ada court decision made

February 10, 2002
Inside
Disabilities in Turkey — p. 5
Feminism and Disability — p. 7
Canine Graduation — p. 9
Underfunded
Civil Rights
Laws
— Page 3
1
“Self-confidence is the result of a successfully
survived risk.”
—Jack Gibb
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Mpls. MN
Permit No. 4766
Volume 13, Number 2
SOURCES
RESOURCES
February 10, 2002
ADA COURT DECISION MADE
U.S. SUPREME COURT ISSUES DECISION IN
ADA CASE
by Kathleen R. Hagen
I
n the January issue of
Access Press, we discussed three cases which
either had already received
oral argument, or were going
to be argued, before the U.S.
Supreme Court. On January
10, 2002, the day Access
Press hit the streets, the
Court issued its decision in
one of those cases.
Budget Shortfall To
Dominate Legislative
Debate
by John Tschida
T
he gavel has fallen,
opening the 2002 legislative session—and the current fiscal environment has
many disability advocates
concerned.
“With a $2 billion budget
shortfall, budget cuts are
going to happen,” said Joel
Ulland, public policy director for the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society-Minnesota
Chapter. “Our goal is to
make sure the budget isn’t
balanced at the expense of
people with disabilities.”
Many advances were made
last session in the area of state
disability policy, but the
state’s ledger reflected record
surplus levels at that time.
Legislative debate centered
on how much money to return
to taxpayers, not on where to
make program cuts.
“This year will be a defensive
struggle to keep what we
fought so hard for last year,”
said Lolly Lijewski, advocacy director at the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living. “The governor
has laid out his plan. Now it’s
up to the legislators.”
Governor Ventura has presented a plan calling for a mix
of tax hikes and budget cuts
that has been soundly criticized by both the House and
Senate.
While it does
preserve important advances—such as pay increases for home health aides
and PCAs, increased Metro
Mobility funding, and renewed state efforts to get
people with disabilities out of
nursing homes and into the
community—it does present
some challenges for the
disability community.
Items on the chopping block
include the addition of people
with disabilities to the state’s
prescription drug program,
education grants for home
care workers, and cuts that
could affect special education services. State mental
health grants would also be
trimmed, as would chemical
dependency services for those
not qualifying for Medical
Assistance. A tightening of
eligibility requirements could
also affect some individuals
on the Medical Assistance
for Employed Persons with
Disabilities (MA-EPD) program who are working only a
minimum number of hours
each month.
“Everything we do at the
Capitol is to make sure
people with disabilities have
access to the services they
need to live successfully in
the community,” said Jeff
Bangsberg, public policy
director for the Minnesota
Budget - cont. on p. 6
Williams vs. Toyota
Motor Manufacturing
The issue in this case, as
discussed in January, was:
Does the physical impairment of carpal tunnel syndrome, which poses a substantial limitation to the
major life activity of performing manual tasks, constitute a disability as defined
by the ADA? The Court’s
answer is that carpal tunnel
is, or can be, a physical
impairment posing substantial limitations to a major life
activity, including performing a class of manual tasks,
and can thus be defined as a
disability—if those tasks are
such that they would be
central to the lives of most
people. However, the Plaintiff, Ella Williams, did not
provide sufficient evidence
to show that her impairment
was severe enough to substantially limit a major life
activity, and she did not fit
the definition of an individual with a disability because the manual tasks she
could not perform were, in
the Court’s view, not central
to the lives of most people.
Readers will remember that
Williams was an assembler
with Toyota who developed
carpal tunnel syndrome and
tendonitis. She was transferred to the paint inspection
department where she worked
for several years. Then the
employer added an extra duty
which exacerbated her condi-
tion, and refused to let her
continue only performing her
original duties as a reasonable accommodation. She
was terminated and sued
Toyota. The District Court
found in favor of Toyota.
The Court of Appeals partially reversed that finding by
holding that Williams had
proved herself to be an
individual with a disability.
Since the Supreme Court was
not called upon to make a
decision as to whether Williams was substantially limited in the major life activity
of working, it has left further
discussion of the viability of
“working” as a major life
activity for another day. The
Supreme Court explained
that the Court of Appeals had
used the wrong analysis in
reaching its decision that
Williams fell within the
definition of an individual
with a disability, and the
Court reversed that finding.
The Supreme Court said that
the Court of Appeals had
mixed two different descriptions of major life activities
in coming up with its analysis. The class of manual tasks
which Williams was limited
in performing, the Court said,
all related to her job of
working with pneumatic tools.
The Court said that if
Williams had argued that she
was substantially limited by
her impairment in the major
life activity of “working” her
claim would have failed
because she could perform
two of the four jobs and
therefore was not limited in
performing a broad range of
jobs.
The Court further said that in
order for her to successfully
argue that she was substantially limited in the major life
activity of performing manual
tasks, she would have to be
limited in performing tasks
central to the lives of most
people. This is because other
major life activities listed in
the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission
(EEOC) regulations include
walking, seeing, hearing, and
other activities central to
everyone’s lives. The Court
of Appeals should have been
looking, said the Supreme
Court, at whether Williams
was substantially limited in
performing tasks central to
the lives of most people, not
whether Williams could or
could not perform manual
tasks associated with her job.
Those tasks, said the Court,
were specialized and most
people would not have to
perform them. Here, the
Plaintiff can brush her teeth,
wash her face, bathe, fix
breakfast, do laundry, tend
her flower garden, and pick
up around the house. Those
are activities central to the
lives of most people, the
Court said, and more clearly
demonstrated whether Williams was substantially limited in the major life activity
of performing manual tasks.
The court conceded that
Williams had indicated that
she needed help with dressing on occasion, could not
garden as much as she used
to, and could not play with
her children as often. The
Court did not consider that
these limitations as expressed
by Williams constituted a
substantial limitation to a
major life activity.
The decision ultimately does
not change much in our
understanding of existing
disability discrimination law.
However, this was a unanimous decision of the Court.
The Court continues to show
its ambivalence of accepting
Court Decision - cont. on p 6
February 10, 2002
2
governor’s budget. Many
community mental health organizations will see a 5% cut;
5% doesn’t sound like a lot,
but that amount could severely disrupt operations. As
we go to print, I am told that
things are moving very quickly
and that we need to keep
aware. John Tschida’s article
helps us understand Ventura’s
budget and the need for us all
to get involved and protect the
positive moves forward that
the state disability community
has made.
Tim
Benjamin
Editor
T
he legislative session
began January 29 after
much posturing by our governor. Ventura claims the
pain will be equally distributed. I’m not sure if he is
making a campaign promise
or if he truly believes what he
is saying.
Initially the
governor’s budget didn’t look
to be as devastating to the
disability community as once
thought. However, some of
the nonprofit organizations
that work in the disability
community are having all
their grant money threatened.
Many will see cuts under the
Last month, Kathy Hagen
gave us an overview of
ADA cases coming before
The Supreme Court. This
month, she provides a
summary of the decision in
one of those cases (Williams vs. Toyota). Kathy
has been very diligent
about keeping us updated We are glad Jeff will continue
on these important cases. to write for Access Press.
Our thanks to her.
Mike Chevrette offers a
Assistive Technology Spe- firsthand look at changes in
cialist at Courage Center, Jeni air travel since September 11.
Mundl, explains the catego- He traveled to Florida for the
ries of assistive technology as Society for Accessible Travel
well as the differences be- and Hospitality (SATH) contween services and devices. ference to gather information
Jeni has also promised, in for Access for All.
future issues, to explain more
about how assistive technol- John Schatzlein was unable to
ogy can and will affect our provide us with a Religion
everyday lives.
and Disability column this
month. We look forward to
Jeff Nygaard gives us a look hearing from him again in the
at the underfunding of civil months to come.
rights legislation. Jeff is an
expert at giving a compre- Anita Ho, professor from St.
hensive view of the under- Catherine’s, invites Access
belly of the issues that affect Press readers to attend her
us all. I personally can’t lecture on feminism and
thank Jeff enough for all the disability. Professor Ho will
help he gave to me and to make the case that the
Access Press in the last year. feminist movement has left
disabled women behind.
There will be no admission
charge for this lecture.
The Mixed Blood Theatre
is putting on a play called
The History of Bowling.
The playwright and the
lead actor are disabled.
The play got great reviews
in Chicago. We have made
arrangements with Mixed
Blood to have an Access
Press night where the ticket
price will be cut nearly in
half—$20 for two tickets if
you mention Access Press
when purchasing the tickets.
Hearing and Service Dogs
of Minnesota held a ceremony for 11 graduates in
late January. Their stories
are detailed on page 9.
The World Of Assistive Technology
by Jeni Mundl
A
ssistive technology is all
around us. Persons with
and without disabilities use
assistive technology daily to
make their lives easier and to
live more independently. Even
a pencil can be considered
assistive technology—without a writing utensil, taking
notes during a meeting would
be impossible for anyone.
For most people, technology
makes things easier. For
people with disabilities,
assistive technology turns
possibilities into reality. Many
people benefit from assistive
technology tools, such as
remote controls, garage door
openers, speakerphones,
reachers, or Velcro strips that
replace buttons. Assistive
technology can help people
with disabilities get around
more easily, communicate
better, live independently,
and become more active in
their communities. Assistive
technology can also help
prevent the worsening of a
condition and improve a
person’s capacity to learn.
broad range of both products assistive technology device.
and services.
These are
Sub-Categories, and
defined in the Assistive TechExamples, of Assistive
nology Act of 1998 (ATA) as
Technology
follows:
General Categories of
Assistive Technology
Assistive technology device:
Any item, piece of equipment,
or product system—whether
acquired commercially offthe-shelf, modified, or customized—used to increase,
maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
It is easy to categorize
assistive technology as being
only computer-related technology; in reality, assistive
technology encompasses a
Assistive technology service:
Any service that directly
assists an individual with a
disability in the selection,
acquisition, or use of an
SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION
612-529-5019
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDER
ronmental controls (such as
electronic switches or systems that help a person
without mobility to control
lights, telephones, and appliances).
lifts, and wheelchair cushions).
