Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities
Michigan Board of Education Seeks
Quality Education for All Students
In its Position Statement on Inclusive Education (1992), Michigan's State Board of Education formally endorsed the option of inclusive education as an innovative attempt at collaborative integration .in which general and special educators across the state could join forces to effectively advance the education of all students. The Board then created the Inclusive Education Recommendations Committee and requested specific recommendations for needed. changes in policy, funding, and legislation to assure availability of an inclusive education option for students with disabilities in Michigan. The following highlights are from: Findings and Recommendations: Final Report of the Inclusive Education Recommendations Committee, January "1993. Highlights from the report are summarized as follows:
Review of Literature
Current methods of parallel service delivery for general and special education students" are in need of reconceptualization. There is disenchantment with current programs and practices that, however unwittingly, support the premise that students who require assistance or `are outside the norm of the regular classroom' are better served elsewhere. Advocates for a collaborative, integrated approach to education believe that dual delivery Systems for special and general education establish artificial barriers among educators and promote alienation of individuals who have disabilities. Effective schools are defined as those that ensure that all children are provided with equal opportunities to learn in an age-appropriate, integrated environment. The reduction of parallel system programs, in favor of collaborative, integrated education programs, necessitates extensive restructuring of current practices. Policy Analysis Study of rules, regulations, policies, and funding revealed: .,
o In its attempt to implement well-intentioned rules, Michigan's educational system has established practices that tend to group students together in programs by similar labels, rather than as a result of a systematic attempt to address the individual needs of students through the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process. The significance of categorical rule barriers is profound because the barriers create well intentioned but artificial groupings of students who, upon closer examination. are extremely-diverse.
o In addition, Michigan's special education rules require that the certification of the teacher (i. e., program) and the eligibility of the student (i. e., label) match or be waived by the parent or guardian. This label-matching requirement has reinforced grouping of students by similar labels and contributed to their isolation from individuals who do not have similar disabilities. ,@ inevitable consequence has been the tracking of' students and a restriction in the ability of . school district personnel to develop inclusive programming options.
Quality Education For All continual on page two
Facing Our Fears
You gain strength, courage, and confidence - by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. -
You are able to say to yourself `I lived through this: . . I-can take the next thing that comes along. `
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt you Learn, by Living, 1940
Inside This Issue...
o Settlement Reached in Memo Mobility Class-Action Suit
o Most Minnesotans Willing to Volunteer
Discover DanceAbility
DanceAbility is coming to Minneapolis for a three-week residency in April, 1994. Originally founded in Oregon in 1988, DanceAbility brings together persons with significant physical disabilities, people without disabilities, and members of New Dance of Minneapolis to exchange ideas about movement. This residency is intended to be a catalyst for developing DanceAbility in the Twin Cities. Events for the public ` . . include: `
April 20, (3:30-5:00 p.m.): Norris Hall, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; presentation and panel discussion, free. April 23 (8:00 p.m.) and April 24 (2:00 p.m.): Hennepin Center for the Arts, 528 Hennepin Avenue; Minneapolis. Final presentations ($5.00. )
For more information or additional opportunities to observe DanceAbility sessions, contact: New Dance at 612/341-3050. [Note: A ten-minute videotape on Dance- Ability is also available from New Dance. ]
Call for Papers
This is an invitation to submit proposals for making presentations at a national conference: "Connecting the Pieces: Shaping the Supports to Live in the Community, " December 14-17, 1994, on respite, family, and self-support. Location: Hyatt Regency, San Antonio, Texas. Cohosts: Texas Respite Resource Network, Texas Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Texas Department of-Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Application deadline: April. 15, 1994.. Contact: Texas Department of MH/MR Central Office, MRSP, P.O. Box 12668, Austin, Texas 78285. 210/228-2794.
There is something-that is much more scarce, something finer by far, something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability.
Elbert Hubbard
Quality Education For All continued from page one
o Separate, categorical labeling and funding rules have created a free- , standing second, parallel, and somewhat fragmented system within the schools. Co-existing alongside general education, this second system is an entity with its own administrators, budgets, departments, in-service education; facilities, policies, procedures for student discipline, methods for parent involvement, etc. Communication among subsystems is often minimal and effort is frequently expended in conflicting directions. The label-and-place categorical mentality is , pervasive in Michigan's educational system and often serves to exclude Michigan's students with disabilities from access to educational opportunities afforded in general education.
Barriers and Recommendations `
1) Language plays a significant role in the creation and perpetuation of separate systems. References to "regular" and "special" education perpetuate a dual system. Special education, should be a component. Of genera] education rather than a separate educational system. References to "regular and special" , education in all rules should be changed to read "general" education.
2) Rules are based on "categorical" concepts; programs are designed :around an individual impairment. Over reliance `on labels impedes the availability of' inclusive education options. Eligibility should be based on the existence of documented need for support and the existence of certain individual characteristics, rather than on labels. Descriptions of individual characteristics should address individualized supports: physical/sensory, cognitive learning, affective/behavioral, and communication. Rules that require that categorical special education program assignment correspond to a student's primary (label) impairment should be deleted:
3) Delete rules relating to separate facilities and discontinue as tin option,
4) Training of staff is a key component for the type of restructuring that will b: necessary to facilitate inclusion. Educators will need to improve their skills in". teaming and collaboration, effective teaching techniques, and conflict management. They will also need to examine their attitudes toward students' with diverse needs.
