Progress Oct. 2019

Inside this issue

Manufacturing Month
Suicide. Let's talk about it
What is Third Party and MA Billing?
Community Transition Interagency Committee

Important Upcoming Events/Meetings

October 3 CTIC
ECSE Cohort
October 4 School Psych Cohort
October 7 AT Team Project Kick-Off
October 8 Dental Clinic @ RBEC
October 9 SLD Cohort/ADSIS Cohort > PRESS Progress
Monitoring Workshop
October 14 Sped Leadership Team
October 22/23 Math 180: Exploring Content, Tools, Strategies
October 25 EL Cohort
October 29 Nurses Meeting
October 30 CAREI Assembly Meeting
Superintendent Council

The Progress, October 2019:
Volume 5, Issue 2

The Progress archive
Click here to view past issues from the current school year.

Comments? Suggestions for new articles?
Contact Jillynne Raymond, jraymond@gced.k12.mn.us

Did you know?
GCED's Professional Development Calendar may be accessed from the home page of our website?

Manufacturing Month

by Brian Cashman, GCED Coordinator of Alternative Programs & SE MN Perkins Coordinator

Career and Technical Education is an important component of ensuring students are career and college ready upon graduation from high school. During the month of October, the state of Minnesota takes some time to celebrate the prominence and value the manufacturing sector brings to our state, region, and local economies through Manufacturing Week (October 1, 2019 – October 7, 2019).

As a celebration of the rich heritage of manufacturing in Minnesota and, in particular, Southeastern Minnesota, the following key points are offered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED):

Economic Importance
- Manufacturing is the backbone of Minnesota’s economy, thanks to the sector’s strength, versatility and innovation.
Economic Impact
- Manufacturing added $52.7 billion to Minnesota’s economy in 2018, representing the second-largest contribution (14%) to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) by any industry.
Employment Impact
- Minnesota has 322,000 manufacturing jobs statewide, which is 13% of all private-sector jobs.
- According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), the average manufacturing job supports another 3.24 jobs in other segments of Minnesota’s economy. That’s another 721,000 jobs. Combined then, manufacturing supports 1,043,000 jobs, or 42% of total employment in the state.
- Across the state, manufacturing accounts for between 8% and 21% of total employment, depending on the region. With 58% of total employment, Roseau County in the Northwest region has the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs in the state, followed by Le Sueur County in the Southwest region, with 43%.
Pocketbook Impact
- The manufacturing sector has the second-largest total payroll – $21.6 billion in 2018.
- Manufacturing pays an average annual wage of $67,098. That’s $8,652 (or 15%) higher than the state’s overall average wage.

Top Manufacturing Industries
Most manufacturing jobs in Minnesota are concentrated in these industries:
- Food manufacturing: 47,422
- Computer and electronic products: 45,386
- Fabricated metal products: 43,595
- Machinery: 33,848
- Medical devices and miscellaneous products: 24,876
- Printing: 20,783
- Plastics and rubber products: 16,792
- Chemical products:12,325
- Wood products: 11,711
- Of Minnesota’s 17 Fortune 500 companies, almost half (47%) operate in manufacturing, including 3M, CHS, General Mills, Land O'Lakes, Ecolab, Hormel Foods, Mosaic and Polaris.
Minnesota's Manufactured Exports
- Minnesota companies sold $21 billion in manufactured products in foreign markets in 2018. More than 8,100 exporting companies throughout Minnesota had export sales in more than 200 countries in 2016 (most recent data available).
Top Five Export Markets
In 2018, Minnesota’s top five manufactured export markets with at least $1 billion in sales were:
- Canada: $4.1 billion
- China: $2.7 billion
- Mexico: $2.2 billion
- Japan: $1.3 billion
- Germany: $1.1 billion
Top Five Export Industries
In 2018, Minnesota’s top five export industries were:
- Optical and medical products: $4.5 billion
- Machinery: $3.5 billion
- Electrical equipment: $3.1 billion
- Plastic products: $1.5 billion
- Vehicles: $1.4 billion

(source: https://mn.gov/deed/ed/minnesota-industries/manufacturing/mfgweek/)

Suicide: Let's talk about it

The word suicide is used hundreds of times today and yet it's important to ask ourselves if we are really talking about it. When we are uneasy with a topic, humans often use humor to deflect the situation. This is not always helpful for a person contemplating suicide. For example, asking something such as "You're not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?" is much different than "Are you thinking of hurting yourself?" Best practice is to speak directly about death by suicide.