Transportation Aids: Items
that provide independence in
personal transportation, such
Aids for Daily Living: Selfas hand controls, cartop
help aids for use in activities Recreational Aids: Items that carriers, custom cars and
such as dressing, personal help persons with disabilities vans, and personal restraint
hygiene, bathing, home main- to participate in activities like systems.
tenance, and cooking. Ex- skiing, biking, boating, and so
amples include: reachers, on. Examples include: the Low Tech and High Tech
loop buttonhole grabbers, Bi-Ski, the hand cycle, and
bathtub lifts, and one-handed the beeping ball.
Besides dividing assistive
knives.
technology into categories,
Communication Aids: Aug- many distinguish between
Mobility Aids: Standing/walk- mentative communication/ low tech and high tech
ing devices, transfer aids, speech devices, alarm sys- assistance. Below are more
wheelchairs and three- tems, telephone communica- examples and how they can
wheeled chairs, and patient tion aids, assistive listening enhance one’s life.
lifts.
devices, and visual/reading
aids.
Examples include: Examples of low tech assistive
Educational and Vocational switch-activated phones, talk- technology:
Aids: Computers, adaptive ing pens, TTY, and mobile • Eating utensils or toothsoftware, and job modifica- computers with speech
brushes with weighted or
tions.
thick handles for those with
Seating and Positioning Aids: limited dexterity and gripEnvironmental Aids: Work Modifications to wheelchairs ping ability.
site/school design or modi- and other seating that give • Communication boards with
fication, home modifica- greater stability to the body pictures to transmit basic
tion, accessible architecture, and reduce pressure to the needs.
adapted furniture, and envi- skin (modular seating, seat • Easy-grip doorknobs or car
door openers to assist people
with weak hands.
• Big button phones to aid
people with limited vision or
hand control.
FOR VALUABLE INFORMATION VISIT
• Tape recorders to assist
students who have trouble
S
ACTS
with note taking.
• General Topics
• Text telephones or phone
• Building Accessibility
amplifiers to assist people
with hearing impairments.
• Employment
•
A mouthstick to help a
• Detailed Fact Sheets
person turn the pages of a
The Site is regularly updated with:
book or push elevator buttons.
• New Sources • New Information • New Links
MSCOD’s Web Page
Access Press
Co-Founder/Publisher (1990-1996) ....................................................... Wm. A. Smith, Jr.
Co-Founder/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief (1990-2001) ............................ Charles F. Smith
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Associate ........................................................................................................... Jeff Nygaard
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Ltd. Circulation is 11,000, distributed the 10th of each month through more than 200 locations
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th
121 E. 7 Place, Suite 107, St. Paul, MN 55101
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Fax: 651-296-5935
Your Source for Information, Referral,
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Access, Education, Employment, Health
Care, Housing and Transportation
Examples of high tech
assistive technology:
• Computers operated by voice
recognition—for those unable to use a keyboard.
• Environmental controls
which operate several appliances from a remote control—for individuals with
Technology - cont. on p. 5
February 10, 2002
Post 9-11 Air
Travel Realities
Federal Funding Inadequate For
Civil Rights Enforcement
by Mike Chevrette
by Jeff Nygaard
[Editor’s note: The November issue of Access Press
included an overview of what
to expect when flying after
9/11, as well as some travel
tips. This article is a report
on another writer’s actual
experience while flying. It
also includes tips not mentioned in the earlier piece.]
S
ince
the
terrorist
hijackings of September
11, the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has
issued directives to strengthen
security measures at airline
checkpoints and passenger
screening locations. In securing our national air transportation system, steps were also
taken to ensure that the new
security procedures preserve
and respect the civil rights of
passengers with disabilities.
The tragic events of September 11 have affected us all in
many ways, but travel will
continue to be a part of life.
My most recent air trip was to
the Society for Accessible
Travel and Hospitality’s
(SATH) world conference
held in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida. The members of this
conference get information
from many experts in the
travel industry. It’s also a
great opportunity to hear from
people with disabilities and to
discover what they have
experienced since the attacks
on our country. As with all
my journeys, this trip was a
new adventure—with some
good, and some bad, aspects.
Below, I will explain some of
the changes that are in effect
and some of my personal
experiences.
T
he United States Commission on Civil Rights
(CCR) released a major
report on the subject of civil
rights enforcement in 1995
which found a pattern of
defunding and understaffing
of the federal government’s
civil rights enforcement and
compliance capabilities going
back for more than 20 years.
The Commission’s January
2001 update, entitled
“Funding Federal Civil
Rights Enforcement: 2000
and Beyond,” shows that the
trend has continued or accelerated since 1995. The report
points out in its first sentence
that “inadequate funding levels for federal civil rights
enforcement have occurred
simultaneously with growing
workloads at the agencies
Before boarding the plane, responsible for enforcing civil
you must now have a photo ID rights laws.”
that matches your boarding
pass. For those without a There are more than 20 major
driver’s license, a passport or civil rights laws in existence
photo ID made by a federal in the United States, and six
government or state agency is major federal agencies are in
charge of enforcing or assistacceptable.
backpack from my wheelchair and sent it through the
X-ray. For the first time ever,
I had to remove my laptop
computer from its carrying
case and send the case
through the X-ray. I was then
patted down by airport security. This was typical of all
my flying trips, although they
where much more thorough. I
was then asked to remove my
shoes and they were checked
for explosive residue. There
was an issue with a few small
wrenches that I carry to help
reassemble my chair after the
batteries have been disconnected. After I explained
their use, I passed all the
screening tests and was off for
my gate. The entire process
was handled well.
The rest of the trip went very
smoothly; it was probably one
of the best flights I have ever
experienced. As we had more
than enough time, I would
suggest arriving only two
hours before departure.
Department of Education
The Department of Education
(DOEd) has an Office of Civil
Rights (OCR) which implements the civil rights provisions in several DOEd programs, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the ADA. The
OCR has suffered a staffing
decline of 14% since 1994
and their funding now is
below the level of that year.
This has occurred despite the
fact that the numbers of civil
rights complaints are higher
than they were in 1994, and
and one personal bag (purse are “dramatically higher” than
or briefcase) for each traveler they were during the 1980s.
does not apply to medical
Equal Employment
supplies or assistive devices.
Passengers with disabilities Opportunity Commission
may generally carry such The Equal Employment OpCommission
items on board the aircraft. portunity
Clearly double-tag all equip- (EEOC) enforces the Rehament as well as your luggage. bilitation Act of 1973 as well
as the ADA. EEOC has seen
Carry two sets of eyeglasses its budget increase since
and medication. Pack one in 1994, but not sufficiently to
your carry-on and one in your keep up with increased
checked suitcase. In case of workloads due to new legislaunexpected delays, pack tion and the expansion of
enough medication to last a existing statutes. As with the
Education Department, the
few extra days.
number of complaints reTake along a brief statement ceived by the EEOC was
from your physician regard- “dramatically higher” in the
ing your medical history, 1990s than in the 1980s, and
including: the nature of your CCR concludes by saying that
disability; allergies to medi- these delays “undermine the
cations; and current treatment fairness and effectiveness of
plans, including medications. the federal enforcement sysTake your physician’s phone tem and discourage people
number in case you need to from coming forward to seek
have a prescription refilled or
need advice in an emergency.
The airways are much safer
than they have ever been; with
a few more minutes spent by
all of us, they will continue to
be that way. There is an
amazing world to be seen by
all people, regardless of your
disabilities. Get out there and
experience it. Go with the
flow, or as Jane Cox from
Continental Airlines told me:
Flying has never bothered me, “Pack plenty of patience and
but I did feel some apprehen- understanding.”
sion while we were heading to
the airport.
I imagined
Tips for Travelers
security guards taking me out
with Disabilities
of my wheelchair and doing a The new guidelines have
strip search. Not knowing changed many of the policies
what to expect, I arrived three set by airlines and airports.
hours before my departure Don’t assume each airline or
time. We waited in the airport has the same policies.
Northwest Airlines (NWA) Always call ahead and let the
Security may want to disasticket counter line for only ten airline know your needs.
semble your wheelchair or
minutes. (I still prefer to go to
the main ticket counter to The limit of one carry-on bag Travel - cont. on p. 7
check my luggage and to
receive my gate pass. At that
time, I verify my seat assignment and answer any questions that NWA personnel
may have regarding my wheelchair.)
Once we received our gate
passes, we headed for the
security checkpoint. When I
saw three National Guard
soldiers armed with automatic
rifles, it was a great reminder
to me that our country will
never be the same.
Just as before, I removed my
ing in compliance with these
laws. In each and every case,
the CCR report concludes that
the funding for civil rights
enforcement (and they actually include under “enforcement” such things as education and technical assistance
aimed at compliance with and
prevention of civil rights
violations) has either declined
in real dollars, or failed to
keep up with inflation and/or
increased demand for the
services.
3
restitution for well-founded and Human Services (HHS)
complaints of discrimination.” has an Office for Civil Rights
(OCR) which enforces the
Department of Labor
nondiscrimination provisions
The work of the Department of the Rehabilitation Act of
of Labor’s Office of Federal 1973, as well as Title II of the
Contract Compliance Pro- ADA. OCR is working with a
grams (OFCCP) enforces Title budget that “is over 60
I of the ADA, as well as percent below the real spendnondiscrimination and affir- ing power of the 1981
mative action requirements budget,” having faced consisfor federal contractors in tent decreases in its funding
relation to disabled veterans. for years. The OCR budget
OFCCP saw its budget de- makes up 0.0054 percent of
cline steadily from 1978 until the overall HHS budget.
1997, and staffing levels have
yet to recover even to 1994
Department of Housing
levels. Again, “these budget Staffing levels at the Departand staffing reductions come ment of Housing and Urban
at a time when OFCCP’s Development Office of Fair
enforcement responsibilities Housing and Equal Opportuhave expanded,” which has nity (FHEO) have decreased
“adversely influenced the ef- by 22 percent since 1994.
fectiveness of OFCCP’s During that same time the
work.”
number of complaints has
increased by 15 percent, to a
Department of Justice
level more than double the
The Department of Justice number of complaints rehas a Civil Rights Division ceived annually during the
(CRD) which enforces Titles 1980s.
