Access Press - June 10, 2009
Bringing News and Information to People with Disabilities Since 1990
This version of Access Press does not include graphics, photos, advertisements, Directory of Organizations, Friends of Access Press listing, hyperlinks or email links. It is laid out in the order that content appears in the print version on pages 1 through 16.
Monthly Quote:
“Listen to what you know instead
of what you fear.”
— Richard Bach, from Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Page 1, Article 1:
A daunting array of state law changes and funding cuts
will affect persons with disabilities and the elderly
by Anne L. Henry
Minnesota’s enormous budget deficit dominated and defined the 2009 legislative session. The fiscal chasm of $6.4 billion was reduced by federal stimulus money, resulting in a $4.6 billion gaping hole for the Legislature to fix. State spending is projected at more than $35 billion for the coming biennium (two years). After adopting cuts, shifts, and tax increases to balance the budget, the Legislature adjourned on the required date, May 18. Governor Tim Pawlenty then vetoed the tax increases and other aspects of the Leg-islature’s appropriations, vowing not to call a special session but to use his unallotment powers to make further cuts of $2.7 billion on his own and balance the budget for the next biennium beginning July 1, 2009. Despite the overall budget standoff, the Legislature passed and Governor Pawlenty signed many substantial cuts in health and human services programs affecting persons with disabilities.
PCA Cuts and Changes
The personal care assistant (PCA) program cuts will affect
more than 8,000 Minnesotans of all ages and types of disabilities who now use
PCA services. In addition to the cuts made due to the budget crisis, the recommendations
from the Office of the Legislative Auditor for more than 25 specific changes
to improve the integrity of the program and prevent identified problems were
adopted.
The PCA cuts which will have a major impact on people with disabilities who
use PCA services include: 1) a change in the way PCA hours are authorized resulting
in an average cut of two hours per day for about 6,500 persons, effective January
1, 2010; 2) a cut in eligibility phased in over two years resulting in 500
persons cut from PCA service eligibility beginning January 1, 2010 and another
1,600 people cut off PCA services July 1, 2011; 3) a limit of 310 hours per
month for which a PCA can be paid, effective July 1, 2009. The funding of PCA
services which will be cut for the coming two-year period, beginning July 1,
2009, totals $58.6 million in state and federal Medicaid dollars.
As part of the PCA cuts, the Legislature reserved nearly $8 million, beginning
July 1, 2011 to be used as match for alternative services for those cut off
PCA services with mental health diagnoses or behavioral issues who need some
assistance to remain independent in the community. A stakeholders’ group
will work to develop alternative services and report to the Legislature by
January 15, 2011.
In addition to the cuts made to meet Minnesota’s budget crisis, major
changes were made in the way PCA agencies will have to do business, the assessment
process and the operation of the program, such as specific definitions of the
tasks a PCA is allowed to perform, training requirements and required documentation.
Many of these changes are consistent with recommendations made by the Office
of the Legislative Auditor to improve the integrity of the PCA program. Other
changes were made in the name of simplification, which will mean PCA services
in the future will be far less individually designed to meet a person’s
specific needs in their home environment. Because of changes in the way PCA
hours will be provided to eligible recipients beginning in January 2010, people
will be divided into 10 categories and given the same amount of basic time
which can be increased by 30-minute increments based on a person’s need
for complex medical procedures or allowed behavioral monitoring. The PCA program
will be much diminished in its capacity to meet the individual needs of a wide
variety of persons in the community.
While the PCA cuts enacted will be devastating to many, the Legislature
didn’t
adopt all the PCA cuts proposed by Pawlenty. A requirement for persons who
have a responsible party designated to oversee their care, to live with that
responsible party was defeated. This cut would have eliminated more than 500
more people from PCA services, some with very complex needs. Also, the cut
in eligibility for 1,600 people was delayed for 18 months, until July 2011.
PCA cuts of more than $14 million in state dollars ($32 million in state and
federal Medicaid funds) proposed by Pawlenty weren’t adopted by the Legislature.
The efforts of the disability community were crucial in the Legislature’s
decision not to adopt over 20% of the Governor’s PCA cuts.
GAMC Funding Vetoed for July 1, 2010
Gov. Pawlenty used his line item veto to eliminate funding for the state-funded General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC), beginning July 2010. The elimination of funding for GAMC will have significant negative consequences for hospitals and have an adverse impact on mental health services, since about 70 percent of GAMC recipients, low income adults without children, use mental health services.
Disability Waiver Cuts
The Legislature adopted Gov. Pawlenty’s proposal to limit disability waiver growth by cutting funding for the Community Alternatives for Disabled Individuals (CADI), the Developmental Disabilities (DD) and the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) waivers, eliminating funding for at least 530 people who would have become eligible for these services over the next two years. The disability waiver programs were cut in an unallotment action at the end of 2008, but this funding had to be restored due to the federal stimulus maintenance of efforts (MOE) requirements.
Provider Rate Cut and Adult Foster Group Homes
Community supports and long-term
service providers will be cut 2.58 percent beginning July 1, 2009. These services
include all disability waivers, including consumer-directed options, intermediate
care facilities for persons with mental retardation (ICF/MR) services, semi-independent
living services (SILS), aging and disability continuing care grants. Most mental
health services were spared the rate cut.
The Legislature also cut more than 900 adult foster homes funded through the
disability waivers by requiring that homes with a higher rate be reduced to
the 95th percentile for all homes’ rates. This is in addition to the
2.58 percent provider rate cut which will mean that a significant number of
four-person group homes will experience a significant reduction in funding
in the coming biennium. This cut will remove $7.8 million (state and federal
Medicaid funds) from about 900 four-bed waiver group homes for persons with
disabilities in the next biennium. Also, a moratorium on additional adult foster
group homes will be in effect.
Hospitals received a 1% rate cut and other reductions, payment delays and shifts.
Health care providers’ rates were cut 3%, except dental, mental health
services and primary care physicians and medical specialists’ rates were
cut 5%, raising concerns about whether specialists will continue to serve persons
with disabilities who have Medical Assistance coverage.
Personal Needs Allowance Cut
More than 16,000 people who live in Group Residential Housing (GRH) will have their personal needs allowance (PNA) reduced to $89 a month, with no additional funding. This is meant to cover all clothing, hygiene items, individual transportation and any other personal needs. This cut to very low-income persons with disabilities and seniors in group residential housing will save the state $7 million for the next biennium.
Region 10 Quality Assurance Funding Eliminated
The Region 10 Quality Assurance
Program which began in southeastern Minnesota was eliminated in the Health
and Human Services Omnibus Bill. The elimination of an important quality assurance
program comes just as the state is under increased scrutiny from the federal
oversight agency, CMS, to increase quality assurance measures for disability
services. A last minute provision allowing federal matching dollars for quality
assurance activities was adopted, leaving some possible options for continuation,
depending upon efforts at DHS.
Tightened Eligibility for Disability Waivers, the Elderly Waiver and Nursing
Facilities.
Also included in the Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill are major changes
to the eligibility threshold for home and community waiver services and nursing-facility-level-of-care.
Because of the federal stimulus maintenance of effort requirements, these changes
were delayed until January 2011. Nonetheless, it is important for disability
advocates and others concerned to focus on these significant changes which
will tighten eligibility criteria for the CADI, TBI and Elderly Waiver (EW)
waivers as well as for nursing facility care. These changes are projected to
result in the elimination of eligibility for over 900 persons who would have
been eligible for CADI and TBI services. In addition, these changes are tied
to Minne-sota’s adoption of a new comprehensive assessment for all long-term
and community support services.
New Assessment — MNCOMPASS
A new assessment, entitled Minnesota COMPASS, will be implemented beginning in January 2011. Before then, DHS will develop training to begin in January 2010, for lead agencies, including counties, managed care plans and tribes, for assessment staff to be trained and certified to use the new assessment process. The Minnesota COMPASS assessment will be required for anyone who wants to access home and community-based waiver services, personal care assistant services or institutional-level-of-care including nursing facilities beginning January 1, 2011.
Dental Services for Adults Reduced, Therapies Not Cut
Gov. Pawlenty’s proposals to eliminate rehabilitative services (occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language services and audiology), dental services, chiropractic and podiatry services for adults weren’t adopted by the Legislature. However, substantial limitations for dental services which will adversely impact persons with disabilities were adopted, resulting in a savings of over $7 million in state funds and $17.6 million in state and federal Medicaid for dental services for adults with Medical Assistance. Also, funding for state-operated dental clinics was increased.
MNDHO Reduction
The Minnesota Disability Health Options integrated managed care program operating in the seven-county metro area had its funding cut by $4.6 million in state funds for the next biennium with a much greater cut for the following biennium, 2012-13.
MA-EPD Premiums Not Increased
Gov. Pawlenty’s proposal to increase premiums and unearned income payments from those using Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) were not adopted.
Policy Changes
While the major focus of this session was the catastrophic budget
deficit, a number of important policy changes affecting persons with disabilities
were adopted. Minnes-ota’s private guardianship statute was changed
to require a bill of rights for persons placed under guardianship, improved
reporting by guardians, increased court oversight and registration of guardian
and conservators beginning in July, 2013. The Vulnerable Adults Act was strengthened
to protect individuals from financial exploitation which has been reported
at an alarming rate. Numerous changes have been made to licensing and other
regulations affecting residential services. Increased use of technology to
assure safety for individuals who want to be more independent in their residential
programs will be more available under new provisions adopted. Also, important
new legislation to create standards for technology accessibility was adopted.
Finally, a bill to require that private insurance cover services for children
diagnosed with autism was not included in the final Health and Human Services
Omnibus Bill. A provision establishing the Autism Task Force was adopted, as
well as authorization of a joint proposal to obtain federal stimulus funds
for research on autism spectrum disorder by the commissioner of health and
a Minnesota research institution.
Impact for Years to Come
The cuts and many of the changes described will mean that many persons with disabilities will not be able to obtain the services they need. It is clear that our state is on a path to tighten eligibility criteria for support services for persons with disabilities to remain as independent as possible in their homes and communities. Over the next few weeks the threat of unallotment continues the fear and uncertainty for persons with disabilities who rely upon Medical Assistance and other publicly funded health care and community support services. A major challenge for disability advocates will be to work to develop appropriate alternative services for those eliminated from home and community waiver services, PCA services and even health coverage (GAMC). Specific information about legislation is available on the legislative website www.leg.mn.state.us and through various disability advocacy groups and the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, www.mn-ccd.org
Anne L. Henry is an attorney at Minnesota Disability Law Center
Page 1, Article 2:
People with disabilities want to build line, not just ride
by Jane McClure
Will people with disabilities be shut out of jobs during construction of
the Central Corridor light rail project? That’s an issue being raised
by Kaposia Inc., a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities find employment.
State and regional officials, in response, say there isn’t anything they
can do to set employment goals until state lawmakers act on the issue.
“People don’t want to just ride the light rail. They want to help
build it,” said Carol Rydell, service development coordinator for Kaposia.
More than two dozen people rallied in downtown St. Paul on May 20 to protest
the Central Corridor project’s lack of employment opportunity for people
with disabilities. Advocates contend that state human rights officials have
not even started the work necessary to set a legally defensible employment
goal for the light rail project or for other upcoming projects.
Kaposia organized the rally with help from The Arc of Minnesota, Advocating
Change Together, the Council on Deaf, Blind and DeafBlind Minnesotans, the
Equal Access Coalition and the Minnesota DCC.
The rally was the same day as a “Construction Workforce Diversity and
Inclusion Mixer” organized by Metropolitan Council, cities of Minneapolis
and St. Paul, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Minnesota Department
of Human Rights, Hennepin and Ramsey counties and other organizations. Contractors
were encouraged to come and meet people looking for work and to publicize upcoming
projects, work and apprenticeship opportunities.
Rydell and others noted the fliers for the event made no mention of hiring
people with disabilities. The organization also got little notice of the event
so in protest, Kaposia chose not to have a table at the mixer. The event was
attended by more than 200 people.
Kaposia has worked on employment issues for persons with disabilities for almost
50 years. The organization was very active in recent efforts to improve City
of St. Paul contracting and vendor outreach efforts for persons with disabilities.
The organization was able to push through a 10 percent goal for people with
disabilities on affirmative action plans submitted by contractors. Individuals
with significant disabilities were able to find work on projects including
construction of the Rondo Community Outreach Library at Dale and University
Now Kaposia wants an employment goal for people with disabilities on the workforce
for publicly funded projects including Central Corridor. But that won’t
happen unless state rules change and state lawmakers intervene. With a lack
of employment goals for people with disabilities, it is harder for people to
get hired, advocates said.
“The Minnesota Department of Human Rights needs to do its job,” said
Rydell.