5) References to separate secondary courses should clearly indicate that the preferred option is to support students with disabilities with necessary accommodations and adaptations within the general education setting, There should be no consideration of a `special education curriculum.; Michigan's Program Outcomes Guides can be used to help identify appropriate modifications. Administrators should support teachers as they attempt to engage in effective . . educational practices.
6) Designation of specialized skill areas and specialized educator roles can be an asset. However, the training label should not restrict the flexibility of the special educator to provide support to students with a variety of characteristics and needs. Allow more flexibility to work with general education teachers in order to adapt to and accommodate the needs of individual students. The cur- rent certification and years of experience requirements in staff certification rules limit assignments that support collaborative models.
7) Eliminate categorical funding for special education and incorporate funds into the ,membership formula. Student support and related services should be available for all students who have a demonstrated need. Dollars should follow . the child at the program level in which the child is served. Artificial barriers in child accounting procedures and funding formulas should be eliminated so that financial resources can he applied directly to the classroom in which the child is included. Teaching assistants should be funded for general education classrooms.
For further information, contact: Michigan State Board of Education, Hannah Building, Fourth Floor, P.O. Box 3008, Lansing, Ml 48909.
Regional Transit Board Approves
Metro Mobility Class Action Settlement
On March 7, 1994, ~"e Regional Transit Board (RTB) approved the terms of an agreement settlement with plaintiff in a lawsuit over transportation services provide by Metro Mobility. Three Metro Mobility customers originally filed the suit against the RTB and contractor, ATE, on November 15, 1993. The law suit was filed on behalf of the 20,000 certified riders of the program in response to the difficult transition to a central reservation and dispatch system in October. Federal Budget Diana Murphy will. be asked to approve the settlement in order to" resolve the lawsuit.
The terms of the agreement include: ~ . ATE and its transportation contractors will pay a total of $1.15 million in cash as damages. The RTB will contribute $200,000 in free ride coupons. A process will be developed to disseminate the funds and tickets to those eligible for compensation.
o .ATE's contract with the RTB to provide management services for Metro Mobility will terminate in approximately four months. The RTB will immediately begin a new procurement process. ATE has agreed to assist with the transition as necessary to ensure an orderly transition to a new coordinator.
o The three contracted providers of van service (Handi cabs, Mayflower, and Metro Ride) will continue their contracts.
o " The RTB will evaluate the Metro Mobility program to determine whether improvements or changes in `the system should be implemented.
All other parties involved have agreed to the settlement.
RTB Chair Sally Evert said: "My heart goes out to the people who encountered difficulties with the program. The "RTB will" be using a sound, open ,process to ensure a smooth transition between ATE and the new service coordinator. We want to be sure we sustain and continue the progress we have made since October in improving the quality of service. " . .
Videotape Presents Views of African-American Parents
Our Children, Our Hopes is a new videotape production "(15 minutes, closed captioned)" by PACER Center in which African American families discuss how race issues and cultural traditions come into play as they seek resources and services for their children with disabilities. Parent; share how their individual and objective strengths can help in creatively pursuing ways to meet their needs and to help systems to change. Purchase price: $35.00. Rent: $10.00. Contact: PACER Center, 4826 Chicago Avenue, South, Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098. 6]2/827 -2966, or 1-800-53 PACER.
Publication
A Gentle Approach: Interacting with a Person Who Is .Semi-conscious or Presumed in Coma, Working Papers in Law, Medicine Philosophy; No.. 2, Jane D. Hoyt, University of Minnesota, 1994. This booklet `is based on the author's experiences, with suggestions from others, .on ,how to communicate with an apparently unconscious person. Jane Hoyt is Chair of the Nursing Home Action Group, St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a long-time advocate for others. Price: $2.50, payable to: The Program in Human Rights and Medicine, Department of Philosophy, University of Minnesota, 355 Ford Hall, 224 Church Street, SE, `Minneapolis, MN 55455.
.-
Experience When the Awareness Exhibit, Bough Breaks:
The Legacy of Addiction
A photography and poetry exhibit will be appearing in the Twin Cities in April 1994. ~ ~ Photographer Kira Corser and poet Frances Payne Adler provide a powerful, sensitive artistic response to the growing problem of parental substance abuse. The events are - sponsored by Minnesota Healthy Roots (a coalition for the prevention of maternal - substance abuse) and the March of Dimes Foundation. The exhibit will appear as follow::
o April l-16--State Capitol Bldg. `(North Corridor), St. Paul;
o April 22-24--Parents Expo, Minneapolis Convention Center. For more information, contact: Joyce Holl , Pathfinder Resources, Inc., 2324 University Avenue, West, St. Paul, MN 551 I 4. 612/647-6905.
Events
April 9, 1994 (10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.): "Aware Fair 1994" is designed for the whole family with ,exhibits focusing on services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Location: Apache Plaza Shopping Center, St. Anthony (near New Brighton). Contact: Marie. Koehler, 612/297-3638 (voice), or 612/297-13 13 (TTY),
May 5-6, 1994: "Inspiring community Involvement--Dreams into Action" is a conference on volunteerism at the Sheraton Park Place Hotel, Minneapolis. Cosponsors: Association for Volunteer Administration, Region 9; Minnesota Association of Volunteer Directors; Upper Midwest , Association of Volunteer Centers; Minnesota Department of Human Services; and `, - Minnesota Office on Volunteer Services. Contact: 612/645-2277.