II and III of the ADA and
“coordinates federal enforce- The National Council on
ment of statutes that prohibit Disability states that “despite
discrimination on the basis of legislation from1988 that mandisability in programs that dated improving fair housing,
receive federal financial as- fair housing enforcement resistance.”
mains an unfulfilled promise
for Americans with disabiliWhile the funding of CRD is ties.”
higher in the current year than
in past years, that is partly That’s the situation at all six
because the levels were so of the principal federal civil
low in past years. Former rights agencies. The U.S.
acting Assistant Attorney Gen- Commission on Civil Rights
eral Bill Lann Lee stated in concludes their report with
July 2000 that the FY 2000 the following words: “As a
funding increase “has not result of inadequate funding,
made up for the fact that for the nation’s civil rights laws
many years, the CRD has remain, in large measure,
basically been running on ‘unfunded mandates.’ These
empty.” The National Coun- agencies’ budgets have been
cil on Disability concurs, reduced at a time when their
saying that “the impact of enforcement responsibilities
resource restrictions is direct, have grown substantially. In
obvious, and highly detrimen- the face of rising workloads,
tal.”
inadequate funding and staff
levels continue to endanger
Department of Health and our national enforcement of
Human Services
civil rights laws.”
The Department of Health
ACCESS IS FREEDOM!
National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc.
Affordable/Accessible Housing
For
Mobility Impaired Physically
Disabled Adults
Community Enrichment Through Housing Diversity
CALL 651-639-9799
4
February 10, 2002
Mental Illness/Brain Disorders
Hello Nicole:
What Then Shall We Do?
by Pete Feigal
L
eo Tolstoy, the famous
Russian novelist, read
the quote from Luke 18:18:
“What then shall I do to
inherit eternal life?” Afterward, while in the heart of a
manic phase of his bipolar
disorder, he went into the
slums of Moscow and in one
evening gave away his clothes,
furniture, and all of the great
fortune he had made from the
publication of his masterpiece, War and Peace.
The turning point for many of
us is that moment when life
and circumstance shake us
awake, and we stop pretending we don’t see the inequities
of the world or within our own
hearts, and we ask ourselves,
“what can I do to make a
difference or have the life I
want?” It doesn’t happen to
everyone, and everyone that
has asked the question doesn’t
necessarily move toward any
answer. Many drift back to
their sleep. Tolstoy, in his
mania, believed he was truly
awake and tried to find the
answer in his grand—but
impractical—solution.
What shall we do? What is
expected of us? How do we
change the world and earn a
place for ourselves?
Janis Joplin sang: “All you
gotta do is be a good man, one
time, for one woman.” Maybe
she was onto something and
you don’t have to give away
everything you own. Maybe it
is that simple.
Aldous Huxley, the English
writer and philosopher, spent
seven years traveling the
globe, investigating the essence of the world’s great
religions. When he finally
arrived back home, he was
met on the docks of London
by the press. They asked him
what world-shattering insights
he had learned in his years of
searching, what amazing secrets he had discovered.
Huxley replied, “I think we mental hospital for most of
should just be kinder to each the previous year. How people
other.”
were unsure how to act or
speak around me, and so they
Much of my speaking is to kept their distance. How I
high school kids going through remember being in the cafetethat vale of tears called ria at Pine Island High, sitting
adolescence. That was the at a table during lunchtime,
crucial age—right at the time with my tray’s little presswhere you move from being a formed divisions full of
kid to being an adult—when I mashed potatoes with coaguwas personally hit with de- lated hamburger gravy, green
pression. There is a part of me beans, a carton of milk, and
that never quite made the one, one tab of butter. And
transition, the arrested juve- how I couldn’t take one bite of
nile delinquent that still cranks potatoes past the huge lump in
the stereo and spins the tires my throat because there was
of the car. A part of me that no one sitting to my left, no
has stayed 15, the age I was one sitting to my right, and no
when I was stopped, really, one sitting in the three closest
before I had a chance to get spots across the table—
going.
although the rest of the table
in both directions was full of
I try to tell the kids about the laughing teenagers.
pitfalls I fell into by choice,
and the ones that reached out I’ve been in locked mental
and grabbed me, hoping to wards, jail lockups, and emershare some of my hard-earned gency rooms—and there is
insights that might save them nothing that compares to the
a little pain. The question I get hell of eating alone in the
most often from these troubled lunchroom. And I tell them
but brilliant people is “what how one day I looked up and
can I do to help a friend there was a guy standing there
suffering with mental ill- with his tray and he said, “Can
ness?” I tell them that they I sit next to you?” That was 30
can’t be anyone’s psychiatrist years ago. I can tell you what
or therapist, and to not even I was wearing that day. I can
try. I tell them that what they tell you the color of the sky
can do is be kind and to do the that day. That kid saved my
little things: send the e-mails, life. That simple act of
bring an extra apple, talk to kindness is something that got
someone who’s isolating, call me through that terrible lonely
someone you’ve never called day. And that small victory
before, and go have a soda or helped me get through that
go to the mall with a kid who terrible lonely week. And
isn’t in the “cool” crowd. lonely months and years later,
Little things that have a huge I’m still here—not quite as
impact.
lonely, not quite as alone.
Often their response is that
they want more, something
bigger, something more profound to help or change the
suffering of a loved one. They
can’t believe that bringing an
extra apple can have any
impact on someone’s life. So
I tell them one of my
experiences. How when I was
16 and had just returned to my
high school after being in a
Dear Nicole,
Dear Mom and Dad,
Our daughter has attention
deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although she
is on medication for this, she
is still not doing well in
school. She is getting D’s and
F’s in her classes and having
conflicts with teachers and
other kids. Every night, just
trying to get her to do her
homework turns into a major
argument. We feel bad for
her, because what takes most
kids an hour will take her
three or four. She basically
comes home from school,
does her homework, and goes
to bed—she has very little
time to play or relax as she
needs to get her work done.
She’s starting to resent school.
We don’t know if this
qualifies as a disability question, but we would like to
know if you have any ideas on
how to help her do better in
school and/or how to avoid
the family feuds over homework.
We’ve considered
special education, but we
think it would make her feel
worse to be singled out for her
problem. At this time, she
does not feel inferior or
“disabled” and because she is
at the tender age of 13, we
think it’s best not to place that
stigma on her.
I can certainly understand
why your daughter would
resent school, it sounds like it
is making her life pretty
miserable. No one would be
happy if they had to spend all
of their time working, especially when even their best
efforts bring unsatisfactory
results. In order to help your
daughter, you need to reconsider some of the choices
you’ve made so that her
school becomes a supportive
environment in which she can
succeed.
Sincerely,
Mom and Dad
ADHD is a disability covered
under the Americans with
Disabilities Act. Although
it’s natural to want to protect
your daughter from the pain
of social oppression, hiding
or denying her disability will
only make her life more
difficult. She needs you to
teach her how to handle the
issues brought up by her
ADHD, so that she does not
feel alone and confused.
Growing up, my parents
strove to treat me “just like
any other kid.” They had high
expectations, and virtually
never addressed the limitations of my disability. In
school, I was expected to do
everything the same as my
able-bodied peers. While this
challenged me in ways many
people would see as positive,
it also led to deep feelings of
isolation and anxiety as I grew
ashamed of my difficulties
and had no resource for
dealing with them.
For
example, I did not do well on
written exams because I did
not have the muscular strength
in my hands to write quickly.
Rather than acknowledging
my disability and arranging
some simple accommodations, I became nervous taking tests and hid my humiliation and shame by pretending
not to care about grades.
strangers or my closest family. Each one helped me
through the thousands of
tough and wonderful days that
I had a chance this past fall to have comprised my life.
tell that kid, who is now a
wonderful man and friend, I think we sometimes don’t
what he did for me. He didn’t see the face of God because
remember the incident, but it’s so close. It’s right there in
was glad it had meant so much front of us, in the face of
to me. My friend, Mike kindness of those around us.
Lunde, saved me that day, as Maybe it is that simple—what
many have through the years. then shall we do?
Thousands of acts of kindness
It’s not realistic to expect your
that have graced me and that “I think we should just be
daughter to succeed in an
came as gifts from total kinder to each other.”
environment where she is at
Celebrating 30 Yrs Of
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such a great disadvantage.
Naturally she is frustrated.
Likewise, it makes sense that
she would be angry with you
for forcing the school’s demands on her when she needs
a break. Although I understand your concerns about
recognizing your daughter’s
disability, I believe that she
must be experiencing feelings
of inferiority already, as she is
failing courses and is unable
to get along with others.
Accommodating her special
needs so that she is able to
function successfully will empower her and give her
confidence. She needs to
understand that there is nothing wrong with her for having
ADHD and that she is not
alone—there are things that
can be done to help. Tell her
that you are on her side, and
that you will work with the
school to make her life there
more manageable.
Consult the school’s special
education department and
social worker about assistance that can be offered.
PACER Center (952-8389000) is a parent advocacy
organization that would be an
excellent source of information, guidance, and support as
you figure out your daughter’s
education plan with the school.
Special education services
can be implemented discretely and with respect. Talk
to PACER and school staff
about your concerns that your
daughter not be singled out or
treated differently as a result
of receiving these services.
Finally, examine your own
attitudes. If you are feeling
ashamed of your daughter’s
disability, seek support from
counselors within the disability community. ADHD is
something your daughter will
likely struggle with throughout her life and she needs to
know that you do not think
less of her because of it, and
she does not have to hide it.
—Nicole
Effective September 1st, we’re fully
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If you have Medicaid and a
physical disability,
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February 10, 2002
5
Disability Culture
An Overview Of Services For People With
Disabilities In Turkey
by Irem Cosansu Yalazan
T
urkey, or “Turkiye” in
the Turkish language, is
located where Asia and Europe meet. The surface area
of Turkey is 312,503 square
miles. The population is 67
million, according to the 2000
census. The capital city is
Ankara.
The country is
divided into 81 provinces.
