Children’s mental health dollars folded into new block grant – Efforts need to be made to designate the $20.7 million dollars put into the CCSA block grant for mental health treatment for children and adolescents.

Extended Employment Projects for people with serious and persistent mental illness –To avoid a 33% cut in this program come July 1, 2004, funds should be restored totaling $311,000.

MA-EPD fees increased – Some individuals are feeling hard hit by the changes to this program.  The co-payments, fee for unearned income and new requirement to pay for the Medicare Part B premium has stretched people’s budget to the limit.

Health Care Continuity  – Work on language to assure that people can get continued mental health coverage when they convert to other plans.

Suspension rates for students with an emotional or behavioral disorder – Students are not supposed to be suspended for behavior that is directly related to their disability.  For students who have mental health conditions, they are often suspended anyway.  These students spend much of their time out of school, resulting in them falling even farther behind than their peers.  A disproportionate number of students with an emotional behavioral disorder drop out of school, many of whom end up in the corrections system.

Consumer Directed Community Services (CDCS) – As a consumer directed and consumer driven organization, MCIL will work to ensure that consumers who choose this option will receive the greatest possible menu of services.

Metro Mobility – MCIL will work to ensure a study to address areas where Metro Mobility can be improved; the study conducted in partnership with the Met Council and community advocates.

Housing/Nursing Home Relocation – MCIL will be working with MNCCD and other community partners to ensure the Olmstead decision is fully implemented, and that affordable accessible housing is made available for persons with disabilities who wish to relocate from nursing homes into the community.

Oppose the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights – This proposal seeks to limit the growth of government spending (and thus services for people with disabilities) at all state and local levels. The proposal seeks to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would tie all future spending to a moderate inflation increase and population growth factor. Similar to a model used in Colorado, it would require tax rebates if revenues exceed expenses and cuts in services if revenues were less than expenses. The long-term effect is a reduction of government-supported services rather than a limitation on its growth.

Make schools safer by placing limits on the use of locked time out rooms and police officers – Many schools overuse locked time out rooms for students whose behavior is of concern. Rather than using them as a last resort of a well thought out behavior intervention plan, locked time out is often used as a first (and sometimes only) option. Other schools simply call in police officers to deal with any child who is not behaving appropriately. It is becoming more common for students of all ages to be escorted from the school in handcuffs, for behaviors that are not dangerous or criminal.

Oppose vouchers for students with disabilities. During the 2003 Legislative session, a bill was introduced that would add a voucher component to Minnesota’s Special Education system. A major concern of the Coalition is that the bill would require families who exercise this option to give up the Federal protections to an individual education plan and due process procedures. Parents have not been demanding a bill like this, so one questions its necessity. 

Least-Restrictive Environment.  Ensure that schools continue to serve all students in the least restrictive environments. During the past several legislative sessions, various proposals have been considered that would make it easier for schools to suspend, expel or transfer students. Often these proposals include minimal or no parent involvement. While many of these proposals are directed at students who don’t have disabilities, often times they affect students with disabilities.

Support efforts to improve services and outcomes for children who have mental health disabilities. The children’s mental health system is fragmented and under funded. There is a need to simplify funding systems, improve the capacity to provide crisis assistance, and improve transition services from separate education sites to home schools.  It is essential to improve teacher training in conducting functional behavior assessments and implementing positive behavior intervention plans. Enhanced collaboration between the education system and human service systems is essential.

Ensuring that accountability standards in the Federal No Child Left Behind law apply to Minnesota students with disabilities. No Child Left Behind law seeks to hold schools and teachers responsible for the performance of children. The Coalition believes that such accountability standards should also include students with disabilities. Of particular concern is ensuring that existing laws regarding the participation of students with disabilities in statewide assessments remain unchanged.

Help America Vote Act (HAVA) – Congress has passed legislation that requires every voting precinct to have at least one voting machine accessible to all people by 2006.  Work with the Minnesota Legislature and the Secretary of State to ensure that counties have the financial and technical assistance to make certain that this law becomes reality in its enforcement.

Remembering With Dignity – Minnesota continues to bury people with disabilities in unmarked graves.  Only 3 of 87 counties in Minnesota provide a grave marker with a county funeral.  The state no longer assigns numbers to the graves of wards of the state, now we leave no memorial at all.  A completely unmarked grave.  What are the norms of our civil society and why should wards of the state, many of whom are people with disabilities, be treated with indifference?

Apology – The passage of a public apology by the legislature to all people committed to Minnesota state institutions who were mistreated in many ways, will again be an important piece of Remembering With Dignity’s legislative agenda. It is time that the state publicly acknowledge that the institutional treatment received by many people with disabilities as a result of state policies has been unjust and a violation of our civil rights.  A public apology will help with healing and assure that our state will not return to inhumane treatments of the past.

Seatbelts – Make a seatbelt violation a primary offence.

Lower The BAC Standard – Lower the DWI blood alcohol standard from .10 to .08 percent.

Presenters and/or Organizations Contributing to the Roundtable Booklet