May 20-21, 1994: The 1994 Self-& Advocacy Conference, "It's Our Community, " will he held at the Radisson Hotel Metrodome, Minneapolis. Contact: Ronald Kaliszewski, Coordinator, 309. West Floral Drive, Shoreview, MN 55126-2307. 612/484-7360. ,
Lending Library
The following resources art available on loan; publications for three weeks: videotapes (VHS 1/2" cassette) for two weeks. The only cost of the borrower is The return postage.
Just Families: "That's All We Really Want to Be, " (videotape, 14 minutes), Oregon Developmental Disabilities Council, portrays stories of ordinary families facing challenges when, a member has a disability. Accompanied by booklet, Families: Meeting Challenges, Promoting Change, which maintains that families, rather than agencies, are in the best position to determine their own needs.
Two features on one videotape: 1) Family Support: A New Hampshire Legislative Victory, depicts how parents and family members brought about the creation of a statewide "system of family support . services; and 2) Closing the Doors and Opening the Windows, documents how New Hampshire became the first state in the nation to shift its resources to provide . services in communities--the closing of Laconia Developmental Services, 1991.
Go For It! A Book on Sport and Recreation for Persons with Disabilities. J.D. Kelly & L. Friedent, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publisher, 1989. Inspirational depiction of a broad range of sport and recreation activities available to people with disabilities. Winner of 1989 Literary Award by National Recreation and Park Association.
Minnesotans Are Willing
to Volunteer, If Asked -
In a recent survey, 91 percent of Minnesotans who do not currently volunteer said they had not been asked to volunteer. The" 1993 Minnesota "State Survey, conducted by the University of Minnesota's Center for Survey Research, indicated that 7$ percent of survey respondents would he willing to volunteer time on a regular basis to help an individual or a cause they cared about if they were asked.
The survey also documented that 62 percent of Minnesotans over 18 years of age said they volunteer (compared to 51 percent of the adults in the United States).
Minnesota's tradition of volunteerism was evident during this year's Minnesota Volunteer Connection Campaign. This is the fifth year that KARE 11 has sponsored the Volunteer Connection in partnership With the Minnesota Office on' Volunteer Services, the Upper Midwest Association of Volunteer Centers; and the Corporate Volunteerism Council of the Twin Cities Area. What were the results of this one-week campaign'? over 1,500 individuals made pledges to the Volunteer Connection campaign, promising 280,000 hours, which would be. valued at over $3.2 million.
For more "information, or to learn how you might volunteer, contact: Minnesota Office of Volunteer Services, 117 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55155. Voice: 612/296-473 1, or 1-800-234-6687; `lTY/TDD: 612/297-4022, or 1-800-657-3783 (Greater MN). [Source: Volunteers Move Minnesota, (Winter 1994), Minnesota Office of Volunteer Services, p, 1.] .
The mission of any human setting. should aim at steering itself toward the maximization of the unexpected.
Burton Blatt
FUTURITY Bulk Rate * U.S. Postage Paid DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION - Governor's Planning Council on Permit No. 171 St. Paul, MN Developmental Disabilities "300 Centennial Office Building %658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155
Roger Strand, Editor 612/296-4018 (Voice)
612/296-9962 (TDD) 612/297-7200 (FAX)
TIME DATED MATERIALS
May 1994
Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities
Congress Reauthorizes Developmental Disabilities Legislation (Part 1)
On March 24, 1994, the United States Senate endorsed the Conference Report of Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act Amendments which extended this national program for the next three years. On April 7, 1994, President Clinton signed the Act (P.L. 103-230). The Act provides for the continuance of three state programs: 1) State Developmental Disabilities Councils, 2) University Affiliated Programs, and 3) Protection and Advocacy Agencies. Highlights of the Act will be provided in two parts: Part I--Findings and Purposes (see below); and Part II--Policies. Part II will be presented in next month's issue of Futurity. *
Part l--Findings and Purposes:
Disability is a natural part of the human experience that does not diminish the right of individuals with developmental disabilities to enjoy the opportunity to live independently, enjoy self-determination, make choices, contribute to society, and experience till integration and inclusion in. the economic, political,- social, cultural, and educational mainstream of American Society.
A substantial portion of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families do not have access to appropriate support and services from generic and specialized service systems and remain unserved or undersexed;
Family members, friends, and members of the" community can play an important role in enhancing the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities especially when the family and community are provided with the necessary services and supports.
There is a need to ensure that services, supports, and other assistance are provided in a culturally competent manner, that individuals from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds are fully included in all activities under this Act, and (hat greater efforts are made to recruit individuals from minority backgrounds into the field of developmental disabilities.
The goals of the Nation properly include the goal of providing individuals with developmental disabilities with the opportunities and support to:
a. make informed choices and decisions;
believe in homes and communities in which such individuals can exercise their full rights and responsibilities as citizens;
c. pursue meaningful and productive lives;
d. contribute to their family, community, State, and Nation;
e. have interdependent friendships and relationships with others; and
f. achieve full integration and inclusion in society, in an individualized reamer, consistent with unique strengths,. resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, and capabilities of each individual.
To be continued in June 1994
FAS Awareness Week: May 8-14, 1994
"Don't drink during your pregnancy" will be the message of The Arc and other' organizations in observance of "Alcohol and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Awareness Week. " Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the leading, 100 percent-preventable cause of mental retardation.