The government is a parliamentary democracy, meaning
that the legislative, judiciary,
and governing bodies work
under a check and balance
system. The parliament has
550 representative members
and elections are held every
five years.
Turkey has a developing
economy and a young, dynamic population. Within
this population, there are
approximately 7 million
people with various disabilities—or 10 % of the population—according to The World
Health Organization’s definitions. It is estimated that 1.5
million people have developmental disabilities.
Disability Rights
The Constitution of The
Republic of Turkey guarantees all citizens the rights of
protection and participation
in society, the rights of
employment and protection in
the work environment, and
the rights of education and
training for integration into
society. To this end, various
pieces of legislation related to
the rights of health, education,
care and rehabilitation, employment, social security, and
accessible physical environment have been advocated by
disability organizations in
favor of persons with disabilities. The long-term efforts of
these advocates led to the
adoption of this legislation by
the government.
Two particular improvements
have been enacted and have
given hope in the disability
field. One of them deals with
the reorganization of government bodies providing services, and increased collaboration among for-profit and
nonprofit organizations; the
other is an increase in the
number of day care rehabilitation centers run by government, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations. Both
improvements are a result of
long-term efforts by people
working in the disability field
and are considered the seeds
of better policy and services.
The Administration of Disability organized the first
Disability Conference in 1998.
Before the conference was
held, different commissions
were established and had the
broad participation of academicians, representatives of
government bodies, and advocates of disability organizations. They prepared reports related to the needs and
Government Offices
problems of people with
disabilities, which have proThe High Council of Disabil- vided a base of knowledge
ity—with participation by and objectives for future
representatives from the min- efforts in the disability field.
istries of health, education,
labor and social security, “The Law Related to Rights
social services, and the con- and Services for People with
federation of disability orga- Disabilities” has been prenizations and universities— pared with the collaboration
was established in 1997 to of different parties in the
determine disability policy.
disability field. It grew out of
the first Disability ConferThe Administration of Dis- ence, and it is on the agenda of
ability was established as a the National Assembly.
secretariat body of The High
Council of Disability. Its
Education
duties are to provide coordination and collaboration The Ministry of Education
among governmental and non- has had special education
governmental organizations curricula since 1951. The
to support projects that pro- curricula, and related legislavide disability services, to tion, were revised in 1983 and
publish research reports and again in 1997. There are
efforts to improve integration
of children with special needs
into the mainstream education
system by providing accessibility, preparing classroom
CARE SERVICE
conditions, and training of
M.I.L.S.
HOME HEALTH
manuals, and to provide ID
cards to people with disabilities. Currently these cards
provide discounts to people
with disabilities who travel by
plane, train, and public transportation—and who attend
the theater. The holders of
these cards will receive other
benefits in the future. This
service-based record system
will be used as database for
determining disability policy
and services.
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Specializing in Full Home Care Service
Personal Care Assistants
Home Health Aides
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teachers and staff.
There were 16,155 students
with disabilities and 2,603
teachers in 269 special schools
and centers during the 20002001 school term. When we
compare the number of elementary schools (43,257)
and number of students
(9,884,444), it is obvious that
a very small percentage of
children with disabilities can
use their rights of education.
The number of children with
disabilities being integrated
into the school system is
expected to increase in the
future.
ment bodies and private,
nonprofit, and disability organizations; advocacy efforts of
disability organizations; and
the participation of an increasing number of professionals and academicians.
The Future
When we compare the number of persons with disabilities and the existing services
in Turkey, it is not easy to be
optimistic. Needs go far
beyond services currently
available. However, hope for
the future exists through
improvements in legislation;
collaboration among govern-
Irem Cosansu Yalazan is a
social worker from Turkey
who is completing a tenmonth fellowship at The
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at The
University of Minnesota. The
participation of the Humphrey
fellows in the culture column
has been arranged by Lolly
Lijewski.
Social Services
TECHNOLOGY -
A Social Services and Child
Protection Agency has been Cont. from p. 2
organized in all provinces in
Turkey. The Agency has 18 dexterity issues.
residential care institutions • Special lifts to help someone
for people with physical and get in and out of the bathtub
mental disabilities. There is a or bed—for those with
waiting list—consisting of mobility impairments.
approximately 2000 persons • Talking calculators with sciwith disabilities—for these entific mathematical capabilities and graphing—for
institutions.
individuals with vision loss.
•
The Agency provides day Reading machines to concare rehabilitation services in vert printed material into
50 centers, most of which are synthesized speech—for
run by a partnership of those that are blind or have a
reading disability.
disability organizations.
• Head-controlled wheelchairs
The social security agencies with augmentative commuhave subsidized the services nication devices—for indiof for-profit and nonprofit viduals who are nonverbal
day care rehabilitation centers and have little muscle consince 1997. That’s why the trol.
number of for-profit centers • WebCAM security syshas skyrocketed from 30 to tems—for vulnerable adults.
200. The majority of these
centers have provided services to people with developmental disabilities. These
centers can be seen as first
step for improving community-based social services.
There is a need for long-term
and short-term residential
The friendly
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In general, the method of
division isn’t as important as
the purpose and what one can
accomplish with the technology or methodology. It is
interesting to note that sometimes simple solutions are just
as effective as complex technology options.
In the
upcoming months, we will
further explore the area of
assistive technology and its
possibilities. Opportunities
for independence, education,
and work are enhanced when
one begins to utilize any of the
available options.
Jeni Mundl is the Assistive
Technology Specialist at
Courage Center.
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Access Press Advertisers —
and tell them where
you heard about them.
They bring you your paper.
6
February 10, 2002
COURT DECISION - Cont. from p. 1
BUDGET - Cont. from p. 1
“work” as a major life activity
and yet seems loath to totally
abandon it. The danger in this
decision for Plaintiffs comes
in dicta (statements made by
the Court but not part of the
holding itself) which are in
essence restatements made in
the Sutton v. United Airlines
case, decided in 1999. The
Court argues that “Disability
was defined in the general
section of the ADA applying
to all the titles.” “Disability”
and its definition were not
Home Care Association. hearing of the Senate Health,
“That’s what we’ll be doing Human Services and Correcagain this year.”
tions Budget Division. While
discussing a financial incenA key part of that community tive to discharge non-elderly
integration equation is hous- people with disabilities from
ing, which is in short supply nursing homes, she admitted
for those with limited bud- that in many cases “there’s no
gets, mobility impairments, place for these people to go.”
and support service needs.
Last session saw the passage Attention now turns to key
of ‘visitability’ language, budget committees in both
which seeks to add new legislative chambers, where
housing stock to accommo- lawmakers have begun to
date the needs of wheelchair discuss the governor’s prousers.
posals. Ventura has asked
that his budget be given quick
“It’s a start,” said Margot consideration, saying that each
Imdieke Cross of the State week’s delay costs MinnesoCouncil on Disability, “but tans an extra $3.7 million in
we need to continue to forgone tax collections. Hisincrease awareness of this torically, legislators have
issue in a non-budget year. waited until the Department
There’s lots of talk about of Finance releases its revised
affordable housing, but the budget forecast in February
concerns of the disability before making revised budget
community have not been a decisions. Lawmakers can
part of that conversation.”
remain in session until May
20, which is the deadline
Senator Linda Berglin ac- imposed by the state constituknowledged the need for tion.
more housing and housing
with supports at a January 24
restated in the provisions
regarding Title I, the title
which the EEOC enforces.
The EEOC was given the
authority to issue regulations
to enforce only Title I. As the
definition of “disability” was
not included in Title I, the
Court seems to be inviting
future respondents to argue
that the EEOC had no
authority to define in regulations what constitutes an
impairment or what constitutes a major life activity.
Definition of Disability under the ADA:
The term “disability” means, with respect to an individual:
(A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially
limits one or more of the major life activities of such
individual; (B) a record of such an impairment; (C) being
regarded as having such an impairment.
See 42 U.S.C. Section 12102(2).
Definition of Disability under the Minnesota Human
Rights Act:
“Disability means any condition or characteristic that
renders a person a disabled person. A disabled person is
any person who (1) has a physical, sensory, or mental
impairment which materially limits one or more major life
activities; (2) has a record of such an impairment; or (3) is
regarded as having such an impairment.
See Minnesota Statutes Section 363.01 Subd. 13.
These arguments could bode range of jobs. The Court
ill for future ADA employ- argued that, even if he were
ment discrimination cases.
considered incapable—because of his impairments—of
Minnesota’s Response to safely performing the major
“Work” as a
portions of the job of correcMajor Life Activity
tions officer, he could still
perform the duties required of
The Minnesota Human a probation officer. Never
Rights Department has is- mind that probation officers
sued no regulations to define constituted about 10 percent
the statutory definition of of the employment opportuni“disability.” The Minnesota ties with the Hennepin County
Court of Appeals decided two Department of Corrections.
cases in 1988 and 1989 which Never mind that most of the
adopt the same standards set probation jobs were filled by
forth in the EEOC regulations transfers from other correcissued in 1992 regarding the tional duties.
definition of the major life
activity of “working.” Will- After this case was decided,
iams, under Minnesota law, the Minnesota legislature
would still have had to show amended the definition of
that she was substantially “disability” in the Minnesota
limited in performing a broad Human Rights Act.
It
class of jobs. In State of changed the words “substanMinnesota by Cooper vs. tially limits” to “materially
Hennepin County, the Minne- limits.” The argument, thus
sota Court of Appeals deter- far not overturned by the State
mined that an applicant for a Supreme Court, is that a
job as corrections officer with “material” limitation is a
Hennepin County was not more liberal standard than a
disabled because his impair- “substantial” limitation.
ment did not preclude him
from performing a broad Kathleen R. Hagen is an
attorney with the Minnesota
Disability Law Center.
February 10, 2002
7
Accessible-to-All Romantic Romp: The History Of Bowling
F
or a quarter of a century,
the Mixed Blood Theatre
Company has been creating
worlds that are devoid of the
artificial barriers that impede
people’s success in America.
