Fulfilling the Promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Disability is a natural part of the human experience. Having a disability does not mean a person has less desire to make choices about how to live, where to live and who to live with. It doesn’t lessen the basic human desire to exert control over one’s life. It doesn’t lessen the desire to be seen as a person first; a person with strengths and hopes.

These are some of the human values that are part of public laws, programs and policies. But how well do current public policies and practices in Minnesota really match these values? How well do public programs match what people with disabilities and their families want and need in real life?

Olmstead Planning Committee

In 2012, the Minnesota Olmstead Planning Committee discussed public programs to see what works, what doesn’t work, and how to fix the parts that don’t work. On October 23, 2012, Minnesota's Olmstead Planning Committee presented a report to DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. The report included recommendations to ensure that Minnesotans with disabilities have choices about where they live and are served in community settings more suitable to their needs and desires.

One of the Committee’s recommendations asked “that the Governor establish an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to ensure the most efficient and effective inter-agency coordination, planning and implementation of an Olmstead Plan.”

Olmstead Sub-Cabinet

On January 28, 2013, Governor Mark Dayton issued an Executive Order establishing an Olmstead Sub-Cabinet to develop and implement a comprehensive Minnesota Olmstead Plan.

The Sub-Cabinet usually meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 3:00pm – 5:00pm in the Elmer Andersen Building in St. Paul. For meeting notes and other information go to the on the Documents page.