Phillips Awards Deadline Extended

Courage Center, a nationally-known rehabilitation and resource center for people with disabilities, has extended the application deadline for its annual Jay and Rose Phillips Awards from Tuesday, June 1 to Friday, June 18.

Opportunity Partners Unveils Career Camp

During Career Camp, students will complete a career assessment, tour work sites representing a variety of jobs, and learn about job-related topics such as interviewing and filling out job applications. Two sessions of Career Camp will be offered June 15-24 and July 13-22. The camp is geared for students with disabilities between the ages of 16-21. The cost for the camp is $300 per person and there is a 10 student limit per session. For more information about Career Camp, contact Julie McGinley at 952-930-4277 or jmcginley@opportunities.org

Open Appointments/Application for Service

The Minnesota State Council on Disability (MSCOD) is seeking new applications for membership statewide. If you, or a person you know with a disability, would like the opportunity to become a positive change agent on issues impacting persons with disabilities, application for appointment is now open.

The MSCOD is a twenty-one-member citizen group, appointed by the governor, representing the State’s eleven economic development regions. A majority of members must be persons with disabilities, or parents or guardians of persons with disabilities. Appointees serve a term of three years.

A completed application form, resume’ and letter of intent should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS). Applications are kept on file for a period of one year. Open appointment information and application forms are available at www.sos.state.mn.us or by contacting the MSCOD office at: 1-800-945-8913 V/TTY or 651-296-5935 V/TTY. The Council’s email address is: council.disability@state.mn.us. Interested parties may wish to view the Council’s website at: www.disability.state.mn.us.

2004 Awards Program

The Arc of Minnesota is accepting nominations for its 2004 Awards Program, to be held at The Arc of Minnesota’s annual state convention, October 8-9, 2004, at Northern Lights Casino and Hotel in Walker, MN. The Arc of Minnesota’s awards honor outstanding employers, teachers, volunteers, media, advocates, and individuals with developmental disabilities. For more information, contact Mike Gude at 651-523-0823 or 1-800-582-5256, ext. 113.

Kids Shouldn't Operate ATVs Until Age 16

Says American Association of Pediatrics ... An article in the April 2004 issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP), compares all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injuries in two states - one with a helmet law and one without - and concludes that children under age 16 should not operate ATVs, even when wearing helmets. ATV deaths have been increasing each year, and about one-third of the injuries and deaths have happened to children age 16 and under. The article cites an AAP policy that operators should be at least 16 years old, take a training course, wear helmets and eye protection, drive only in the daylight, and not carry a passenger.

Minnesota law currently requires ATV operators to have a driver's license to operate an ATV on public land, but there are no requirements for age or helmet use on private land. Helmets are required only for people under age 18, and only on public land. Operators under age 12 cannot cross a public road.
The National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, part of the Children’s Safety Network, has ATV safety-related fact sheets, contacts, and resources for professionals. For more information visit http://research.marshfieldclinic.org/children/resources/
Reprinted with permission from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention News.

Book Offers Insight for Parents of Children with Disabilities

“Reflections from a Different Journey – What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew,” offers valuable insight for parents of children with disabilities. The essays are written by adults with disabilities and what they experienced growing up, and the book covers many different disabilities. Suggestions are offered for education and health care professionals, parents, family members and older children with disabilities. Marlee Matlin, an actress who is deaf, writes the forward, and co-editor John D. Kemp, attorney and advocate, born without arms and legs, writes the afterward. For more information, visit www.disabilitiesbooks.com.

From ARC Website

A Florida judge has overturned the state law that allowed Governor Jeb Bush to order the resumption of feeding of Terri Schiavo, a Florida woman who sustained a brain injury in 1990 and whom doctors say is in a “persistent vegetative state.” The law was enacted by the Florida Legislature on a one-time-only basis last October and reversed a series of court decisions that had allowed Terri’s husband, Michael Schiavo, to withdraw life support, including nourishment, from his wife. After the law was enacted, Governor Bush ordered that Mrs. Schiavo be moved from a hospice to a hospital and that nourishment through a feeding tube be resumed. In the ruling last week, Judge W. Douglas Baird of Pinellas Circuit Court in Clearwater said, "The court finds that the actions of the Legislature and the governor violated Mrs. Schiavo's right to privacy, due process and the separation-of-powers doctrine." He also said that the law enacted in October "in every instance, ignores the existence of this right and authorizes the governor to act according to his personal discretion." The governor's office filed a notice of appeal immediately after the ruling. The Arc and UCP supported Terri Shiavo’s continued receipt of nutrients and hydration.