Historically, this has meant
producing plays that address
the issues of race, culture, and
gender. Now Mixed Blood,
together with Interact Theatre, is extrapolating that
mission to embrace people
with disabilities—by continuing its “New America” season
this month with Mike Ervin’s
dark comedy, The History of
Bowling.
The play runs
February 13 to March 10 in
the Alan Page Auditorium in
Mixed Blood’s historic
firehouse theatre on the West
Bank of Minneapolis. Joel
Sass directs the cast of Robert
Ness (who appeared in two
previous productions of the
play in Chicago), Ann Kim,
Gavin Lawrence, and Marquetta Senters.
love in, of all places, P.E.
class. His paramour, Lou, is a
senior with an invisible disability (epilepsy) who has
spent her life trying to hide her
condition. When an insensitive coach forces the two to
collaborate on a project, love
blossoms and lovers’ quarrels
ensue—comically spurred on
by Chuck’s seductive roommate, Cornelius, who is deaf
and blind, as well as a cad and
a con.
Mike Ervin has written a
laugh-out-loud, slightly
twisted comic romance that
pokes fun at many of the
misconceptions and well-intentioned biases people have
about the ‘disabled.’”
Playwright Mike Ervin is a
well-known Chicago writer
and disability rights activist.
He coordinates the Victory
Gardens Access Project, a
program that uses technology
to make live theater accessible for persons with disabilities. He is also the author of
The Plucky and Spunky Show,
first produced at the Remains
Theatre in Chicago and later
throughout the country. He
has published over 1,000
articles and essays—mostly
about disability topics—in
more than 400 newspapers
and magazines, including the
Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, and
The Progressive.
artists, in facility and attitude.” To accomplish this,
Mixed Blood has:
• Reconfigured the theatre to
allow better accessibility for
seating, and to accommodate
up to 11 wheelchairs.
• Joined with Interact Center
for the Visual and Performing Arts as co-producers of
The History of Bowling and
two future productions, affirming the organization’s
long-term commitment to
this expansion of purpose.
(Interact’s mission is to
create art and challenge
society’s view of disability.)
• Rebuilt the stage to allow
wheelchair access from the
dressing rooms for actors
with disabilities.
• Rebuilt the ramped entrance
to the building to be code-
“On one hand, The History of
Bowling is an irreverent
comedy about the age-old
‘boy-meets-girl’ paradigm,”
says Mixed Blood artistic
director Jack Reuler. “On the
other hand, disability is its
engine, the catalyst that enriches the characters and
makes this play an important
piece of theater. It offers an
inside view of living with
disabilities, yet at the same
time it emphasizes that people
with disabilities aren’t dePhysical and Attitudinal
The History of Bowling is the fined completely by their
story of Chuck, a 32-year-old disability; it is just part of Accessibility at Mixed Blood
quadriplegic college fresh- what makes them unique.”
According to Jack Reuler, “It
man, who after 15 years of
f feminism is about
watching TV in his mother’s Director Joel Sass says he was is not simply enough for
women’s issues, why is the
attic, has gathered the courage attracted to the project be- Mixed Blood to be ADA- and
to return to college. As he cause “the script is extremely code-compliant; we want to experience of women with
begins to relish coming out of funny, and the characters are be welcoming to all peoples, disabilities often left out of
the disability closet, he finds very complicated and human. as audiences and participating feminist ethics? Professor
Anita Ho, of the College of St.
Catherine, will discuss this
important, but often neglected,
issue. Her talk will be held on
Cont. from p. 3
February 13, from noon to
disconnect the battery. You Ticketed passengers’ oxygen craft. Any pack that is carried 1:00 p.m., in Library Room
or an assistant should be able canisters will be inspected. on the animal will be manu- 226 on the college’s St. Paul
take your chair apart. If this is Commercial oxygen provid- ally inspected or put through campus. An ASL interpreter
not possible, have a copy of ers are allowed beyond the the X-ray. The animal’s will be present.
the owner’s manual or copies screener checkpoints once halter may also be removed
A philosopher who specialof schematics. If your battery their canisters have been for inspection.
izes in biomedical ethics and
is disconnected at security, thoroughly inspected. They
make sure it’s reconnected may also be required to check Air carriers must ensure that social/political philosophy,
properly. (I carry a laminated in with the airline and receive qualified individuals with a Dr. Ho will speak on “Women
photo of my batteries and the a pass before going through disability—including those with Disability: Why Are
wires are labeled for each the checkpoint without a with vision or hearing impair- They Left Out by Feminists?”
ments—have timely access, She will start by examining
ticket.
battery post.)
via alternative formats, to how traditional discussions of
If you use a wheelchair, be Service animals, once in- information (such as new the mind-body distinction
sure to bring some spare parts, spected to ensure prohibited security measures) that the have affected the way we
items are not concealed, are carriers provide to other identify women with their
such as inner tubes.
bodies and as vulnerable
permitted on board an air- passengers.
beings. Such an understanding of women—as vulnerable
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ASI also offers shared personal care services 24 hours a day, at most
locations, for adults with a physical disability and/or traumatic brain
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For more information call (651) 645-7271 or (800) 466-7722. For
services or housing call Cami, for employment as a personal care
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Accessible Space, Inc.
Am, will help forge a new
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Ticket Information
Tickets for The History of
Bowling are now on sale at
(612) 338-6131 or www.
mixedblood.com. Friday,
February 15 is Access Press
Night—mention the ad on
page 9 of this issue and get
two tickets for $20 (normal
price: $18 per ticket). An
audio-described performance
is scheduled for Friday, February 22, and an American
Sign Language performance
is scheduled for Friday,
March 1.
Information for this article
was provided by the Mixed
Blood Theatre.
Women With Disabilities:
Free Talk At The College
Of St. Catherine
I
HOUSING AND PERSONAL CARE SERVICES
and ADA-compliant.
• Made arrangements for accessible living quarters for
out-of-town actors with disabilities.
• Arranged for a personal care
assistant for the lead actor
through the Metropolitan
Center for Independent Living.
• Researched and provided
participants with numerous
articles and books, by and
about professionals with disabilities in the entertainment
industry.
• Acknowledged that the entertainment industry has had
a checkered history in its
portrayal of people with
disabilities. Mixed Blood
hopes that its opening, contemporaneous with the films
A Beautiful Mind and Sam I
bodies—still lingers today, as
evidenced in the way that the
contemporary media portray
women.
ing, others cannot live without
a great deal of help from
others. The ideal of strength
requires these women to deny
their vulnerability, and sugAs an attempt to overcome gests that their disabilities are
negative stereotypes and to hurdles to the feminist’s quest
promote equality, many femi- for equality.
nists have tried to focus on
women’s strength.
They Professor Ho will argue that
argue that women are strong in order to have an adequate
individuals, and that they theory of equality, feminists
have control over their bodies need to reconcile the conflictand other aspects of their ing ideas of vulnerability and
lives. While this ideal of independence. She will sugstrength is in various ways gest that feminists need to
empowering for women with- acknowledge and incorporate
out disabilities, Professor Ho the experience of women with
will argue that it has nonethe- disabilities in their theories.
less inadvertently ignored the
needs of women with disabili- The College of St. Catherine
ties. The idea that gender (St. Paul campus) is located
equality requires that all at 2004 Randolph Avenue.
women be strong and inde- For more information about
pendent puts some people this event, including disabilwith disabilities in a disad- ity accommodations, please
vantaged position. While call Anita Ho at 651-690many with disabilities are 6801 or e-mail her at atho
striving for independent liv- @stkate.edu.
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to E
clie
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With the Roho, there is no need for an aide
to disrupt your sleep to turn you.
Call 952-929-5757 or visit
www.inhomepersonalcare.com
Services we offer:
• Personal Care Attendants/Home Health Aides
PERSONAL CARE • On-Call Staff
5707 Hwy. 7 • Suite 104 • St. Louis Park, MN 55416
• Loaner Car for PCAs with . . . “Car Trouble”
Assisting individuals with disabilities to achieve their maximum independence since 1991.
IN HOME
8
February 10, 2002
Accessible Performances
The following performances will be Audio Described (AD) for people who are blind or have low vision, or Interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
John Command’s Broadway My Way II; runs 2/1-24; ASL
Sat., 2/16, 7:30; Bloomington Civic Theatre at Richfield
Middle School, 74th & Oliver Ave. S.; 612-825-7667;
www.bloomingtoncivictheatre.com. Musical revue of Broadway tunes.
Choral Arts Society and Honors Choirs of SE Minnesota;
Sat., 2/16, 2:00; free concert review at Rochester Public
Library Auditorium. To request special seating, ASL
interpreter, audio describer, assistive listening or written
materials in alternative format, contact Rochester Civic Music
at 507-281-6005 (TTY 1-800-627-3529) five working days
before the event.
Ten Little Indians; ASL Sun., 2/17, 2:00; Eden Prairie
Community Theater at Eden Prairie High School Auditorium;
952-949-8453, TTY 952-949-8399. Based on the novel, And
Then There Were None, this entertaining show combines
elements of mystery, humor, and romance.
La Boheme; AD Fri., 3/8, 7:30; Minnesota Opera at the Art; runs 3/6-4/13; ASL/AD Sat., 3/23, 8:00; Park Square
Ordway Center for Performing Arts; St. Paul; 612-333-6669; Theatre; St. Paul; 651-291-7005; www.parksquaretheatre.org.
This work looks at three friends whose hilarious arguments
www.mnopera.org. Pre-opera discussion at 6:30.
expose the dark heart of relationships.
Mr. Bundy; runs 3/1-30; AD Sat., 3/9, 7:30; ASL Sat., 3/23,
7:30; Pillsbury House Theatre; Mpls.; 612-825-0459; Proof; runs 3/19-24; AD/ASL Sun., 3/24, 2:00; State Theatre;
www.pnc-mn.org. When a convicted child molester moves Mpls.; 612-373-5650 or 612-989-5151; www.stateinto the neighborhood, community response and personal orpheum.com.
ethics collide as one family decides what it means to “do the
The Sound of Music; runs 3/14-24; ASL/AD Sun., 3/24, 2:00;
right thing.”
Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre; 701-235-6778;
Taming of the Shrew; runs 3/8-24; ASL Sun., 3/10, 2:00; www.fargoweb.com/fmct.
Central Minnesota Community Theater; St. Cloud; 320-259Medea; runs 3/2-4/21; AD Fri., 3/29, 8:00; Theatre de la Jeune
5463; www.paramountarts.org or www.cmct.org.
Lune; Mpls.; 612-333-6200; www.jeunelune.org.
Cowbird; runs 2/15-3/17; AD Thurs., 3/14, 8:00; Eye of the
Storm Theatre at the Theatre Garage; Mpls.; 612-728-5859. A For updates by phone, call VSA arts of Minnesota at 612-332heartbreaking comedy about a woman of the world whose 3888 or statewide 800-801-3883 (voice/TTY).
secret life unravels when young adults appear asking if she’s
their mother.
Verbose: Deaf Poetry Show; ASL Tues., 2/26, 7:30; Acadia
Theatre; Mpls.; 612-874-8702. A program of deaf performers Patience; runs 3/1-24; AD Sat., 3/16, 3:00; Howard Conn Fine
and poets, focusing on the stylistic and rhythmic patterns of Arts Center; Mpls.; www.gsvloc.org or call 651-255-6947;
their “spoken word.”
reserve audio description tickets in advance. The village
ladies are crazed for a poet—except for Patience, a milkmaid
Alice in Wonderland; runs 2/22-3/3; ASL Fri., 3/1, 8:00; who doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about.
Rochester Civic Theatre; 507-282-8481; www.roch
civictheatre.org.
Eye Spy, Beauty in My Eye; runs 3/8–24; ASL Sun., 3/17,
2:00; AD Tues., 3/19, 11:00; SteppingStone Theatre; St. Paul;
Summer in the Shadows; runs 3/2-17; ASL Wed., 3/6, 10:00 651-225-9265; www.steppingstonetheatre.org. How percepa..m. & Sat., 3/9, 8:00 (discussion follows); AD Sat., 3/16, tions of beauty have changed people’s lives; written by a St.
8:00; Great American History Theatre; St. Paul; 651-292- Paul teenager and her mother.
4323; www.historytheatre.com. In the summer of 1888,
W.E.B. DuBois, working in the kitchen at the luxurious Hotel Hush Hush; runs 3/11-4/5; AD Tues., 3/19, 11:30 a.m.; ASL
Lafayette on Lake Minnetonka, discovers his place as a black Tues., 3/26, 11:30 a.m. & Thurs., 3/28, 10:30 a.m.; Great
American History Theatre; St. Paul; 651-292-4323;
man in the 19th century.
www.historytheatre.com. A deeply personal portrait of a
Thief River; runs 2/15-3/10; ASL Fri., 3/8, 7:30; AD Sat., 3/ woman faced with the conflicts of an old culture in a new
9, 1:00 (tour 11:00); Guthrie Lab; Mpls.; 612-377-2224 or 1- world. Based loosely on the case of Khoua Her, a 24-year-old
877-44STAGE, TTY 612-377-6626; accessible tickets $15; St. Paul Hmong woman who killed her six children amid
www.guthrietheater.org.
economic woes and alleged domestic abuse.
The Fourposter; runs 2/8-3/30; AD Thurs., 3/21, 7:30; Jungle
Theater; Mpls; 612-822-7063; www.jungletheater.com. This
story of a marriage is told from the vantage point of a bed.
PCA CLIENTS
Crystal Care PCA, Inc.
Providing Services to PCA Clients
Across the State
Befriended by the Enemy;AD Fri., 3/22, 7:30; In the Heart of
the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre; Mpls.; 612-721-2535;
www.hobt.org. The true story of Larry Trapp, a Ku Klux Klan
Grand Dragon, and the Jewish family who transformed his life.
The Snow Queen; runs 2/26-4/13; AD/ASL Fri., 3/22, 7:30
(school show Wed., 3/20, 10:30 a.m.); Children’s Theatre Co.;
Mpls.; 612-874-0400; www.childrenstheatre.org.
Call Nancy or Sally Today:
(612)
861-4272
(612) 861-4272
Handi Medical Supply
2505 University Avenue West
St. Paul, Minnesota 55114
At Hwy. 280 & University Avenue
HANDI MEDICAL SUPPLY
(651) 644-9770
Visit Our Large, Fully-stocked showroom open to the pubic.
YOUR COMPLETE MEDICAL SUPPLY VENDOR
• Wheelchairs/with complete
•
repair service
•
• Walkers/canes, crutches
•
• Bathroom safety aids
•
• Incontinent/Urological supplies
C
ourage Center, in Minneapolis, is offering a
unique opportunity for artists
to publish their art and gain
national exposure while supporting people with disabilities. Courage is conducting a
national art search to find
artwork for their holiday and
all-occasion cards, and invites all artists, and especially
Romeo & Juliet; runs 2/22-3/24; ASL/AD Thurs., 3/21, 10:00 those with disabilities, to
a.m. & Sun., 3/24, 2:30; Stages Theatre Co., Mainstage submit works to the 2002 Art
Theatre; Hopkins; 952-979-1111; www.stagestheatre.org.
Search.
We are:
♦ PCA Choice Provider
♦ Employer of Record
♦ Fiscal Agent
EOE
Courage Cards
Conducts Art
Search
Commode & shower chairs
Ostomy/and wound care
Blood pressure equipment
Diabetic supplies
GREAT SERVICE & PRICES
We offer 24-hr. Emergency Service exclusively to our regular
customers. Free UPS and deliveries to Mpls., St. Paul, & Suburbs.
We bill M.A., Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medica and many other insurances
piece of artwork chosen, in
addition to national exposure
through the distribution of
more than 800,000 catalogs
and promotional pieces, radio, TV, the Internet, and
print advertising.
Courage Cards are produced
from original art and the
continuing success of the
program is due to the many
fine artists who are willing to
share their talents to help
others. The profits from the
The 2002 Search seeks card sale of the cards support
art suitable for holidays in- programs for people with
cluding Christmas, Hanuk- disabilities.
kah, and Thanksgiving. Major city scenes, and depictions Entries will be accepted from
of world peace and ethnic April through May 31, 2002.
diversity, are also needed. For a copy of the 2002 Art
Courage also seeks artwork Search guidelines, call Courfor all-occasion cards.
age at 763-520-0211 or 1888-413-3323. Or visit the
Two-dimensional art is se- Courage Cards website (www.
lected based on artistic merit, couragecards.org) to downsuitability of subject, and load the application or send a
color. A licensing fee will be request via e-mail to
paid to the artist for each artsearch@courage.org.
Diamond Hill Townhomes
We are currently accepting applications for our waiting list at
Diamond Hill Townhomes, a great property located near the
Mpls. International Airport.
We have two and three bedroom townhomes that are HUD
subsidized and rent is 30% of the total household's adjusted
gross income.
We have a large number of mobility impaired accessible units
and we are scheduling appointments for persons in need of a
mobility impaired accessible unit immediately.
To schedule an appointment please call (612) 726-9341
February 10, 2002
9
Hearing And Service Dogs Of Minnesota Graduation
by Laurie Eckblad Anderson
T
he
announcement,
showing eleven perky
faces, was irresistible. The
students in this class came
from diverse backgrounds
and for some, this instruction
was a new lease on life. All
have studied important core
subjects, yet each has
specialized in order to prepare
for a particular job in the real
world. As in all graduation
ceremonies, emotions ran high
and some achievements
brought tears to the eyes of the
onlookers. When a mortarboard, in the school colors of
blue and gold, was placed on
the first graduate’s head, the
crowd went wild.
that their partnership provides. much activity as he required.
Now Beau goes to work every
Jeff, a sheltie, was donated by day with Al and demonstrates
a rescue organization because his skills—in both the hearing
he “needed a job.” He is and service areas—in
Stephanie Magelky’s second corporate settings as well as in
Hearing Dog.
Her past
experience made the training
process easier, especially in
light of the huge commitment
and lifestyle change that
comes with a pairing.
Crackers is another sheltie
and started out with Joanne
Krueger as “just” a pet. Their
relationship changed when
Joanne learned, through
training, to be the leader of the
pair. Joanne feels much less
vulnerable knowing that
On January 26 at the Animal Crackers is around to alert her
Humane Society in Golden to the smoke detector and
Valley, Hearing and Service other sounds.
Dogs of Minnesota (HSDM)
graduated six new Hearing Mavis Burdick lives in a very
Dogs and four new Service small town where she didn’t
Dogs, as well as one dog know many people. She
qualified for both jobs. As needed a dog small enough
this program would not be for apartment living. Champ,
possible without the efforts of a dachshund, has been a
numerous volunteers—from “beautiful” addition to her
puppy raisers to field life, especially since they
trainers—all were recognized passed their certification test.
during the ceremony by Laurie
Carlson, Volunteer Co- Sadie, a Border collie mix, is
ordinator. Carlson is also the a shelter dog trained to paw
Hearing Dog Coordinator, Roy Sonkowsky awake if his
and Kim Hyde is the Service son needs him or if she hears
Dog Coordinator.
the smoke alarm. A sleep
apnea sufferer, Roy has peace
Teamwork is central to the of mind now that Sadie is on
success of this program. the job.
These human/canine pairings
increase the self-confidence Hazel Johnson and Maggie,
and
independence
of also a shelter dog, share a
participating persons with strong bond.
Maggie is
disabilities.
Furthermore, always at Hazel’s side to alert
each person and his/her dog her to sounds. The have the
have formed a remarkable distinction of being the 100th
bond that seems to transcend team graduated by HSDM!
their working relationship.
Beau: Demonstrator
and Ambassador
Hearing Dogs
Casey, an Eskimo dog, is
Audrey Moe’s second Hearing
Dog. Audrey appreciates
Casey’s companionship as
well as the feeling of safety
Al Peters (founder of HSDM)
became paired with Beau (a
golden retriever) after Beau’s
former owner found it difficult
to provide the dog with as
The people who raised her
attended the ceremony and
met Jill for the first time. Jill,
who uses a wheelchair, calls
Claire her best friend and
appreciates the retrieves that
retrieve, but didn’t care for
gun noise. He has been
through a lot of training and
had been a challenge to match
with the right person. His first
foster family was on hand to
Beau holding his rawhide “diploma”
the classroom. After the
ceremony, Beau showed how
he can pick up such objects as
a dime or a credit card from
the ground. He also seemed
eager and willing to personally
greet everyone in the room.
