Jaelynn Blenkush, Program Director of the Jackson Square program, made sure our client’s had a great time and it worked!  Thank you Jaelynn!

The post Pinnacle Paint Nite appeared first on Pinnacle Services.

On January 31, 2017, Minnesota announced the launch of new savings accounts that could lift hundreds of people with disabilities out of poverty by allowing them to accumulate savings without jeopardizing their public health insurance coverage and other government benefits.

Nearly a decade in the making, the new accounts are considered a breakthrough for many of the roughly 600,000 Minnesotans with disabilities, who often are forced to impoverish themselves to qualify for public services. For the first time, people with disabilities and their families can set aside up to $14,000 a year for certain expenses without getting cut off from Social Security, Medicaid and other government programs.

Minnesota is among the first states in the nation to offer the accounts, known as ABLE accounts, which are considered among the broadest new benefits for the disability community in a quarter-century. Modeled after 529 college savings accounts, ABLE accounts allow money to grow tax-free to pay for a broad array of items — from housing to assistive technology — that can help people with disabilities live more independently in the community. Individuals can keep their Medical Assistance regardless of their account balance.

State and federal rules have long trapped many individuals with disabilities in poverty, particularly if they need the broader array of services covered by public health insurance. Since 1983, for instance, most of those trying to qualify for Minnesota’s version of Medicaid, known as Medical Assistance, must spend down their income to 80 percent of the poverty level and hold no more than $3,000 in assets. And Supplemental Security Income, a federal benefit also known as SSI, has an asset cap of just $2,000.

Since former President Barack Obama signed the ABLE Act into law in 2014, 16 states have opened the special accounts to the public.

Besides helping to preserve eligibility for public programs, the new ABLE accounts offer tax benefits that resemble those of a college savings plan or an IRA. Interest and investment profits are not taxed as long as the money is used to cover qualified disability-related expenses. Parents of eligible minors may open accounts for their children.

For more information, visit https://savewithable.com/mn/home.html

http://m.startribune.com/for-minnesotans-with-disabilities-able-accounts-could-ease-poverty/412235103/

The post MN Able Accounts now available! appeared first on Pinnacle Services.

The post Minnesota approves ABLE investment accounts! appeared first on Pinnacle Services.

5 Reasons to Support the Best Life Alliance

1.  Minnesotans believe people with disabilities and older adults should live in and contribute to their communities. Community-based services provide greater opportunity to build strong connections with neighbors and the community. A 5% rate increase supports this belief.
2.  Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and Caregivers support your family; shouldn’t they be able to support their own?
3.  A 5% increase will help to recruit and retain consistent staff; this is crucial to quality care. Low wages lead to higher staff turnover, creating more stress, less stability and lower quality care.
4.  DSPs and caregivers who support people with disabilities and older Minnesotans have demanding, highly-skilled jobs. A 5% increase shows we value these employees and their commitment to this field.
5.  Community-based services are some of the largest employers in rural Minnesota. A 5% rate increase will support dedicated staff who will put dollars to work in their local communities.

Get Involved!

Best Life Alliance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.arrm.org/ARRM/Advocacy/Best_Life_Alliance.aspx

The post Support the Best Life Alliance appeared first on Pinnacle Services.

Learning and Fun at MSSA Conference and Expo!

This month agency employees attended the Minnesota Social Service Association’s (MSSA) 123^rd Annual Training Conference and Expo, “Recognizing Our Responsibility to Change,” which was held at the Minneapolis Hilton from March 16-18.  Employees attended training sessions related to their work and earned continuing educational credits (CEU’s) towards their social work licenses.  Our Pinnacle Services and Summit Fiscal Agency vendor booth was stocked with cool logo swag and giveaways, which were dispersed among the conference attendees who stopped by our table to say hello to our friendly employees.  For attendees providing their contact information, we offered a drawing for a large grand prize of a gift basket containing lots of goodies, including snacks and movie theater gift cards.  Pinnacle Services also sponsored the “Mother’s Room” at the conference, so that mothers could have a private room for breastfeeding and pumping.  Case managers attending the conference and expo sported their “Pinnacle Players” t-shirts, representing the agency while having lots of fun attending the conference sessions, networking, socializing, and checking out the other vendor booths!

The post Learning and Fun at MSSA Conference and Expo! appeared first on Pinnacle Services.