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The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) has issued its 2011 Annual Report. (1/4/11)
In 2010, the Disability Services Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services, implemented a statewide Participant Experience Survey for individuals receiving home and community based services under the state's four waiver programs. Survey results are contained in this report. (12/21/11)
At the December 1, 2011 Fairness Hearing before United States District Court Judge Donovan Frank, the METO Settlement Agreement was accepted. Judge Frank issued the official Order on December 5, 2011. In this first videotaped interview with Shamus O'Meara, counsel for the Plaintiffs in the METO class action lawsuit, he talks about his decision to take the case, the legal issues involved, and some of the critical aspects of the Settlement Agreement, including the focus on staff training around person centered planning, and the establishment of both an Olmstead Committee and Rule 40 Committee. (12/8/11)
The Council's key business results for FFY 2011 (October 1, 2010 - September 30, 2011) are available for review. FlashPaper Format PDF Text (12/8/11)
Partners in Making Your Case, the online course that explains the importance of personal advocacy, and how to work most effectively with elected officials and other policymakers in bringing about positive systems change, is now available in Spanish. Comments are always welcome. A Feedback Form is also included in this course.
(12/05/11)
On December 1, 2011, United States Federal District Court Judge Donovan Frank will hold a Fairness Hearing regarding the Jensen Settlement Agreement in the METO lawsuit. A new feature and website section includes interviews with several individuals, including self advocates, about their perspectives on the lawsuit and Settlement Agreement, and expected reform efforts; and related documents. See the feature on the Council home page with links to the interviews and METO documents. (11/4/11)
The TPT documentaries Honoring Choices is about the end-of-life conversation held with family and friends. Broadcasts begin August 26. View the broadcast dates and times. (8/26/11)
On June 23, 2011, United States District Court Judge Donovan Frank signed an Order granting preliminary approval of a $3 million Class Action Settlement in the METO lawsuit.
The Settlement Agreement and related court documents are available for review.
METO Class Action Settlement Agreement Claims Process
METO Settlement Agreement Summary of Key Points
(Updated 8/10/11)
The Council submitted its Five Year State Plan for FFYs 2012-2016 on July 13, 2011. (8/9/11)
The 25th Anniversary of Partners in Policymaking will be celebrated in May 2012 together with the graduation of Minnesota Partners Class 29. Recruitment is underway for Partners in Policymaking Class 29! The Application Booklet with session dates, topics that will be addressed at each weekend session, and FAQs about the Partners program; and the Application itself are available at http://mngts.org/partnersinpolicymaking/index.html. We encourage Minnesotans to review the application materials and consider participating in this 25th Anniversary Year Class of Partners in Policymaking. The Application can be completed online; the deadline for applications is July 22, 2011. (4/12/11)
National Weather Service Flood Warning: http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=mpx&wwa=flood%20warning As Minnesotans prepare for the possibility of flooding in their communities, it is critical that people with disabilities and seniors prepare as well. According to the National Organization on Disability (NOD), "To be better prepared as a nation, we all must do our part to plan for disasters. Individuals with or without disabilities can decrease the impact of a disaster by taking steps to prepare BEFORE an event occurs." Additional information regarding emergency preparedness/personal responsibility and the list of contact numbers for county emergency management directors may also be helpful. You may want to contact them if you have questions regarding your specific area. (3/17/11)
FFY 2011 Training Conferences Cosponsorship Funds Awarded: Fifteen Minnesota organizations were recently awarded cosponsorship funds for training conferences. The conferences provide opportunities for participants to learn about best practices, and develop or strengthen their personal leadership skills. The expectation is that these training experiences will result in increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities and their families. (2/23/11)
An EZ Read version of the "Partners in Employment" online course is now available and can be accessed at www.partnersinpolicymaking.com/employment-ez. This version contains the same information as the regular course along with exercises and exams but uses icons (visuals) to help the reviewer understand concepts and facilitate the learning process. (1/31/11)
The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) has issued its 2010 Annual Report. (1/4/11)
Emergency Planning contains information and resources that people with disabilities, families, service providers, and others can use to become better informed and educated about how to best prepare for a broad range of disaster situations. Being prepared can greatly increase your safety, and your ability to take care of yourself during and immediately after the disaster. (12/21/10)
Survey of Individuals for Five-Year State Plan: The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities is in the process of developing a new Five-year State Plan for FFYs 2012-2016. A survey of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families was recently conducted to identify important issues to be addressed.