FAS is a pattern of mental, physical, and behavioral abnormalities in infants ~ caused by alcohol use during pregnancy. The more alcohol that a pregnant woman drinks, the more at risk' she is of having a baby with alcohol-related anomalies.. The only certainty is that a woman who drinks no alcohol at all during pregnancy "is at no risk whatsoever of having a baby with a disability caused by alcohol. "The best advice is to abstain from . consuming alcohol during pregnancy, " said David Dunn, President of The Arc.
Individuals and organizations are encouraged to participate in this publicity campaign. A planning guide is available--Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Awareness and Educational Activities. for communities. Contact: Liz Moore, Director of Communications and Resource Development, The Arc, National Headquarters, .500 East Border Street, Suite 300, Arlington, TX 76010. 817/261-6003 (Voice); 817/277-0553 (TDD); 817/277-3491.
Inside This Issue
Inclusive Schools and Communities--Marsha Forest What Is "inclusion? ''--Jennifer York
Transition Summer Institutes Scheduled "Making A Difference Together"" is the theme of two Summer Institutes on Transition from school to-adult life to be held: June 28-30, 1994 at Mankato - State University; and July 13-15, 1994, at Bemidji State University.
You are invited to attend if you are:
1) a high school student or young adult with a disability (age 14-25);
2) a family . member friend, or advocate of a high school student or young adult with a disability; or
3) an educator or service provider who assists young adults with disabilities in planning and preparing for" their futures. Primary sponsors: Minnesota Departments of Education and Jobs and Training. Contact the respective coordinator's: 1) Mankato State University,
Bob, Miller, 507/389-1122; or 2) Bemidji State University, Shelly Geerdes, 218/755-4055 or 1--800-475- 2CQ1, ext. 4055.
Scholarships Available Closing the Gap Conference
The Governor's Advisory Council on Technology for People with Disabilities will have a limited number of scholar- ships available for attending the Closing the Gap Conference, October 20-22, 1994, and the one-day workshops scheduled on October 18 and 19, 1994. Closing the Gap is an international conference featuring microcomputer technology in special education and rehabilitation. Location: Radisson South and Hotel Sofitel, Bloomington, Individuals with disabilities, family - `members, and professionals who are residents of Minnesota must submit scholarship applications by July 1, 1994. Contact: Linda Koemer, STAR Program, 300 Centennial Building, 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155. 612/296-2771 (voice); 612/296-9962 (TDD); 6.12/297-7200 (FAX).
Going from in to with . will be the challenge for the next decade. Marsha Forest
A Friend Is Someone Who Listens When I Cry
by Marsha Forest
Six enthusiastic junior high school students awaited us in a small room in Rundlet Junior High in Concord, New Hampshire. Three years ago, I had met several of these young women when I came to observe Jocelyn after she left a segregated classroom and entered fifth grade at her neighborhood school. It was a lovely reunion is Jocelyn's mother, Marlyn, and "two teachers joined us.
After an initial period of quiet, the room erupted into a barrage of chatter. I asked the girls to update me on what was happening in their lives. With Jocelyn smack in the middle of the group, they began to talk about . friendships, noting that every year Jocelyn made more friends: Some of her" friends , they told me, change every year, just like for all kids. But Jocelyn ` is part of a group of friends who "stick together every year, " they said. Sometimes the teens explained to me, adults have trouble figuring out what Jocelyn could be doing in classes. "why don't they just ask us, her friends?" the girls said. "We have tons of ideas!"
I asked them to continue.
"We can do everything with Jocelyn," they told me. "We can introduce her to more people, we can help her spend more time with other students, we can include her more. We can take notes and help calm her when she gets upset. But we wish people would ask us to do these things more often.
" There was silence for a while, broken by my question. "Tell me more 4 about what you like about Jocelyn," I asked them.
One by one, the girls told me. "She's the best listener, " one teenager said. "You can tell her all your secrets, and she doesn't laugh.~ . She doesn't judge us or others. One day I was crying and Jocelyn started to rub my back. She really listened to me.
" Another girl said, "I think Jocelyn is a very intelligent person. She , communicates better than some of us do. - She doesn't put anyone down or judge us. She's part of our life and we love her. " "mat I would like to do, " said another of Jocelyn; s friends, "is go around the whole school and introduced' Jocelyn as our friend. Tell everyone that if they have any questions, ask us. We'd say, `This is : Jocelyn. She is a human. She can feel. She is our friend.'
" What more is there to say? Thank you to Jocelyn and her friends at Rundlet Junior High--a-very ordinary and simply extraordinary group of `. young citizens of New Hampshire. Surely their words are great food for thought.
[Source: Treasures: A Celebration of Inclusion, 1993, University of New Hampshire, pp. 7-8. Marsha Forest is the Director of Education at the Centre for Integrated Education and Community in Toronto, .Canada. ] -
DHS Offers Training Regarding Developmental Disabilities and Deaf/Hard of Hearing The Division for Persons with Developmental Disabilities in coordination with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services- Division of the Department of Human Services have scheduled one-clay training sessions for county personnel ml' advocates on providing communication accessible environments and services:
June 2, 1994: St. Cloud - June 22, 1994: -Grand Rapids June 8, 1994: New Ulm June 23, 1994: Detroit Lakes June 9, 1994: Rochester June 29, 1994: Roseville June 16, 1994: Eagan
Contact: Lori Dablow, Department of Human Services, 612/~97-@78 voice; 612/282-5436 (TDD).
