This past December, at the Department of Education, the Olmstead Implementation Office (OIO) held its bimonthly meeting. Subcabinet members and Dr. Darlene Zangara, Executive Director of the OIO, presented updates, the highlights of the bimonthly report, and plans for the coming year.

The primary focus was to ensure everything was set to present the most updated, 250+ page report to the designated court monitor. Subcabinet members emphasized the importance of inter-agency coordination, community engagement, and accountability. Dr. Zangara shared charts highlighting the progress of moving people with disabilities away from remaining institutions. Testimonies of three individuals that Hammer has supported in moves to independent, apartment settings were included. They added a personal and human element to the report.

Another topic of conversation was the choosing of a quality of life assessment tool. The OIO and the subcabinet create plans and guidelines they think will work for the state and disability community; however, they acknowledged the importance of gathering baseline information and firsthand input from those who live with disabilities. The proposed tool comes from the Center for Outcome Analysis, but many questions, such as cost, ease of use, and method of data collection, were left on the table. The OIO and subcabinet agreed that an assessment tool should be introduced after these are answered.

Updates on the state’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) program and its respective five year transition plan were also shared. With the introduction of 245D and changes to the Disability Waiver Rate System, Minnesota is nearing the end of year one of this five year plan. More input is needed from providers and individuals with disabilities to make sure program changes focus on the individual as opposed to a specified setting. A report was scheduled for submission at the end of 2014, and by 2016 those leading the way hope to move from the planning phase to application.

Two things were very clear to me following this meeting – this will be a long process that will require attention from all of those in the disability services industry, and we still have the opportunity to provide valuable input.

Minnesota’s Olmstead Implementation Plan officially began in January of 2012 as a settlement of the Jensen v. MN Department of Human Services case that began in 2009. The US Supreme Court ruled that the state of Minnesota needed to come up with their own Olmstead Plan to provide services to people with disabilities in the “most integrated settings” appropriate to their needs. In 2013 Governor Dayton officially formed a subcabinet for the committee. An initial report was submitted in October of 2013 but was denied by a federal judge for being vague and not measurable. The OIO and subcabinet have continued to edit and better define the state’s plan, but they recognize the work that still needs to be done. The final report for 2014 was submitted on Friday, December 19. The subcabinet’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2015 from 3:00-5:00pm (location TBD).

Pictured above are the three self-advocates whose testimonies were shared during the meeting. Amy moved to her own apartment last October, Anthony successfully advocated for a move to his own apartment and Katie Jo has made remarkable progress to improve her overall health since moving to an apartment. Click on each individual’s name to read their personal stories.

The post Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan: An Update appeared first on Hammer.

In my 24 years at Hammer in the maintenance department, I have watched many of those we support grow up – many who have become like a family to me. It’s an honor for me to provide those we support with a place they are proud to call home, a home for a lifetime.

As those we support and their homes age, we’re doing more home improvement projects than ever before to provide a safe home environment in our 36 homes and 10 apartment programs. Some of these projects are in the budget; others are added because of a crisis. Financial gifts to the Home Improvement Fund are budget relieving and make it possible for us to react quickly.

The rainiest spring ever caused wet basements and water damage. Retaining walls were built in a few homes with water issues to (hopefully!) prevent future flooding.

At our Kentucky home in Plymouth, there were some unexpected health developments that caused us to do a full home remodel, quickly, for the safety of those in the home. An elevator was added to allow access to both levels of the home, roll in shower and wall mounted sinks were installed to accommodate wheelchairs in the bathroom, and more than 750 square feet of space was added to give the home a more open, accessible floor plan, allowing easy access to everyone in the home. All this remodeling was done while those who live in the home were at work, an average of five and a half hours a day with minimal disruption.

Sometimes a full home remodel like Kentucky is not structurally possible, and that’s when we have to look at purchasing a new home. This summer we replaced a split level home in Minnetonka (Sumac) with a home in Eden Prairie to better fit the four women who live in the home. It has a more open floor plan and can accommodate the installation of an elevator, if needed. Like any new home, we had to make changes there too, installing new doors for our keyless entry system and bringing the deck up to code.

This year we have installed gutter guards and replaced carpet with vinyl flooring (for increased accessibility/mobility of wheelchairs and easier maintenance). We have replaced drafty windows, leaky roofs, and older vinyl siding with maintenance free, insulated steel siding.

Soon we will be doing two kitchen remodels to improve accessibility and safety for those who live and work in the home. We will be making a couple bathrooms more accessible by installing a roll-in shower, a freedom tub and a wall hanging sink. There will of course be an unexpected project or two that will come up and throw a wrench into our plans.

And that’s okay, because with your support, we will take care of it.

The post Making a House (or Apartment) a Home appeared first on Hammer.

Christie’s graduation from Irondale High School

We are grandparents and guardians to Christie Hanson who lives at Hammer’s Avana apartment program. Christie is our very special grandchild (we have nine!) and is presently as happy as she has ever been. In fact, Christie keeps reminding us that she never wants to move.

We know Christie quite well, since she lived with us for most of the first twenty years of her life. We had tried a couple of providers when it seemed Christie was ready for a new living situation.

However, we were not very happy and neither was Christie. We had heard the name Hammer Residences as being a really great provider for people with challenges. We looked at the website and were quite impressed by what the organization was all about.

Christie (back row, right) out biking with new friends from Avana

Through prayer, patience and a lot of nagging, we finally were able to meet with folks from Hammer and learn more about the programs available to Christie. It was suggested that Christie would be a good fit in one of the independent living, apartment programs. After some discussion, we all decided this would be the right thing to do. The rest of the experience, as the saying goes, “is history” – good history!

In the seven months Christie has been with Hammer, her growth, thanks to the guidance her staff has provided, has been awesome. We have never been associated with such a fine group of dedicated people. We are so thankful for the wonderful care and support the staff provide those who are served by Hammer every single day. Needless to say, it gives old grandparents like us real peace of mind. We know in our hearts that as Christie grows and her needs change, Hammer will be there with and for her, guiding her growth and needs in the best direction possible.

On our wedding day, 60 years ago

Aside from Christie’s successes, we are also very fortunate to be celebrating our 60^th wedding anniversary this year. So when our kids asked us what we would like, our response was that they all please make a gift to Hammer. We want to help with the wonderful work they do and show our appreciation to all the Hammer staff for their kindness and understanding they provide to our granddaughter.

It gives us peace of mind and we could not be more grateful.

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