“How about putting people with disabilities to work?” said Kaposia
Executive Director Jon Alexander. “That works well for everybody.”Alexander
and Rydell noted that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is
at 13 percent, almost double the rate for the rest of the population.
Mike Truxler is disabled and has more than 10 years’ experience in construction.
But he has been unemployed since 2006. He and others at the rally said more
needs to be done to help people with disabilities find good jobs. Several speakers
talked about the importance of employment as a means of promoting self-worth
as well as providing economic independence.
Nikki Villavicencio, an intern at the Gillette Children’s Hospital, is
disabled by arthrogryposis. She works and thinks others should have the same
opportunity. “Everyone should have a job,” she said. “Work
is important to me because it tells me I am worth something,” said Kari
Sheldon, a college student who spoke at the rally. “People with disabilities
do need jobs. We need jobs immediately.”
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights construction employment goal for women
is 6 percent statewide, and 11 percent for minorities in the seven-county metropolitan
area. There are no state-mandated goals for hiring of persons with disabilities
because there is no requirement to do so in state rules, said Jeff Holman of
the Department of Human Rights.
Changing the rules means seeking action from the Minnesota Legislature. But
if there were goals for people with disabilities, Holman said that could raise
difficult issues. One is that if a prospective employer set a goal to hire
a set number of persons with disabilities, which would require pre-employment
medical inquiries. Those kinds of inquiries aren’t legal.
“We want to encourage people to get hired, period, said Wanda Kirkpatrick,
director of equal opportunity for Metropolitan Council. But the council cannot
set its own employment goals. Those have to come from the state. Instead, the
council works to get information out about hiring and to work with contractors.
Hosting the May 20 mixer is just one of many steps taken to try to connect
people with jobs, Kirkpatrick said.
Jane McClure is assistant editor of Access Press.
Page 2, Article 1: Editor's Column
by Tim Benjamin
Our friend, Charlie Smith founded Access
Press 19 years ago this month. He started the paper as a very positive entrepreneurial
adventure that has evolved in many directions and has involved thousands of
people. There was a need in the disability community to have a resource for
news outside mainstream news and Charlie filled that huge gap, and we’re
glad he did. It’s great every year to celebrate the anniversary of this
newspaper, but especially as we close out our second decade. At a time when
many newspapers are closing their doors, it’s a special privilege to
light this year’s birthday candle. I have tried, over my tenure as Charlie’s
successor, with the encouragement and support of many staff and all of you
in the community, to keep Access Press a strong resource of disability news
for us, and a stronger resource for others to better understand the disability
community. I hope our paper long continues to promote disability rights, spread
news and give a voice to people with disabilities that is heard loudly throughout
the world.
Governor Pawlenty has decided not to run for a third term. Personally, I think
he made a good decision for Minnesota. Pawlenty said, “We are a government
of laws and ideas, not personalities. Time marches on, and now it’s time
to give someone else a chance.” Does that mean our governor is going to
march on to other political roles, with his position here as the stepping stone?
And in giving someone else a chance, isn’t our governor passing a legislative
hot potato to the next governor of Minnesota? Many have said that the governor
is stepping into a bigger political arena, maybe the presidential arena. If that’s
true, good for him and I wish him good luck. He may not get too many votes from
the disability community.
But who will be the next governor? It seems as though there are plenty of folks
lining up for the governor’s job, Republicans, Democrats, Independence
and other party candidates. Who would want to be the next governor is a real
question. Whoever it is will ultimately have to fix the damage that has been
created by the lack of new state revenue for years. The governor has created
a big hole in social services—not singlehandedly; there are others who
can shoulder some of the blame. But there are many functions and services of
state government that will need to be repaired.
And there’s no question that the next legislative session, where the governor
will be a lame duck essentially unaccountable to Minnesotans, will be a session
of trying to find revenue to undo some of the cuts and revenue shortfalls of
this last session.
On that last Sunday afternoon in May when the House and Senate did not override
the governor’s veto of the health and human services bill, an eerie silence
came over the capitol like I’ve never witnessed or felt there before. There
were few more devastated than Rep. Tom Huntley (DFL), who has represented Duluth
at the state capitol for 17 years. After nearly two decades of campaigning for
health care reform as the chair of the Health and Human Services finance division,
Huntley understands the potential devastating effects these cuts will cause.
More than 30,000 citizens are now enrolled in General Assistance Medical Care
(GAMC), one of the line items whose funding the governor completely cut from
the Health and Human Services bill. GAMC was a state-funded safety net that protected
the most vulnerable Minnesotans. For more than 30 years, GAMC has protected Minnesotans
living far beneath the poverty line. To be eligible for the program, you must
have earnings of less than $7,800 per year. Many of the recipients suffer from
mental illness and live on the streets. Many of them end up getting their medical
care at the last minute in an emergency room, not doctor’s offices, when
their need for care is acute, and expensive. We need not only to restore GAMC
but to find long-term health-preserving and cost-savings solutions that get these
Minnesotans into clinics before they’re in a medical crisis.
Lots of good work was done at the capitol this year. We can all be thankful for
the work of advocates and activists, and many good legislators who serve on our
behalf every day. As just one example, we are all very proud of our friend, Mai
Thor who was recognized by the Secretary of State’s office for her outstanding
work on voters’ rights. Thanks to Mai and to all disability community advocates
for your outstanding work, and for using all the tools in your toolbox. Thanks
especially for exercising your strong will and for refusing to accept ‘no,
we can’t do that,’ as an acceptable answer.
Page 2, Article 2:
History Note
Author didn’t disguise contempt for her subjects
In his 1910 biennial report, Dr. Arthur
C. Rogers, the superintendent of the Minnesota School for the Feeble Minded
and Colony for Epileptics at Faribault, requested funding for field workers
to compile detailed family histories of residents at that institution. Rogers
emphasized the need for accurate collection of information which would be of
scientific value, facts which would, as he stated, “promote the cause
of prevention” of “mental deficiency.” The Minnesota Legislature
provided funds for the expenses involved and the Eugenics Records Office in
New York provided two trained field workers. During the next several years,
Sadee Devitt and Marie Curial traveled throughout Minnesota and compiled histories
of 549 families of persons who had been sent to Faribault.
Rogers died early in 1917. His research assistant, Maud Merrill, compiled an
account of several of these families living in an area of ravines and caves
near the Mississippi River, probably in Goodhue County. She stated that this
account was one of a series that Rogers had planned. He was named senior author
when the book was published in 1919. The book’s subtitle, A True Story
of the Social Aspects of Feeble-Mindedness, suggests some kind of scientific
presentation, but the title, Dwellers in the Vale of Siddem, which refers to
the location of the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, proves otherwise.
Merrill did not disguise her contempt for most members of these families, whom
she called “grandchildren of the devil.” She noted that other
people in the area called them “timber rats” and “bark eaters.” She
called them “ugly cancers of the social system” and a nest of “social
incompetents, degenerates, defectives, and criminals.” She used descriptions
such as “miserable reprobate,” “stupid,” and “shiftless.” All
this to warn the people of Minnesota that “from the standpoint of eugenic
consideration the existence of such communities as the Vale of Siddem makes
our present efforts to care for the feeble-minded quite idle.”
After Rogers died, the field studies did not continue. Nothing further was
done with the family history data until, years later, Sheldon and Elizabeth
Reed, geneticists at the University of Minnesota, updated it and published
a detailed analysis
.
Merrill went to Stanford, got a Ph. D., and spent an illustrious career there
revising the Stanford-Binet intelligence test.
Dwellers never attained the notoriety of comparable books like The Jukes or
The Kallikak Family, but it stands today as a stark reminder of the attitude
in that era which well-regarded and highly respected professionals had toward
many persons with disabilities and their families. Dwellers in the Vale of
Siddem is available on the Developmental Disabilities Council website at mnddc.org/past/pdf-index.html
A reprinted version is available at www.kessinger.net
The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org or www.mncdd.org and www.partnersinpolicymaking.com
Page 2, Article 3:
Clarification
The May issue of Access Press
included a feature article, Never Taking “No” for an Answer:
Living with Muscular Atrophy in Peru. The article was written by Kelly
Lee of Advocating Change Together (ACT) based on an interview with Dr.
Liliana Mayo of Lima, Peru.
Page 3:
What they said: 2009 legislative session
“It’s not an option. It’s a duty.”
— Gov. Tim Pawlenty, at a news conference after the 2009 legislative
session adjourned. He will balance the state budget through unallotment.
“At the end of the session (Pawlenty) gave us two choices: Either we
do it his way, or he would do it his way. We decided the state needed a better
option that balanced the budget while protecting nursing homes, schools, hospitals
and property taxpayers. That’s what we passed.”
— Rep. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, of the vetoed state budget plan
“The DFL appears to be choosing symbolic debate over tough choices.”
— Brian McClung, spokesperson for Gov. Tim Pawlenty
“I hope you never need a family member to need long-term care. I’ve
worked here for 28 years and in those years I’ve seen too many cuts,
which affect the quality of care. Let’s treat our elders with respect
and dignity they so deserve. Their lives should not end when they enter long-term
care. Why not start cutting salaries at the top?”
- Karen, nursing home worker, in written comments given to state lawmakers
“They have to pay for the bills they pass. It was irresponsible. I’m
not going to let it happen.”
— Gov. Tim Pawlenty, pointing out that state lawmakers had approved $34
billion in spending over the next two years, when the state would only collect
$31 billion in revenue
“I don’t know of any precedent for a governor exercising that
kind of unallotment power. He’s really rewritten the rules here. This
is kind of an imperial governorship.”
— Larry Jacobs, director, University of Minnesota’s Center for
the Study of Politics and Governance.
“I support nursing home workers. No cuts to nursing homes. They take
care of precious people.”
— Marcia, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
(AFSCME) member, in written comments given to state lawmakers
“Folks, we’re talking about life and death here. Rise above your
political party. Rise above politics. Do the right thing.”
— Rep. Lyndon Carlson, DFL-Crystal, during a failed attempt to override
the governor’s veto of GAMC
“We’re worried about all of the programs that service low-income
Minnesotans, from GAMC to Medical Assistance to MinnesotaCare. But we’re
also worried about all of the programs that serve the elderly and the disabled,
low-income families and children.”
— Maureen O’Connell, advocacy director, Legal Services Advocacy
Project of Minneapolis
“Nursing home workers deserve an increase, not a decrease. I would like
to see a representative follow an aide for one day, taking care of 10-15 elderly
residents, in an eight-hour shift. Bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding, laying
down, ambulating. Try this when you have 5-6 call lights on and families calling
for your help. I don’t think one of you could make it through the day,
let alone be happy and take a cut in pay and be asked to smile and say thank
you. Fix the problem instead of punishing these workers and sliding it under
the rug year after year.”
— Sharon, nursing home worker, in written comments given to state lawmakers
“I’m worried about the impact (cuts) will have, both on jobs and
the services available.”
— Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis. She is concerned that some rural
hospitals and health care facilities could close
“Take care of nursing home residents and nursing home employees. You
never know where you or your parents will end up.”
— Diane, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) member, in written
comments given to state lawmakers
“Don’t forget us”
— Sign held by a protester at one of the many disability community state
capitol rallies
Quotes from the Star Tribune, St. Cloud Times, Pioneer Press, Minnesota Public Radio and UFCW
Page 4, Article 1:
Special education makes it through tough review
by Kim Kang
Despite a $6 billion state deficit that was reduced to $2.7 billion at the close of the Minnesota’s 2009 legislative session, special education held its own for funding and even made some gains in the policy arena, most notably with the passage of the state’s first law concerning restraint and seclusion.
Funding
Special education regular aid was level-funded for 2010 at $734 million and for 2011 at $781 million. For K-12 regular education, however, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has indicated he will use a “mimic payment shift” to balance the budget. Details of the plan were unknown at press time, but other payment shifts have been used in the past to delay payments to schools while still retaining the money on the state’s books to balance the budget.
Policy Changes
The special education task force, a legislatively mandated group
created two years ago, provided its final report to state lawmakers this session.
The task force was created to compare the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) requirements with Minnesota laws and rules and to determine
which laws and rules exceed the federal ones. Composed of equal numbers of
school professionals, parents, and advocacy organizations, the task force also
made recommendations on which laws and rules could be eliminated and which
ones could be revised.
Because of the group’s recommendations, key areas of Minnesota special
education laws and rules that exceed federal regulation were retained, including
transition during ninth grade, short-term objectives in individual education
programs (IEP), conciliation, and facilitated (IEP) individual education programs.
However, the burden of proof in a due process hearing was changed from school
districts to the “party seeking relief,” which was influenced by
a Minnesota 8th District Court ruling in January 2008 (L.R. v. Spec. School
District #1, No. 06-3572). The issue of burden of proof came to the national
forefront of special education discussion in 2005 due to the U.S. Supreme court
case, “Schaffer v. Weast.” Consequently, it will be more important
than ever for parents to keep good documentation and records of all school
communications in case they need to exercise their due process rights.