Inclusive School Communities in Minnesota ,
The features on this page are contributed by the "Together We're `Better Program", a collaborative program of the Institute on Community Integration (University of Minnesota) and the Minnesota Department of Education. The Institute on Community Integration serves as Minnesota's approved University Affiliated Program, funded @ part by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities," Washington, D.C.
What Does Inclusion REALLY Mean?
by Jennifer York
"Define inclusion" is a common request from educators and parents. Initially, to respond to this request, an operational definition was provided: "Attendance in the same schools as siblings and neighbors, membership in general education classrooms with chronological age appropriate classmates, having individualized and relevant learning objectives, and being provided with. support necessary to learn (e. g., special education and related services). " Given" this response, questions would still emerge. Most people searching for a definition of inclusion are really trying to understand what it means related to their roles and functions at work--for where and how `they will support students in school. Inclusion is not a place. It cannot be defined in terms of minutes in a day. " what it means to specific individuals will vary. Clearly, inclusion remains elusive to many.
Recently, when responding to the inevitable "Define inclusion request, a different approach has proven more successful. TO become the basis of daily thought and action, inclusion, like any value, must be personal and relevant for each individual. Instead of providing a definition of inclusion, we now ask people to define inclusion for themselves. The frequent" responses to what it means to be fully include or to be excluded in a community
are as follows:
.WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FULLY INCLUDED?
o opportunities
o belonging Q contributing ,
o making choices ~ participating
o being needed
o , being respected
o cooperating
o acceptance
o feeling useful c taking risks
o happiness
o friendship
o freedom
o success
o confidence ? security c being valued
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE EXCLUDED?
o rejection
o denied opportunity
o denied participation
o being ignored g feeling weird `
o feeling inferior
o being alone
o feeling powerless
o anger
o resentment
o sadness
o frustration - m` fear
o depression
. Through this dialogue, a more personal connection and understanding is made about what inclusion really means and, hopefully, `about how essential it k for all of us. Without an understanding of what inclusion is really all about, use of specific strategies, tools and forms is merely an academic exercise; procedures void of real meaning or purpose. As the value of inclusion becomes foremost in the minds and hearts of individual school community members,-it can become a fundamental base for daily decisions and choices in life--personally and professionally--making schools more welcoming and supportive for all members, adults and students.
{Abridged from: York, Jennifer. (1993), What's Working--Spring/Summer, Minneapolis: Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota. Jennifer is an Associate Professor, Educational Policy and "administration. ]
Inclusive Schooling Course Offered
A new course will be offered during the week of June 20-24, 1994 (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), "Collaboration for Inclusive Schooling, EPSY 5607, at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus. The course will be provided by the Department of Educational "Psychology and the Institute "on Community Interaction for 3 graduate credits. The corps will address curricular, instructional, and collaborative team- work strategies related to classroom level planning and support of students. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend in teams that include general and special educators, related, services, personnel, parents, and administrators for the purpose of planning for changes toward more inclusive educational practices in their own school communities. Contact: Linda Schaefer, Institute on Community Integration, 6 12/625-3396.
Events `
May 25, 1994 --'',Annual Forum: Emerging Trends in Assistive Technology" will be sponsored by the STAR' (A System of Technology to Achieve Results) Program of the Governor': Council on Technology for People with Disabilities. Location: Sheraton Midway, St. Paul, MN. Contact> STAR Program, 612/296-2771 (voice); 612/297-7200 (FAX).
June 17-22, ~994--RESNA '94 Conference, "Tuning in to the 21st Century through Assistive Technology: Listen to the Music, " Nashville Stouffer Hotel/Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee. Contact: RESNA, Suite 1540, 1700 N Morre St., Arlington, VA 22209-1903. 703/524 -6686," FAX,: 703/524-6630.
July 21-22, 1994--'' Person Centered Agency Design Conference" will be presented by eight Minnesota residential and Vocational Agencies. Agency representatives will share their three- . year efforts-"in designing and implementing organizational structures around people rather than systems. Location: Shoreview Plaza Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn Shoreview), 1-694 and Lexington. Contact: Angela. Amado, Human Services Research and Development Center, 357 Oneida Street, St. Paul, MN - 55102. 612/227-3292.
.Mark Your Calendar
- September 11-13; 1994--Second National ` Primary Care Conference, at Fairmont Hotel, - Dallas, Texas. Sponsors: Department of - Health and Human Services (Health Care Financing Administration and the U.S. Public Health Service). Contact: Rose Salton, Social & Scientific Systems, at 301/986 -4S70.
Lending Library
The following resources are available on loan; publications for three weeks; videotapes (VHS 1/2" t cassette) for two weeks. The only cost to the borrower is the return postage. Publications:
o Publicity Kit: Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS/FAE), A note-book with collections of publications and ideas on how to organize public awareness campaigns and provide training about FASIFAE.
o Collaborative Teams for Students with Severe Disabilities: Integrating Therapy and Educational Services, B. Rainforth, J. York, & C. Macdonald, with contributions from C. Salisbury and W Dum, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.,, 1992. Addresses issues that many team members encounter while collaborating with one another. Provides principles, practices, and procedures for providing related services as integral components of special education programs in integrated settings. Videotapes:
o "Starting Over: Life after a Severe Head injury, (29 minutes), North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities, provides methods and techniques for assisting individuals to transfer skills, learned in rehabilitation settings to their homes.
o Quality Is ..., Presentation by John O'Brien, (1.5 hours). Measurement of program' quality starts with each individual perspective and satisfaction; toward a desirable personal future by discovering a vision, creating opportunities, and delivering supports.
