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A weekly view of activities at The Arc of Minnesota and other items
of interest to chapter execs, chapter presidents, advocates, and volunteer leaders
April 10, 2008
In This Issue…
- Arc
members activated as conference committees look over budget bills.
- Sightings
in the local media.
- Local Arc helps greet and share information
with Zambian delegation.
- A couple of dates we’d like you to get
on your calendar…
- An opportunity for parents and self-advocates
to get exposed to public policy.
- Upcoming conferences and events…
Arc members activated as conference committees look over budget
bills. The Minnesota House and Senate passed bills last week to deal with
the $935 million projected deficit in the state budget. A conference committee
of House and Senate members is looking over the two bills to reconcile the differences.
The Arc of Minnesota and other members of the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens
With Disabilities are concerned about the proposed caps on two waiver programs
for persons with disabilities, and concerned about the cuts in the Senate bill
– particularly the elimination of 2009 funding for Self-Advocates Minnesota (SAM)
and 1.7% cuts in Semi-Independent Living Services, Family Support Grants, and
the Region X Quality Assurance Project. The Arc of Minnesota has posted action
alerts on its website about the protecting the state budget from cuts to persons
with disabilities and protecting SAM funding. Here are the links:
SAM funding:
www.thearcofminnesota.org/ActAlert2.doc
State Budget: www.thearcofminnesota.org/ActAlert3.doc
Sightings in the local media. The Arc of Minnesota staff and volunteers
have been heard, and/or read in various media recently.
- Pat Mellenthin,
The Arc of Minnesota’s Executive Director, is featured in the "Issues that Matter"
section of Minnesota 2020's web site. In her article, Pat informs the public about
the harm caused by proposals that will cut supports for persons with disabilities.
The link to that article is:
http://www.mn2020.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BBFA851B1-1DC1-4B22-8D63-B1D77F35D683%7D&DE=
- Steve Larson had a letter to the editor published in St.
Paul’s Pioneer Press daily paper on March 19 on the need to restore the cost-of-living
allowance (COLA) that was cut in the Governor’s supplemental budget.
- More
than 360 people attended activities at Disability Day at the Capitol on March
12. The rally held that day at the bottom of the State Capitol steps received
coverage by several media. Twin Cities Public TV's "Almanac at the Capitol" show
last night covered the rally and included a short clip of Debbi Harris, Arc Greater
Twin Cities member from Eagan addressing the crowd at the State Capitol. The clip
of the news story can be accessed at: http://www.tpt.org/aatc/videos/2008/03/12/almanac_at_the_capitol_march_12_2008/headlines.
KSTP-TV also did a story on the rally during its 6:30 p.m. newscast on the
night of Disability Day at the Capitol. Visible in the news footage of the rally
were Pat Mellenthin and Diane Mikolich (Arc Range's Executive Director).
Local
Arc helps greet and share information with Zambian delegation and gets some nice
press coverage, too. Arc Greater Twin Cities, along with several other Twin
Cities disability agencies, sponsored nine visitors from the African nation of
Zambia. The Zambians received extensive training about disability advocacy, services,
and policies over the two weeks they stayed. This is the first step in a learning
exchange with Zambians about best practices and policies for persons with developmental
disabilities and their families. The Twin Cities partner groups in this project
will go to Zambia this summer to provide additional training. The visit received
a nice write-up on the online news site Minnpost.com.
You can see that article at: www.minnpost.com/joekimball/2008/04/08/1431/zambian_delegation_checking_out_states_disability_efforts
A couple of dates we’d like you to get on your calendar…
- The
Arc of Minnesota Public Policy Planning Day – Thursday, August 7,
2008, Roseville, Minnesota. Those Arc members involved in state public policy
efforts are welcome to attend and help us start planning for the 2009 Legislative
Session.
- The Arc of Minnesota State Convention – October 10-11,
2008 in Mankato, MN. Our keynote speakers are Diana Braun and Kathy Conour,
stars of the film “Body and Soul: Diana and Kathy,” which chronicles their lives
together and their successful struggle to live independently.
- More information
on these two events to come!
An opportunity for parents and self-advocates
to get exposed to public policy the same way many Arc leaders did. Recruitment
is underway for the next Minnesota Partners in Policymaking class which will begin
its trainings in September 2008. Many leaders of The Arc here in Minnesota developed
their initial expertise in public policy and their leadership skills through this
program, sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities.
More information about the September classes program and an application form are
now available at www.mngts.org/partnersinpolicymaking/index.html.
Upcoming conferences and events…
- The STAR Awards
for Excellence in Assistive Technology will be presented on Tuesday, April
15, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. in the State Capitol Rotunda. The awards go to individuals
who demonstrate excellence in the area of using or providing service and support
to people who use assistive technology. Lieutenant Governor Carol Molnau will
welcome the award winners, with Department of Administration Commissioner Dana
Badgerow providing opening remarks. The public is welcome.
- The Disabled
Student Cultural Center (DSCC), a student group at the University of Minnesota,
is hosting its annual informational dinner for high school students with disabilities
and their families. The free dinner takes place on April 24, from
6:00-8:00 p.m., at the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota Campus
in Minneapolis. Current U of MN students will give a presentation on scholarships,
housing, accommodations, assistive technology, and student life, in addition to
answering any other questions that you may have about the U of MN. For more information,
contact Rachel Garaghty at gara0030@umn.edu.
- “Rev Up Your Engines for Indianapolis – Self Advocacy’s Got the Fever!”
is the theme of the 9th National Self Advocacy Conference sponsored by Self-Advocates
Becoming Empowered (SABE). It will be held September 4 – 7,
2008 at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott in Indianapolis, Indiana. Registration
and general conference information is now available at www.sabe2008.org.
If you register early, you receive the early bird discount.
If
someone you know would like to receive this publication, contact Monica Saby at
monicas@arcmn.org. If you have any comments
about Snap Shots, contact Mike Gude at mikeg@arcmn.org
to be put on the e-mail list. Snap Shots is produced by The Arc of Minnesota,
770 Transfer Road, Suite 26, St. Paul, MN, 55114. Web site = www.TheArcOfMinnesota.org
; General e-mail address = mail@arcmn.org
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