ARRM News and Public Relations

Strong Minnesota representation in DC on disability services issues

By Sara Grafstrom, Director of State and Federal Policy

In mid-October, I, along with other ARRM members, had the opportunity to attend our national trade association ANCOR’s Public Policy Conference in Washington DC. Engaging on the federal level is critical in the work that ARRM is doing to advance the priorities of our membership.

Along with a day full of important updates and information sharing between states, our Minnesota contingent was able to meet with all ten of the offices of our Congressional Delegation, share our priorities and let them know how they can be supporting Home and Community-Based Service (HCBS) providers back home.

ARRM and Minnesota provider representatives met with Sen. Tina Smith to discuss key issues.

Conference re-cap

The one-day conference session included speakers from the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Capitol Hill staffers and Medicaid experts, some of the timely information shared included:

• HCBS transition plans: CMS provided important updates, sharing that 18 states have had final approval of their plans with only 5 more states needing initial approval before all 50 states will have accomplished that milestone.

• Electronic Visit Verification (EVV): CMS also shared updates on the implementation EVV, letting attendees know that 20 states have submitted a good faith extension request with 12 being approved so far. They shared that they expect the majority of states to request an extension, but highlighted the fact that they have no authority to grant an extension beyond the one year. [*ARRM Members: read the most recent news on Minnesota's EVV implementation on the members-only blog*]

The keynote address featured Josh Trent from Leavitt Partners sharing what he considers to be the seven emerging trends in Medicaid, those include:

1. Value-Based Payment trends continuing
2. Increased Medicaid Coverage including states looking at Medicaid Expansion that had not participated in the past
3. A lull in state innovation; many states looking at how to execute what is already in the pipeline
4. External factors impacting Medicaid
   • Mergers and acquisitions
   • Health information technology
   • Increased scrutiny in private equity
5. Focus on social determents of health
6. Focus on high-cost populations
7. Growth in MCO; both in growth and pressures put on them

There was also important information shared around the politics of getting things done in an election year and important strategies in engaging in the upcoming election. I will be taking this information back to ARRM to make sure that our strategies for 2020 are aligning in the most effective way forward.

Important issues to track...

ARRM Members: sign into the members-only blog to read the full version of this article, including updates on key federal policy issues being tracked by ARRM and ANCOR.

You never know where you'll catch members of Congress!

Congressional Meetings

I, along with 13 other ARRM member representatives, were able to divide and conquer and meet with the offices of all ten members of our Congressional Delegation, including meeting in person with Senator Tina Smith and Congressman Pete Stauber (08), along with running into Congresswoman Angie Craig (02) at the elevator!

Rep. Pete Stauber met with constituents from Congressional District 8.

We educated staffers about Home and Community-Based Services and what is happening in Minnesota, with specific focus on the workforce crisis, as well as provided information on how they can support us, both at the state level and with the policies that ANCOR is championing.

The meetings provided us a great opportunity to further strengthen our relationships with our federal legislators, as well as hear directly from their offices about their priorities and how we can be better resources.

 

SHARE this article: Tag your Congressional representatives and ask them what issues related to home and community-based services for Minnesotans with disabilities are most important to them.

2019 ARRM Cares Winner: Amber Lobdell

When the home of four men who had formed a brotherhood became no longer functional for them to all live together, some might have left the task of finding a solution for them to their superiors. Not Amber Lobdell.

Community Advocate

Amber was not content to provide "The Guys" with their daily support plans when their family was threatened. She jumped into action to become a leading community advocate, rallying supporters from around the Red River Valley to the cause of building them a brand new home where they could continue to live their best lives, together. Instead of staying behind the scenes, Amber became a spokesperson for The Guys, sharing their story through writing articles, using her social media accounts, and even giving speeches to explain to people and donors why their support and dollars mattered and how it would make a difference in The Guys' lives. And it worked.

A Home For The Guys, With The Guys

Once the support to build the new home for The Guys was secured, Amber didn't stop. She worked with The Guys, in conjunction with her colleagues, to help design a home that could meet not only their needs, but also their wants. Using her strong relationship with each guy and her incredible person-centered focus, she helped implement designs and layouts catered to each guy so they would not only have their personalized space, but the whole house would feel like a home from day one.

Taking Decisive Action

While we really love to talk about the fun and uplifting work of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and how our ARRM Cares Award winners excel in those areas, the reality is that sometimes the work of a DSP is intense and stressful, and people's health and even lives can hang in the balance. In those moments, it falls to the DSPs on the front lines, many of whom work for less than $15 per hour, to take decisive action.

When this happened to Amber, she acted, performing CPR when one of The Guys stopped breathing and working with her team to manage the situation until paramedics arrived. The Guys remain a brotherhood of four because she stayed cool and acted when they needed her.

Congratulations to 2019 ARRM Cares Winner Amber Lobdell. SHARE this post and her video to help spread the word about the important work of Direct Support Professionals.

