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Most of the buses in Minnesota's rural transportation system are ADA-compliant and equipped with wheelchair lifts for passengers with disabilities. (Arrowhead Transit)

Rural MN communities gain expanded public transportation options

Traveling around rural Minnesota can be difficult but in more than half the state, nonprofit transit systems are helping people get where they need …

Minnesota is phasing in a host of election policy changes intended to make voting easier. Administrators also remind voters, especially older populations with physical limitations, that they still can take advantage of curbside voting. (Adobe Stock)

Voting-law changes benefit older Minnesotans

Minnesota's presidential primary is one month from today. As voters prepare to cast their ballot, administrators say new policies are in place in …

One of the five self-driving vans now serving the northern Minnesota community of Grand Rapids. The vans are part of a program called

MN project part of autonomous vehicles movement for people with disabilities

By Tony Leys for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Co…

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers all-terrain track chairs at selected sites. The battery-powered chairs give visitors with mobility disabilities a chance to explore state park trails that cannot be accessed using a regular wheelchair. (Photo courtesy of DNR)

MN Expands Opportunities for 'Wheelchair Hiking' in State Parks

Spending time at state and national parks has often been linked with health benefits, but accessing sites has long been a barrier for those with …

Federal labor analysts say across all age groups, persons with disabilities were much less likely to be employed than those with no disabilities. (Adobe Stock)

Policy Fix Sought to Keep Workers with Disabilities On the Job

Medicaid "Buy In" is considered a key health insurance tool for workers with disabilities. But according to a new report, the reach of these programs …

In a recent survey, 69% of Minnesota nursing homes and 29% of assisted living locations placed limits on new admissions because of staffing shortages. (Adobe Stock)

MN LTC Workers: Hero Checks Help, But More Support Needed

Minnesota officials announced this week that frontline workers can likely start applying for hero checks sometime in June. As those plans take shape…

Early childhood educators in Minnesota say in order for the state's economy to thrive, a robust and accessible childcare system is needed. (Adobe Stock)

Childcare Access Gets Renewed Push at MN Legislature

Minnesota's new legislative session is underway. Even in an off-budget year, spending will be a main focus, thanks to a projected $7 billion surplus…

State education officials say the number of special education students in Minnesota gradually has increased over the years. The number now stands at roughly 150,000. (Adobe Stock)

Special-Ed Teachers Reach Students During Crisis, But Concerns Persist

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. -- Teachers across Minnesota, including special education teachers, are overcoming obstacles to carry out distance learning …

A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation says most older adults find prescription drug costs unreasonable. (Ladyheart/Morguefile)

Rising Drug Costs Force MN Seniors to Make Tough Choices

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The rising cost of prescription drugs continues to grab the attention of lawmakers and advocacy groups. AARP Minnesota says …

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation�s largest grassroots mental health advocacy organization. The Minnesota chapter is 40 years old. (Chuck Taylor/Flickr)

MN Mental-Health Conference Offers Hope, Practical Advice

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Social workers, teachers, parents and family members from across the state will come together this weekend in a daylong effort to …

Navigating traffic in automated cars could make life easier and greatly improve employment opportunities for Minnesotans with disabilities. (mn.gov)

Report: People with Disabilities Could Benefit from Self-Driving Cars

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota and the rest of the country are preparing for self-driving cars to hit the roadways, and new research says the technology …

It's Veterans Day, and veterans' advocates hope the pledges Donald Trump made will carry into his presidency. (markpauljohn.com)

Vets Want Action, Not Just Rhetoric

MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota has about 650 active-duty members of the military, and one of the largest advocacy groups for veterans said now that …

Doctors say it's important to eat a healthy diet and live an active lifestyle to prevent diabetes. (Juanell Lunsford)

Check Your Feet, It's Diabetes Awareness Month

MINNEAPOLIS – During National Diabetes Awareness Month, health professionals are trying to get the message out about a serious complication …

