ARRM News and Public Relations

Hammer Residences, Inc. names John Estrem as new CEO

WAYZATA, MINNESOTA, January 27, 2012 - Hammer Residences, Inc. has selected John Estrem as its new CEO. This appointment follows the unexpected passing last August of Tim Nelson who had served as the organization’s leader since 1998. In Nelson’s absence, Lisbeth Armstrong has acted as Interim CEO at Hammer. Armstrong will resume her position as the Director of Program Services when Estrem begins his responsibilities as CEO on February 21, 2012. 

“Our diligent search process led us to an exciting choice in John Estrem,” said Jon Matejcek, Hammer Board President. “His business acumen and experience in advocacy, fundraising and public affairs are what Hammer needs right now. John’s experience will be an excellent complement to the quality and operational expertise already in place at Hammer.”

Estrem’s background includes 24 years of commitment to local social service organizations. As CEO for Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Estrem led 550 people and 42 different programs serving families in crisis and managed a $36 million operating budget. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of Episcopal Community Services, a multi-service social services agency in Minneapolis.

"Joining Hammer is a great honor for me,” said Estrem. “I worked as a direct support professional early in my career. I have always held in my thoughts that I might return to this field and support people with developmental disabilities once again.”

“John’s passion for our mission was evident at our first meeting. His dedication to serve and to provide exemplary services closely mirrors mine and that of all of our employees. I look forward to working with him as we begin a new chapter at Hammer,” said Armstrong.

Estrem is a servant leader with a passion for advocacy. He has significant leadership experience in operational effectiveness, fundraising, public affairs, volunteer management and working with boards of directors. Estrem began his academic career at St. Cloud State University studying special education; he completed his undergraduate work at St. Thomas University. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Divinity from St. Paul Seminary and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

“My vision is to continue a legacy of service in the disability services field unmatched in Minnesota,” said Estrem. “Since Alvina Hammer founded this organization in 1923, this organization has held a unique place in the hearts and minds of Minnesotans. Hammer is a community that breathes life into words like ‘respecting an individual’s abilities and realizing dreams.’ It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to work side by side with the men and women who have made Hammer the thriving organization it is today.”

Hammer is a nonprofit organization with a passion for providing quality services for adults and children with developmental disabilities. Founded in 1923, it was one of only two Minnesota organizations at that time to offer people with disabilities the opportunity to thrive in a school and home setting. Hammer supports 275 individuals in both residential and in-home settings, and more than 500 individuals through customized support services. It manages 36 residential sites and runs 9 apartment programs throughout the western suburbs of the Twin Cities. Hammer has 443 dedicated employees and 550 active volunteers.

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ARRM kicks off the 2012 session with 2 new advocacy tools

ARRM has created two new documents to support disability advocates in your grassroots efforts this session. As ARRM continues to talk about re-designing the disability system, you can use these tools to  educate yourself about the legislative process, and others about the value of the work you do.

MINNESOTA’S LEGISLATURE: A Session Primer

ARRM’s session primer is a tool created to teach grassroots advocates about how the state legislature works. Our hope is that staff, family members, and self-advocates will use this tool to learn about the process at the state capitol and therefore feel more comfortable advocating for disability issues. You can access the primer here.

A Day in the Life of a DSP story telling tool

The most compelling component of grassroots advocacy is your personal story. ARRM has put together a document to make telling your story even easier. A Day in the Life of a DSP aims to educate legislators about a DSP's important work, and how recent budget cuts have affected your day-to-day activities. Fill out this document and bring it with you to ARRM’s Day at the Capitol, mail it to your legislator, or give it to them during a site visit. A Day in the Life of a DSP can be found here.

Special election results and precinct caucuses

ARRM would also like to remind you that five new legislators began their terms this session. If you live in any of the districts listed below, please introduce yourself to your new legislator -- by phone, email, or letter --  and tell them about the impact of past budget cuts. Use ARRM's storytelling tools (like the Day in the Life of a DSP above) and grassroots messages to help formulate your story. We would also like to remind you that precinct caucuses are coming up on February 7. To locate your caucus, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s precinct caucus finder.