 

About the ARRM Cares Award

Each year ARRM honors the best DSPs in Minnesota, providing direct care to people with disabilities living and working in their communities. These caregivers show outstanding compassion, person-centeredness, and professionalism.

2019 ARRM Cares Winner: Madie Uglem

Don't let this 2019 ARRM Cares winner's quiet, humble personality fool you; she's a force to be reckoned with! Working for CCRI—Creative Care for Reaching Independence as a Direct Support Professional (DSP), Madie Uglem's spirit, creativity, determination, and highly skilled approach dramatically improves the quality of life for those she supports. Whether providing inconspicuous de-escalation, teaching people to use technology to stay connected with friends and family, or simply making dreams come true, Madie makes a huge impact.

A great team

Delivering high quality service to empower people with disabilities to receive support in the way they want, and to access and engage the natural community around them, is a huge part of a DSPs role, and Madie excels at it. Madie has been recognized particularly for her work with Liz, a bright and friendly young woman who loves life, people and being social. "Liz will go up to someone on the street and say 'You look so beautiful today!'" says Alita Hanson, Madie's supervisor.

However, Liz also has health and emotional obstacles which can make doing some of the things she loves, and bringing that joy to others in her community, challenging at times. She can experience anxiety and react in ways that draws unwanted attention or makes others uncomfortable because they don't know her. Madie, who is both highly perceptive and has a strong bond with Liz, can sense when she's not feeling right, and provides calming and de-escalatory support to Liz in a way that no one else can even notice, making it easier and more comfortable for Liz to engage with new people and go where she wants to go.

Supporting Liz to be Liz!

So much of the work of a DSP is supporting people to be the person they want to be. Madie has worked with Liz to do the things and have the experiences that any young person does, like using social media to connect with friends and family, or take duck-face selfies (watch the video!). She also goes above and beyond to create opportunities for experiences that need to look a little different because of Liz's support needs, like a dream backwoods camping adventure (again, video!).

Madie is a rockstar, exemplifying the kind of work DSPs do every day, playing a critical role in the lives of the people they support.

 

Help us show the world the incredible work direct support professionals do each day. Share today on your favorite social media channel!

2019 ARRM Cares Winner: Matt Tebbutt

Over the next several weeks, ARRM will feature each of its outstanding 2019 ARRM Cares Award winners. Congratulations to all of the nearly 100 direct support professionals nominated for this award across the state.

In the world of disability services, we often think of those who were born with disabilities, or those who had a tragic accident, as the people who access specialized support to live their best lives. But one of this year's ARRM Cares Award winners serves a population of people who became disabled while serving our country in the military.

Matt Tebbutt is a community support specialist with Dungarvin Minnesota. He works in their partnership with the Wounded Warrior Independence Project, supporting wounded veterans who experienced traumatic brain injuries during their military service. Their lives forever changed, Matt works with individuals and their families to build a new approach to their daily tasks, activities, goals and dreams to promote a positive and fulfilling life after service.

 

 

Navigating a Huge Life Change

Learning one's abilities will be permanently changed is a massive curveball for that person and their loved ones. Pre-injury, the veterans Matt works with were incredibly mentally, physically, and socially driven people. Just like others whose lives are impacted by such a change, those attributes are still there. What changes post-injury is how to live out those virtues, which is where Matt comes in.

"My individuals are highly motivated," says Tebbutt. "They are the pilots, I'm just the navigator."

Adapting to Achieve Goals and Dreams

He's quite the navigator! Matt's support has empowered dozens of veterans across Minnesota to thrive in whatever endeavors they now seek. His work has included: 

• Working with a veteran to obtain a lawyer and secure the additional VA benefits they were due
• Encouraging and assisting a veteran to become a writer and share their life-story, getting published in a hometown publication
• Connecting people to adaptive recreation and travel programs so they can stay active in their passions
• Assisting individuals and families to adapt to new ways of doing things, like schedule management, and providing back-up support when needed

Conveying Love and Support at All Times

The support for each veteran and family looks different, and one of the things that sets Matt apart as a direct support professional is the way in which he adapts his role, regardless of who he works with.

This is no truer than with Keegan and his family. Keegan suffered a traumatic brain injury which left him in need of 24/7 care and with several intensive medical needs. Matt is there to support Keegan's family as much as Keegan himself, assisting with travel to appointments, hospital stays, home care, advocacy, and sometimes, just to be a companion. He is a trust member of a very tightknit family, and, a critical part of creating a full family life.

"One of the big reasons we brought Keegan home was so he could feel love at all times, and not just people showing up to do a job," said Kerry Adelmann, Keegan's mother. "That's what sets Matt apart, is that he conveys that love, and I know that Keegan can feel it, too."

 

Matt Tebbutt is one of six ARRM Cares Award winners for 2019, recognizing the top Direct Support Professionals in Minnesota of of 20,000 eligible each year. Award winners are selected via a nomination process and a blind review by more than 100 leaders of ARRM membership organizations.

Learn more about all the 2019 ARRM Cares Award winners at www.arrm.org/arrm-cares.