Effective in 2011, Minnesota will have its first law for use of seclusion and
restraint procedures for children with disabilities. This law allows use of
the restrictive procedures in emergencies only, encourages schools to establish
effective positive behavior interventions, and requires specialized training
for staff. Restraint involves forced immobilization of a child’s body
while seclusion involves forced isolation. Both are used until a negative behavior
has stopped. While there have been federal laws restricting the use of these
procedures in mental health facilities, schools have been left un-mandated
to determine appropriateness of using these procedures and establishing standards.
One disappointment is that the “New Minnesota Miracle” bill championed
by Rep. Mindy Greiling (DFL-Roseville) was taken out of the final K-12 education
bill. This bill would have simplified and increased state public school funding,
including special education.
Future issues
With the 2009 legislative session at an end, parents and advocates
need to keep on eye on the $205 million of federal stimulus for special education
flowing into Minnesota for the next two years. School districts are being
given the flexibility to use some of their federal funds to reduce their
spending for special education locally.
Consequently, it is important for parents and advocates to ask school districts:
• What are the spending priorities for special education stimulus money?
• How much money will be spent in each priority area?
• How were special education spending priorities determined?
• How will you be reporting to the public on special education stimulus
spending?
Parents and advocates seeking more information about federal stimulus special
education money can visit www. ideamoneywatch.com/states/mn for a listing of
resources or contact Kim Kang, Public Policy Director, PACER Center, at (952)
838-9000 or kim.kang@ pacer.org
Kim Kang is the Public Policy and Early Childhood Director at PACER Center.
For more information, visit PACER.org
Page 4, Article 2:
Community saw gains, losses during session
by Sue Abderholden
The 2009 legislative session was one in which Minnesota’s mental health community realized key gains and experienced difficult losses. Cuts to General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) will have a severe impact, But there were bright spots as well. Led by NAMI Minnesota and the rest of the Mental Health Legislative Network, community members worked hard to protect the gains made during the 2007 session and to advance other key issues.
Seclusion and Restraints
There is a new law that governs the use of seclusion
and restraints on special education students in the schools. It will go into
effect on August 1, 2011. Every school will have to develop a plan that includes
the list of procedures that they plan to use, how they will be monitored and
reviewed (including an oversight committee and debriefings), and documentation
of staff training.
These procedures can only be used by licensed personnel who have received
specialized training. The specialized training must include positive behavioral
interventions, communicative intent of behaviors, relationship building,
alternatives to restrictive procedures, de-escalation procedures, standards
for using restrictive procedures, obtaining emergency medical assistance,
physiological and psychological impact of these procedures, monitoring and
responding to physical signs of distress and recognizing the symptoms of
and interventions that may cause positional asphyxia.
The new law defines restrictive procedures as seclusion and physical holding.
Seclusion is defined as confining a child alone in a room from which egress
is barred. Physical holding and seclusion can only be used in an emergency.
An emergency means a situation where immediate intervention is necessary
to protect a child or other individual from physical injury or to prevent
serious property damage.
Restrictive procedures must be the least intrusive intervention to respond
to the emergency, and must end when the threat of harm ends. A child must
always be directly observed during their use. Parental notification is required.
Schools must document each time seclusion and restraints are used and include
what led to their use, why less intrusive methods failed, the time use began
and ended, and the child’s behavioral and physical status. There are
standards for the room that is used for seclusion that address safety issues.
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) can plan for an emergency and
thus put the procedures in the IEP, however, the bill also requires the IEP
team to meet if the procedures are not included in the IEP and are used twice
in 30 days or when a pattern emerges. There is a list of prohibited procedures
that are very similar to prohibitions contained in other laws and rules covering
other types of programs. It includes things such as withholding food, not
allowing a child to use the bathroom, physical holding that restricts a child’s
ability to breathe, or assuming a position that would be painful. Finally,
all districts are encouraged to establish effective school-wide systems of
positive behavior interventions and supports. This was a major victory!
GAMC
Funding for General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) was vetoed for the second year of the biennium. This program provides health insurance for more than 30,000 low income Minnesotans, a majority of whom have a mental illness, chemical dependency or both. Loss of this funding is devastating for both the people who depend on the program and for the hospitals, mental health centers and other health care providers who serve many of them.
Mental Health
911 operators will now be able to refer to mental health crisis
teams and children’s crisis teams will be afforded greater flexibility
in rural areas by not being required to provide services 24/7. The Willmar
Community Adolescent Behavioral Health Services will be changed to provide
a safety net for children with mental illnesses who need intensive care and
the Anoka Regional Treatment Center will be redesigned to provide services
in 16 bed facilities.
Youth aging out of the foster care system will have access to MinnesotaCare
and will be able to access support and advice from the county after they
turn 18.
The Extended Employment Program for people with a serious mental illness
took a small cut—$80,000 but the BRIDGES housing program was funded
at the same level. Mental health providers, including inpatient mental health
care, did not receive cuts to their payment rates.
Redesign and Maintenance of Effort (MOE)
There was a lot of discussion this
session about how to redesign human services and how to allow counties out
of the laws that require them to spend the same amount of money as in previous
years. Unfortunately, most of the focus of these efforts was on mental health.
In the end there were three different pieces of legislation to address this
issue.
For the mental health MOE the state will make it easier for counties to know
how much they have spent and will allow some dollars to be decreased due
to other budget cuts experienced by the county and population decreases.
On a larger scale, the commissioner of human services must recommend a new
program that consolidates county property tax contributions across all mandated
health and human services programs and that has an easy funding mechanism,
maintains current services, and ensures equal access to mandated services.
Another effort to reform human services is the State-County Results, Accountability,
and Service Delivery Redesign Council which would review and certify the
formation of service delivery authorities (SDA) either in a large county
or a group of counties. These SDAs would be able to come together to provide
specific services and use performance measures and outcome goals. They could
obtain waivers from current laws in order to carry out this “new” way
of providing human services. There would be an accountability process and
penalties for not making progress. The council does have to have a process
to take public input.
There would be a steering committee on performance and outcome reforms that
will review performance and outcome standards for all essential human services
and will develop appropriate reporting measures and uniform accountability
process for counties that don’t make adequate progress. The steering
committee can form work groups that includes people who provide, receive
or advocate for essential services. Members of the steering committee include
county representatives, clients or client advocates and state agency staff.
Sue Abderholden is executive director of NAMI Minnesota. Visit the organization’s
Web site at www.nami.org to learn more about 2009 legislation.
Page 5, Article 1:
2009 legislative roundup
The 2009 session of the Minnesota Legislature had many issues being followed by the disability community. Bills passed by the House and Senate met differing fates in the hands of Gov. Tim Pawlenty, with some winning approval and others facing the veto pen. Here’s an overview of key legislation:
Help for those with guardians
More than 22,000 Minnesotans live under the authority
of court-appointed guardians and conservators. These people will have more
protection from transgressions by guardians and conservators, thanks to legislation
passed this session. Much of the legislation stemmed from recent cases throughout
the state in which conservators and guardians stole from those whom they were
trusted to protect. Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the legislation in late May and
it will become law July 1.
The law essentially creates a “bill of rights” for protected persons,
including the elderly, disabled persons and the mentally ill. Much of the testimony
on the bill came from advocates and from family members of persons who had
been victimized.
One key provision of the law will require guardians and conservators to register
with the state courts, starting in 2013.
Changes to regulations of investigations and crimes for maltreatment or financial
exploitation of vulnerable adults passed both the House and Senate, and were
expected to be signed into law. The legislation makes it easier for persons
with court-appointed guardians to challenge the professionals who make decisions
for them
This legislation also makes a number of technical changes to regulations affecting
vulnerable adults. These include changes to how financial records are disclosed
when there is an investigation of a case of financial exploitation of a vulnerable
adult. It also would allow a financial institution to notify a government authority
of a possible case of financial exploitation.
The legislation also expands the powers of law enforcement and prosecutors
in such cases. Yet another key change would expands criminal definitions to
include: the unlawful use, deprivation, or control of a vulnerable adult’s
real or personal property for the benefit of someone other than the vulnerable
adult, or the establishment of a fiduciary relationship of a vulnerable adult
through harassment, undue influence, or other coercive means. This includes
property of the vulnerable adult held in the name of a third party. Consent
is not a defense to this crime if the guardian or conservator knew or had reason
to know the vulnerable adult lacked capacity to consent.
Sen. Mee Moua, DFL-St. Paul, had tried to impose a requirement for certification
of people wanting to be guardians and conservators. That is required in a number
of other states, but Moua had to remove that provision as a compromise.
Anti-bullying bill is vetoed
The Safe Schools for All Act, which is meant to
strengthen anti-bullying programs in Minnesota schools, passed the House and
Senate but was vetoed in late May by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The bill would have
schools create policies that prohibit “harassment, bullying, intimidation,
and violence based on characteristics such as actual or perceived race, color,
creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, socioeconomic
status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, physical characteristics,
or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or
perceived characteristics.”
The bill had the support of groups including The Arc of Minnesota, Metropolitan
Center for Independent Living, Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance for
the Mentally Ill, Independent Lifestyles Inc. of St. Cloud and other disability
advocates. Several advocates testified on behalf of the bill during the legislative
session. But it was opposed by some Republicans, members of the religious right
and the Minnesota Family Council because of its protections for students based
on gender identity and sexual orientation. The Family Council contended that
the bill would provide gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocates the
ability to institute curriculum changes in education that the family council
would possible oppose.
Although there have not been extensive studies of bulling in Minnesota schools
and how students with disabilities are affected, studies in other states and
countries do indicate students with disabilities suffer from increased incidents
of bullying. In one British study 60 percent of disabled students reported
incidents of bullying as compared to 25 percent of the general student population.
The bill would also do more to prevent harassment of students on the Internet.
In his veto letter, Pawlenty indicated that he believes that the bill’s
requirements would have been duplicative of existing state law and programs
already in place in schools.
Election reforms bill gutted, vetoed
The 2009 legislative session began with
high hopes for election reform in Minnesota, with numerous measures proposed
for change. One of the issues of focus was that of making early voting easier.
But when the elections bill was passed by the House and Senate in the waning
days of the session, most of the proposed reforms were stripped out. That final
version of the bill removed measures that would have made early voting easier.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty then vetoed the bill.
Currently Minnesotans who want to vote prior to electron day have to file absentee
ballots. Absentee ballots can be used by persons who will not be in their precinct
or who cannot get to the polls on Election Day. In 2008 10 percent of the state’s
voters used absentee ballots. Absentee ballot is used extensively by persons
with disabilities. But one criticism of absentee voting is that it is complicated
and difficult to understand. Challenged absentee ballots and how they were
handled are at the center of the ongoing debate between Norm Coleman and Al
Franken over the 2008 U.S. Senate race, which is still unresolved.
One proposal state lawmakers debated would have allowed early voting to start
15 days before each election. But that proposal and a number of other measures,
including a photo identification requirement, were taken out of the bill. One
of the few changes that did pass moved the state’s primary election from
September to August. But Gov. Tim Pawlenty indicated he would most likely veto
the bill because it didn’t have adequate Republican support.
Medical marijuana could end up on ballot
Supporters of legalizing medical marijuana,
who saw their proposal passed by the House and Senate but vetoed by the governor,
have vowed to take their fight directly to the voters. After the 2009 bill
was vetoed in late May, supporters said they would seek to put the measure
on the ballot, to bring about a state constitutional amendment.
The bill passed by the House and Senate this spring would have allowed terminally
ill patients to ease their pain and other symptoms by use of marijuana. The
use would have been extensively regulated. During testimony this session, people
who use medical marijuana and family members of those who have used it, said
the drug made a difference in the lives of those who deal with constant pain
and illness. Some of the floor testimony in the final days of the session centered
on the experience of state lawmakers who have had very ill relatives who may
have benefited from legalization of medical marijuana.
But opponents of the bill, including many in the law enforcement community,
claimed the marijuana is a gateway drug that can all too easily lead to other
drug use, addiction and crime.
The bill did pass the House 70-64 and the Senate 38-28. But those margins of
victory weren’t great enough to mount an override of the veto.
Page 5, Article 2:
Letter to the Editor
The value/necessity of taking care of all
In 2008, three Americans traveled across Egypt. They visited city slums and rural towns, eating elaborate meals and conversing with locals. On their way out of Egypt the travelers stopped at a Bedouin village, the home of a tour guide who had taken them up Mount Sinai. In the desert, near a town called St. Catherine’s, dozens of men, women and children joyfully crowded the travelers’ taxi where they were handing out vitamins, shoes and toys.