How candidates will handle issues for Minnesotans with disabilities is illustrated in voter guides for every state. (maplewoodmn.gov)

Voter Guides Dealing with Disability Issues Available Online

MINNEAPOLIS – A group advocating for rights for people with disabilities has spent the last year contacting all the candidates running for presi…

Advocates for Minnesota's aging population and health care groups are urging House lawmakers to pass a paid family medical leave bill that has already sailed through the Senate. (iStockphoto)

MN Caregivers Redouble Efforts for Paid Family Leave

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Just days after rallying at the State Capitol, caregivers continue their push to urge Minnesota lawmakers to approve paid …

As Minnesota faces a community care staffing shortage, advocacy groups say a state pay raise could help attract more workers to the field. (iStockphoto)

Advocates Say Better Pay Could Help Home Care Provider Shortage

ST. PAUL, Minn. – With a serious workforce shortage expected to worsen, home care providers are pushing state lawmakers to increase pay for …

Some Minnesota health care advocates are trying to remove the social stigmas surrounding mental illness through educational events as part of May as National Mental Health Awareness Month. (iStockphoto)

Being Mindful of Mental Health in May

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Mental illness may be affecting more Minnesotans than you think, as health professionals say about 224,000 people receive …

Job safety advocates are holding events around Minnesota to remember those who've died on the job as part of National Workers' Memorial Day. (iStockphoto)

Workers' Memorial Day: Remembering Minnesota's Fallen Working Men and Women

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Today is Workers’ Memorial Day, a time of remembrance and action for workers who have been killed or seriously hurt on …

A new report from the CDC shows boys are much more likely to be diagnosed as autistic, while the overall rate of diagnoses has leveled out. (iStockphoto)

U.S. Autism Rate Plateaus Amid Calls for Expanded Testing

ST. PAUL, Minn - April is National Autism Awareness Month and the numbers are holding steady in the U.S. according to the latest snapshot of autism …

AARP Minnesota says hundreds of Minnesotans are backing a push for hospitals to provide more training for caregivers when a loved one is released from the hospital. (iStockphoto)

Caregiver Training Bill Gains Renewed Support in MN

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A bill to provide family caregivers with extra training is earning some renewed support after it was left pending in the …

A group of Minnesota religious leaders are supporting moves to lessen mandatory sentencing for low-level drug offenses. (iStockphoto)

MN Religious Leaders Support Changes to Drug Sentencing Laws

ST. PAUL, Minn. - As Minnesota's prison population continues to grow, a group of religious leaders are speaking out in support of plans to lighten …

This portrait of caregiver Jill Ballard of Cannon Falls and her husband Bob was given to Jill as part of National Family Caregivers Month. Courtesy: AARP Minnesota

AARP Honors Minnesota Caregiver, Continues Push for Reforms

ST. PAUL, Minn. – With November being National Family Caregivers Month, AARP Minnesota is recognizing one of the state's nearly 600,000 people …

Child advocates are touring Minnesota to highlight issues of poverty and racial disparities. Credit: Gosia79/Morguefile.com

Minnesota Child Advocates Touring to Highlight Poverty Problems

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Earlier this year, Minnesota was ranked the top state for the well-being of children, but a children's advocacy group is touring …

Competitive grants worth $1 million are going out to 17 food shelves in Minnesota to start or expand their mobile programs. Courtesy: Hunger Solutions Minnesota

More Mobile Food Shelves on Move in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Some deliverance is coming for those Minnesotans who are struggling with both hunger and transportation as a first round of …

The State Fair begins today with classics like the giant slide, along with new offerings like the Minnesota Department of Health's newborn screening booth. Credit: Lynn B/Flickr.

MN State Fair Starts with New Push for Healthy Babies

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Great Minnesota Get-Together opens today and this year's run will include plenty of new offerings, including a booth focused on …

The work being done by Minnesota's unpaid family caregivers is valued at nearly $8 billion a year. Credit: Fred Froese.

