Precinct caucuses are coming up on Tuesday, Feb. 7, and are an excellent and easy way to get involved as a disability advocate. Precinct caucuses are meetings organized by political parties to begin the process of selecting candidates for the 2012 election and deciding on policy positions to shape the party platform.

Who can go to the caucus?

To attend your caucus you need to live in your precinct and be eligible to vote by Nov. 6, 2012. Also, you will need to choose which party you would like to be affiliated with.

Why should I attend?

This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors, support issues and candidates and introduce resolutions that become part of your party’s platform. You even have the opportunity to be a delegate and move on to the next level of your party’s caucus system.

Where is my caucus?

To find the location of your precinct caucus, visit the Secretary of State Website.

What’s all this talk about resolutions?

There will be a time during the caucus agenda when the precinct chair will ask for resolutions. A resolution is a policy or idea that you can recommend that your party adopts to be part of its platform for the year. Introducing a resolution related to disability issues at a caucus can be a great way for disability advocates to raise awareness about disability issues. If there is disagreement about your resolution the precinct chair will facilitate a debate. It is smart to arrive early to discuss your resolution with neighbors, and remember to bring copies to share with other attendees. Click here to be brought to the advocacy section of MN-CCD’s website where we have a sample disability focused precinct caucus resolution that you can use at your caucus.

Where can I learn more?

To learn more about precinct caucuses, visit this helpful page on the Secretary of State’s webpage.

Tuesday January 17th 2012, 3:00 – 5:00 pm

The Center for Changing Lives, 2400 Park Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Have you always wanted to learn more about MN-CCD’s “Tuesdays at the Capitol” – a weekly opportunity during the legislative session for disability advocates to communicate with their legislators at the capitol?

 Are you a self-advocate, family member, friend or professional in the disability community interested in attending a “Tuesday at the Capitol” this session, on your own or with a group?

You are invited to join MN-CCD for our first annual Grassroots Action Session Kick – Off.  On Tuesday January 17^th, join MN-CCD’s grassroots action leaders for a mock “Tuesday at the Capitol”, were we will:

- Review how to prepare for and what to expect on a “Tuesday at the Capitol”

- Model a typical “Tuesday at the Capitol”, including providing updates on current legislative issues impacting the disability community  as well as a brief training on how to effectively communicate with your legislators

- Model a legislative meeting using the resources provided at every “Tuesday at the Capitol” 

The 2012 legislative session is just around the corner, and we will soon need the collective voice of the entire disability community at the capitol.  Whether you’re planning to come to the capitol on your own or while supporting a group, don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn how “Tuesdays at the Capitol” can make communicating with your legislators easy and effective.

Please RSVP by emailing denafelper@arcgreatertwincities.org or by calling 952 920 0855 by January 13^th. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information, contact Anni at asimons@arcmn.org

With the seemingly constant stream of bad financial news we have seen lately in regards to MN and the nation- it was a pleasant surprise today to learn that Minnesota’s economists forecast a budget surplus of $876 million for the rest of the two-year budget cycle.

How did this come to pass? The 2011 fiscal year closed with revenues $358 million higher than expected and expenditures $205 million below previous forecasts. With projected revenues for the 2012-13 biennium expected to be relatively unchanged and projected expenditures anticipated to be $348 million less, this will yield a projected $876 million balance. Much of the expenditure reductions are from changes made in the area of Health and Human Services, particularly enrollment and cost trends in the state’s Medical Assistance programs.

This news comes after a four-year string of budget deficits in Minnesota. February 2007 was the last time that economists announced a projected surplus for the state, and that was around $1 billion. Since then, a sequence of shortfalls has drained reserves, forced reductions to almost every state service and caused elected leaders to borrow from public schools and private lenders. This surplus triggers a long-standing state statute which will direct the balance to the state’s cash flow account ($255 million) and the budget reserve ($621 million). If the surplus had been larger, the current statutes would have directed the additional dollars to buy-back the K-12 education shift. Despite these laws, we could still see a fight between the GOP legislature and DFL governor over how and whether to spend the surplus.

Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner, Jim Schowalter had the following to say today on the surplus news: “This is obviously good news and a helpful break from recurring budget gaps. It’s also a reminder that Minnesota still has some significant strengths – above average economic performance and the discipline to quickly stabilize its finances. Future risk remains, but at least we now have a cushion.”