Public" Forum Scheduled on Rehabilitation/independent Living
The Statewide Independent Living Council and the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council invite public comment at a joint meeting on May 18, J994, Room 15, State Capitol Bldg., 3:00-5:00 pm, and 7:00-9:00 pm. People are invited to contribute their experiences, ideas, and opinions on independent living and vocational rehabilitation services in Minnesota. of' special interest are comments on interagency relationships transition from school to work, satisfaction with services, and improving services to persons who are minorities or who have been unserved or undeserved.
The Councils are charged by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, to advise the Department of Jobs and Training, Division of Rehabilitation Services, on the effectiveness of assisting persons with disabilities to meet their goals for living independently and working in the community. Public comments will be reflected in the respective state plans. " .
People who cannot attend this meeting may leave a recorded statement by calling 612/282-6617, between May 13 and ,May. 20, 1994. Or, submit your comments in Writing to: DRS/Councils, 390 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN 55101. Additional public meetings will be scheduled throughout the state in the near future.
Council Publications in Alternative Formats:
1) Friends: "A, Manual for Connecting Persons with Disabilities and Community Members, Human Services Research and Development `Center, on audio cassette. `
2) Futurity, on audio cassette and is available through DRAGnet and Children, Youth, and Family Consortium Clearinghouse (electronic bulletin boards);' 2) Minnesotans Speak Out, Summary of Town Meetings, audio cassette; and
3) Shifting Patterns, publication in Braille and on audio cassette; and videotape with closed captions.
4) It's Never Too Early, It's Never Too Late, videotape, is available with closed captions. .
5) It's Never Too Early, It's Never Too Late, publication, is available on audio `cassette. See return address and telephones, below.
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities 300 Centennial Office Building 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155
Bulk Rate U.S. Postage " Paid Permit No, 171
. St. Paul, MN
Roger Strand, Editor 612/296-4018 (Voice) 612/296-9962 (TDD) 612/297-7200 (FAX
TIME DATED MATERIAL
Futurity
June 1994 ` Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities .
`National Study (1977-1692):
Dual System of Services Costly
Total public (federal, state, and local) funding for services for persons with mental retardation developmental disabilities in the United States has grown from $3.458 billion in 1977 to $17.136 billion in 1992. Adjusted for inflation, this" was a total growth rate of 122 percent. Increases in total spending are almost entirely attributed to the expansion of funds allocated to community services, and at the same time keeping state-operated institutions open while serving a decreasing number of residents.
These were the findings in a longitudinal study by the Institute. of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago in The State of the "States in Developmental Disabilities:" Fourth National Study of Public Spending for Mental Retardation `and Developmental Disabilities in The United States, written by David Braddock, Richard Hemp, Lynn Bachelder, and Glenn Fujiura, March 1994. - (Manuscript submitted for publication).
During the past 16 years, the number of residents living in state-operated institutions has been reduced by one-half (falling from 149,681 in .1977 to 77,712 residents in 1992). "It seems quite likely," predict the authors of the report, "that by the year 2000, only 50,000 to 60,000 persons will be residing in state-operated institutions. "
~ Between 1988 and 1992, Minnesota ranked ninth among the top ten states for greatest absolute, reduction of resident populations from public institutions: New York (2,277), Michigan (821), Massachusetts (706), Texas (621), Pennsylvania (619), Connecticut (612),.Ohio(556), Oregon (527), Minnesota (523), and Oklahoma (474). In Minnesota, the resident population of state institutions dropped from 3,065 in 1977 to 1,033 in 1992, a reduction of 66,52 percent.
Although the total resources allocated to operate the nation's institutions has grown just 10 percent, and staffing ratios and benefits have improved, per diem rates have .skyrocketed' by 114 percent (in real economic terms). In 1977, the average per diem rate was $100 (adjusted for inflation in 1992 dollars). The national average daily cost per person in state-operated residential programs in 1992 was $214, with a range from $124-$160 in states. such as Arkansas, Illinois, and Kentucky to $505 in Maine. Minnesota's per diem rate in 1992 was $291.88. In 1990, for the first time in the nation's history, the volume of public funds deployed for supporting persons with developmental disabilities in community settings exceeded the amount of funds "allocated for institutions and other large congregate .-facilities with 16 beds and over. The growing pro- portion of residential placements in smaller.; more individualized community settings is dramatically reflected in the financing of these services over time; total spending for community services (residents with 15 beds or less "and. related day programs and other services `and supports) advanced from "$.87 s billion in 1977 to $9.68 billion in 1992, a total real growth rate of 400 .' percent across the 16-year period: . Cost Study continued on page 2
I promise to take my work -
very seriously `
and to take myself
very lightly I promise to think globally and to work locally I promise to laugh some,
. to play some, to work
some, to hug some, to risk
some, and to stretch and grow some everyday ~I take full responsibility for
this entire planet and ~
for all life ,on it now and
forever and I share this joyous burden with
everyone I meet . My work is my passion, pass it on.
Dave Finnigan 1989
Inside This Issue...
o Congress Reauthorizes Developmental Disabilities Act (Part 2)
Duane Shirnpach Leaves Council Post and Minnesota
After serving 7 years on the Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities and serving as Chair for the past 4 years, Duane Shimpach completed his term of appointment in April 1994. In addition, Duane, who has served as the Executive Director of the Human Service Board of Faribault and Martin Counties for over 16 years, plans on moving to Flagstaff, Arizona, where he has accepted the position of Director-of Juvenile Court Services.
