Minnesota Olmstead Implementation Office

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s flagship suicide prevention education program Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention is being offered this Thursday, November 21. The presentation will cover what research has found to be the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, and the strategies that prevent it. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gvsnbpbb

Help Ramsey County Public Works continue to improve accessibility! Attend a participatory open house on November 19 to learn about and share feedback on Public Works’ draft ADA Transition Plan. This event is at Rondo Community Library and will include free pizza and supervised kids activities. There will also be interpretation services for Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Karen, Oromo and ASL. Learn more: ramseycounty.us/pw-ada

Help Ramsey County Public Works continue to improve accessibility! Attend a participatory open house on November 19 to learn about and share feedback on Public Works’ draft ADA Transition Plan. This event is at Rondo Community Library and will include free pizza and supervised kids activities. There will also be interpretation services for Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Karen, Oromo and ASL. Learn more: ramseycounty.us/pw-ada

Yesterday some of our staff attended the Advocating Change Together Disability Power Day! During the event the 2023-2024 Olmstead Academy class presented on their final integration projects. Project topics included voting, inclusive books, person-centered planning, and more!

The next Olmstead Leadership Forum is Wednesday, November 20, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Leadership Forum members are people who work for state agencies and councils that work on the Olmstead Plan. Members of the public are welcome to observe this virtual meeting. There will be ASL and CART captioning. The November meeting will include presentations and reports from community engagement efforts from the last six months. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gT3V9VqD

Yesterday our director attended the Minnesota Gathering for Person-Centered Practices in Cloquet! The Gathering is an annual event to learn how person-centered thinkers are planning, providing, and organizing services rooted in listening to what people want and empowering them to live in their communities based on their choices. Aisha had a great time connecting with other attendees including Emma Shepard, Self-Advocacy Specialist from Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care in the picture below.

Our Director Aisha Elmquist had a great time attending the Access Press Awards earlier this month! Learn more about Access Press, their annual event, and this year's award winners: https://bit.ly/3URXOwL

Yesterday a few OIO staff members had a great time visiting the Art of Disability Justice Now exhibition at the Mill City Museum! The Art of Disability Justice Now is a community-led exhibition that is curated and organized by local disabled artists, activists, and organizers. It is in the lobby of the museum and free to visit. It will be up until January 5, 2025. You can learn more about the exhibition and do a virtual tour at: https://lnkd.in/grgvc8Cw

Two of our staff members attended the Prairie Island Health Fair last week. They had a great time connecting with people and sharing coloring sheets, stickers, buttons, cold packs, and information on the Olmstead Plan!

Metro Mobility customers and advocates are invited to join a community conversation to share their experirences and ideas for improvement. Attend either an in-person community conversation on Thursday, November 14, at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, or an online conversation Thursday, November 21. Register: https://bit.ly/3BR7a5p