Senator Mary Jo McGuire (D-66)
Sen.Maryjo.Mcguire@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
State Office Building, Rm 23
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-5537

Senator Jeff Hayden (D-61)
Sen.Jeff.Hayden@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
State Office Building, Rm 151
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 396-4261

Senator Chris Eaton (D-46)
Sen.Chris.Eaton@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
State Office Building, Rm 21
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-8869

Senator Kari Dziedzic (D-59)
Sen.Kari.Dzidzic@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
State Office Building, Rm 27
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-7809

Representative Susan Allen (D-61B)
Rep.Susan.Allen@house.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
State Office Building, Rm 289
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-7152

--Sara Grafstrom, Director of Advocacy and Community Relations

Advocacy update: Get ready for January 24th legislative session

The 2012 Legislative Session is just under two weeks away, with the second half of the 2011-2013 biennium beginning on Tuesday, January 24. ARRM is eager to continue its work with legislators reforming, rebalancing, and reshaping our state’s disability system. Grassroots advocates are critical to this work, and ARRM's advocacy program, which has become a cornerstone of ARRM’s legislative efforts, will continue to grow and expand.

To support your grassroots efforts, ARRM has developed a myriad of tools and resources for members.

Messages

As in previous years, ARRM has created new grassroots messages for this session. We realize that direct support professionals have a different story to tell than family members, and self-advocates have a different story than upper-level management. With that in mind, we have unique grassroots messages for each constituency. You can find these messages in ARRM’s Advocacy Arsenal located here.

Tools

Also in the Advocacy Arsenal, you will find tool kits and templates to help you craft and tell your story.

Time and again we hear from legislators that personal stories are the most effective way to put a human face on a complicated issue. That's why we ask that you do one more thing than you did last year: contact your legislator by phone, email, or letter, or invite them to a program site to see firsthand the work you do every day. To find your legislator you can visit the state’s district finder tool by clicking here.

Communications

Word from the Capitol is that the 2012 session will be short. To stay up-to-date as things move quickly through the legislature, visit our advocacy calendar and follow us on Twitter.

Events

Mark March 1, 2012 on your calendars as ARRM’s Day at the Capitol. The rally in the Rotunda begins at 10:30 a.m., and once again, we'll set up meetings with your legislators on your behalf. Look for more information and registration early next week.

Last year we have almost 1,000 people registered to attend our Day at the Capitol, and we're hoping to meet and surpass that number this year. We're also hosting a MN-CCD "Tuesday at the Capitol" on March 27, so attend that event too if can you can.

Training

Finally, the Minnesota Council of Non-Profits (MCN) will offer a variety of workshops on the rules related to nonprofit advocacy and the upcoming legislative session. Visit MCN's website to learn more about advocacy training around the state.

--Sara Grafstrom, Director of Advocacy and Community Relations

ARRM Cares nomination deadline is next week

Hurry! Next Tuesday, January 17^th, is the deadline to nominate your staff for the 2012 ARRM Cares Award. Although we know many nominations are submitted right before the deadline, we also want to be sure you don’t forget to honor your exemplary DSPs.

If you haven’t already done so, please go to http://arrm.org/training/conference/arrm_cares_registration.html to complete the online nomination form today.

Last year we received an unexpected surprise when a record number of nominations – 167 – poured in. This year, we would love to set another record. We trust you will agree that nominating your staff for the ARRM Cares Award is a wonderful way to recognize and reward DSPs who embody the following qualities:

Professional Integrity: Maintaining high standards to benefit consumers, co-workers, and the organization and supporting individuals while maintaining professionally appropriate boundaries;

Networking Supports: connecting consumers with natural support systems;

Creating Innovative, Proactive Approaches to Services: personalizing services, demonstrating an ability to develop and implement new approaches and sharing successful results.

Thank you for taking the time to complete a nomination form this year. We look forward to reading about your phenomenal staff; your stories of innovation and compassion make us truly proud to be a part of this great association.

Save the date for ARRM’s 2012 Technology Showcase

Learn how technology is transforming services and supports for people with disabilities during this two-day conference.

Mark your calendars for March 20^th and 21^st, when ARRM’s Technology Showcase will demonstrate how technology is being used to deliver innovative, person-centered supports to people with disabilities.