Reflecting on his involvement with the Council, Duane said in a recent inter--view, "This has been the most valuable activity for me of anything I have done while living in Minnesota. Most administrators,!' he continued, "have a good handle on `what is,' but really lack having a vision of `what should be' or `could be. " The Council has encouraged me to envision new approaches within a broad spectrum of human services--and it works!"
We will miss Duane's Leadership; and we extend our best wishes for his future contributions in Arizona.
Nominations Requested: Primary Care .Achievement Awards
Three awards of $10,000 "will be presented by M. Joycelyn Elders, Surgeon General of the U.S. Public. Health Service, in recognition of excellence and significant achievement in advancing primary care in education, patient care, and research. The awards will, be presented on Tuesday, September 13, as part of the 1994 National `Primary Care Conference in Dallas, Texas. This is a program of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Submit nominations by July 1, 1994. Contact the Pew Health Professions Commission at 415/476-8181..
When the community exiles people into the social service system, it loses something. it loses the gift of each individual. -The Integrity of Community Living
Cost Study continued from page one .
In' 1992, 74 percent. of the $4.88 billion in federal Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Mental Retardation (ICF/MR) funds were ~` being deployed to institutions and large 16+ bed privately operated residential settings. Twenty-six percent of federal ICF/MR funds were being spent to reimburse placements in settings of 15 beds or less.
State government general revenues are the major source of funds to finance community services, which comprised 62 percent of total community' services revenues of .$9.68 billion in 1992. A 70 percent decline for total community funding in 1988 was due primarily to the rapid expansion of federal funding available under the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver program and the ICF/MR program. In 1992, federal HCBS Waiver reimbursement totaled $.874 billion and supported 63,083 participants. On a per capita basis, Minnesota ranked twelfth among the states in .1992, serving 2,942 participants in the HCBS Waiver program with an expenditure of $43.5 million in federal funds.
Total local/county resources allocated for community services grew from , $419.8 million in 1988 to $614 million 'in 1992, an absolute-growth rate of 46 percent. About one-third of their resources were used as state matching funds for the Medicaid HCBS Waiver or ICF/MR programs. The remaining funds supported Local or county-operated group homes, day program, or other community supports.
"It becomes clear that the nation has a great distance to travel before the allocation of our financial resources will reflect the programmatic values of small, family-scale, services and supports that are so widely espoused today, " the authors of the report concluded. "To structure such systems of support, state mental retardation/developmental disabilities agencies must address three broad priority areas: 1) new administrative and financial policies and procedures, 2) new and reallocated funding, and 3) effective management of staff resources. "
For further information, contact:.. Institute .on , Disability and Human Development, The University of Illinois Chicago, 1640 West Roosevelt Road, ` Chicago, Illinois 60608. 312/413-1976.
Publications
Community Connections (1993). Consists of thirty-six 15-20 minute lessons to facilitate positive relationships, communication, and a sense of community among `students during advisory period' of homeroom in middle school. (Grades 5-"8). Price: $4.00. contact: Publications Office, Institute, on ~ Community Integration, University, of Minnesota, 109 Pattee. Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. 612/624-4$12.
Challenges for a Service System in Transition: Ensuring Quality Community Experiences for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Mary F Hayden and Brian H. Abery .(Eds.), Paul H. Brookes Publishing ~ Company, " 1994. This guide to community integration explores research, theory, and how personal lifestyle issues profoundly affect persons with . developmental disabilities. New opportunities for community inclusion offer challenges to professionals who must equip themselves with new' ideas and skills. Strategies age provided for promoting social integration, enhancing ". social and personal skills through recreation, and appraising challenging behaviors. Price: $35.00. Contact: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company, P.O. Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285. 1-800-638-3775, or FAX 1-410-337-8539. , .
Congress Reauthorizes Developmental Disabilities Legislation--Part. 2 (Continued from May 1994, Futurity)
On March 24, 1994, the United State Senate endorsed the Conference Report ,of Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act Amendments which extended this national program for the next three years. On April 7, 1994, President Clinton signed the Act (P.L. 103-230). The Act provides for the continuance of three state, programs: .1) State Developmental. Disabilities Councils, 2) University Affiliated Programs, and 3) Protection and Advocacy `Agencies. Pail 2 concludes this series of articles, highlighting policies that provide guidelines for future direction.
Part 2--Policy
It is the policy of the United states that all programs, projects, and activities receiving assistance under this Act shall be carried out in a manner consistent with the principles that--
1. individuals with developmental disabilities, including those with the most severe developmental disabilities, are capable of achieving independence, productivity," integration, and inclusion into the community, and often require the provisions of `services, supports, " and other assistance to achieve independence, productivity; integration, and inclusion;
, 2. individuals. and their families have competencies, capabilities, and personal goals that should be recognized and supported;
3. individuals and their families are the primary decision makers regarding ` the services and supports such individuals and their families receive and play decision making roles in policies and programs that affect the lives of such individuals and their' families;
4. services, supports? and other assistance are provided in a manner. that demonstrates respect for individual" dignity, personal preferences, and. cultural differences;
5. specific efforts must be made to ensure that individuals from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds enjoy effective and meaningful opportunities for full participation in the developmental disabilities service system;
6. recruitment efforts within developmental disabilities at the level of preservice training, community training, practice, administration; and policymaking must focus on bringing larger number of racial and ethnic minorities into" the field in order to" provide appropriate skills, knowledge, role models, and sufficient manpower to address the growing needs of au increasingly diverse population;
7.~ with education and support, community's can be responsive to the needs of individuals with developmental" disabilities and their families and are enriched by the full and `active participation and the contributions by individuals with developmental disabilities .and their families; and
8. individuals with developmental disabilities should have access to opportunities and the necessary support to be included in community life, have interdependent relationships, live in homes and communities, and make contributions to their families, community, state, and nation.
