New home
Central office move
The Arc Minnesota has moved to the Griggs Midway Building at University and Fairview Avenue in St. Paul. The new street address is 641 Fairview Ave N Suite 195, St Paul. The building has a small parking lot off of Fairview near Charles Avenue and a larger lot accessed from Fairview to the north. The front parking lot has two ADA parking spots. The office has a gender-neutral single-stall bathroom, automatic door openers and a dedicated sensory-friendly space. FFI: Carson Borgstrom, carsonborgstrom@arcminnesota.org
Children and families
PACER Center workshops sampling
Many useful free or low-cost workshops and other resources are available for families of children with any disabilities. In-person and online and live-streamed re-offered workshops are offered. Advance registration is required for all workshops. At least 48 hours’ notice is needed for interpretation. Check out PACER’s website and link to the newsletter of statewide workshops that allows participants to pick and choose sessions designed for their needs. Access Press only provides a sampling of the many workshops offered.
Life Planning Series : Part 1 – Special and Supplemental Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts, 6:30-8 p.m. May 2. Focus on power of attorney, health care directives, maintaining eligibility for government benefits, special and supplemental needs trusts, and ABLE Accounts.
Housing – Starting the Journey : Step Three – What Are the Options? 6:30-9 p.m. May 8. Hear a detailed explanation of individualized housing and service options from parents, young adults, and housing providers as they share their journeys through the process.
Life Planning Series : Part 2 – Supported Decision-making and Guardianship is 6:30-8 p.m. May 9. The workshop will address the consideration and purpose of supported decision-making and guardianship, with a focus on the details of the legal procedures and a discussion about both short and long-term planning.
Choosing Reading Tools to Match Reading Material is 4-5 p.m. May 15. Reading can be challenging for many with reading disabilities and visual impairments. Learn how to match reading tools to the type of reading material. Tools include auditory and visual modifications.
Build a Sensory Space: DIY Options to Create a Sensory Room is 2-3:15 p.m. May 10. Learn easy DIY options that can be used to create sensory rooms or spaces. Offered virtually and at PACER Center.
FFI: PACER, 952-838-9000, 800-537-2237, www.pacer.org
Info & Assistance
Many classes available
NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has free and in-person online mental health classes. Choices include Hope for Recovery, Transitions, Ending the Silence, Understanding Early Episode Psychosis for Families, In Our Own Voice, Family to Family, Positive Psychology, Creating Caring Communities, smoking cessation, a suicide prevention class called QPR – Question, Persuade and Refer, a special QPR class for Agricultural Communities and many more.
NAMI Minnesota’s Online Support Groups moved to a new and improved platform, HeyPeers. HeyPeers provides a safe, easy to access environment for online support group meetings.
The classes and online support groups are designed for family members and caregivers, persons living with a mental illness, service providers, and also the general public. Find a complete listing of these classes and how to join in by going to namimn.org and clicking on “Classes”.
Grants
Two AT grants available
LiveLife Therapy Solutions and Lighthouse Center for Technology in Bloomington, have two assistive technology grants available through March 2024. AT for Wellness and Tech for Connectivity are designed to help people who currently receive HCBS waiver services to obtain equipment and connectivity to help them access telehealth and/or for social engagement. Examples include access to online classes, educational programs, work related activities, community engagement, and remote healthcare appointments. Grants can help with purchasing Internet services and equipment that is denied by waiver or cannot be covered, like tablets and computers, to allow people to access telehealth services. Equipment and setup help are also available. FFI: 952-921-8334, sue@livelifetherapysolutions.com; https://livelifetherapysolutions.com/at4w-referrals; lcfvl.org