The words we chose always matter, but in the case of someone considering death by suicide the words matter even more. Up to 95% of the people that attempt suicide are undecided right up until the moment of attempt.

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds.

"Suicide never occurs outside of the context of a significant social, occupational, environmental, medical, legal, or academic life stressor."

- Clark, 1986

95% of people who attempt suicide are undecided even at the moment of attempt.

Questions to ask someone you are concerned about:

Are you thinking about killing yourself? OR Are you having thoughts of suicide?

If yes, then ask -
Have you decided how you would kill yourself?
Have you decided when you would do it?
Have you taken any steps to get the things you would need to carry out your plan?

Risk Factors for a Child

Loss of a loved person/grieving
Immature mind can make death seem not permanent
Survivors of suicide
Escape from child abuse
Hopelessness
Can't conceive solutions to long-term issues

Risk Factors for Adolescents

Substances to treat undiagnosed MI/emotional pain
Isolation
Rejection
Victim of bullying
Acculturation challenges
Academic performance anxiety
Family discord
Impulsivity/Access to firearms
Survivor of suicide

Risk Factors for Adults

Loss of health
Loss of primary relationships (loneliness)
Loss of financial security
Loss of social definition
Loss of independence
Loss of self-esteen

Just the stats

Suicide is the 10th ranking cause of death in US; 9th in MN
Suicide is the 3rd ranking cause of death for 10 - 14 year olds
Suicide is the 2nd ranking cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds
More deaths by suicide per year than war and natural disasters
129.2 suicides every day in US
41% of people who are transgender report attempting suicide
25 attempts for every death by suicide
7 our of 10 deaths by suicide are by white males
51% of suicides involve firearms
Suicide rates have increased by 30% since 1999

Suicide Quiz - True or False

Poorer country's have higher rates of suicide.
False - Rich countries have the highest suicide rates (Russia).
Suicide tends to occur more frequently in the winter.
False - Lowest in December and peaks in the spring; it is a myth that suicide is highest during the holidays.
More cell phone usage has been linked to higher suicide rates.
True - People that use their cell phone for 5 hours a day or more are 71% more likely than those who only use their cell 1 hour a day or less.
Suicide rates climb with altitude.
True - The greater elevation of home, the greater risk of suicide.
Homicide is more common than suicide in the US.
False - In 2017, there were twice as many suicides as homicides in the US.

What is Third Party Billing? MA Billing?

Federal and state laws require that all public schools in Minnesota request payment for Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) health-related services from public and private health insurers. According to MN Statute 125A.21 school districts must maximize their attempts with third party billing.

Schools are reimbursed when a child has an IEP or IFSP, health-related services, which are required in order to benefit from special education, and is eligible for Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP). Following is a list of reimbursable health-related services. School districts can request payment for assessment, and services provided in these areas:

Physical therapy.
Occupational therapy.
Speech-language therapy .
Children’s Therapeutic Services and Systems (Mental Health).
Nursing.
Eligible personal care assistance services.
Eligible assistive technology devices
Eligible special transportation

We are fortunate to have our third party billing coordinator, Kris Jurgensen, to ensure we are adhering to federal and state laws, as they pertain to third party billing. Kris is intentional with her work and would like others to know that MA billing is an important part of the work we do. Kris takes care of third party billing for GCED, as well as each of its member districts.

Kris Jurgensen and Lindsay Woodard work together on MA billing.