Just as their gifts were running out, a Bedouin woman wrapped in black linen across her face motioned one of the travelers toward her. She led that traveler—who was I—past stone huts, chickens and goats to a schoolyard, with a few books in the dirt. There I saw a grown boy, obviously developmentally disabled, and the woman pointed to his bare feet. I took the boy, stumbling and covered in saliva, to the taxi to find him a pair of shoes, but by that time none were left.
Even these villagers—in one of the most primitive of communities—understand the value and necessity of caring for their most vulnerable citizens, even if society as a whole is struggling. A good society is measured on how the disabled and other needy groups are prioritized. Minnesota has been a shining example in the area of social services, but if Gov. Tim Pawlenty cuts funding for the care of the disabled, thousands of vulnerable people will experience a dramatic and dangerous diminishment in the quality of their lives.
Governor Pawlenty’s proposed cut to disability services is three percent, which is inline with what was proposed in the now-rejected MN House of Representative’s Health and Human Services Funding Bill. The governor, who is now solely responsible for fixing the Budget, also wants to increase licensing fees in this area.
Because of the recession, every sector of society fears possible tax increases or budget cuts. Many much needed programs will be negatively affected, not just in social services, but the proposed cuts to disability programs does not make sense. Why is this sector receiving the bulk of proposed social services cuts? Why is there an inequality between nursing home cuts—which are zero—and disability cuts?
In order to adjust to a decrease of $72 million in disabilities services, companies such as Phoenix Residence, which has 18 homes, may have to cut worker hours and house budgets. The implications of this are huge. As a support professional with Phoenix, I believe Governor Pawlenty and those who are helping him make budget decisions must understand the danger of doing this to Minnesota’s most vulnerable adults.
A cut in funding will eliminate
opportunities for Phoenix residents to learn life skills and achieve personal
development. These include counseling, learning to use electronic speaking
devices, and providing opportunities for residents to work and find meaning
in their lives.
When funding is cut, hours are cut and staff is forced to do more with less
time. There is no time for teaching residents how to care for themselves
with such activities like hand-over-hand feeding or face washing. There is
no time to do daily stretching to prevent residents’ limbs from stiffening
Safety and health measures such as frequent hand washing, checking on residents,
labeling food and cleaning houses will be neglected. More errors in medication
passing could occur also, especially in houses that have over a dozen different
medication times and residents who take upwards of 32 different medications.
Doctor appointments get pushed back, because house budgets are too low to
pay over time to staff for staying at home and attending appointments with
residents during the day.
Wages in this sector are unequal to the responsibilities of this job already,
which weaken worker morale to the detriment of the residents. Not being able
to pick up more hours only worsens this.
Finally, my ability to be focused and gentle with my residents is strained.
In a shift, I bath two residents and feed and clean for a total of four.
I can get through two loads of laundry, fill a dishwasher and sweep a floor
in a hurry, but I cannot clean oozing sores on a man’s bottom without
being aware of him as a person—not just as a task. I cannot undress
a woman, lift her into a shower and help her wash her hair and body without
talking her through it. More than “care-giver,” I am a guest
in my residents’ homes and a helper they need to rely on.
My residents may never go without shoes, like the Egyptian boy I met last summer, but they will go with less personalized care, untimely appointments, fewer outings, and no life skills development if the budgets they depend on are slashed. They cannot pull themselves up or work more to replace cut funding. Their legislators and society must do that for them.
Tiffany Corrine Dow, St. Paul
Page 6:
Regional News in Review
Test volunteers sought
Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Blaine, is recruiting up to 50 people who use standard skin protection seat cushions in their wheelchair for a market test of our new product technology. Tamarack has developed a new product technology called “GlideWear”. The first application using this technology is a wheelchair seat cushion cover. The GlideWear cover can be used with any standard cushion typically used for skin protection, and simply installs over the original cushion cover. The GlideWear area on the seat cushion cover provides a low-friction interface beneath the pelvis and hips – this reduces shear forces where the skin is most vulnerable to breaking down.
Tamarack will provide one GlideWear seat cover based on the size of your cushion at no charge. Participants will need to install it on the cushion using the directions provided. A questionnaire will be provided to collect feedback, with all questionnaires needing to be returned to Tamarack by October 1. Contact Tamarack by calling: 763-795-0057 or e-mail: info@tamarackhti.com
Source: Tamarack
MN Senior Federation could close in July
The Minnesota Senior Federation, which has been a pioneer in many elder rights efforts, is asking its membership to vote this month on dissolution. The Federation’s board voted in May to start the process of shutting down the organization. Ballots were sent to members to ask for their vote. If approved by the general membership, the Federation would shut down as soon as July.
The Federation is about $100,000 in debt. The group has a proposed
budget in 2009 of $1.1 million, but is only on target to raise about $600,000
of that amount. The organization has gone from having as many as 20 employees
to one full-time and three part-time staff.
A bad economy and loss of sponsors, as well as declining membership, have hurt
the Federation. Membership has fallen from more than 40,000 to about 9,000.
Fewer seniors joining the group, as well as competition from AARP, have been
factors. “I never expected to preside over our funeral but the money’s
just not there to continue,” said Barbara Kaufman of Plymouth. She chairs
the group’s board.
The Federation had been a lobbying force at the state capitol for many years. It began as collaboration among senior citizen clubs and activist, working on a range of issues. It was considered a model for other groups around the country. The Federation led the way in the charge for tax and health care reforms, pension rights, and other issues. It also pioneered bus trips to Canada, so that senior citizens could buy cheaper medications. The group also sued the federal government over a Medicare payment system that rewarded higher-cost states, such as Florida, over Minnesota.
Senior News, a quarterly newspaper, and a resource guide for seniors, are among the group’s publications. It also has operated a health care information center and Senior Partners Care, a program that helps about 21,700 low and moderate-income people on Medicare get help from medical professionals who agree not to charge co-pays. An announcement will be made soon about the fate of Federation programs.
Source: Star Tribune, Minnesota Senior Federation
Northeastern Minnesota group gets grant
Each year the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation awards grants to non-profit organizations that provide services to individuals living with paralysis. The foundation has announced that the ACCESSNORTH Center for Independent Living of NE MN on behalf of the Minnesota Regions Assistive Technology Collaborative as one of the 145 recipients, received $13,900.00. MRATC will use the grant to help those living with paralysis become active members in everyday life. MRATC will provide recreational assistive technology for people with disabilities in Minnesota to trial and lend in an effort to educate consumers, families and professionals on the vast recreational opportunities available with the utilization of assistive technology. Through a partnership with the MN Regional Assistive Technology Networks, members of the MN Regions Assistive Technology Collaborative (MRATC), we anticipate this program will be able to serve the whole state of MN. Increased awareness of untapped recreational opportunities for people with disabilities is the goal of this program.
ACCESSNORTH CILNM and MRATC express their appreciation to the Christopher & Dana Reeves Foundation on behalf of Minnesotans with disabilities for their support for the Recreational Assistive Technology Demonstration and Lending Program. They continue to make dreams a reality. “Conceived by the late Dana Reeve, the Quality of Life grants have helped non-profits throughout the world improve the lives of people living with paralysis,” said Peter T. Wilderotter, president and CEO of the Reeve Foundation. “The program also provides assistance for family members and caregivers, offering services such as counseling, support groups and educational conferences.”
The grants are awarded in three categories; Actively Achieving, Bridging Barriers and Caring and Coping. Each category is designed to promote active and fulfilling lives for those living with spinal cord injuries and other paralysis-causing conditions. Individuals are encouraged to participate in sports, train for a job, operate specially-adapted computer technology, modify homes for wheelchair accessibility, access public transportation, participate in the arts, proactively maintain their health, and much more.
Source: Reeve Foundation
myMDA social networking site launches
The Muscular Dystrophy Association today introduced its first social networking Web site, myMDA, designed to provide people with muscle diseases, their families, friends and caregivers with a means to share experiences, exchange helpful tips and resources, and cultivate new friendships. myMDA is located at www.mda.org/mymda.
MDA has carefully tended its various informational Web sites since the mid-1990s, and expects that expanding its online presence through social networking will provide those it serves with a new way to find support, information and encouragement.
“What tipped us in favor of creating myMDA was the benefit to the people we serve,” MDA President & CEO Gerald Weinberg said. “The fact that people with muscular dystrophy and related diseases wanted to communicate more frequently with each other, even beyond the 240 support groups we provide nationwide, really told us something.”
myMDA features a number of social networking tools — such
as creating ‘friends,’ participating in message boards, blogging
and photo/video uploading — that allow an online community to become
connected and grow. MDA expects that the people it serves, as well as families
and friends, will be especially eager to connect through myMDA so they can
further share problems, solutions and life experiences. Users must register
to use the free service and be at least 18 years old.
“Having a muscle disease can be isolating,” Weinberg noted, “and
families can be in a quandary about how to solve specific issues – where
to find a reliable resource, helpful tips for making daily care easier, recipes
that allow easy swallowing, how to cost-efficiently remodel a home for easy
access and suggestions for funding resources.
“Our Web sites offer a lot of that kind of information,” Weinberg said, “but we know that the families we serve will have even more to share with each other, in very detailed ways. Plus, social networking provides a great opportunity to make new friends among an empathetic group of people. That’s why myMDA’s theme is Strength in Community.”
The Association’s primary site is www.mda.org, which gets about 8,000 visits per day, while information specifically about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) is available at www.als-mda.org. MDA also has a Spanish-language Web site, www.mdaenespanol.org.
MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat muscular dystrophy and related diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services, advocacy, and far-reaching professional and public health education. The Association’s programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors.
Source: myMDA
Imaging, record-keeping provides jobs
Paging through maps and blueprints, legal documents and titles, city meeting notes and agendas, crew members with developmental disabilities at Midway Training Services (MTS) in St. Paul prepare municipal documents for document imaging.
While this task of “busywork” is frowned upon by
some, the MTS crew has the opposite view, and readily pages through box after
box to transfer tens of thousands of pages into the digital age of optical
character recognition (OCR). Some of the files for the city of Long Prairie
go back to the 1950s, said MTS Operations Manager Paul Klugow, who pulls from
a team of about a dozen people with disabilities for the imaging push. In the
end, the 27 cardboard bankers’ boxes numbering 75,000 to 80,000 pages
in all are reduced to two DVDs. The days of searching through past city council
minutes are now over. Staff research hours are reduced to minutes as electronic
word searches pull up every file that’s needed.
“We just wanted a faster way to retrieve the documents, and to store
that data in a much smaller area,” said Long Prairie City Administrator
and Clerk David Venekamp. With a population of 3,040, Long Prairie has just
three office employees. Venekamp, who has been with the city for 30 years,
approached the city council to request the imaging project. “Over the
years, I’ve been through just about every box of records here,” explains
Venekamp, who is nearing retirement. The administrator said it made sense to
transfer the records now, rather than wait until a new leader comes in, someone
who would be less familiar with them. Space savings have been an added benefit.
Getting those records into the right format with the correct file names is very important. In working with people with disabilities, quality is a key asset, says Klugow. “It’s almost like you’re continually proving yourself,” he said. “There are a lot of quality checks they go into.” Quality and reliability are two of the strong points noted when people with disabilities tackle document imaging projects, and employer feedback have confirmed this finding. A survey of employers conducted jointly for the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (DD Council), the Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota State Council on Disability found that in general work situations, people with developmental disabilities performed as well or better than other employees by every standard, other than speed.
For MTS and its document imaging crew, steady attention to detail has been a strong point. Document preparation is key and is typically the most time consuming aspect for these jobs. Files containing photographs, color documents and larger sizes require extra steps. “That’s the toughest part of the job,” said Klugow. “You don’t know how long it’s going to take, from one box to another, there can be a lot of different size items.”
For the city of Falcon Heights project, the files contained information on nearly every property in the city. Prior to the imaging effort, the records were not backed up and were more difficult to search, said City Administrator Justin Miller. The files tell much about the city’s 60-year history, along with the locations of water and sewer lines, and when building permits were pulled. City employees can now easily find building permit information and property history.
Information for the city’s 1,300 properties is listed in
the system by address. “We can do a lot of queries easier, looking for
certain types of permits. It’s easier to search that way instead of going
through by hand,” said Miller. While Klugow can depend upon his dedicated
crew members, there’s still
the question of software and hardware choices, which are ever changing. “We
need to stay on top of the curve regarding new software, services and capabilities,
matching software to hardware,” he said. Speed typically depends upon
the amount of preparation work needed and scanner speeds. The city jobs ran
600 to 700 pages an hour, but imaging equipment can allow for speeds up to
4,500 pages per hour.
The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, a unit
of the Minnesota Department of Administration, works to assure that all people
with such disabilities and their families receive the support they need to
achieve greater independence and productivity, and to be fully included in
the community. The Council began a statewide effort five years ago to promote
employment of individuals with developmental disabilities in document imaging
throughout the state. For further information, people may visit the Council’s
Web site, www.mncdd.org.