A decent home is the important beginning point for growth
into the mainstream of American life. . . This is our challenge.
This is our responsibility.
--A Decent Place to Live: The Report of the National Housing Task Force, March 1988.
Events
June 16, 1994 `: Teaching for Life: Strategies for Teaching and' Parenting Children `Affected by Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs, a conference for parents, professionals, and advocates sponsored by Minnesota Healthy Roots. Location: Washburn High .School, 201 West 49th Street, Minneapolis, MN. Contact: Joyce" Holl at Pathfinder, 612/647-6905.
July 4-15, 1994 . McGill Summer Institute On Integration, an innovative two-week immersion on strategies for the integration of people with challenging needs into' -school `and community at McGill University, -Montreal, Quebec. Contact: McGill Centre for Educational Leadership, McGill University i3724 McTavish Street, `Montreal, Quebec, Canada' H3A 1Y2. 514/398-7044 (voice); 514/398-8260 (F.~.
July 21-22,,1994 "Person-Centered Agency Design Conference" will be presented by eight Minnesota . residential and vocational agencies. Agency representatives will share their three-year efforts in designing and implementing organizational structures around people rather than systems. Location: Shoreview Plaza Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn Shoreview), I-694 and Lexington. Contact: Angela Amado, Human Services Research and Development Center, 357 Oneida Street, St. Paul; MN 55102. 612/227-3292. \
July 31, 1994 (10:00 am. to 12:00 noon) Vinland Present: B. Y.O.B. (Break Your Own Barriers), a day for people with and without disabilities to demonstrate abilities. . . This celebration of inclusion will be held at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN (Cretin and Summit parking lot). Contact: Vinland National Center; P.O. Box 308, Loretto, MN 55357. 612/479-2605.
Mark Your Calendar
September 28-30, 1994: Twelfth Annual . National Home and Community-Based Conference, Radisson Hotel, St. Paul, MN. Contact: Joyce Hell, Pathfinder Resource, Inc.., 2324 University Avenue, W, Suite 105, St. Paul, MN 55114. 612/647-6905 (voice), 612/647-6908 (FAW)
Lending Library
The following `resources are available on loan; publications for two weeks; videotapes (VHS 1/2= cassette) for No weeks. The only cost to tie borrower is the return postage. .
Publication and Videotape:
Case Management Team: Building Community Connections (videotape, 13 minutes), Metropolitan Council. These resources describe the case management process in Minnesota, and how related resources that can be used to achieve community connections/integration.
Videotapes and Workbooks:
Teaching People with Developmental `Disabilities, Research Press, Champaign, Illinois. A resource for Learning about positive behavioral management: Lesson 1, task analysis; Lesson 2, prompting"; Lesson 3, reinforcement; and Lesson 4, error correction.
Videotape: ~
transition from School to Adulthood, Rochester Community Transition Interagency Committee. Describes various aspects for individualized planning and education, such as career planing, employment, transportation, and independent living. "
Statewide Coalition Works to Prevent' Maternal Substance Abuse-` Free "Membership/Opportunities for Involvement
Minnesota Healthy Roots is a statewide volunteer network of concerned people . who, through advocacy, education, and public awareness; shape public policy and social norms to prevent the "effects of alcohol and other drugs on" the health of Minnesota mothers and their babies. The Coalition also works to assist families that have been affected by parental substance abuse. The Coalition is seeking new members, and provides a variety of opportunities for people to become involved in the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE). 1.
Women who abuse alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs during pregnancy are harming their own bodies &d inflicting potential permanent damage upon their unborn babies.
Approximately ,10 percent of babies; born each Year in the seven-county metropolitan area and 4 percent of babies born in Greater Minnesota are exposed to drugs before birth.
Join this coalition, and make a commitment to healthy babies" of Minnesota. Contact: Joyce Hell, Minnesota Healthy, Roots, Pathfinder Resources, Inc., 2324 University Avenue, West, Suite 105, St. Paul, MN 55114. 612/647-6905. s
Council Publications in Alternative Formats:
1) Friends: A Manual for Connecting Persons with disabilities and Community Members, Human Services Research and Development Center, on audio cassette;
2) Futurity,' on audio cassette and is available through DRAGnet and Children, Youth; and Family Consortium Clearinghouse (electronic bulletin. boards);
3) Minnesotans Speak Out, Summary Town Meetings, audio cassette;
4) Shifting Patterns," publication in Braille the on audio cassette; and videotape with closed captions;
5) It;'s Never Too Early, It's Never Too Lute, videotape, is available with closed captions; and
6) It's Never Too Early, It's Never Too Late, publication, is available on audio cassette. See return address and telephone numbers, below.
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities 300 Centennial Office Building 658 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55155
Roger Strand, Editor 612/296-4018 (Voice) 612/296-9962 (TDD) 612/297-7200 (FAX
Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 171 St. Paul, MN