With his “striking good looks”
and outgoing personality,
Beau is truly a great
ambassador for HSDM.
Service Dogs
In many of these pairings, fate
seemed to play a role.
Shadow, a German shepherd,
“found” Kathy Connell in a
feed store. Now Shadow
brings Kathy her crutches and
holds doors open for her with
his body.
Jill Heins and Claire, a
black “Goldador” (a Lab
and golden retriever mix),
also developed an instant
bond. Claire was raised in
Texas, from puppyhood, to
be a guide dog; a career
change moved her to HSDM.
AN ACCESSIBLE-TO-ALL ROMANTIC
COMEDY BY MIKE ERVIN
February 13-March 10
Mixed Blood Theatre
“…feisty writer Mike Ervin has made it his mission
to dispel the legion of stereotypes about folks with
disabilities…Ervin’s offbeat sensibility makes for a
consistently funny show.” -Chicago Tribune
Claire makes for her.
witness his graduation. Ranger
helps Candy with balance
Ranger, a yellow Lab, and when she is using her walker,
Candy
Stauffer
also and she considers him her
experienced love at first sight. dearest companion.
Ranger started life as a
hunting dog that liked to
Skia: A Rare Breed
Rita Jesse’s partner, Mitch,
brought Skia home as a pup—
and the dog immediately
parked herself under Rita’s
wheelchair. Now Skia is just
over a year old and performs
16 to 20 jobs and knows at
least 45 commands. She does
everything from pulling Rita’s
wheelchair to providing
comfort and protection for
Rita during a seizure. Because
of Skia, Rita has been able to
go out on her own for the first
time in three years.
Although none of these
behaviors is particularly
surprising for a Service Dog,
they are very unusual for a
Siberian husky. Skia is one of
only a few huskies who have
been found to be responsive
to this kind of work. She may
not pull a sled, but she is truly
a trailblazer.
For more information on
Hearing and Service Dogs of
Minnesota, please call 612729-5986 voice/612-7295914 TTY, or e-mail via
hsdm@bitstream.net.
METROPOLITAN CENTER
for INDEPENDENT LIVING
MCIL offers services for people with disabilities, their families
and friends, service providers, and interested community members
in the 7-county metro area.
Information and Referral (Information hotline: 651-603-2039) Advocacy
Independent Living Skills Training Individual Peer Support
Deaf I.L. Services
Personal Assistance Services (M.A. Subsidized)
Ramp Project
Transition Program
ADA Information
Meeting Rooms
Computer Lab
Resource Library
Support Groups ...Chemical Dependency with Physical Disability
GLBT with Disability
Chemical Dependency with Traumatic Brain Injury
1600 U NIVERSITY A VE . W., S UITE 16, S T. P AUL , MN 55104-3825
651-646-8342 V OICE
651-603-2001 TTY
651-603-2006 F AX
HTTP:// WWW . MCIL-MN.ORG
Laughter and unconventional
characters come tumbling out of
the disability closet when a 32year-old quadriplegic gathers the
courage to return to college
where he finds love in, of all
places, PE class. The affair
becomes a romantic triangle with
the addition of the frosh’s seductive roommate, who is deaf and
blind as well as a cad and a con.
Join us on Friday, February 15, for
ACCESS PRESS NIGHT AT MIXED
BLOOD THEATRE. Tickets are twofor-$20 when you mention this ad!
Call (612) 338-6131
10
February 10, 2002
IN BRIEF . . . .
Computer Access for Shriner Patients Mental Health Rally
At Shriners Hospitals for Children—Twin Cities, a volunteer with a dream, and equipment donated by a local company and the Women’s Auxiliary, have made it possible to
provide computer access to any
child despite his or her physical limitation.
“After I began volunteering, I
noticed that children who could
not use a standard mouse, keyboard, or sit up to see a standard screen were unable to use
a computer by themselves. So
with the help of the Information Systems and Child Life
staff, I was able to utilize my
computer experience to create
a computer set-up that would
include patients of all physical
abilities,” said Craig Jaakkola,
volunteer.
On the Internet, Jaakkola
sought out a special type of
cart that would be able to
handle the specific computer
components to fit a child’s
needs—rather than having to
adjust the child to the computer.
Amazingly, he found what had
been pictured in his mind
through Ergotron Inc., a St.
Paul-based company. This
special cart is ergonomically
correct, which means that it is
adjustable and can accommodate a person in any position.
After meeting with Jaakkola
and reading about his proposed project, Ergotron generously donated a cart to the
hospital.
The Shriners Hospital
Women’s Auxiliary donated
approximately $4,000 to purchase the equipment, which
included: a touch screen monitor, voice recognition software,
a wireless keyboard, three
wireless mice, a wireless network, and a USB hub (used to
connect equipment).
Exhibits By Deaf Artists
VSA arts of Minnesota, will
celebrate Deaf Awareness
Month (March 15—April 15,
2002) with exhibits by deaf
artists at three Twin Cities libraries:
- Minneapolis Public Library,
300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
- Merriam Park, 1831 Marshall
Avenue, St. Paul
- Dakota County Library, 1340
Wescott Road, Eagan
The displays will feature works
by professional deaf artists and
students from the Minnesota
State Academy for the Deaf in
Faribault, MN.
Maureen Johnston, Child Life
Supervisor reports, “Computers are now being used in patient rooms and the hospital’s
Child Life department where
recreation activities are designed to initiate socialization
among patients and provide
therapy through play. The
hospital’s teacher also utilizes
the computer in the schoolroom and is able to integrate
computer lessons into the curriculum. Before the touch
screen and ergonomically correct cart was available, computer access was extremely
difficult for patients with certain physical limitations; but
now every child can be included.”
The governor has been saying
that his proposed budget protects entitlement services and
services to people with disabilities. It, in fact, does not.
Many of the programs providing services to people with
mental illness are not funded
under Medicaid, meaning that
they are facing at least a 5%
cut in funding totaling almost
$3.5 million. This includes
the Adult Mental Health Integrated Fund, Rule 78
Children’s grants, Adult Mental Health Residential grants,
crisis housing, CSP grants,
Mental health advocates are
opposing these cuts and are
urging the legislature to: document the unmet needs of people
with mental illness, and their
families; identify the barriers
to meeting those needs; and
address the problems of youth
transitioning from the children’s system to the adult system.
The Mental Health Legislative Network will be holding
its “Day on the Hill” on Tuesday, February 26. A legislative update will be held at
10:00 a.m. in the Great Hall of
the Capitol and a rally will
take place at noon in the Rotunda. If you need more information, contact NAMI-MN at
651-645-2948 or 1-888-4730237.
PACER Employee Appointed To
Federal Council
For more information about
the Shriners free health care J ohn Hoffman, PACER
system, please visit www. Center’s Early Childhood
shrinershq.org or call Erin Project coordinator, has been
appointed by U.S. Secretary
Enright at 612-596-6140.
of Education Rod Paige to the
Federal Interagency Coordinating Council (FICC). The
council advises the secretaries
of several federal agencies on
effective coordination of serof deaf artists and promote vices to young children with
awareness of deaf culture.”
disabilities.
VSA arts of Minnesota promotes quality accessible arts
experiences for people with
all types of disabilities. To
contact VSA arts of MinneAccording to Craig Dunn, sota, call (612) 332-3888 (V/
VSA arts of Minnesota’s Ex- TTY) or e-mail mn@vsarts
ecutive Director: “We are .org.
working to assemble exhibits
that portray the unique vision
Children’s Mental Health
Collaboratives, and more.
Three programs serving people
with mental illness at regional
treatment centers will also be
closed or moved. None of
those savings are being redirected to mental health programs.
experience and knowledge of
early childhood intervention
services. Other members represent federal and state agencies.
serving young children with
disabilities. At the Iowa Department of Human Services,
he provided technical assistance to Part C (affecting infants and toddlers) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. While in Iowa,
Hoffman served on several
statewide groups working on
issues affecting children with
disabilities.
“I am honored to be a member
of this council,” said Hoffman.
“I believe service coordination is the key to connecting
families to their communities.
After all, families need to be
supported in meeting unique
As one of seven parent repre- health and development pri- You may contact PACER at
952-838-9000
or
via
sentatives from around the orities for their children.”
www.pacer.org.
nation, Hoffman offers the
council firsthand parenting Hoffman is experienced in
Patronize your Access Press Advertisers.
Let them know where you heard about them.
They bring you your paper.
Professional Directory
DISABILITY BASICS CONSULTING INC.
Ron Lynaugh
• Creating/delivering presentations on issues affecting the
disabled
• Educating clients to successfully interact/work w/disabled
• Serving as a group home advocate for change
• Leading support/mentoring groups for the disabled
P.O. Box 65266
St. Paul, MN 55165-0266
A GREA
T RESOURCE!
GREAT
DirectAbility.com
DirectAbility is a comprehensive,
ever-expanding, award-winning, Internet directory devoted to disability-related products,
services, resources and information throughout
the state. Online at www.directability.com.
KEEP YOUR LOVED ONES AT HOME
LET
“SPECIAL CARE OF MINNESOTA”
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PCA’s & Home Healthcare Workers
We provide state licensed, supervised, dedicated, reliable,
well-educated workers. Enjoy the comforts of your home with
a companion from our well-trained workers. Live-ins available.
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On Call 24 Hours, 7 days a week.
Phone: 763-572-0149
INDEPENDENCE CROSSROADS, INC.
Serving people with disabilities since 1976.
In-Home Counseling
Community Support Groups
Information & Referral
Advocacy
Public Education
NO FEE REQUIRED
www.independencecrossroads.org
8932 Old Cedar Ave. So., Bloomington, MN 55425
Office (952) 854-8004
Fax (952) 854-7842
R.C. SALES AND MFG., INC.