Minnesota's Invisible Workforce: 600,000 Family Caregivers

ST. PAUL, Minn. – There's still much to be done, but Minnesota is among a handful of states making progress to support the growing number of …

PHOTO: Minnesota is taking action to help try to determine causes of, and cures for, Alzheimer's disease, the fastest-growing medical condition in the nation. Photo credit: michael_swan/Flickr.

MN Lawmakers Didn't Forget Funding for Alzheimer's

ST. PAUL, Minn. – With the number of Minnesotans with Alzheimer's and related forms of dementia on the rise, the state is stepping up to …

PHOTO: Efforts are underway to build support for a bill in the U.S. Senate that would help to reduce the risk of injury and death related to wandering by children on the autism spectrum. Photo credit: Lance Neilson/Flickr.

Wandering a Real Danger for Minnesota Kids with Autism

ST. PAUL, Minn. - April is Autism Awareness Month, and one focus this year is on the dangers of children on the autism spectrum who engage in …

PHOTO: A first committee hearing is set for today in the Minnesota Senate on a bill aiming to better support family caregivers as they help seniors stay at home and independent. Photo credit: AARP.

Crossing MN's Political Divides: Hearing Today on CARE Act

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A bipartisan effort to provide more support for the state's many family caregivers is moving ahead at the state Capitol, with the …

PHOTO: The consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is one of the leading preventable causes of birth defects and childhood disabilities. Photo credit: Bruna Carvalho/Flickr.

How Much Minnesota Moms-to-Be Should Drink: Not a Drop

ST. PAUL, Minn. - It is completely preventable, but there will be some 40,000 babies born in the United States this year, including several thousand …

PHOTO: The 30th Annual Minnesota Homeless Memorial March and Service is set for this evening, honoring people in the state who died this year while homeless. Photo credit: Simpson Housing Services.

Remembering Minnesotans Who Died Homeless: 30th Annual Services

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - As Minnesota prepares to enter a new year, those who died in the state over the past 12 months while homeless are being …

PHOTO: Toy guns are the most often cited culprits when it comes to toys and childhood eye injuries in the U.S. Photo credit: Ben Harwood/Flickr.

A Look at Holiday Toys with a High Risk of Eye Injury

ST. PAUL, Minn. – As parents across Minnesota continue to pack the malls and stores, a reminder that some gifts for their children can bring …

PHOTO: Legislation to help support the 670,000 unpaid family caregivers in Minnesota is among the bills that will be considered when lawmakers reconvene in January. Photo credit: Henry Rabinowitz.

CARE Act: Training on Medical Tasks for MN Family Caregivers

ST. PAUL, Minn. - As the number of Minnesotans who are family caregivers continues to increase, also growing is the complexity of the medical tasks …

PHOTO: Kum & Go is making modifications at its 430 gas stations across 11 states to bring them into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act following a lawsuit settlement. Photo credit: Sean Hayford O'Leary/Flickr.

Improvements for Some Minnesota Gas Stations After ADA Lawsuit

ST. PAUL, Minn. – As thousands of Minnesotans will soon be hitting roads for the holidays, they may notice changes happening at a well known …

PHOTO: There's still more work to be done, but progress is being made in Minnesota in reducing the number of babies being born too soon. Photo credit: Joshua Smith/Flickr.

Minnesota Makes Progress on Reducing Premature Births

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The latest figures show the preterm birth rate in Minnesota continues to trend downward, but the progress has been slow toward the …

PHOTO: It's estimated that nearly one-third of people will have diabetes by 2050. Photo credit: Tony Alter/Flickr.

A Diabetes Diagnoses for More Minnesotans

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The arrival of November means it is American Diabetes Month. It comes as the prevalence of the disease continues to rise …

PHOTO: The number of Minnesotans age 65 or over is expected to double by 2030, and research shows the risks of an auto accident among senior-citizen drivers can be higher than with other age groups. Photo credit: Denis Dervisevic/Flickr.

