personal story of a remarkable life and thoroughly accidental career. Read by Jim Gregorich. 13 broadcasts; begins Wed, Aug. 6.

Hot Dish Confidential, nonfiction by George Sorensen, 2024. A Minneapolis man embarks on a year-long gastronomic journey with a group of amateur culinary experts. Read by Stuart Holland. Nine broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 25

Choice Reading*

Monday – Friday 2 p.m.

Remember You Will Die, fiction by Eden Robins, 2024. An audacious and unforgettable novel that captures the exhilaration, heartbreak and passion of a life fully lived. Read by Pat Ocken. Eight broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 4. – L

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus, fiction by Emma Knight, 2025. A witty, atmospheric novel that offers compelling portraits of womanhood, motherhood, and female friendship, along with the irresistible intrigue surrounding an extraordinary British family. Read by Holly Sylvester. 12 broadcasts; begins Thu, Aug. 14. – L, S Afternoon Report*

Monday – Friday 4 p.m.

Social Justice Fallacies, nonfiction by Thomas Sowell, 2023. A renowned economist demolishes the myths that underpin the social justice movement. Read by Jan Pettit. Six broadcasts; begins Thu, Aug. 7.

Free and Equal, nonfiction by Daniel Chandler, 2024. A student of the philosopher John Rawls applies his ideas to a brand of politics capable of shaping a good society. Read by William Heisley. 14 broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 18.

Night Journey*

Monday –Friday 7 p.m.

Man in the Water, fiction by David Housewright, 2024. When his wife finds the body of an army veteran in the lake, it is inevitable that former cop, now unofficial P.I. Rushmore McKenzie will get enmeshed in a complicated case of possible murder. Read by John Holden. 10 broadcasts; begins Thu, Aug. 7. – L

Scandal of Vandals, fiction by Frank F. Weber, 2024. A novel based on a true crime story in Minnesota that was once touted as the crime of the century. Read by Stuart Holland. 11 broadcasts; begins Thu, Aug. 21.

Potpurri

Monday – Friday 9 p.m.

Charlie Hustle, nonfiction by Keith O’Brien, 2024. A captivating chronicle of the

All times listed are Central Standard Time.

Abbreviations

V – violent content

R – racial epithets

L – strong language

S – sexual situation

G – gory descriptions

incredible story of one of America’s most iconic, charismatic, and still polarizing figures—baseball immortal Pete Rose—and an exquisite cultural history of baseball and America in the second half of the twentieth century. Read by Roger Sheldon. 18 broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 4. – L

Jane Austen and the Price of Happiness, nonfiction by Inger Brodey, 2024. An enlightening examination of the question: Do Jane Austen novels truly celebrate—or undermine—romance and happy endings? Read by Carol McPherson. 11 broadcasts; begins Thu, Aug. 28.

Good Night Owl

Monday – Friday 10 p.m.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe, fiction by Emma Törzs, 2023. A tale of two estranged halfsisters tasked with guarding their family’s library of magical books who work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection. Read by Parichay Rudina. 18 broadcasts; begins Mon, Aug. 18. – L RTB After Hours*

Monday – Friday 11 p.m.

The Rule Book, fiction by Sarah Adams, 2024. College exes break all the rules when they reunite years later in this enemies to lovers, second-chance romance. Read by Pat Muir. 12 broadcasts; begins Wed, Aug. 13. – 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; followed by Fight Right by Julie and John Gottman, read by Dan Sadoff.

For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer, read by Stuart Holland. Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents The Blue Mimes by Sara Daniele Rivera, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by The Rose by Ariana Reines, 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.

Tom Clark

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Rosebud Elijah

Kent Fordyce

Vicki Gerrits

Mary Graba

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We appreciate your

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Voices of the Disabled

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Steve Larson

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McGraw

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Voices for the

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TAKE NOTE!

Farewell to Upstream Arts

MEDICAID

From page 4

For 20 years, Upstream Arts has activated and amplified the voice and choice of individuals with disabilities. The organization is winding down operations, but not before a goodbye event on Thu, Sept. 25 at Whim in Mpls. The free, familyfriendly and fully accessible farewell celebration is being planned. Preregister and plan to celebrate two decades’ worth of accomplishments. FFI: https:// upstreamarts.org/ are experiencing staffing shortages that will only be worsened by impending funding cuts. At the same time, demand for services is higher than ever. Without enough staff and resources to meet this growing need, many more families will be placed on waiting lists. This creates a cycle in which both access to

REGIONAL NEWS

From page 8

funds, would have dramatically reduced support for IPS programs statewide, leaving only $1.55 million. Thanks to the collective advocacy of individuals, providers and legislative champions, the final funding level is nearly $7 million more than originally proposed.

“This funding is a testament to the power of collective advocacy and the commitment of our legislative leaders to supporting recovery and self-sufficiency for Minnesotans,” said Robert Reedy, director of vocational programs at Rise. “Employment is a cornerstone of mental health recovery, fostering purpose, financial independence and community integration. This investment means that critical services will continue to be available for those who need them most.”

PEOPLE AND PLACES

From page 6

resource advisor, and advises on matters that pertain to persons with disabilities.

The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities also has new members. Heather Stillwell, Two Harbors, is a state agency representative for the Department of health.

The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities carries out responsibilities to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the necessary supports/ services to achieve increased independence, productivity, self-determination, integration and inclusion in the community.

Robert James Haight, Faribault; Hanna Miller, Perham and Paul Younge, St. Anthony Village are appointed to the Ombudsman Committee for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Haight is appointed to the Medical Review Subcommittee. Miller is a healthcare provider member. Younger is a consumer representative.

services and service quality are compromised.