Flash (PowerPoint) PDF Text Only
A Survey of Providers was also conducted to learn their opinions about a range of issues including employment, health care, quality assurance, housing, and self advocacy. (12/23/10)
Flash (PowerPoint) PDF Text Only
MarketResponse International also prepared a meta analysis of the customer research studies that have been conducted over the past ten years, studies among people with developmental disabilities and families, businesses, and the general population in Minnesota, and provided recommendations for future research.
The Council's key business results for FFY 2010 (October 1, 2009 - September 30, 2010) are available for review. FlashPaper Format PDF Text (12/7/10)
All Hands On Deck is a biennial Policy Advisory of the Governor's Workforce Development Council (GWDC). The most recent Policy Advisory, issued on November 18, 2010, contains two recommendations for Expanding Work Opportunities for Minnesotans with Disabilities. These recommendations were prepared by an Employment Workgroup of the GWDC. (12/9/10)
The September 2010 issue of The Federal Lawyer includes a section on Disability Law, a profile of United States District Court Judge Donovan Frank, and two articles on disability related topics. (10/5/10)
The Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans recently launched a free online self-study course titled Video Captioning Essentials. This course teaches basic concepts needed to make an informed decision on what tools and resources to use to caption web videos. To learn more about the course visit http://www.mncdhh.org/captioningessentials. The Commission has also recently released an alternative version of Partners in Making Your Case in American Sign Language (ASL). The course can be directly accessed at http://www.mncdhh.org/makingyourcase. (12/13/10)
Document Imaging Training Modules: Based on eight years of experience in learning the concept of document imaging, this series of training modules will help you to learn the "how to's of document imaging," replicate the concept, and promote the employment of individuals with developmental disabilities in scanning/document imaging positions in a wide range of business fields. (10/20/10)
The Partners in Employment online course has been updated and is now available. A new module, "Careers in the Digital Economy" has been added along with references and resources specific to individuals with autism. (10/20/10)
The Partners in Education online course has also been updated. The module on History and Inclusion has been greatly expanded with a heavy focus on the use of technology in schools and 21st Century Digital literacy, and how to incorporate IT literacy knowledge and skills in IEPs. (10/20/10)
The Minnesota Department of Education must prepare an annual Child Count Report that includes the number of special education students by school district with a breakdown by type of disability. Conduct a search of your school district by following these steps. (12/13/10)
The Office of Enterprise (OET), under the leadership of Gopal Khanna, Chief Information Officer, has issued a Policy Directive regarding a new Accessibility Standard that is applicable to all State of Minnesota information systems, tools, and information content. We welcome any compliments or concerns you may have about the accessibility of state government web sites. (9/3/10)
Partners in Making Your Case has been updated and enhanced with new resources and stories, a new look, and a greater emphasis on the concept of community organizing. Comments and feedback are most welcome. (8/26/10)
Milestones in Disability History Since the Enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act: On this 20th Anniversary of the ADA, this timeline includes significant court rulings, federal and state legislation, and events that have advanced the civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities. (8/3/10)
In an interview, US Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun (1908 – 1999) speaks about his impressions of state institutions dating back to the Pennhurst case. (7/16/10)
FFY 2010 Training Conferences Cosponsorship Funds Awarded: Twelve Minnesota organizations were recently awarded cosponsorship funds for training conferences. The conferences provide opportunities for participants to learn about best practices, and develop or strengthen their personal leadership skills. (4/12/10)
Samuel Bagenstos, US Department of Justice, discusses disability and integration from a civil rights perspective and the broad application of the US Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision. (PDF) (3/11/10)
The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) has issued its 2009 Annual Report. (1/12/10)
News Archive:
Past news items can be found on the News Archive PageInclusion Daily Express: Articles from the Inclusion Daily Express Disability Rights News Service