Source: Wallace Group
Page 7:
Factors to consider when choosing a ramp
When faced with the need for a wheelchair ramp, four basic material options are available: wood, steel, concrete and aluminum. Each has plusses and minuses. The two most popular options for home-owners are steel and wood, said Steve Lyons, owner of American Ramp Systems in Brooklyn Park.
“When people need a ramp, they often automatically think wooden ramp because it’s all they’re familiar with,” said Steve Lyons. “And if there is a handyman in the family, people think installing one is an easy, cheap job. For a skilled contractor, building a ramp is not a difficult task; but amateur carpenters often forget the importance of factoring in the proper elevations and slope.”
When considering a ramp system for residential or commercial use or for a special event, Lyons said it’s important to ask the following questions:
What about cost?
Steel is always the lowest in cost. Wood can be the lowest if labor is donated. Wood is the highest in cost if done by a contractor.
What about maintenance?
Steel will rust if not touched-up occasionally with paint. Wood needs to be regularly treated with a wood sealer and/or paint.
What about safety?
Wood rots. Wood, concrete and aluminum are all solid surfaces and allow moisture to accumulate and freeze, creating dangerous ice film. Steel has a gripping texture, making it non-skid. Steel also has an open pattern ramp surface, allowing moisture to pass through and retarding ice film.
What about rentals?
Ramps should be rented if the need is for six months or less. Rentals are also convenient for weddings, graduations, family gatherings and other special events.
What about durability?
Steel and concrete can last for ages. Wood rots. Aluminum has one-third the strength of steel and is three times softer.
What about proper ramp design?
Carpenters and family members have limited knowledge about what makes a safe and ADA-compliant ramp. It’s best to use the services of a locally-based industry expert.
What about appearance?
Wood can be painted or stained to match an existing deck. Steel can look like wrought iron and concrete can match a walkway. Aluminum is shiny and commercial in appearance and not very suitable for residential applications.
What about moving and changing a ramp after it is purchased?
Steel and aluminum ramps are portable and can be lengthened or shortened, as necessary, something that’s not possible with wood or concrete ramps.
What about the possible resale value of a ramp?
There is a market for used steel and aluminum ramps after they are no longer needed.
What about availability?
Steel and aluminum ramps can be delivered from pre-manufactured stock in days. Construction of wood and concrete ramps depends on contractors’ responsiveness and may take days or even weeks to complete.
What about excavation of property?
Concrete frost footings are required for wood and concrete is subject to settling. Steel and aluminum ramps are designed with adjustable support structures and can be easily realigned.
What about devaluation of property?
Ramps will bring down the value of a home upon resale since only 1 out of 200 people use a wheelchair. There are significant costs to removing and disposing of wood and concrete ramps and footings.
What about building permits?
Wood and concrete ramps are permanent modifications to a home and require permits. Steel and aluminum modular ramps are classified as reusable, durable medical equipment (DME) and do not require permits.
What about taxable revaluation of property after a ramp is installed?
The building permit process includes reassessment of the property after the permit is issued.
What about portability?
Aluminum and steel ramps have handles for portability. Due to the strength and stiffness of steel, thinner structures are possible. Although steel and aluminum ramp sections weigh about the same, aluminum is bulkier and has more braces due to its lower material strength.
Steve Lyons is the owner of American Ramp Systems in Brooklyn Park. Designed for individuals who use wheelchairs or just struggle with stairs, amRAMP from American Ramp Systems is Amer-ica’s leading low-cost, steel modular ramp system available to rent or buy with no minimum size or rental period.. For more information, visit www.americanramp.com or call 651-399-3075.
Page 8:
Everyone gets to play, thanks to Coach Jim Christy
From the Minnesota State High School League
James “Jim” Christy is one of the 2009 Minnesota
State High School League Hall of Fame inductees. Ten current and former athletes,
coaches, athletic officials, athletic directors and fine arts educators were
honored. This is the 18th year for the awards ceremony held in Minneapolis.
The Hall of Fame is sponsored by Wells Fargo and has 173 members.
Minnesota’s adapted sports athletes owe many thanks to Christy,
who was instrumental in the initial development of the prep adapted
athletics program. His involvement in adapted sports in Minnesota
predates the involvement of the Minnesota State High School League.
He has done everything from writing the first set of competition
rules to inventing equipment for athletes. Christy also has coached
many successful teams.
Christy has coached adapted floor hockey for 22 years, adapted softball for
13 years and adapted soccer for eight years at Minneapolis South High School.
During that time he has led teams to the state tournaments 31 times, including
15 appearances for his floor hockey teams. His teams have earned four second
place finishes at state. Floor hockey was runners-up in 1986 and 1995. Softball
finished second in 1993 and 2003.
Christy’s contributions reach well beyond the walls of South High School,
where he continues to coach and teach. He has served on the board of directors
for the Metro Association for Adapted Athletics (MAAA) since 1982. He has
served as president, vice president and treasurer for that organization.
He has served on the MAAA rules committees for floor hockey, soccer and softball
for 10 years each and helped formalize the first set of adapted floor hockey
rules.
Christy is a member of the Minnesota Adapted Coaches Association, the Council
for Exceptional Children and the Special Education Advisory Council to the
State Board of Education. He is also active in Special Olympics.
His previous awards include the Virginia McKnight Binger Award for Human
Services and an MAAA Appreciation Award.
Christy attended the old Marshall High School in Minneapolis, later Marshall-University High, and holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and Utah State University.
Access Press welcomes submissions for this column at access@accesspress.org or by calling 651-644-2133.
Page 9:
People and Places
News about people who are involved in our community
This spring Gillette Child-ren’s
Specialty Healthcare and Courage Center partnered to help children with
disabilities achieve greater independence and confidence through sports
at this year’s Bike Expo and Sports Jam. The goal at this annual
event is to help children with disabilities achieve greater independence
and confidence through sports. Kids who previously could not participate
in recreational activities, such as a family bike ride, now have the
opportunity to experience these childhood activities.
At the Bike Expo, children and their families could see—and test
out—adaptive bikes firsthand, finding the model that works for
them. The event is fun and convenient—“one stop shopping” for
families in search of an adaptive bike. Being physically active and engaged
with friends, family and the community is hugely important for people
with disabilities. Not only can it improve their health, it also benefits
them mentally and emotionally.
***
Mai Thor, a voting outreach advocate was honored in May by Minnesota
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. Thor was honored for her work in helping
make sure all Minnesotans have an opportunity to vote.
Until recently Thor worked for the Minnesota Disability Law Center in
Minneapolis. She worked on voter outreach, voter registration and concentrating
on voter outreach, education and registration, particularly in the disability
community. She recently had a baby and documented her pregnancy in the
Access Press. Ritchie said Thor has been an aggressive advocate for disability
voters and has appeared in videos and commercials urging people to vote.
The award, from the National Association of Secretaries of State, came
with a plaque that said: “For making sure every Minnesotan can
vote.”
***
Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota trains and provides service dogs
for persons with disabilities. The organization before has signed a purchase
agreement for a four-acre property in New Hope. The property includes
a 21,000 square foot industrial building. The organization is currently
based in south Minneapolis. The HSDM will announce a separate capital
campaign to help pay for the new facility. If all goes as planned, the
organization will be able to take ownership of the property this summer.
The move will give the organization more needed office and training space,
an isolation kennel to allow the group to continue adopting shelter dogs
and new indoor-outdoor kennel runs. Up to 40 dogs-in-training could be
housed at the facility.
The organization won the 2008 Distinguished Community Service award from
The Arc of Minnesota, for its autism assist dogs program.
***
Ellie Sevdy retired last month from State Services for the Blind, she
came to the Communication Center in 1970, fresh out of college. Most
recently was supervisor of the audio services unit. Sevdy began as an
audio tape librarian and, over the years, worked in several different
areas of the Communication Center. She has been instrumental in many
improvements made in the center over the years, including the recent
shift in the recording process from analog to digital.
When Sevdy began in 1970, all records of customers and audio-books were
kept in a card file. Recordings were done on reel-to-reel equipment.
Since 2000, the pace of adapting to the digital world has increased greatly,
and a major impetus for that has been to make the audio textbooks more
useful for today’s students. Last year the audio textbook section
began producing textbooks in DAISY format, to be usable by digital readers
and that was largely because of her input. .
***
Members of Arc Greater Twin Cities elected four persons
to the board of directors at the organization’s annual meeting held at the Wilder
Foundation in St. Paul May 19. Three of the directors are new to Arc’s
board. Amy Dawson, Minneapolis, is an attorney with Thiel, Campbell,
Gun-derson and Anderson, P.L.L.P., specializing in estate planning for
families of children with disabilities and insurance issues. She brings
experience in public policy and fundraising and has done volunteer work
with organizations including the Minnesota Senate Autism Task Force,
the Minnesota Autism Medical Home team, and the National Medical Home
Autism Initiative. Lynn Nelson, Minneapolis, is an adjunct profession
of public relations at the University of Minnesota’s School of
Journalism. She has volunteered with Arc’s Marketing Committee
for five years, providing media relations and crisis communications counsel.
She served from 1998-2004 as the director of public education for the
Institute of Race and Poverty at the U of M Law School and now owns and
operates LIN+ Public Relations. Shawn Monaghan, Minneapolis, is vice
president international for Medtronic’s cardiovascular division.
Before joining Medtronic in 1990, he held a number of financial marketing
and operation roles at Arthur Anderson and Deloitte. He recently became
a volunteer member of Arc’s Finance Committee and Thrift Business
Development Committee.
Returning to Arc’s board for a second three-year term is Troy Auth,
Golden Valley, owner of Auth Outdoors, LLC. Auth was first elected to
Arc’s board in 2007. Officers of Arc’s board of directors
for 2009 - 2010 are Steve Hayes, chair; Peggy Smith, first vice chair;
Deborah Harris, second vice chair; Amy Hewitt, secretary and Eduardi
Montes, treasurer. Tom Judd is immediate past chair.
***
Bob Stimson of Blooming-ton was selected by the Muscular
Dystrophy Association to be featured in its national campaign promoting
awareness of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
May marked the 18th annual National ALS Awareness Month. Stimson was
one of 31 people featured, one per day throughout May, in the MDA online
series “ALS: Anyone’s Life Story.” Individuals highlighted
in the series talked about what it’s like to have ALS, and how
they’ve learned to survive – and thrive – despite the
deadly, paralyzing condition. Stimson, 66, received a diagnosis of ALS
in September 2004. His photo and profile appeared May 28, on MDA’s
ALS Web site www.als-mda.org.
Before his diagnosis Stimson owned a specialized table manufacturing
company, designed computer-based inventory control software, lived in
five countries over a period of 30 years, biked an average 2,000 miles
per season for more than 19 years, raced on a Masters mountain bike team,
produced and directed industrial business films and videos (with David
Frost), and performed in musical groups in the United States, United
Kingdom and Australia. He stays ahead of the disease by seeking out and
using assistive technology and equipment, such as the revolutionary iBOT
wheelchair, and says his favorite quote is, “Play for more than
you can afford to lose and you will learn the game.”
***
Two athletes from the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf were honored by the National Deaf Interscholastic Athletics Council (NDIAC) in its national winter sports honors. NDIAC named Kirsten Pudas to the second team for girls’ basketball and Zachary Ulrich to the third team for boys’ basketball. Both athletes are seniors at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf in Faribault..
***
The Minnesota State High School League’s spring bowling
tournaments were held May 15 at Brusnwick Zone in Eden Prairie. In all
of the singles, doubles and team events, new champions were crowned. The
Monticello Magic won their first team championship in the physical impairment
(PI) category. Juniors Danielle Bardell and Brandon Dohrwardt, sophomore
Matthew Bouma, and ninth-grader Kim Niskanen, combined for 1,560 pins and
upset the two-time defending champions from Wayzata/Minnetonka. St. Paul
Humboldt and Wayzata/Minnetonka tied for runner-up honors. A second team
from Wayzata/Minne-tonka earned third-place honors.
Lauren Warzecha, a ninth-grader at St. Peter, took top honors in the
girls’ single competition. Ninth-grader Chrissy Schermerhorn was
a close second, and sophomore Victoria Price of Andover rounded out the
top three finishers.
In boys’ singles, ninth-grader Domonic Slattery of Cambridge-Isanti
claimed his first title. St. Michael-Albertville senior Dan Hlad, who
took top honors in 2006, was second. Po Vang, an eighth-grader from St.
Paul Humboldt placed third.