14726 Wake Street NE · Ham Lake, MN 55304 · (763) 786-6504
www.rcsalesmfg.com
Phone (651) 735-2253
Fax (651) 735-3374
Access for All
The Minnesota Travel Guide
for Persons with Disabilities
www.accessminnesota.org
1050 W. County Rd. F • Shoreview, MN 55126
Office: (651) 481-4062 • Fax: (651) 787-2790
mike.chevrette@efunds.com
February 10, 2002
11
Classifieds
Access To Employment
POSITION OPENING
ANNOUNCEMENT
Reach 11,000 Active, Interested Readers with
ACCESS PRESS Classifieds.
$8 up to 20 words, 35¢/word thereafter.
Must be prepaid.
Mail with check to: ACCESS PRESS, 1821
University Ave W, #104S, St. Paul, MN 55104,
(651) 644-2133
Employment ads are $14 per col. inch; Feb 28 is the deadline for the
March 10 issue. Mail to: ACCESS PRESS • 1821 University Ave. • #104S
St. Paul, MN 55104• FAX 651-644-2136 • E-mail: access@mninter.net
POSITION:
VISITOR ASSISTANT
FOR SALE
FOR RENT
Tub slide shower chair.
Transfer from bed to commode and over the tub. No
lifting in the bathroom. $500.
952-933-2163.
Lewis Park Apartments:
Barrier free housing with
wheelchair user in mind.
Section 8 subsidized. Oneand two bedroom units. For
more information on availNEW:
Wheelchair (re- ability call (651) 488-9923.
cliner); Hoyer lift; walker w/ St. Paul, MN Equal Opportubasket; 4-legged cane; nity Housing.
Miracle Ear hearing aid;
commode (stainless steel, on Holmes-Greenway Housing
wheels, retractable arms); One and two bedroom apartgel pad; oxygen cart. 218- ments designed for physically
829-2257.
handicapped persons. Convenient SE Minneapolis locaLark scooter—travel model, tion. Call (612) 378-0331 for
$1200, and Lazy Boy lift availability information. Equal
chair, $600. Both good Opportunity Housing.
condition. Call Lila, 763559-7030.
Seward Square Apartments:
We are currently accepting
Beautiful blue and black applications for our waiting
INVACARE 9000 electric list at Seward Square Apartwheelchair. 3 months new. ments in Minneapolis. Seward
Was $4,000. Sell $2,100 Square is barrier-free housing
B.O. Must see. 612-822- and is federally subsidized.
2704.
For an application, please call
(612) 338-2680. Equal OpFor Sale—1993 “Vibo” portunity Housing.
Pontoon Boat. 24 ft w/2/3
Canopy. Wheelchair WidMISCELLANEOUS
ened Doors-Small fold-down
ramp on front entrance. Less “Words of Love” is a CD by
than 130 Hours use on 40 Snoopi Botten, a musician
Horse Force Motor. Elec. with cerebral palsy who
Start, Power Tiller, Fish writes and performs inspiradepth finder, Live well. tional songs using a synthetic
Asking $4500. Previous speech system. To order, call
owners wheelchair users. (612) 872-7233 or visit
Contact: J. Schatzlein 952- Snoopi’s website at http://
881-2129 or 651-215-2216. hometown.aol.com/dectalk/
myhomepage/index.html.
Gray Plant Mooty, a 130+ attorney firm located in downtown
Minneapolis, is a full-service law firm representing clients
nationally and internationally. We are currently seeking two
creative individuals for our forward-thinking Business
Development/Marketing Department:
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ANALYST
This position will perform research and prepare analyses to
identify marketing and business development trends; and
develop and maintain the firm’s marketing database and Web
site. Must possess strong technical, analytical, project
management and problem solving/troubleshooting skills. 3-5
years of progressively increasing responsibilities in a
marketing role required; experience in a similar position at a
law firm or other professional services firm preferred. College
degree preferred.
MARKETING ASSISTANT
This position supports business development projects
including drafting and distributing press releases, updating
marketing materials, conducting research, planning and
coordinating seminars, and providing general administrative
support. Must possess strong technical, administrative,
written and verbal communication skills; desktop publishing
experience desired. College degree and 1-2 years experience
in a marketing department preferred.
We offer a professional work environment, educational
opportunities, a culture emphasizing work/life balance,
competitive salaries & benefits (including medical, dental,
profit sharing, and 401k).
Send resume and salary
requirements to HR, Gray Plant Mooty, 3400 City Ctr; 33 S.
6th St., Mpls, MN 55402; fax to 612-333-0066; or e-mail to
Anne.Weinauer@gpmlaw.com.
Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer
ATTORNEY
ATTORNEY
NAPIL Fellow to work with
Hispanic community to improve access to legal info/
assistance. Fluent Spanish
req, prior exper with Hispanic
culture/community strongly
preferred. Anticipated starting sal: $34,500; excel benes,
including fully paid familyhlth.
Resume: Galen
Robinson, Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis, 2929 4th Ave S., #201, Mpls, MN
55408. EOE
St. Cloud Area Legal Services
seeks full-time atty to handle
ed discrimination cases. Diverse economic, social or
cultural exper +. Sal: $34,500
- 36,601, upon bar admis,
excel benes, including fully
paid family-hlth.
World’s First
Wheelchair-Accessible
Kiddie Ride
C
hildren who use wheelchairs are often shut out
of some of the childhood
pleasures that their nondisabled friends enjoy. On
the kiddie ride scene, however, things are changing.
The Pizza Ranch—in
Norwood Young America
(NYA), Minnesota—is the
first family entertainment center in the greater Twin Cities
area to add America’s first
wheelchair-accessible ride to
its line-up of fun and games.
The FireRocker—a coin-operated, rocking fire engine—
with its siren, horn, and brass
bell to ring, draws all kids like
a magnet.
Fargo, North Dakota, the
FireRocker offers something
no other ride can: a tailgate
that drops down to form a
wheelchair ramp, along with
other features that enable a
wheelchair to be wheeled
aboard. The ride was named
“Best New Product of the
Year” at a recent industry
trade show in Las Vegas.
Florida Disney has three
FireRockers and they can also
be found at some Chuck E
Cheese franchises. The Mall
of America might also have a
FireRocker in its future.
dren with disabilities were
invited to bring kids to try out
the new ride for free. Participating groups also received
ten free meal tickets.
“Every child deserves access
to fun,” says Pizza Ranch
manager Karen Silvernagle.
“This is one more way we can
make sure that no one gets left
out or treated differently
because they have a disability.”
Information for this article
was provided by Access
Kiddie Rides.
For more
Originally used at Spooky information, contact Terri
World in Shakopee, the $6,000 Isom at 952-467-4338 or visit
FireRocker was unveiled in www.accesskiddierides.com.
Designed and manufactured NYA on January 22. Organiby Access Kiddie Rides in zations that work with chil-
Resume: Ann Cofell, SCALS,
P.O. Box 886, St. Cloud,
MN 56302.
IMMEDIATE POSITION
OPENING
REPORTS TO:
Visitor Services Manager
DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANT
Full Time
DATE AVAILABLE:
Immediately
This position is responsible
for maintaining donor records,
processing and acknowledging gifts, coordinating donor
benefits and producing departmental reports in the area
of fund-raising. Additionally,
this position provides general
administrative support to the
Development Department by
producing development department appeals and prospective prospect identification. The successful candidate will possess the following experience and skills:
Excellent working knowledge
and experience in database
management, specifically,
Raiser’s Edge. Experience
with Crystal Reporting and
MS Office also required.
Strong detail orientation, critical thinking/analytical skills,
writing/research/verbal communication and organizational
skills are also required. Undergraduate degree in a related field and experience
preferred.
Submit resume with salary
requirements to:
Human Resources
Minnesota Children’s
Museum
10 W. 7th Street
St. Paul, MN 55102
Equal Opportunity/
AA Employer
LIFE SKILLS
WORKER
Personnel Director
610 Florence Avenue
Owatonna, MN 55060
EOE/AA
DESCRIPTION: This position is responsible for interacting with visitors by playing
in our exhibits, answering
questions and providing quality customer service to all
museum visitors. Specific
duties also include: coordinating and executing gallery
operations, systems and procedures that ensure visitor
satisfaction and safety; monitoring exhibit maintenance
and cleanliness and picking
up toys; and ensuring that
opening and closing responsibilities are completed each
day for each gallery.
REQUIREMENTS:
The
successful candidate is required to have a minimum of
one year’s experience working directly with children in
an educational or professional
setting. Minimum one year’s
experience in a customer
service related field; museum
experience is preferred. Commitment to customer service
and teamwork is essential.
APPLICATIONS: Please
submit resume or stop by and
complete an application:
Fax: (651) 225-6006
EOE
South Central Human Relations Center has an opening
for a life skills worker. This
position involves working
with families in Waseca
County. This person will
provide life skills training for
parents and children to include: parenting skills, home
management, communication
skills, and budgeting. A
background in working effectively with families is preferred. This is a full time
position with flexible hours
and benefits. Send resume, by
Feb. 25, to:
CLASSIFICATION: Parttime, non-exempt. Daytime,
evening and weekend hours
available. Pay rate $9.00/
hour.
Human Resources
Minnesota Children’s
Museum
10 West 7th Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Fax: 651/225-6006
Equal Opportunity/AA
Employer
Ramsey County
Ramsey County invites you to join us in building a better
community through public service in the following fields:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Administrative, Management and Technical Services
Building and Facility Services
Clerical and Secretarial Services
Community and Social Services
Court, Legal and Law Enforcement Services
Property Records/Revenue Services
Public Works and Transportation Services
Parks and Recreation Services
Contact our Job Hotline for a recorded list
of current job openings at:
(651) 266-2666
Ramsey County Human Resource Dept.
430 RCGC West
50 West Kellogg Boulevard
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102
(651) 266-2700 or (651) 266-2728 (TDD)
You may also view a list of current job openings
and other useful Information, or download
application materials, on internet at:
www.co.ramsey.mn.us
February 10, 2002
12
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