Community Transition Interagency Committee (CTIC)

The Community Transitions Interagency Committee (CTIC) supports the state mission of the Olmstead Plan, "Minnesota will be a place where people with disabilities are living, learning, working, and enjoying life in the most integrated setting." Highlights from their October meeting:

2019-20 Collaboration and Professional Development Planning
The committee reflected on this year's work and their mission moving forward with the intent to build their collective capacity on behalf of supporting our students' transitions. Region 10's Christian Wernau shared the Transition TA Model as a potential framework that has 1 prong as Interagency Collaboration; this is CTIC. The group will be able to use the collaborative framework to better improve transition planning and service delivery.

Panel Discussion: MDE/DHS/DEED
Representatives from the MN Department of Education, the MN Department of Human Services, and the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development discussed their vision and movement towards braided and blended funding when supporting students with disabilities in career development opportunities. Part of this discussion focused on subminimum wages. Minnesota has the highest number of individuals earning subminimum wages in the country.

Collectively, these organizations invite teams to participate in the ECBC, or Employment Capacity Building Cohort. The ECBC has some innovative changes for the 2019-20 school year, which include:

Local team access to a SharePoint site with a discussion area to support networking, on demand access to staff training and coaching media, and tools for supporting local teams during the 2019-20 ECBC year;
Onside or virtual access to ECBC information and training sessions at MDE throughout 2019-20;
New and simplified tools for self-assessment and action planning that teams may select based on their goals; and
Monthly sharing between all ECBC teams of what is working and what would help.

Purpose Of The Committee:

The Region 10 Community Transition Interagency Committee (CTIC) will develop and assure the implementation of interagency policies and procedures so that eligible students and their families are identified and have access to appropriate services and supports.

The Waiver Reimagine Project

In 2019, the Minnesota Legislature authorized the Department of Human Services (DHS) to make system-level improvements to Minnesota’s disability waiver programs. The Waiver Reimagine project will accomplish the following:

Ensure equal access and benefits across disability waiver programs. The programs will be responsive to a person’s needs, circumstances and preferences.
Align benefits across waiver programs for people with disabilities, including consistent limits and allowable services
Provide flexible and predictable benefit changes that recognize life changes and an increased use of technology
Allow simplified administration that make waivers easier to understand for people who receive services, county and tribal administrators and service providers.

I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.

- Albert Einstein

If you are reading our newsletter, let us know and win a "fabulous" prize. To enter, simply email jraymond@gced.k12.mn.us with the words Historical Trauma in the subject. First one in, wins the prize. THANKS for reading!

REMEMBER that you have access to free resources through Infinitec!

OCTOBER WEBINARS

Resources for All Learners: A Guided Tour of myinfinitec.org (Recorded)
By Jenn Skalitzky, Assistive Technology Facilitator, Infinitec
-October 15th - 3:30-4:30 - Click here to register

What is the Difference Between Assistive Technology & Instructional Technology & How do I Document in the IEP? (Recorded)(Beginner/Intermediate)
By Mike Marotta, ATP, Assistive Technology Specialist
-October 17th - 3:30-4:30 - Click here to register

Augmenting Success: AT/AAC for Speech Unintelligibility (Recorded)(Beginner/Intermediate)
By Kristy Gibson, SLP, AAC Provider, Kids Communicate, Two Techie Mamas
-October 22nd - 3:30-4:30 -  Click here to register

School Technology: Moving Beyond Assistive (Recorded)(Beginner/Intermediate)
By Carol M. Michels, Ed.D, MS, OTR/L, Northern Suburban Special Education District, Director of District Services
-October 24th - 3:30-4:30 - Click here to register

DynamAAC Data Collection: Data-Driven Decisions in AAC (Recorded) (Intermediate)
By Matt Baud, Assistive Technology Coordinator, Niles Township District for Special Education & Kristin Smith, Coordinator, Niles Township District for Special Education
-October 29th - 3:30-4:30 -  Click here to register

I Hate to Write! - Helping Kids with Executive Function Differences be More Successful Writers (Recorded until 12/15)(Beginner/Intermediate)
By Kathy Oehler - MS, CCC-SLP & Cheryl Boucher - MSEd, OTR, National Speakers
-October 30th - 3:30-4:30 -  Click here to register