Intrepid Home Care Calls for a “Timeout”
by Lance Hegland

As you may have already heard, one of the largest home health care agencies in the United States has sought protection from creditors while it reorganizes under Chapter 11 bankruptcy laws. Chapter 11 bankruptcy provisions provide companies the ability to recover from near-fatal debt under certain circumstances. Generally, in order to file for protection under these provisions, an organization must prove that it has significant debt, as well as inability to pay them at the present time. In addition, it must convince a judge that the organization has the ability to take a "timeout": step back, develop a plan to fix and further avoid the problems it currently experiences, and then continue operating in hopes of becoming profitable again. It does not mean that a business is going to shut down or fail to satisfy the needs of its customers and employees. However, if the plan is not adequate or future unforeseen harmful events "tackle" the plan's efforts, the company may have difficulty "staying afloat".

According to documents filed with the District of Minnesota U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Intrepid and DVI, Inc., a large health care investment organization, encountered a dispute that may have led to financial problems at Intrepid. DVI, Inc. is a commercial medical finance company that specializes in loaning money needed to acquire medical equipment and other health care providers (e.g. mergers). As Intrepid has actively purchased several home health care agencies throughout the United States over the past decade, it had relied heavily on DVI for loans. Then, last year, DVI began to experience financial problems of its own and had called a "timeout" (Chapter 11 bankruptcy). Because of DVI's apparent shortage of cash, it was unable to provide additional funding for Intrepid. Therefore, since Intrepid's money was tied up in the organizations it had purchased, it was enable to take out occasional short-term loans with DVI to assist cover operating expenses, its cash reserves ran low, and finally resulted in unbearable financial pressures that required some relief: Chapter 11. Currently, it looks as if Intrepid has found another financing company to help provide loans necessary to reorganize and work toward profit again. Only time will tell.

Medicare Changes: Prescription Drug Discount Card

Starting June 1, 2004, Medicare beneficiaries may enroll in the discount card program that should provide a 10 to 25 percent discount on prescription drugs starting June 1st. There is an annual fee of up to $30 for persons with incomes more than 135 percent of poverty. However, Medicare/Medicaid dual beneficiaries, who receive prescription drugs through Medicaid, are not eligible for this program. A list of discount cards and more detailed information is available at www.medicare.gov and by phone at 1-800-Medicare.

Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota

Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota 2004, Misty Yanish, will represent Minnesota at the Ms. Wheelchair America 2005 pageant in Richmond, VA., where she will also compete against 27 other Ms. Wheelchair titleholders for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America. As Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota 2004, Yanish will also be available to speak with businesses, organizations, school groups and other members of the community to promote disability awareness and advocate for people with disabilities.

Yanish is a 21-year-old with Cerebral Palsy and is from Maple Lake, Minnesota . She is currently attending St. Cloud Technical College , pursuing a degree in Child & Adult Development & Education. She is currently seeking sponsors to help cover the expenses to compete in the Ms. Wheelchair America 2005 pageant. Businesses, organizations and individuals interested in sponsoring Yanish should contact the Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota State Coordinator, Jen Onsum, at ms@mswheelchairmn.org.

The Ms. Wheelchair America is a program for women who are U.S. citizens ages 21 – 60 who use a wheelchair on a daily basis. The mission of the Ms. Wheelchair America Program is to provide an opportunity for women of achievement who utilize wheelchairs to successfully educate and advocate for individuals with disabilities. It is important to understand that Ms. Wheelchair America/Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota is not a beauty pageant. Contestants are judged on their accomplishments, self perception, and self-projection and communication skills in personal and on-stage interviews with a team of judges.

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Last updated on June 20, 2004
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