Junior Brittany Herbeck and eighth-grader Steven Fletcher of Wayzata/Minnetonka
won their first doubles competition. Coon Rapids seniors Scott Clark
and Corey Kuphal earned runner-up honors, and Andover sophomores Victoria
Price and Emily Raffensparger placed third.
In the cognitive impairment or CI division, North/Tartan, which won its
only other team title in 2007, returned to the championship podium this
year. The team of senior John Boland and sophomores Andrew Trepanier,
Alex Odegard, and Chris Brandt, combined for 1,796 pins to upset the
defending champions from Alexandria. The Cardinals of Alexandria were
second and the Tigers of Lake City placed third.
Spring Lake Park sophomore Beth Lewis-Miles won her first championship
in the girls’ singles competition. Jasmine Gomez, an eighth-grader
at Coon Rapids, earned runner-up honors, and Mankato East senior Jessica
Zernechel placed third.
In the boys’ singles event, St. Paul Johnson sophomore John Hollerbach
claimed his first championship. Cambridge-Isanti ninth-grader Austin
Sprandal was second. North/Tartan ninth-grader Joe Grandell rounded out
the top three finishers.
Sophomore Drew Winter and ninth-grader Gideon Hartsell of Alexandria
emerged as the top doubles team. It was the first title for both of them.
Junior Jamar Stone and ninth-grader Darius Laney of Minneapolis North
Community placed second, and eighth-graders Brandon Melchert and Kendall
Olson of St. Peter were third.
The fourth and final adapted sports tournament for 2008-2009 is softball,
with champions crowned May 30. Robbins-dale/Hopkins/Mound-Westonka team
rallied to beat its nemesis Dakota United in the adapted softball state
PI championship game, 17-3. The Robins (13-0) closed out a third undefeated
sports season and became the third program to sweep PI state titles.
Almost every athlete contributed to all the softball, soccer and floor
hockey teams. The win avenged a championship loss last year to Dakota
United, which is a perennial sports powerhouse.
In the CI division, Osseo (16-2) went beat previously undefeated Dakota
United 12-1 in five innings, winning its third consecutive state title
and eighth this decade.
***
We Can Ride has named Brad Thorsen as its new executive director. Thorsen is an attorney with a background in running horse shows, owning and showing horses, coaching the Special Olympics and involvement in Bar Association activities,. He is a past winner of the Hennepin County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award for Pro Bono Activities.
***
Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota recently held its volunteer recognition event at Midland Hills County Club. The Special Recognition Award recipient for this year is Sandy Pidde. The Puppy Raisers of the Year are Pat, DeeDee, Sam and Katherine Heffernan. Volunteer of the Year is Leslie Flowers..
***
The Commission for Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans
held its annual award ceremony this spring at the state capitol rotunda
in St. Paul.
Marty Barnum received the group’s Lifetime Achievement and Leadership
Award. Al Franken was honored for Most Accessible campaign of 2008, for
his U.S. Senate campaign.
***
The Holland Center is a supplemental education program providing
therapy and dietary interventions designed to improve a child’s ability
to learn. The program was an extension of the in-home therapy Jennifer
Larson was doing for her son, and was originally for children ages 2-8.
The program is being expanded for children through age 12, she said.
In addition Holland Center has added services, such as speech and occupational
therapy, for the children enrolled in its program. The combination of
those factors forced Holland Center to seek a larger facility, Larson
explained.
The school will vacate the city-owned building where the Holland Center
opened its doors in 2004. “We love our building and we love Excelsior,” Larson
said. But attempting to convert lower level space in its leased building
was impractical, prompting the move.
The Holland Center program for autistic children will be moving this
summer, according to Minnesota Sun Publications. The program will move
from Excelsior to a Minnetonka location.
Its intended destination, near the junction of Interstate 494 and Highway
62, is pending a conditional use permit from Minnetonka, Larson noted.
Holland Center was named after the poem “Welcome to Holland,” which
compares life with a special needs child to that of a traveler arriving
in a different country than originally planned. More information about
Holland Center is available online at www.hol landcenter.com
***
Two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champion and
Mercury Nashville recording artist Julianne Hough has partnered up with
KaBOOM!, a national non-profit, to map and rate play spaces everywhere
online. Once it has this comprehensive user-generated playground audit,
KaBOOM! will know which areas of the country have a great place for kids
to play every day and which areas fall short. Hough will donate $1 to select
charities every time someone uploads a new place to play, up to $100,000).
The challenge runs June 30, or until Hough gives away $100,000 to national
non-profits that have teamed up with KaBOOM! for this project: YMCA of
the USA, National Wildlife Federation, Shaping America’s Health,
Jumpstart, America’s Promise Alliance and First Book. To participate,
users go online to the KaBOOM! Playspace Finder (kaboom.org/playspace
finder) picks a great charity to earn money for, then post a picture
they took of a place to play, and rate it. Hough will then give the non-profit
they selected $1 each time they load a new play space to the map. In
addition to benefiting charity, every play space loaded counts as an
entry in a sweepstakes to meet Hough or win autographed merchandise.
By using online technology to activate and engage individuals, the 100,000
Play spaces in 100 Days Campaign will alert communities of the importance
of play, and motivate individuals to start taking action.
The KaBOOM! Playspace Finder is a Google-based map that currently shows
more than 16,000 user-generated entries with photos, amenities, and ratings
of places kids play. The KaBOOM! Playspace Finder includes all different
sorts of places to play: playgrounds, athletic fields, ice rinks, basketball
courts, skate parks, and swimming pools, even nature trails and community
gardens.
Since 1995, KaBOOM! has constructed almost 1,600 playgrounds, skate parks,
sports fields and ice rinks across North America. KaBOOM! also created
the KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play.
Access Press welcomes submissions for this column at access@accesspress.org or by calling 651-644-2133.
Page 10:
Dog guides, humans enjoyed their time at sea
by Clarence Schadegg
Our cabin was an inner ship cabin without windows. The room was a comfortable size for all of us: Nancy my wife, Telly my dog guide and me. We had a nice sleep, wakening on this second day of our journey with 3,700 others.
First thing, Telly went from one side of the bed to the other; he wanted to eat. He followed me around the cabin as I got his food ready for him. The room was carpeted, so his bowl wouldn’t slide around as he buried his nose in the bowl to get the last tiny morsel of food. He licked it clean.
We took Telly out to relieve himself. All of the dog guides on board were relieved in three sand/wood chip boxes in an enclosed area. Telly wasn’t too sure about how to use the boxes. He planted his front feet in the box but repeatedly missed the box. It seemed like the box was too small for him. The boxes were initially placed under a stairway on the seventh deck, on a cement floor. One of our group cracked his head open on the stairway. After that, the boxes were moved to an unobstructed area. We would often stand in line as each person gave the dogs the time they needed to do their jobs. It seemed to me the dogs took this opportunity as a social time since they’d wait in line with other dog guide travelers. Overall, all the dogs got along and had a fine vacation with one another.
As Nancy and I traveled around the huge ship, we often got turned around. Our cabin steward, Sadre, would likewise be a huge help while we were on board the Star Princess. People we met along the way were likewise confused. We spent part of the first day touring around the ship. The narrow hall ways were often partially blocked with cleaning carts. Since the halls on either the port or starboard were what seemed to me as less than three feet across, it was interesting for me to navigate my dog among these obstacles.
We used the elevators a lot. The conversation of elevator passengers often focused on our dogs. We were often stopped in hallways or on our way to the theater by people who had what seemed like a million questions. Since we were among approximately 10 people who had a dog guide on board, we were sort of celebrities. It was all fun. Most of the people who talked with us said how badly they missed their dogs.
I wondered how we would handle the rolling of the ship at sea. Should we take a Dram-amine? Should Telly take one? How does a dog handle sea sickness anyway? Neither of us humans got sick the first full day at sea, thanks to medications. If Telly didn’t feel good, he surely didn’t show it.
After breakfast, we went at the Wheel House Bar and Grill where we were photographed and met others in our group and got to know each other. Nancy, Telly and I, were the only travelers from Minnesota.
Lynn and Alice, and Alice’s
dog guide Kato; Kristina and Andy, and Andy’s dog guide Loren;
Carol and Joe, and Joe’s dog guide Mogan, and Joyce and her dog
guide Vivian were all from California. Jim and Paco were also from California.
Jim’s dog guide Bonko was put down last year. Chris and Richard,
and Richard’s dog guide Smithers, were from Canada. Tim flew directly
to San Francisco from Ireland, with his dog guide Granger. Californians
Irene and Andi were our Dimensions in Travel tour guides. Greg, from
Tennessee, volunteered his services as a veterinarian. A larger group
met later to plan the shore tours, with four tours in four days. Our
first port-of-call was Acapulco, with a private van tour.
Our next trip was a bus tour of the area around Xiwant-anayo. This would
be our first ride on a tender, a boat that ferried passengers to and
from shore to ship. It would be a long boat ride, about a half hour from
ship to shore. A café stop with light lunch was included. We would
have a chance to buy jewelry, bracelets and trinkets at a Mexican flea
market. On that tour we met fellow passengers from outside of our little
group.
The next tour was of Puerto
Vallarta. We caught a motor coach to the marine park where guests would
swim with the dolphins including Nancy and me. Other members of our
group went off shopping.
Our last shore excursion was to Cabo San Lucas, with a couple of places
of interest for us. We had about four hours to swim in the ocean, dine
at an outdoor café and shopped in more flea markets. We signed
up for an hour tour on a boat around the sea of Cortez.
Our dining options onboard were the Capri and the Porto Fina, both with excellent food and service. The waiters and waitresses treated all of us like royalty. They would hold our chairs as we sat down, push our chairs in to move each person closer to the table, And unfold the cloth napkins and place each on the lap of the person at the table. On a dress-up day all guests had to wear formal attire. Nancy wore one of her finest outfits. A photographer took pictures of passengers as he went from table to table.
Page 11:
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Page 12:
Acccessible Performances
10 Minute Play Festival
June 4 - 7
Lakeshore Players, 4820 Stewart Ave., White Bear Lake. ASL: Sun., June 7, 2:00 pm, Tix: Half-price (reg. $12, $10 student/senior), Phone: 651-429-5674, Web: www.lakeshoreplayers.com
Around the World in 80 Days
May 22 - June 28
Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. AD: Thurs., June 11, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $28-36), Phone: 612-822-7063, Web: www.jungletheater.com
Bridge to Terabithia
June 5 - 28
Lyric Arts Company of Anoka, 420 E. Main St., Anoka. ASL: Sat., June 6, 7:30 pm (request at least one week before opening), Tix: Reduced to $13 (reg. $14-18), Phone: 763-422-1838, Web: www.lyricarts.org
Caroline,
or Change: A Musical
April 18 - June 21
Guthrie Theater, 818 - 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD: Fri., May 15, 7:30 pm; Sat., May 16, 1:00 pm; Sensory Tour 10:30 am, ASL: Fri., May 22, 7:30 pm; Thurs., May 28, 7:30 pm, Captioning: Fri., June 19, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for captioning users ($20 subscribers) (reg. $29-75), Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY: 612-377-6626 Web: www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility
A Chorus Line
June 16 - 21
Touring Company at Historic Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls. AD and ASL: Sun., June 21, 1:00 pm (AD if requested in advance) Tix: $26-76, Phone: 612-373-5639 or 5609, Hotline: 612-373-5650, TTY: 612-373-5655, E-mail: accessible@orpheum.com Web: www.hennepintheatredistrict.org/guestservices/aslad/
Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping!
through October 2009
Plymouth Playhouse, 2705 Annapolis Lane N., Plymouth (Best Western Kelly Inn and Green Mill). ASL: Sun., Dec. 28, 6:00 pm, Tix: Reduced to $26 for AD/ASL patrons ($4 off reg.), Phone: 763-553-1600, E-mail: bompp@plymouthplayhouse.comWeb: www.plymouthplayhouse.com
Clown News Network: An Eclownomy in Crisis
June 11 - 20
Interact Center for the Performing Arts, 212
- 3rd Ave. N., #140, Mpls. AD and ASL:
TBA, Tix: $15; $2 discount for student/senior, Phone:
612-339-5145 ext. 13,
Web: www.interactcenter.com
Divas! In Praise of Gay Men's Female Icons
June 26 - 27
Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 - 4th St. S., Mpls. ASL: Fri., June 26, 8:00 pm, Tix: Reduced to half-price: $16.50, $12 and $9 mention code TERP (reg. $23-38, children half-price), Phone: 612-624-2345 Web: www.tcgmc.org
Flower Drum Song:
June 26 - July 12
Mu Performing Arts at Ordway Center for
the Performing Arts, McKnight Theatre, 345 Washington, St. Paul. AD and ASL:
Sat., July 11, 2:00 pm, Tix: $24-27, Phone:
651-224-4222, TTY:
651-282-3099,
Web: www.muperformingarts.org or www.ordway.org/accessibility/
Grease
July 10 - 26
Mounds View Community Theatre at Irondale High School, 2425 Long Lake Road, New Brighton. ASL: Sat., July 18, 2:00 pm on request at least two weeks in advance, Tix: Reduced to $9; (reg. $16, $12 senior (65+) and student, $8 children 10 and under), Phone: 651-638-2139, E-mail: goseemvct@aol.com Web: www.mvct.org
Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale
July 10 - August 2
SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development, 55 Victoria St. N., St. Paul. AD: Fri., July 17, 7:00 pm, ASL: Sun., July 19, 3:00 pm, Tix: $11; child/senior $9, Phone: 651-225-9265, E-mail: boxoffice@steppingstonetheatre.org Web: www.steppingstonetheatre.org
The
Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to
Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
May 9 - June 28
Guthrie Theater, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD: Fri., June 5, 7:30 pm; Sat., June 6, 1:00 pm; Sensory Tour 10:30 am, ASL: Fri., June 12, 7:30 pm; Thurs., June 18, 7:30 pm, Captioning: Sat., June 20, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for captioning (reg. $24-70), Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY: 612-377-6626, Web: www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility
Is There a Doctor in the House?