As providers of disability services grapple with workforce shortages and state budget shortfalls, technology has become a viable, cost-saving solution to these ongoing challenges. Indeed, a key element of ARRM’s Blueprint for Reform plan is leveraging technology to increase efficiency in the current corporate foster care model.

ARRM's Technology Showcase will bring together people who care about maintaining quality services: Minnesota providers (mid to upper level management and administrators), case managers, county and state staff, self-advocates, guardians, and family members. In recent months, national conferences have showcased technology trends in disability services, but no comparable workshops have been offered here in Minnesota.

That’s why ARRM is bringing a cadre of nationally-known experts to our state in March. These industry leaders -- who have extensive experience providing solutions to the elderly and individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities  -- will deliver keynotes and lead break-out sessions, panels, and roundtable discussions on an array of relevant topics, including:

• monitoring technology (sensors and cameras),
• adaptive equipment and devices,
• enterprise applications (work schedules, keyless entries, time cards).

In addition, Minnesota providers will share their technology success stories and experiences.

Outcomes:
Conference attendees will learn about the latest technology solutions, and will get a glimpse of what disability services may look like in the future. Attendees will also be able to exchange ideas with their peers, meet vendors of technology services, and create new partnerships and alliances. 

There are still opportunities to sponsor this event; please go to ARRM’s website to review our sponsorships and sign up today.

Save the date:
Be sure to block off March 20st and 21st, 2012. The Technology Showcase will be held at the Radisson Hotel Roseville.

In February, watch for blog posts and email blasts about registration, speaker biographies and hotel rates. The maximum number of attendees for this conference will be limited to 250, so be sure to register early.

Stay tuned!
We offer a variety of ways to get information about ARRM events: follow us on Twitter, join our Facebook page and read ARRM’s blogs.

--Barb Brynstad, Communications Director

ARRM's response to regulating concentrations of group homes

ARRM's CEO, Bruce Nelson, offers a thoughtful response to the notion of regulating concentrations of group homes in Minnesota communities. He asks, "Why are people with disabilities any different than anybody else in having a right to live in our neighborhoods that belong to all of us?"

Read the full Star Tribune article here: http://www.startribune.com/local/south/136696633.html

Nathan Bauer goes to Washington

Learn how Hammer's Nathan Bauer is advocating for himself and others with developmental disabilities.

http://blog.alfranken.com/2011/11/23/kare-11-nathan-bauer-goes-to-washington/

Opportunity Partners hands out awards to four companies

MINNEAPOLIS – Opportunity Partners recognized four companies’ work with people with disabilities during the November 1 Celebrate Opportunity event at the Doubletree Park Place.

Julie Olson Topp Employer of the Year Award, Whole Foods Market

Emily Stockinger of Whole Foods Market accepted the Julie Olson Topp Employer of the Year Award. The award spotlights a company with an inspirational strong work ethic. Whole Foods Market’s dedication to hiring workers with disabilities whenever it can and proactively contacting Opportunity Partners with job openings made them the perfect recipient for this year’s award.  

Whole Foods Market is the leading natural and organic food retailer with more than 300 stores and $9 billion in sales last year.

Laura Zemlin Employer of the Year Award, General Mills

The Laura Zemlin Employer of the Year Award recognizes a company that provides outstanding supported employment work opportunities in the community. Twenty Opportunity Partners participants currently work at one of three General Mills locations each week. The award was accepted by General Mills’ Mike Hon.

General Mills’ quality brands began with Gold Medal Flour in 1880. General Mills is now home to some of the world’s best-loved brands, including: Betty Crocker, Green Giant and Cheerios.

Customer of the Year Award, Graco  

The Customer of the Year Award is presented to a company that has provided exceptional work opportunities to Opportunity Partners’ participants. Since 2004, Graco has provided 5,000 hours of work for people with disabilities each year. Everyday, up to 10 people package a variety of filters and strainers for the company. In 2010, more than 200,000 units were packaged for Graco. Karl Hurston, Strategic Sourcing Manager at Graco, accepted the award.

Founded in 1926, Graco is a world leader in fluid handling systems and components.  

New Customer of the Year Award, Lunds & Byerly’s

Julie Griffin, Director of Lunds & Byerly’s’ Private Brands, accepted the New Customer of the Year Award. In the last year, a 100-person workforce from Opportunity Partners packaged more than 70,000 tubs containing 35 varieties of candy.