More Minnesotans Consider When to Give Up Car Keys

ST. PAUL, Minn. - With Minnesota's aging population, it's a question facing a growing number of drivers and families across the state: When is it …

PHOTO: James Brady became a leading figure in efforts to reduce gun violence after he was shot in the head in the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Photo credit: Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

James Brady, Gun Control Advocate and Reagan Press Secretary, Dies at 73

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesotans are remembering James Brady, the former White House press secretary who became a key figure in the fight for gun …

PHOTO: It's a victory for Dave and Barb Kampa and for many of Minnesota's correctional employees, as a new law begins today, requiring ongoing affordable health care for those permanently disabled because of an assault on the job. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Association of Professional Employees.

Many MN Correctional Workers Gain Protections

ST. PAUL, Minn. - It's one of the rarest of feats -- a bill that wins unanimous approval in the Legislature. One that did officially takes effect …

PHOTO: Wed., Mar. 5 is National �Spread the Word to End the Word� Day, an effort to get people to stop using the word

The R-Word: As Cruel and Offensive as Any Slur

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Across Minnesota and the nation today, people are being asked to take time to stop and think about how their words may affect …

PHOTO: A new budget forecast has Minnesota looking at a $1.08-billion surplus for this two-year-budget cycle. Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue

New Forecast Puts MN Budget Surplus at $1.08 Billion

ST. PAUL, Minn. – After struggling with massive budget deficits for what seems like years on end, it appears the state has regained its …

PHOTO: A new report shows a dramatic rise in hospitals with patients under

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Under Observation - A Costly Concern for MN Seniors

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The number of hospital patients being termed under observation is up dramatically, a trend that's catching many senior …

PHOTO: Minnesota's 380,000 military veterans are being honored on this Veterans Day, but making sure vets in the state have the support they need is happening every week of the year. Photo credit: Cliff 1066

Supporting MN Veterans, Every Day of the Year

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Many veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq are finding the move back into civilian life can present barriers, but there is …

PHOTO: A stimulus program that provided more funding for food stamps has now ended. Courtesy Hunger Solutions Minnesota.

November Arrives in MN, Along with Cuts to SNAP

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The month of November has arrived in Minnesota, and along with it, an automatic reduction in funding for many families in the state …

PHOTO: Trying to provide all Minnesotans with access to the best stroke treatment available is the aim of a new system to launch in 2014. Courtesy: AHA MN

Minnesota Launching Effort to Improve Stroke Care

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Today is World Stroke Day, and stroke continues to be one of the leading killers in Minnesota and across the nation. However…

PHOTO: With the chill of fall blanketing Minnesota and winter not far behind, volunteer efforts are under way to help Minnesota's senior citizens with the yard work which many simply can no longer handle themselves. CREDIT: HandyWorks GMCC

Minnesotans Helping Neighbors As Fall Colors Become Major Chores

MINNEAPOLIS – Their brilliant colors bring smiles to many a Minnesotan, but once those leaves make their journey to the ground, it means work &#…

PHOTO: Many older workers who lost their jobs and health insurance over the recession are expected to be among those signing up when Minnesota's new marketplace opens on October 1st. CREDIT: DIAC Images

Older Workers Welcome MN's Monumental Shift In Health Care

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The opening of Minnesota's new health insurance marketplace is now just a couple weeks away, and one segment expected to benefit …

PHOTO: A Minnesota mom is among the petitioners in a lawsuit filed against the Environmental Protection Agency. The suit seeks to force the EPA to reevaluate the potential harms of pesticide drift exposure and then take action accordingly. CREDIT: Magarell

MN Mom Petitions EPA to Protect Kids from Pesticide Drift

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A Minnesota mom is among the petitioners in a lawsuit filed against the Environmental Protection Agency. The suit seeks to force …

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MN: Disabilities