June 19 - August 29
University of Minnesota Showboat Players at U of M Showboat at Harriet Island Regional Park, Showboat Landing, St. Paul. AD and ASL: Sat., July 25, 2:30 pm, Tix: $20, E-mail: showboat@umn.edu Phone: Padelford Packet Boat Company, 651-227-1100 Web: www.riverrides.com or www.Showboat.umn.edu
Lavender Green: Thinking Globally, Singing Locally
June 13 - 14
One Voice Mixed Chorus at History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul. AD and ASL: Sun., June 14, 3:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $18 (reg. $10-25), Phone: 651-298-1954, Web: www.ovmc.org
Les Miserables
Opened June 15, 2007
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W 78th Street, Chanhassen. AD and ASL: Sat., July 21, curtain 1:00 pm, lunch seating begins at 11:00 am Specify the accommodation needed at time of ticket purchase to assure proper seating, Tix: Vision Loss Resources group $37 includes lunch: contact Stacy Shamblott, VLR, 612-871-2222; other tix (reg. $40-52), Phone: 952-934-1525 or 800-362-3515,E-mail: information@chanhassendt.com Web: www.chanhassentheatres.com
Meet Me in St. Louis
July 10 - 26
Lyric Arts Company of Anoka, 420 E. Main St. ASL: Sat., July 11, 7:30 pm (request at least one week before opening), Tix: Reduced to $13 (reg. $16-20), Phone: 763-422-1838, Web: www.lyricarts.org
Minnesota Fringe Festival
July 30 - August 9
Audio Described and ASL-interpreted shows to be announced in July. Phone: 612-872-1212, Web: www.fringefestival.org
The Music Man
July 16 - 1
Stillwater Community Theatre at Stillwater Area High School, 5701 Stillwater Blvd. N. ASL: Sun., July 19, 2:00 pm, Tix: $12; senior $7, student/child $5, Web: http://ce.stillwater.k12.mn.us/Community_Theatre.html
The Musical of Musicals
July 10 - 26
Rochester Civic Theatre, 20 Civic Center Drive SE. ASL: Sat., July 11, 8:00 pm, Tix: $22, $19 senior (65+), $12 student (25 and under), Phone: 507-282-8481, Web: www.rochestercivictheatre.org/
My
Father's Bookshelf
June 18 - 28
Live Action Set, presented at the Guthrie Theater, Dowling Studio, 818 - 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD and ASL: Sat., June 27, 1:00 pm; Sensory Tour 10:30 am, Tix: Reduced to $20 (reg. $26), Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY: 612-377-6626, Web: www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility
The Odd Couple
May 15 - October 23
Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro. ASL: Sun., June 14, 1:30 pm, Tix: Half price (reg. $25, student $12), Phone: 507-467-2525, 800-657-7025, E-mail: tickets@commonwealtheatre.org Web: www.commonwealtheatre.org
Once Upon a Mattress
July 23 - August 8
Off Broadway Musical Theatre at New Hope Outdoor Theatre, 4401 Xylon Ave. N., New Hope. ASL: Fri., July 31, 9:00 pm (Aug. 1 - rain make-up), Tix: Free, Phone: 763-531-5151, TTY: 763-531-5109, E-mail: srader@ci.new-hope.mn.us Web: www.ci.new-hope.mn.us
The Rainmaker
June 19 - October 24
Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro. ASL: Sun., Sept. 13, 1:30 pm, Tix: Half price (reg. $25, student $12), Phone: 507-467-2525, 800-657-7025, E-mail: tickets@commonwealtheatre.org Web: www.commonwealtheatre.org
Robots vs. Fake Robots
June 12 - 27
Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Cedar Riverside People's Center, 425 - 20th Ave. S. Mpls. ASL and AD: Fri., June 19, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $7 (reg. $16, $14 student/senior) Phone: 612-375-0300, Web: www.walkingshadowcompany.org
Room Service
July 3 - August 2
Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls. AD: Sun., July 26, 2:00 pm, tactile tour 1:00 Tix: $20, senior/student discount, Phone: 612-333-3010, Web: www.theatreintheround.org
Seussical
July 17 - 26
Cross Community Players at Maple Grove Senior High School, 9800 Fernbrook Lane N., Maple Grove. ASL: Fri., July 17, 7:30 pm AD: Fri., July 24, 7:30 pm, Tix: Half price for ASL patrons (reg. $16, $14 senior-62+, $10 student/child); AD patrons will receive 2 complimentary tickets for July 24 if you call the messageline by July 20, Phone: 763-391-2787, E-mail: mail@crossplayers.org Web: www.crossplayers.org
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Feb. 6 - June 20
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen. ASL:
Wed., Mar. 11, Dinner 6:00 pm; Show 8:00 pm, AD: Thurs.,
Mar. 12, Dinner 6:00 pm; Show 8:00 pm, Tix: Reduced to
$50 for AD/ASL patron + one guest ($15 off reg. dinner+ show: $65), Phone:
952-934-1525; 800-362-3515, E-mail: information@chanhassendt.com Web: www.Chanhassendt.com
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment
May 22 - June 28
Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. AD: Thurs., June 11, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $28-36), Phone: 612-822-7063, Web: www.jungletheater.com
Singin’ in
the Rain
June 16 - 28
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington, St. Paul. ASL and AD: Sat., June 27, 2:00 pm, Tix/Phone: 651-224-4222, TTY: 651-282-3099, Web: www.ordway.org/accessibility
The Skin of Our Teeth
July 2 - 25
Girl Fri. Productions at Mpls. Theatre Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave. AD: Fri., July 10, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $15 (reg. $15-20), Phone: 612-729-1071, E-mail: info@girlFri.productions.org Web: www.girlFri.productions.org
Spider's
Web
May 29 - June 21
Park Square Theatre, 408 Saint Peter St., St. Paul. AD and ASL: Sat., June 13, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to half-price ($18.50), Phone: 651-291-7005, Web: www.parksquaretheatre.org
The Syringa Tree
July 31 - August 31
Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. AD: Thurs., Aug. 6, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $24-36), Phone: 612-822-7063, Web: www.jungletheater.com
The Trial of Mother Teresa
May 29 - June 21
Nimbus Theatre Company at Mpls. Theatre
Garage, 711 W. Franklin Ave. AD:
Sat., June 20, 8:00 pm, Tix: Reduced to $8 (reg. $15), Phone:
651-229-3122, E-mail: info@nimbustheatre.com Web: www.nimbustheatre.com
The Unexpected Guest
May 29 - June 21
Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls. AD: Sun., June 21, 2:00 pm, tactile tour 1:00 pm, Tix: $20, senior/student discount, Phone: 612-333-3010, Web: www.theatreintheround.org
When
We Are Married
July 4 - August 30
Guthrie Theater, 818 - 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD: Sat., July 25, 1:00 pm; Sensory Tour 10:30 am; Fri., July 31, 7:30 pm, ASL: Fri., Aug. 7, 7:30 pm; Thurs., Aug. 13, 7:30 pm, Captioning: Fri., Aug. 21, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for captioning users (reg. $18-34), Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY: 612-377-6626, Web: www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility
The Wiz
July 15 - August 2
Trollwood Performing Arts School at IMAGINE
Theatre, 801 - 50th Ave SW, Moorhead.
AD: Fri., July 17, 8:30 pm, ASL: Fri., July
24, 8:30 pm, Tix: $11-25, Phone: 218-477-6502
or 477-6500, E-mail: Trollwood@fargo.k12.nd.us Web: www.trollwood.org
The Wizard of Oz
June 26 - August 2
Stages Theatre Company at Hopkins Center
for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet. ASL:
Sun., July 12, 2:00 pm, and Wed., July 22, 10:00 am, AD: available
on request, Tix: $15, $11 child (age 2-17) and senior (age
60+) plus $1.50 fee per ticket service fee, Phone: 952-979-1111,
Web: www.stagestheatre.org
The Wizard of Oz
July 8 - 19
Applause Community Theatre at Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave. ASL: Thurs., July 16, 7:00 pm, Tix: $13; senior/student $11; Reduced price available, Phone: 952-217-9534, E-mail: sabinceo@gmail.comWeb: www.applausecommunitytheatre.com
Zanna Don’t!
June 5 - 21
Mpls. Musical Theatre at Illusion Theatre, 528
Hennepin Ave., Mpls. AD and ASL:
Sun., June 14, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $18 (reg. $25), Phone:
612-339-4944, Web: www.aboutmmt.org
Accessible Movie Theaters
The movie complexes listed below offer MoPix-equipped captioning or description services. For show times, call the theatre; sign up to receive their email list; contact Minnesota Open Captioned Films, Web: www.mnocfilms.org/movies.html or Rear Window Captioned Film, Web: http://ncam.wgbh.org
Kerasotes Block E Stadium 15
600 Hennepin Ave., third floor, Mpls. 612-338-1466, bloc@kerasotes.com Accessible films in Auditoriums 2 and 12. (Note: DVS patrons: If your show is in Theatre 2, request headset with Letter C. If your show is in Theatre 12, request headset with Letter G.) Enter parking ramp on 7 th Street next to the Hard Rock Café. www.kerasotes.com/ (Scroll down the lower right-hand column every Friday morning to see what two films will have rear view captioning or DVS that week at Block E.)
AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18 Theatres
4000 Flying Cloud Drive at Eden Prairie Shopping Center, Hwy 212 and 494, 952-656-0010. Park in upper level lot between Sears and Kohl's. Accessible films in Auditorium 4.
Science Museum of Minnesota Omnitheater
120 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul. Rear view captioning and DVS for most films in the Omnitheater or the 3D Cinema. Showtimes vary but are approximately hourly during regular museum hours: Monday-Wednesday 9:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., Thursday-Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Sun. 12:00 noon - 5:00 p.m. TTY 651-221-4585; E-mail: info@smm.org Web: www.smm.org or www.smm.org/info/accessibility.php.
Lakes 10 Theatre
4351 Stebner Rd., Hermantown. 12 Handicapped Parking spaces near theater. Movie Line: 218-729-0335; Emergency Line: 218-729-0334; Fax: 218-729-0334; E-mail: Sfennessey@cectheatres.com
Page 13: Upcoming Events
Interested in housing issues?
Housing for people with disabilities is a persistent and complex problem. Four focus groups will be held throughout Minnesota to identify and prioritize housing issues, and also consider short-term and long-term solutions. They will be held in the metro area, Mankato, Fergus Falls and Hibbing, at Center for Independent Living sites. The groups are being conducted by Options Too, the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living and the Minnesota State Council on Disability, with the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities. Results from these meetings will be given to a study group who will issue a final report at the end of October 2009.
FFI: Ann Roscoe, 651-603-2026, annr@mcil-mn.org, or MCIL, 1600 University Avenue #16, St. Paul MN 55104.
Walk n’ Roll
The 21st Annual Wings Wheel-a-thon is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at 4135 Lake Harriet W. Parkway, Lake Harriet in Mpls. This year’s event honors the late Viking Karl Kassulke. Former Viking John Campbell will be the speaker. Enjoy a free picnic lunch and help Wings raise funds. Wings is a ministry for adults with physical disabilities. RSVP.
FFI: 651-213-6652, 507-252-8553
ADA Anniversary
In recognition of the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Minnesota State Council on Disability (MSCOD), ADA Minnesota, VSA Arts of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Public Health MCSHN are co-hosting an ADA Celebration 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, July 24 from 10:30 am to 1 p.m. at the Dept of Health, Snelling Office Park Building, Mississippi Room, 1695 Energy Park Drive, St. Paul. Keynote speaker will be Janet Peters, Project Coordinator with the Great Lakes ADA Center (DBTAC) on An Introduction to Accessible Technology. She has 15 years of experience and knowledge in the area of assistive technology and accessibility issues with technology. She has worked with business entities, state and local governments, and education institutions to advocate for equal access for individuals with disabilities. Bring a bag lunch and enjoy entertainment, light refreshments & beverages provided. Indicate what disability-related accommodations you need. RSVP.
