JUNE 2021

News from DHS archive

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

In Minnesota and throughout the world, the abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of elders and vulnerable adults are still under-recognized and mostly unspoken problems. Please contact the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center at 1-844-880-1574 if you suspect an older adult is being abused, neglected or financially exploited. Call 911 first if you are reporting an emergency that requires immediate assistance from law enforcement, fire department or an ambulance. Learn more about elder abuse at mn.gov/dhs/adult-protection.

Odyssey’s “2021 Legislative session updates” webinar

The Minnesota Age & Disabilities Odyssey virtual conference continues this month with a “2021 Legislative Session updates” webinar. Get an overview of the legislative session and implications for programs and services for people with disabilities and older adults. This third of four webinars takes place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 20. Register by 4 p.m. Thursday, July 15.

More information and links to register for the free webinar series, offered by DHS and the Minnesota Board on Aging, is available on the Odyssey conference website. 

ADA 31st Anniversary Celebration

Text: Celebrating Resilience! ADA 31 (1990-2021) Americans with Disabilities Act July 26, 2021. www.CelebrateADAMN.com for details

You're invited! Celebration and inspiration rule the day as we mark the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on Monday, July 26, from noon to 1:30 p.m. This free, online event will feature informative, engaging and entertaining speakers and performances that will uplift and inspire you.
For more information and to register online, visit: https://celebrateadamn.com/ada-31-event-information/.

In social media

Posted June 20 on the DHS Facebook page: People with refugee status play a vital role in moving Minnesota forward, bringing new talents, skills and ideas that help sustain Minnesota’s economic and cultural vitality. Governor Tim Walz recently proclaimed June as Refugee Recognition Month, stating that “refugees in Minnesota have a tenacity that strengthens the future of our state.” On this #WorldRefugeeDay, as designated by the United Nations General Assembly, we celebrate the courage, resilience and entrepreneurship of Minnesota’s refugees. Learn how Minnesota supports refugees at mn.gov/dhs/partners-and-providers/program-overviews/refugee-resettlement/. To see more posts like this and for timely updates on DHS news and events, follow DHS on Twitter and Facebook.

Get email updates

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.

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Statement on ACA ruling

Commissioner Jodi Harpstead joined other state officials in issuing a statement about the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 17 ruling to uphold the Affordable Care Act. It read in part: 

“Today, the United States Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the Affordable Care Act. This is a huge relief for the hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans who get health care coverage through the law - whether from Medicaid or MinnesotaCare, or if they purchase health insurance through MNsure."

Read the full statement: 
www.mnsure.org/news-room/news/index.jsp?id=34-485844

In the news

Expansion of food benefits to youngest Minnesotans supports overall health, wellness

More than most people, Tikki Brown, DHS assistant commissioner for children and family services, understands the importance of expanding food aid to the state’s youngest residents. Read more about the new Pandemic EBT benefit, available to some 81,000 Minnesota children age 5 and younger, in a June 16 MinnPost article.

Más recursos disponibles de salud mental para niños en las escuelas este verano 

Governor Tim Walz’s summer learning plan includes a one-time allocation of $6.1 million for School-Linked Mental Health grants to support more than 8,000 students in over 1,100 public schools across Minnesota this summer. DHS translated a short article on the grants that ran July 1 in La Matraca News, a publication aimed at Minnesota’s Latino community.

An English version of the article was published in Red Lake Nation News.

KIDS COUNT: Minnesota ranks third overall, but fault lines in systems exacerbated by pandemic; Black, indigenous and children of color experience vast disparities in outcomes

Minnesota ranked third among states for overall child well-being, improving in health and education rankings but falling in the Family and Community domain from 2020, according to the latest edition of the national 2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Read more in Insight News.

DHS fact sheets updated

Northstar Care for Children: Encouraging safe, permanent homes for children (PDF)

Child protection in Minnesota: Keeping children safe (PDF)

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps people with low incomes buy food (PDF)