The sudden death of Tim Nelson, chief executive officer of Hammer Residences, Inc, and board chairman of The Arc Minnesota, has stunned and saddened those who worked with him.  Nelson, 58, died Aug. 16 while hiking with his wife, Jean, in Colorado. His life’s work in helping people with developmental disabilities began early. Nelson’s youngest brother Doug ...

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Editor’s note: At a time when many parents of children with disabilities have been going through the annual round of back-to-school medical visits, this guest commentary is appropriate. It can be difficult for parents to step back as their children get older. This is especially the case if the child has a complicated medical history. As a ...

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The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens for Disabilities (MN CCD) hosts a series of town hall forums this fall to explain the various state budget impacts, and to gather information from the public. Policymakers will be on hand to listen to concerns. Weeks after the 2011 special session of the Minnesota Legislature, advocates that serve people with ...

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Here's the .pdf version of the September 2011 Issue.  Enjoy!

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When the 2011 Minnesota Legislature’s special session adjourned July 20, Minnesotans with disabilities and their families faced a dizzying array of changes in the adopted health and human legislation and budget. For the short term, many people will see cuts to services or changes in how services are delivered. Over the long term, Minnesotans can ...

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For organizations that serve Minnesotans with disabilities, the historic state shutdown and its aftermath have created a flurry of activities that for some, are far from over. For agencies that had to shut down and then start up, the complications have been many and varied. A few of the complications were unintentionally humorous. One agency that ...

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It’s the best party of the year for Minnesota’s disability community. And you and your friends can make it better. Access Press hosts the Charlie Smith Award Banquet Friday, Nov. 4 at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott, Bloomington. Attendees enjoy music, a delicious meal and the presentation of the Charlie Smith Award, which is given annually ...

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During the government shutdown in July, Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin ruled that certain government functions must be provided and paid for even though the Minnesota Legislature and the governor had not agreed on an appropriation act. Years earlier, in a different context, U.S. District Judge Earl Larson issued a similar order in ...

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The state shutdown was truly a catastrophe. Although disappointing, Gov. Dayton made the right decision. He did what had to be done to get the state back to work, even though he knew he was accepting a budget that will not solve any of our financial woes but only put them off for another budget ...

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Twin Cities bus and rail transit are among the state-supported services that dodged a bullet during the 2011 special session of the Minnesota Legislature. That’s crucial to people with disabilities that rely on regular Metro Transit route service. The fate of Twin Cities transit service had been up in the air for months. At one point ...

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Here is an overview from Courage Center of the 2011 Minnesota Legislature special session. The end of the longest shutdown in state history and the conclusion to the 2011 legislative session brings some relief. At Courage Center it’s not a return to business as usual. The agency has difficult work ahead to provide clients with the ...

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Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, is calling it quits. The longtime state legislator, considered to be the most knowledgeable state lawmaker on health and human services issues, announced last month that she is stepping down. Berglin has represented some of south Minneapolis’s most ethnically and economically diverse neighborhoods for 39 years, starting in the House ...

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Firefighters’ calendar is for a good cause Six St. Paul firefighters are appearing in a 2012 calendar that will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Voting for the picture that will be on the calendar cover was conducted on Facebook, ending Aug. 3. This is the third years the firefighters had doffed their shirts and posed for ...

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Hewitt Named New Director of University of Minnesota RTC Amy Hewitt, PhD, has been selected as the new Director of the Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC) at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration. She will assume the new role effective August 15 , succeeding Dr. Charlie Lakin, who has been ...

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Here's the entire August 2011 Issue in .pdf format.  Enjoy!

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 Minnesotans with disabilities and many of  the services they rely faced an uncertain future when state government shut down July 1. While some key state agencies and functions continued, others were closed or suspended pending appeals. The situation has been very fluid. State leaders are expected to meet as Access Press went to press right after ...

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Families whose developmentally disabled loved ones were restrained at the Minnesota Extended Treatment Options (METO) facility will share in a $3 million settlement. U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank signed an order June 23 approving the comprehensive class action settlement agreement. The settlement finalizes a tentative agreement reached last fall that bars the state from ...

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Although it serves a small proportion of the population, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare of St. Paul has an interesting history. It is unique in that its mission is to serve patients who have physical disabilities. Gillette is the first of its kind for treatment of patients with disabilities. What is now is that Gillette Children’s ...

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I hope by the time you read this the state government shutdown is over. As I’m writing this, though, I’m afraid that it won’t be settled. I don’t think the House and Senate leadership are able to make any guarantees on how their own caucuses will ultimately vote on any compromise. Gov. Mark Dayton will ...

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People with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have many unmet needs and inadequate opportunities to lead productive lives in their communities, according to a national survey. Sixty-two percent of caregivers surveyed reported a decrease in services for their family member with a disability. State budget proposals threaten this further. “Fifty years ago, President Kennedy called ...

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In the natural cycle of life and the inevitable sons and daughters bury their parents. And while their grief is profound, it is tempered by a life lived long. Sadly, life does not flow evenly, for when Kevin Sullivan suddenly passed away on June 14, the circle was broken and family and friends were shocked ...

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Editor’s note: This letter was written to Gov. Mark Dayton prior to the court decision on what are and are not considered “essential services” during the state shutdown. If you have questions, please contact your personal care attendant (PCA), transportation, social services or other service providers for details. The shutdown situation is very fluid and ...

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There’s an app for that Let’s say you aren’t sure how to start a conversation. Or give a compliment. Or get through a first date. For kids with Asperger’s syndrome, these can be big challenges. But now there’s an app for that. Fraser, a child development center in Minneapolis, has created QuickCues to help guide autistic teens ...

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Here's the .pdf of our July 2011 Issue.  Enjoy!

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All eyes are on the state capitol as Gov. Mark Dayton and state lawmakers decide how to handle Minnesota’s plus-$5 billion budget deficit. As Access Press went to press, state leaders were still divided on the state’s budget woes. Unless a special legislative session is held in June, state government will largely shut down July ...

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