The good news is that although Medicaid cuts are looming, the fight for community inclusion is far from over. Our state can continue to support proposals that strengthen community-based services for people with disabilities and the direct care workforce that delivers those services. We can continue to place calls, write letters, attend rallies, and make our message clear:

The IPS Collective worked with several state legislators and staff from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Their leadership and dedication were instrumental in securing this critical investment in the well-being and economic participation of Minnesotans living with mental illness:

The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model is designed to promote work as an integral part of the mental health recovery process. IPS is a highly effective supported employment service model that helps individuals with serious mental illness find and retain competitive jobs of their choice in the community. These IPS services are funded through DEED’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division. This funding ensures that current service levels for these transformative programs can largely be maintained, offering stability and

Take a survey for DHS

Direct support professionals--the State of Minnesota wants to hear your voice! Minnesota is conducting a short, voluntary survey to better understand the direct care workforce. Because professionals in this field are often known by many names like home health nurses, personal care assistants, nursing home aides, and others, it can be challenging for the state to track and support this vital labor market. It only takes five minutes to complete.

FFI: https://survey.dhs.state.mn.us/Interview/ fdd9825f-5e45-4b72-972d-d867b8c140bd

Take Note! 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.

we will not go backwards. As the ADA and Olmstead established, people with I/DD deserve to be fully integrated into their communities. We have made great progress as a state and country since then. Today, in the face of legislation that threatens otherwise, we must come together to ensure that the promise of community inclusion is upheld for generations to come.

hope for individuals seeking to re-enter or thrive in the workforce.

The IPS Collective is a coalition of nonprofit provider organizations which advocate for statewide resources and policies that support Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services. The Collective includes Functional Industries, Goodwill-Easter Seals of Minnesota, Guild, Hope Haven, Lutheran Social Services (LSS), MRCI, Productive Alternatives, Rise, Tran$Em, and West Central Industries (WCI). These organizations work together to create visibility on the impact of IPS programming, pooling their resources and strengths to create change.

For more information about IPS services within DEED’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division, go to https://mn.gov/deed/ job-seekers/disabilities/ips/. (Source: Guild Inc.)

accesspress.org, under the listings tab. The event must be disabled-focused, offer accommodations or led by a disability service organization. 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. 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. This can include disability-focused arts, cultural and service groups. Email us at 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

Julie Johnson has been working in the field of disability services for 35 years. She currently serves as the president and CEO of MSS, a nonprofit organization providing day and employment services to people with disabilities in the Twin Cities area. Julie is the former president of the Minnesota Organization for Habilitation and Rehabilitation (MOHR) and currently serves as its chair of government affairs.

Want more regional news?

Access Press began publishing regional news years ago thanks to a Bremer Foundation grant. A wide variety of news items is printed every month.

Access Press has also covered COVID-19 through a past Minnesota Department of Health grant.

That expansion of coverage prompted our staff and board to start publishing e-newsletters between print editions. These cover health and general disability-focused regional news and are sent out to provide news on a more frequent basis. They provide an overview of regional news between our print issues. The newsletters are free. Sign up at https:// accesspress.org/subscribe/

activities with other entities in the state that provide services similar or complementary to independent living services.

The Ombudsman Committee for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities advises and assists the ombudsperson in developing policies, plans and programs to benefit persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependence and emotional disturbance.

Steven Sawczyn of Richfield was appointed to the State Rehabilitation Council for the Blind, representing an advocacy organization. The State Rehabilitation

Janet Perreault of Savage was named to the Board of Executives for Long-term Services and Supports as a registered nurse-assisted living facility representative. The Board of Executives for Long-Term Services and Supports licenses administrators of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, conducts studies of nursing home and assisted living administration, approves continuing education programs for administrators, and investigates complaints and allegations of rule violations.

Are you a Yahoo user?

Access Press readers who use Yahoo email might be missing out. Our staff is getting a lot of email bounce backs from Yahoo email addresses.

Don’t miss news and information that Minnesotans with disabilities, their allies, organizations, and groups need to know.

Computers and other devices should have spam or junk blockers turned on. Make sure the Access Press emails are in the proper mailbox.

Thank you!

August 2025 Edition

Treacherous tunnel to be rebuilt

NEWS DIGEST

New ASL feature offered at the Minnesota State Fair

Reconciliation Act's many consequences simply cannot

Disability-focused camps are celebrating anniversaries in 2025

Legislative win protects funding for Long COVID research and more

FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Family’s home was not just a place to live, but a place they built to live

Investing in inclusion means we move forward together as a community

Despite Medicaid cuts, we can still uphold disability inclusion’s promise

New food and beverages await at accessible fair dining venues

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Merrick’s Barker ends long career;

Greenbaum takes helm

More Accessibility Guest Services Than Ever Join Us!

More Accessibility Guest Services Than Ever Join Us!

More Accessibility Guest Services Than Ever Join Us!

More Accessibility Guest Services Than Ever Join Us!

Our Disability Pride shone throughout

REGIONAL NEWS

Senator Hoffman gives update in first interview since shooting

Fraud alleged at autism centers

More funding support

STATE FAIR

Restroom returns

RADIO TALKING BOOK

BENEFACTOR

TAKE NOTE!

Farewell to Upstream Arts

MEDICAID

REGIONAL NEWS

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Take a survey for DHS

Affordable Senior Apartments

Affordable Senior Apartments

Housing with Care*

Housing with Care*