News at a Glance
Courage Center named as Eleven
Who
Care agency of distinction
KARE 11 TV recently announced Courage Center as its
2008 Eleven Who Care Agency of Distinction. In the 25-year history
of the Eleven Who Care awards, Courage Center has had more winners
than any other nonprofit agency. Eleven Who Care honors the contributions
of grassroots volunteers and promotes the spirit of volunteerism
in our community. Since 1983, the Eleven Who Care Program has recognized
the outstanding efforts of 275 community volunteers. Since the awards
began, 12 Courage Center volunteers have been honored with Eleven
Who Care awards. The Agency of Distinction was created in 1990 to
highlight a Twin Cities nonprofit organization. The Agency of Distinction,
in addition to being honored, also receives the proceeds from that
year’s dinner and live telecast. The 25th Year of Eleven Who
Care will host a 90-minute telecast on Wednesday, Sept. 10. In addition
to recognizing the efforts of 11 new volunteers, KARE TV will also
look back at the previous 25 years and the impact volunteerism has
had on this community. Courage Center encourages everyone in the
community to tune in and help celebrate this terrific honor.
Source:
Courage Center ![end of article bullet]()
Committee for People with Disabilities
looking for new members
The St Paul Mayor’s Advisory Committee
for People with Disabilities is looking for interested people to
serve as members. There is no deadline to apply. This committee serves
as an advocate for people with disabilities. The committee works
to make St. Paul a completely barrier-free community with equal opportunity
for all citizens with disabilities by working to increase awareness
of the needs in the disabled community.
It is an exciting time in St. Paul with the Republican National
Convention coming to town in September and the Central Corridor light
rail being developed. The disability community needs to be involved
in these projects and many more. This committee plays a part in all
St. Paul projects. The committee may have up to 18 members. At least
50% of the membership shall be people with disabilities. The meetings
are held on the third Tuesday of the month. If you are interested,
please go to www.stpaul.gov and click on the “I want to” button
at the top, then scroll down to “join a committee” and
download an application. Or call 651-642-0520 and an application
will be sent to you.
Source: www.stpaul.gov ![end of article bullet]()
AXIS seeks understanding of
local Hmong
community’s health care directives
AXIS Healthcare is
reaching out to the Twin Cities Hmong community by speaking with
local elders about health care directives, which are instructions
individuals give as a course of action if they become unable to make
decisions for themselves. All agencies providing Medicare and/or
Medicaid services must provide a written description of Minnesota
state law regarding heath care directives to members. AXIS Healthcare
wanted to find a way to address this subject in an appropriate manner
and conducted a focus group at Peb Moob, a St. Paul Hmong senior
day care center.
Aided by University
of Minnesota nursing students and several interpreters, a group
of 17 Hmong elders were asked their opinions regarding their “last
breath” or “120th year” (terms many Hmong people
use to describe their end of life). Questions included topics such
as preferences between Western and traditional medicine and whom
they would like to make health care decisions if they were unable.
The responses were as unique as the individuals questioned, and suggested
that this is a topic they thought needed to be discussed.
Most want to be surrounded
by their families at home during their final moments; regarding
whether they prefer Western or traditional medicine, nine prefer
a combination of the two methods, with seven preferring Western
medicine exclusively and one preferring to be treated with only
traditional Hmong medicine. The eldest son or daughter was the
most common answer when they were asked whom they would want to
make decisions for them if they couldn’t speak for themselves.
The Hmong elders made a point of saying we may get different answers
from other Hmong people as everyone has his or her own unique beliefs.
The general feeling was that this is something that needs to be talked
about, even if it’s an unpleasant subject. One thing is clear:
there’s no way to know someone’s wishes about health
care directives, regardless of their cultural background, until the
issue is discussed with them personally.
Source: AXIS Healthcare ![end of article bullet]()
Local rehab
addresses intimacy for physically challenged couples
Carrie Shogren is a senior
occupational therapist at Courage Center who works with people with
an array of physical conditions. “Sexuality
is an aspect of daily life that should be addressed as a part of
a person’s rehab process after a traumatic injury or illness,” she
said. In fact, one of the most-asked questions after a spinal cord
injury deals with the issue of sexuality. “Every client with
a spinal cord injury has questions about enhancing their sex life.
Will I ever be able to have children or how can I make the sexual
experience better for my partners are common questions asked during
a person’s rehab process,” said Shogren. The IntimateRider
by Minnesota-based HealthPostures is a product designed to enhance
sexual mobility for couples working to overcome physical obstacles
in their personal life. Now information about the IntimateRider is
a part of the rehab process at the Courage Center. “People
are most curious to know how it works,” said Shogren. “When
they first sit in it they are amazed by the freedom of movement.
For people with spinal cord injuries, mobility, sensation and function
are the biggest concern in their sexual experience and the IntimateRider
can help a couple return to a more normal life.” Ms. Shogren
says the onset of a traumatic injury or illness greatly affects able-bodied
partners too. “Their lives are changed because their loved
ones do not have the same movement or function as they used to. It
is important to provide options that will improve the experience
for both partners.”
Source: www.courage.org ![end of article bullet]()
ADA Celebration
The 18th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities
Act will be held on Friday, July 25 from 1–2 p.m. Exciting
updates on the ADA Restoration Act will be given by Peter Berg, Project
Coordinator of Technical Assistance & Employer Outreach DBTAC
Great Lakes ADA Center, Chicago, Illinois. Entertainment will be
provided by Jim Hanson on harmonica and Kip Shane on guitar. Light
refreshments will be served.
The celebration will be held at the MN Department of Health, 1645
Energy Park Drive, Saint Paul, MN 55108. This event is free to the
public, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP to MCIL at 651-646-8342
or bettyc@mcil-mn.org. If you require accommodations please make
your request by July 18.
The sponsors for this event are: Access Press, ADA Minnesota, Arc
Greater Twin Cities, the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, Metropolitan
Center for Independent Living, Minnesota Department of Finance and
Employee Relations, Minnesota State Council on Disability, Pathways
to Employment—DHS,
DEED, MSCOD, United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota and VSA arts of Minnesota. ![end of article bullet]()
PRISM facility seeks to aid
criminal
offenders with mental illness
The PRISM (Providing Resources
and Integrating Services to the Mentally Ill) Center opened in
Hennepin County in early 2008. Offenders under Criminal Mental
Health Court supervision are now reporting there are up to five
days each week to receive and take proper medications. The usual
barriers to obtaining medication, such as a lack of medical insurance
or co-pays, have been removed. Social workers and probation officers
also meet with offenders at the center, arranging for onsite access
to needed social services such as housing, economic assistance
and chemical dependency treatment.
“We see a lot of people whose crime is sleeping in a hallway,” said
Judge Richard Hopper, who oversees the 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, people who are
sleeping in hallways are mentally ill…These offenders aren’t
a danger to themselves or anyone else. We need to pursue mental illness
from a medical and social service vantage point. In many cases, if
we are able to treat their mental illness and ensure that they are
taking their medications and receiving regular medical care, these
individuals are far less likely to re-offend. There are plenty of
services available. PRISM helps coordinate those services and uses
a non-law-enforcement response that addresses the mental illness
first. It’s cost-effective and humane, and it keeps our streets
safer.”
Source: Hennepin County
News ![end of article bullet]()