We will know much more when the February forecast is released in early 2012, as it is this forecast that is used for budgeting. However for the time being the state surplus is welcomed news for the disability community, given the extent to which disability services have been cut in past years to address state budget deficits.

- Christian Knights, Courage Center

1)     Monday, Dec. 5, 9:00am – Noon: Stakeholder Meeting for the Minnesota Medicaid Reform Waiver. Minnesota Department of Human Services, Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building, Room 2380, 540 Cedar Street, St. Paul. Agenda: Opening remarks by Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson; Waiver project overview and timelines by State Medicaid Director David Godfrey; Presentations of specific projects (employment supports, housing supports, redesign of long – term care, enrollee cost sharing/incentives and dual eligible planning grant). Questions, comments and suggestions, please call (651)-431-2191 or email quitina.cook@state.mn.us.

2)     The Minnesota State Legislature has directed the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to apply for any necessary federal authority to implement a more restrictive nursing facility level of care (NF LOC) standard. Three HCBS Waivers use this NF LOC assessment: the CADI Waiver, The Brain Injury (BI) Waiver and The Elderly Waiver (EW). A 30-day public comment period on this federal application (referred to as the Long-Term Care Realignment Section 1115 Medicaid Waiver) began Nov. 28th, 2011 and will run through Dec. 28th, 2011. Background documents on this proposed change can be found here. The “Draft Long Term Care Waiver Realignment Proposal – Nov 2011” document contains information on the specifics of the proposed NF LOC standard, as well as information on the alternative services that may be available to those individuals who no longer meet the new NF LOC standard (if Minnesota’s waiver application is approved by the federal government). MN-CCD members are encouraged to submit comments during this 30-day public comment period by mailing written comments to Jan Kooistra, Minnesota Department of Human Services, P.O. Box 64983, St. Paul, MN 55164-0983.

Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis 

The 2011 Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill requires persons with disabilities under age 65 who have Medical Assistance fee-for-service coverage to be automatically enrolled in a managed care plan unless they take specific action to opt out. The choice of what plan to choose or whether to opt out and to stay in fee-for-service is a big decision and letters are already being sent out to individuals and families about this issue.

The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities would like to invite you to learn about your options at a free forum so you can make an informed decision. The forum will include:

• The Minnesota Department of Human Services will explain the change and implications

• The Disability Linkage Line will explain the assistance they can provide to you

• Medica, UCare, and the Metropolitan Health Plan will have representatives present to explain their programs

Space is limited – please RSVP by emailing denafelper@arcgreatertwincities.org or by calling 952 920 0855 by December 9^th.

For more information, contact Anni at asimons@arcmn.org

Filed under: Public Policy ]]> http://mnccd.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/register-for-event-managed-care-expansion-for-minnesotans-with-disabilities/feed/ 0 mnccd http://mnccd.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/judge-issues-temporary-restraining-order-preventing-state-from-moving-forward-with-20-relative-pca-wage-cut/ http://mnccd.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/judge-issues-temporary-restraining-order-preventing-state-from-moving-forward-with-20-relative-pca-wage-cut/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:52:59 +0000 mnccd http://mnccd.wordpress.com/?p=686 Continue reading »]]> Many of you are likely aware of the provision that was passed this last legislative session which cuts by 20% the wages paid to individuals who provide PCA care to a relative. This provision went into effect on Oct. 1^st. Since the provision was passed last session, many disability advocacy organizations have been working to connect those individuals impacted with their legislators to share the realities of what this cut means for Minnesotans with disability and their families. In addition to this grassroots advocacy work, a group of PCA provider organizations and impacted individuals brought forth a lawsuit challenging the legality of this provision. The lawsuit was filed in mid-October, and while an overall ruling on the lawsuit is likely weeks or months away, on October 26^th a Ramsey County Judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order preventing the state from moving forward with implementation of this cut until further developments regarding the lawsuit unfold. MPR and other media outlets have covered this development. Stay tuned for more updates on this issue in the near future. The Star Tribune also has a story in today’s paper exploring the impacts of many of the changes to Health and Human Services programs that were passed this last session.

-  MN-CCD