Lund Food Holdings Inc. owns and operates 10 Lunds’ and 11 Byerly’s’ supermarkets in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.

The awards were presented by Opportunity Partners’ President and CEO, George Klauser. Four Opportunity Partners participants helped present the awards: Andy Tanghe, Katie Worrell, Jake Kukla and Michael Young.     

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DSPAM seeks board, committee members

The Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota (DSPAM) is currently seeking nominations and applications for both board members for 2012-2013 and committee members for 2012.  Direct support professionals, direct support consumers, self-advocates, family members of consumers/self-advocates, and professionals working in a disability-related field are encouraged to apply. 

To volunteer or nominate someone, you can do any of the following quick and easy steps to submit the full name, e-mail address, and phone number for you or the person you're nominating:

• use our online form by 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, December 4; or,
• mail the information postmarked no later than Wednesday, November 30 to DSPAM; 800 Transfer Road, Suite 7A; St. Paul, MN 55114.

DSPAM is a non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization working to improve the quality of human services provided to persons with disabilities.  It does this by strengthening the Direct Support Professional (DSP) workforce.  DSPAM is a volunteer-driven organization affiliated with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP). DSPAM strives to help reduce turnover rates; increase social status; improve training opportunities and programs; increase educational and career opportunities; plus enhance wages paid and benefits offered for DSPs.

Members of DSPAM generally fall into the following three categories:

• DSPs and front-line supervisors;
• self-advocates (i.e. individuals experiencing chronic illness or disability) and family members; and,
• other professionals who work in Minnesota's chronic illness and disability communities.

The board of directors has operating and oversight responsibility for the Minnesota chapter.  Presently, the Board meets quarterly in St. Paul.  The Board is responsible for ensuring that the organization is operating within the legal standards governing non-profit corporations in the general areas of finance, programming, and oversight.  Therefore, the board must approve the policies, positions, budgets, and plans for the organization.

Each board member is responsible for preparing for, then attending, quarterly board meetings.  Board members are encouraged to stay up-to-date with issues impacting DSPs, asking questions, or otherwise gathering needed information.  Board members also represent the organization at community events, as well as those events hosted by DSPAM.  In addition, each board member must serve on at least one DSPAM committee.

Beside their efforts to recruit new board members, DSPAM is also recruiting DSPAM members and other supportive community members to actively participate with their committees.  These committees meet once a month during months when there isn't a full board meeting. DSPAM has three basic committees with a variety of subcommittees available for participants. 

• Legislative Policy Committee keeps tabs on laws, regulations, and policies that might impact DSPs in Minnesota.  Committee members often talk with legislators and decision-makers to be sure they are informed of these issues.  Sometimes, committee members will testify at the Legislature or even help to write pieces of bills with legislators.
• Communication Committee helps to develop content for the organization's website, Facebook page, and LinkedIn group.  Plus, responsible for creating a newsletter that is distributed via e-mail and posted online.  In addition, they create and distribute press releases and other printed material for our membership.
• Membership Development Committee focuses on recruiting new members to the organization, making presentations, conducting training, facilitating relationship-building, and offering information for DSPs, front-line supervisors, direct support providers, and the general community.  This committee is active in various conferences, trade shows, and community events.  Information conveyed may relate to DSPAM membership, DSP certification, issues facing DSPs, and other direct support topics.  The committee also hosts the annual meeting, DSP recognition, and community awards event.

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Nancy Peterson celebrates 15 years at ARRM

Nancy Peterson, ARRM's director of member services and education, celebrated 15 years of employment with ARRM this month. She came to ARRM in 1996 after working as a director for member agency Cooperating Community Programs. After arriving at ARRM, one of her first tasks was elevating the quality of ARRM's Annual Spring Conference. Today, this conference is nationally renown as a premier training event for disability providers.

Besides enhancing the value of the conference, Nancy  has been instrumental in assisting staff and committees as they develop a variety of workshops and educational opportunities throughout the year. Nancy also recently took on the important responsibility of marshaling ARRM's member relations activities. Her in-depth knowledge of Minnesota's disability services and providers make her an outstanding asset as ARRM works to increase member satisfaction and retention.

Thank you, Nancy, for your 15 years of excellent service at ARRM!