Message From the Executive Director David Dively
July is Disability Pride Month! The Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD) advocates for state and federal government to recognize the month. The recognition would elevate the cultural and social aspects of disability in Minnesota and the United States.
Pride in having a disability may surprise some readers. They may focus on the ways disabilities can impact our lives - sometimes in significant ways. But beyond the impact disability is a part of our identity, a part of who we are. Join us as we recognize, not just a part of ourselves, but our whole selves.
We also recognize people with rare diseases are part of the disability community. MCD is proud to announce that the Rare Disease Advisory Council (RDAC) is now a state agency supported by MCD in its operations.
As an agency, we are proud to support RDAC in its advocacy for improved health outcomes and better employment opportunities. As the executive director, I am honored to introduce you to their executive director, Erica Barnes.
MCD Welcomes the Rare Disease Advisory Council
Erica Barnes, Executive Director MN Rare Disease Advisory Council
When people hear the term “rare disease” they understandably assume that this affects only a small number of people. And while that is true for individual diseases, when the over 7,000 rare diseases are considered collectively, they affect a sizable portion of the population. The Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council (RDAC) was created to identify and address common barriers to care that people living with a rare disease face when seeking diagnosis, navigating the healthcare, and looking for effective treatment. This despite differences in diagnoses.
As shown in a recent survey commissioned by RDAC, individuals with rare diseases are often overlooked in healthcare. This leads to a number of healthcare disparities in this large population. RDAC envisions a future where every Minnesotan living with a rare disease has access to a timely diagnosis; expert and coordinated care; and individualized treatment, management, and support throughout their life.
Our ability to diagnose and treat rare diseases increases at a stunning rate. However, policy to ensure diagnostics and treatments are available to everyone still lags. In the Minnesota Council on Disability, the Rare Disease Advisory Council found a partner to support and foster our mission. That mission: to be a resource for improved rare disease care and to ensure such care is accessible to all.
MCD’s Exceptional Advocate Award
The Minnesota Council on Disability Exceptional Advocate award goes to citizen advocates and legislators who do notable work for people with disabilities. Members of the community nominated each recipient with a brief description.
We thank these Exceptional Advocates for their dedication to disability rights, accessibility, and inclusion.
MCD Returns to the Minnesota State Fair!
MCD is returning to the State Fair this year. We want to bring the disability community together to showcase how its members embrace Disability Pride. People can express Disability Pride in diverse ways. That might be stories of hardship or of success – or anything between.
Commissioners, legislators, and partner organizations will also appear with us at the Fair. Stop by our booth to visit with:
-
Disability Hub MN,
-
Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities,
-
The Autism Society of Minnesota
-
Commission of the Deaf, Deafblind, & Hard of Hearing,
Take the Eliminating Subminimum Wage Survey
The Task Force on Eliminating Subminimum Wages wants to hear your ideas. What would people with disabilities, their families, and people who serve them would need if subminimum wage ended in Minnesota?.
The task force has asked Public Sector Consultants (PSC) to collect feedback from people who would be affected if subminimum wage ends. This survey is one way PSC is gathering information. .
Join the ADA 32nd Anniversary Celebration!
Accessible adventures await!
On July 26, the ADA 32nd Anniversary event will celebrate that “Minnesota has more to explore.” The 90-minute virtual event – from 12 noon to 1:30 pm – will showcase a variety of accessible programs, activities, and facilities that offer a range of options to explore the great outdoors (some even from indoors!). After more than two long years of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, the ADA Anniversary Planning Committee organized a celebration that will help us reconnect with one another and nature in new and exciting ways.
Join this informative and fun event to learn about a variety of organizations, state agencies, and others that offer a range of accessible adventures across our state. The event is free and open to the public.
The following accommodations will be provided: CART, ASL, and Audio Description. Spanish, Somali, and Hmong language interpretation will also be provided.
|
