News at a Glance
New
Program Will Help People who are Mentally Ill from Cycling Through
Courts, Jails and Social Service Systems
“We see a lot of people whose crime is sleeping in a hallway,” said
Judge Richard Hopper of the Fourth Judicial District Criminal Mental
Health Court. “This isn’t a crime that requires a police
officer with a gun, an arrest and a weekend in the county jail. Most
often, the people who are sleeping in hallways are mentally ill.”
Hennepin County is piloting a new approach to resolve such public
nuisance issues with people who are mentally ill. The PRISM Center
received $320,000 from the Hennepin County Board June 20 to create
a one-stop facility for people under the jurisdiction of the Mental
Health Court. This center will coordinate resources from several
systems, including medical, social services, law enforcement, corrections
and the community as a whole.
Modeled after a similar
program in Milwaukee, PRISM is one of the recommendations of the
Downtown Work Group, a group of business owners, law enforcement
officials, county attorneys, mental health specialists and others. “There are plenty of services out there, but they’re
not coordinated,” said Hopper, who chaired the Downtown Work
Group. “People spend a lot of time spinning their wheels. My
vision is to get everyone in the room to coordinate things so there
is a non-law enforcement response to personal issues around the downtown
neighborhood. This is a program that will be used for Mental Health
Court, the jail, discharge planning from the workhouse and more.
We’re forcing people to change and giving them the tools.”
Commissioner Peter McLaughlin
said, “There is a law enforcement
issue downtown. There are also major mental health issues. We need
to address both. This initiative is a cost-effective and humane way
to address a major part of the problem in downtown Minneapolis. We’re
well served by this approach.”
St. Paul Housing Project Meets Hiring Goals
In a groundbreaking move, persons with developmental disabilities
will be employed on the Rondo Library and Housing construction project.
This is a first for the region and likely the nation, according to
Jackie Mlynarczyk, Chief Executive Officer of Kaposia, inc., a St.
Paul based nonprofit corporation that provides employment and retirement
services for persons with developmental disabilities and other challenges.
This breakthrough by
the city of St. Paul in employment diversity and access was announced
last month by Mlynarczyk, representatives from the City Council
and Mayor Chris Coleman’s office at the
Rondo Project site at University and Dale. Council members Kathy
Lantry and Jay Benanav, who have been particular champions of equal
access to jobs for persons with disabilities within the city of St.
Paul and city-funded projects, were among the event’s speakers.
With the support of the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul Building
and Construction Trades Council, Legacy Management and Development
Corporation, Kraus-Anderson, and others, the Rondo Project has
exceeded the city goals for hiring minorities. That, combined with
the inclusion of persons with disabilities, makes the Rondo Project
a unique model of employment diversity in St. Paul.
A Star Tribune article, June
13, 2006, reported that the city of St. Paul has set a hiring goal
of 10% for people with disabilities for contractors doing $50,000
worth of business with the city. The city has also adopted this goal
for their own workforce.
“We have come a long way from three years ago when people
were surprised by even the idea that people with developmental disabilities
could work in the construction industry,” Mlynarczyk said. “Not
only is this a first for the city, the construction industry and
for people with disabilities, but these new employees will also be
earning wages comparable to their co-workers without disabilities—an
unprecedented accomplishment thanks to the many champions of equal
access for all to city employment opportunities.”
New Book Help Navigate Social
Security Bureaucracy
A single chapter of
the Social Security Administration’s operating
manual runs to 10,000 pages. In the newly revised Nolo’s Guide
to Social Security Disability: Getting & Keeping Your Benefits,
author David A. Morton III, the agency’s former Chief Medical
Consultant, sets out to reveal in a mere 350 pages how the system
works and how to benefit from it. The book is intended for anyone
dealing with a long-term or permanent disability, as well as for
social workers, caregivers and other professionals in the field.
The accompanying CD-ROM provides medical listings that will help
readers determine whether they qualify for disability benefits.
Among other things,
readers can learn how to match their condition to the government’s
list of disabilities, how to prove the severity of a disability,
how age, education and work experience affect benefits, how to
resume working and still receive benefits, and what benefits are
available to children with disabilities.
Americorps Recruits Minnesotans
with Disabilities
People with disabilities
who have a desire to give back to the community, gain career skills
and earn financial support for education are urged to consider joining
AmeriCorps in Minnesota for the 2006-2007 service year. The appeal comes from ServeMinnesota,
the nonprofit agency that administers the AmeriCorps program in
the state.
Often referred to as
the “domestic Peace Corps,” AmeriCorps
offers opportunities for people age 17 and older from all walks of
life to serve communities in a variety of ways—from building
affordable housing to tutoring children to securing employment for
individuals with disabilities to mentoring at-risk teens.
Minnesota is recognized
as a national leader in its efforts to include people with disabilities
in AmeriCorps. Currently, 91 AmeriCorps
members in Minnesota (21 %) report having a disability, a dramatic
increase from six years ago when only two members reported a disability.
“It has long been our goal to encourage individuals with disabilities
to take advantage of AmeriCorps opportunities – and to provide
accommodations to ensure a positive experience,” said Audrey
Suker, ServeMinnesota’s executive director. Each
year, funds are set aside to provide reasonable accommodations to
help provide equal access to AmeriCorps service positions.
AmeriCorps is open to
U.S. citizens, nationals or lawful permanent residents. Individuals who join AmeriCorps commit to part-time
or full-time service for one or two years. All members receive
a modest living allowance, and full-time members receive health insurance
benefits. After completing their service term, members also
receive an Education Award, which may be used to pay future education
costs or repay qualified college loans.
To learn more about
AmeriCorps, contact Ryan Kelley of ServeMinnesota at 612-333-7743,
(TTY) 612-333-7740 or e-mail ryank@serveminnesota.org
Metro Counties Join to End Homelessness
The seven metro counties,
home to 77 percent of the state’s
homeless, are working together to develop a coordinated response
to end long-term homelessness.
Hennepin, Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties
are developing a regional plan that best integrates housing and services,
maximizes resources, and targets supportive housing projects funded
through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. The counties sought
and received a $5-million grant from the Minnesota Department of
Human Services for the plan.
The grant is part of
the governor’s plan to end long-term
homelessness. The counties will be working with Hearth Connection,
a nonprofit that has been operating a state-supported pilot program
on supportive housing and managed care. Hearth Connection will administer
seamless delivery of services and coordinate resource allocation.
The grant runs through June 20, 2007.
Expanded Case Management
Services Help People Remain in the Community
The Hennepin County
board accepted grant funds of more than $989,000 from the Minnesota
Department of Human Services to divert patients from Anoka Regional
Treatment Center to community treatment settings. Hennepin’s
Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) will add seven
staff to provide case management services.
In 2005, 721 people who were mentally ill, chemically dependent
or both were committed; some went to state regional treatment centers.
These commitments cost the county $2.7 million. Hennepin County staff
analyzed case records and believed certain clients would do better
in community settings with supports. The county proposed a three-pronged
approach that included a short-term response team, developing a stabilization
plan for each client, and working with the Fourth Judicial District
Court on post-commitment placement.
