July 2019

News from DHS archive

Celebrating 29th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act

Members of the DHS Employees with Disabilities Employee Resource Group and DHS Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division staff joined advocates, community organizations and other state agencies to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act  on Friday, July 26, at Hamline University. The event included a panel facilitated by Deputy Commissioner Claire Wilson, plus art, refreshments and music from Gaelynn Lea, winner of the 2016 NPR Tiny Desk Contest. Pictured from left to right: Christina Ploessl, Alex Jackson Nelson, Peter Beierwaltes (ERG co-chair), Wendy Plager.

Advocates for elders, people with disabilities honored

Advocates who work with older Minnesotans and Minnesotans with disabilities were recognized at the 2019 Age & Disabilities Odyssey Conference in Duluth on Aug. 1. The Age & Disabilities Odyssey Awards recognize outstanding efforts to bring possibilities to life for older adults and people with disabilities. Read more in a news release.

First opioid prescribing reports go to Minnesota health care providers

More than 16,000 Minnesota health care providers serving Minnesotans on Medicaid and MinnesotaCare are receiving reports comparing their opioid prescribing rates to those of their peers as part of a quality improvement effort led by the Department of Human Services in collaboration with the medical community. Read more in a news release.

In social media

Disability employment dashboards win Innovation Award

DHS Disability Services Division is a winner of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs State Government Innovation Awards for the Employment First dashboards. The dashboards show local and statewide progress toward fulfilling Minnesota's Employment First policy to deliver meaningful employment, fair wages and career advancement for people with disabilities.

Read more about this year's awards in a July 10 Humphrey School news release and check out the dashboards on the DHS website.

To see more posts like this and for timely updates on DHS news and events, follow DHS on Twitter and Facebook.

DHS in the community

DHS staff tour Center of Excellence. Children and Family Services Assistant Commissioner Nikki Farago and other DHS staff in late July visited the Center of Excellence, a child care and early education center in Minneapolis. Many of the families the center serves are experiencing homelessness or transitioning out of homelessness. For these families, the Child Care Assistance Program is pivotal in helping them get back on their feet.

In the news

Links to some news articles about DHS during July:

• Good Question: What Is The History Behind Minnesota’s Somali-American Community?
• 'Toughest' job in government? Wheelock on what's next at DHS (audio)
• Who is Pam Wheelock? Gov. Walz lands proven leader to temporarily lead DHS
• ‘People are desperate’: Walz holds roundtable to discuss Minnesota's limited rural child care
• Minnesota opioid deaths decreased in 2018. Has state turned the corner in drug battle?
• Minnesota launches landmark opioid response law

For accessible formats of this publication or assistance with additional equal access to human services, write to dhs.communications@state.mn.us, call 651-431-2911, or use your preferred relay service.