FFI: Katie, 651-361-7800(v/tty) or 1-800-945-8913(v/tty) by July 17
Where Will We Live? Summit
Arc Greater Twin Cities invites people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, family members and the public to a free housing policy summit addressing one of today’s biggest challenges for people with disabilities. Where Will We Live? is noon-5 p.m. Monday, June 22, at Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, 451 Lexington Parkway N., St. Paul. Featured speaker is Bobby Silverstein, Director, Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy. The free event is sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disa-bilities. Pre-register.
FFI: www.arcgreatertwincities.org or 952-920-0855
Brain Injury Safety
Hennepin County Medical Center wants everyone to be aware of safety, to prevent traumatic brain injury (TBI). This month the medical center continues a campaign using ladders as a way to illustrate this problem. According to HCMC, the busiest Level 1 Trauma Center in the state, falls from ladders account for more than 17,000 brain injuries a year nationwide. The campaign will be at the Great River Energy Bike Festival Expo on June 12; the Minnesota State Fair’s Kid’s Day on Aug. 31; the Mpls. Bike Tour on Sept. 20; and the Walk for Thought in Como Park on Sept. 26.
Adaptive technology classes
Free adaptive technology classes are offered by Hennepin County Library, at the downtown Mpls. library, 300 Nicollet Mall. Classes are free but you must pre-register for these classes for persons who are blind or have low vision. Do you believe in Magic? Learn to use Magic to magnify and read from your computer screen. 4-6 p.m. Thursday, June 25. Learn to use the JAWS powerful screen reader with Microsoft Office as well as many other applications, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, July 15. Learn about Open Book and enter a brand new world of reading at 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27. A class on using the Internet for blind and low-vision persons is offered 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, June 10 and Wednesday, Aug. 12. In addition to classes there are often volunteers available to introduce patrons to the equipment and software available. Volunteer hours vary, so it’s best to call ahead. The Blind and Low Vision Computer User group meets in Room N402 1-3 p.m. the second Saturday of each month. Attend a meeting and network with others. Funding for Adaptive Technology classes is provided by a generous grant from the Hudson Family Foundation.
FFI: 612-630-6469, www.hclib.org
Caregivers Support Group
Parents and caregivers of children with fetal alcohol syndrome can join a caregiver’s support group organized by , Arc Greater Twin Cities. The free group meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at Arc Greater Twin Cities, 2446 University Ave. W., Suite 110, St. Paul.. The group is an opportunity for participants to support one another, share successful parenting techniques, discuss the challenges and hopes of raising a child with FASD, and become better educated about the disorder. The FASD Relative Caregivers Support Group is sponsored by Arc Greater Twin Cities and the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Regional Network.
FFI: Janet Salo, 952-920-0855
Rise Golf Tournament
Rise, Inc. hosts its 17th annual golf tournament Monday, June 15 at Mpls Golf Club. WCCO TV Sports Director Mark Rosen is the event host. Golfers are sought as are donations of items for the silent and live auctions. Sponsorship costs range from $400 to $5,000. Or pay $75 to attend the dinner and auctions. Participants raise money for Rise programs.
FFI: 763-792-2415
UCP Golf Tournament
United Cerebral Palsy hosts its 13th annual golf tournament on Monday, July 20 at Oak Marsh Golf Course in Oakdale. Event sponsors are sought as are golfers. A range of sponsorship and advertising options are available.
FFI: ucpmnstacey@hotmail.com, www.ucpmn.org
Golf for Opportunity Partners
Opportunity Partners is the beneficiary of the Eden Prairie Lions Foundation charity golf tournament on Monday, Aug. 3 at Dahlgreen Golf Course in Chaska. Money raised will benefit Opportunity Partners’ senior programs and Meals on Wheels in Eden Prairie.
FFI: Stan Mustanski, 612-327-6900 or Jerry Biese, 612-382-4363
Jeans to Gems
Save the date of Saturday, Sept. 26 for the Fifth annual Opportunity Partners gala, Jeans to Gems. The event is at the Mpls Marriot Southwest, Minnetonka.
FFI: 952-938-5511; www.OpportunityPartners.org
A Fetching Good Time
Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota hosts The Fetching Ball, a gala fundraiser celebrating the organization’s 20th year. The event is Saturday, Nov. 7 at Marriot Hotel Southwest in Minnetonka. Keynote speaker is author Karin Winegar. Tickets will be on sale soon. Individual and corporate sponsorships are available.
FFI: Tickets, Jessica, 612-729-5986 ext. 152, jandeau@hsdm.org; Sponsorships, Janet, 612-729-5926, jcobus@hsdm.org
Help others manage finances
RSVP/Volunteers of America of Minnesota and AARP Foundation need volunteers with good budgeting and organizational skills to help manage finances of older or disabled low-income individuals. Have a few hours a month to volunteer? Money Management Program staff will train and match you with someone in the community.
FFI: Money Management Program Coordinator, 612-617-7821.
Be a literacy volunteer
Last year, Minnesota Literacy Council volunteers helped more than 24,000 adults achieve their learning goals. Tutor immigrants, refugees and life-long Minnesotans in reading, writing and English. Tutor one-to-one, in a small group or as a classroom assistant. Training, ongoing support provided. Opportunities are available throughout Minnesota.
FFI: Allison at volunteer@theMLC.org or 651-645-2277, Ext 219.
Access Press welcomes submissions for the events listings. Email to: access@accesspress.org or call 651-644-2133.
Page 14: Radio Taking Book
Sampling of Radio Talking Book
*Abbreviations: V- violence, L- offensive language, S- sexual situations
Books Available Through Faribault
All books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The library is currently experiencing difficulties and books are not being duplicated. When this changes it will be announced. Listen to the Minnesota Radio Talking Book, either live or archived programs from the last week, on the Internet at www.mnssb.org/rtb. Call the staff for your password to the site.
Access Press is one of the publications read at 9 p.m. Sundays during the program It Makes a Difference.
Chautauqua*Tuesday – Saturday 4 a.m.
The Watercooler Effect, Nonfiction by Nicholas DeFonzo, 2008. Why do we believe rumors, including outrageous ones? The process is the same at the world level as at the company one. Read by June Prange. Eight broadcasts. Began June 1. Outliers, Nonfiction by Malcolm Gladwell, 2008. The myth is that people succeed because of intelligence and ambition. The truth is more complex than that. Read by Marylyn Burridge. Nine broadcasts. Begins June 30.
Past is Prologue*Monday – Friday 9 a.m.
This Republic of Suffering, Nonfiction by Drew Gilpin Faust, 2008. During the Civil War, 620,000 soldiers died. Today’s equivalent would be six million. The many deaths changed our understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Read by Alvin Apple. 11 broadcasts. Begins June 23.
Bookworm*Monday – Friday 11 a.m.
Sit, Ubu, Sit, Nonfiction by Gary David Goldberg, 2008. Gary was a kid from Brooklyn who never imagined he’d end up in Hollywood, let alone become an award-winning writer and producer. Read by John Hagman. Seven broadcasts. Began June 4. Carrot Cake Murder, Fiction by Joanne Fluke, 2008. The unexpected guest at the family reunion is popular Uncle Gus. But the next morning, he’s found with an ice pick in his chest. Read by Diane Ladenson. Eight broadcasts. Begins June 24.
Potpourri*Monday – Friday 2 p.m.
I Am Potential, Nonfiction by Patrick Henry Hughes, 2008. Patrick was born with a rare genetic disorder giving him arms that couldn’t straighten, legs that couldn’t walk, and no eyes. But he grew up determined to be all that was possible. Read by Scott Ford. Seven broadcasts. Begins June 22.
Choice Reading*Monday – Friday 4 p.m.
The Konkans, Fiction by Tony D’Souza,
2008. Francisco is half American, half Indian Catholic. His father wants him
to deny his Indian heritage; his mother wants to preserve it. L,S - Read by
Peter Danbury. 10 broadcasts. Began June 9.
PM Report*Monday – Friday 8 p.m.
In a Time of War, Nonfiction by Bill Murphy, Jr., 2008. When the West Point class of 2002 began their senior year, terrorists attacked America. At their graduation, they knew they would be going to war. V,L - Read by Dan Sadoff. 15 broadcasts. Begins June 24.
Night Journey*Monday – Friday 9 p.m.
A Most Wanted Man, Fiction by John LeCarré, 2008. Issa appears in Hamburg in the dead of night. A Muslim Russian, his case is taken on by Annabel, an idealistic German civil rights lawyer. Soon Issa’s survival becomes more important than her career or safety. L - Read by Neil Bright. 14 broadcasts. Began June 2. Killer View, Fiction by Ridley Pearson, 2008. What starts as a simple winter search-and-rescue mission, ends with a death, a disappearance, and the realization that there may be a very large-scale crime playing out in the neighborhood. L - Read by Dan Kuechenenmeister. 11 broadcasts. Begins June 22.
Off the Shelf*Monday – Friday 10 p.m.
The Enchantress of Florence, Fiction by Salman Rushdie, 2008. At the height of power of the Mughal Empire, and also the height of Florence during the High Renaissance, there was a woman of great beauty, said to possess powers of enchantment, who journeyed from the capitol of the Mughals to the city of Florence. L,S - Read by Isla Hejny. 12 Br. Began June 1.
Evening Odyssey*Monday – Friday 11 p.m.
Heat Lightning, Fiction by John Sandford, 2008. Virgil Flowers, of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, is called in to investigate a murder in Stillwater. The victim had a lemon in his mouth, just like the body found the week before. V,L,S - Read by Ray Christensen. 10 broadcasts. Began June 1. South of Shiloh, Fiction by Chuck Logan, 2008. Minnesota re-enactor Paul Edin is killed at a mock battle in Mississippi. Though his death is ruled an accident, his widow discovers the bullet was meant for the man next to him. She enlists the aid of her former lover to find the killer. L - Read by Bert Gardner. 16 broadcasts. Begins June 15.
Good Night Owl*Monday – Friday midnight
Remember Me? Fiction by Sophie Kinsella, 2008. Lexi Smart wakes up in a hospital and discovers she’s lost the last three years of memory – during which time, she’s become rich and married. She’s determined to be the person she seems to be until an adorable man drops a bombshell. L - Read by Ann Hoedeman. 11 broadcasts. Begins June 10.
After Midnight*Tuesday – Saturday 1 a.m.
Little Brother, Fiction by Cory Doctorow, 2008. Marcus is used to skipping school. But one day, he and his friends are caught in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, and are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security. When finally released, Marcus finds his city is a police state, and he decides to take down DHS. V,L - Read by Peter Danbury. 12 Br. Begins June 11.
FFI: www.mnssb.org/allages/commcenter/rtb
RTB Books Available Through Faribault
All books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. Their phone is 800-722-0550 and hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Their catalog is also online, and you can access it at www.klas.com/mnbph
Page 15:
Page 15: Access to Employment and Classified Ads
Employment
Employment ads are $20-$22 per column inch. The deadline for ads submissions being posted in the next month's issue is on last business day on or before the 25th of the month. Mail to: Access Press, 1821 University Ave. #104S , St. Paul , MN 55104 Fax: 651-644-2136. E-mail: advertising@accesspress.org
Classified Ads
Reach 11,000 active, interested readers with Access Press Classifieds. $13 up to 12 words, 60¢ per word thereafter. Must be prepaid. Mail with check to: Access Press, 1821 University Ave W, #104S , St. Paul , MN 55104 Voice: 651-644-2133, Fax: 651-644-2136, E-mail: advertising@accesspress.org
For Rent
Oak Park Village: One Bedroom wheelchair-accessible apartments. Section 8 subsidized. Convenient St. Louis Park location. Call 952-935-9125, availability information. Equal Opportunity Housing.
Lewis Park Apartments: Barrier-free housing with wheelchair users in mind. Section 8 subsidized. One- and two- bedroom units. For more information on availability call 651-488-9923. St. Paul , MN . Equal Opportunity Housing.
Seward Square Apartments: We are currently accepting applications for our waiting list for barrier-free housing, in Minneapolis , that is federally subsidized. For an application, please call 612-338-2680. Equal Opportunity Housing.
Holmes-Greenway Housing: One and two bedroom wheelchair-accessible apartments. Section 8 subsidized. Convenient SE Minneapolis location. Call 612-378-0331 for availability information. Equal Opportunity Housing.
Page 16: Advertisements and Friends of Access Press Listing