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Missouri Day on the Hill Issue Late Summer 2016 Dignified and meaningful employment for people with disabilities...Quality services for Missouri. Missouri Day on the Hill Promotes Workshop Success by MASWM President Bruce Young Board members and, of course, workshop room next to the Senate Chambers. Both On July 14, MASWM, along with the managers and staff. It was undoubtedly a Senator Blunt and Congressman Billy Porter Group and ACCSES, hosted our huge success. Long came by and heard from several very first Missouri Day on the Hill. We started the day with a breakfast at members of our delegation. Jon Porter, This was our first major opportunity to the Porter House, which is literally across Randy, Mike and Kate McSweeny of provide some of our employees and their the street from the Congressional parking ACCSES did a tremendous job of ex- families the chance to share their stories garage. After breakfast, we headed over to plaining the importance of Missouri’s ex- firsthand with the Missouri Delegation. the Capital, where our busy day began. tended employment program. There were over 22 in attendance that in- We met with a good number of our Mis- The stars of the day were our employees cluded employees, parents, family and souri Delegation in a special meeting (please continue to next page) U.S. Congressmen Jason Smith (left) and Lacy Clay (right) spoke with workshop employees Nick Beauchaine of Industrial Aid in St. Louis and Amy Easter of MCII in Farmington during Missouri Day on the Hill. Taking the Missouri Message to Washington, D.C. On a hot and humid day in July, Mis- members. special room for the group and met with souri workshop supporters did something MASWM Legislative Co-Chair Randy them extensively. that had never been done before—they Hylton noted the event began with an Especially dramatic were presentations took their message to the nation’s capital. impromptu breakfast “pre-meeting” in by several parents and their adult chil- Missouri Day on the Hill July 14 saw the offices of the Porter Group, followed dren with disabilities. When they de- managers, parents and workers with dis- by a five-block walk to the Capital. scribed the possibility of their workshops abilities walk from office to office across There, former Nevada Congressman Jon being forced to close by regulatory or steaming D.C. sidewalks. Changing Porter and his son, Chris, helped the del- other threats, tears were shed. plans and navigating Washington sched- egation meet with some of the nation’s “It was extremely emotional as we ules and protocols, they spoke directly to elected officials and staff members. Sena- asked people with disabilities to speak a some of the nation’s leaders and their staff tor Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) had reserved a (please continue to next page) Inside this Issue: Families Ties Make a Difference 3 MASWM Save the Date for October Meeting 2 Congresswoman Praises Workshops 4 www.moworkshops.org Cooperative Effort Continues 3 National Leader Sees Challenge 4 www.facebook.com/moworkshops/ Missouri Association of Sheltered Workshop Managers Taking the Missouri Message to Washington, D.C. (continued from Page 1) Tracy Gritsenko, director of Public Pol- about their experiences and how they little about what workshops meant to icy and Advocacy for Industrial Aid, could help. Parents and employees had a them,” Hylton said. “They made very agreed. “All of the legislators and their very powerful impact on the Missouri good points about their interest and will- staffers were very attentive while talking Delegation as a whole.” ingness to be in workshops because of with our employees and their parents,” Also emphasized was the variety of everything they have there.” she said. “They really wanted to know people with disabilities who are served by workshops. “It was clear that one size does not fit all,” Hylton said. “It’s why a range of (employment) options is impor- tant.” Along with Senator Blunt, other offi- cials included Congressman Billy Long of Missouri’s 7th District and Congress- woman Vicky Hartzler of the Missouri 4th District. Staff members for Congress- man Sam Graves (R-6) were among those attending, and Congressman Lacy Clay (D-1) visited during an evening recep- tion. Thank You! MASWM would like to thank every- one who helped make Missouri Day on the Hill a huge success: Workshop Employees: Amy Easter- The Nevada A-Team with CEO Ed Guthrie have a new voice on Capitol Hill. MCII, Nick Beauchaine-Ind. Aid; Parent/Guardians: Lynn Beauchaine, Joe Easter, Doug Geno, William Hayes; Missouri Day on the Hill Legislators: Senator Roy Blunt, Sen- (continued from Page 1) delegation. At times we had to split up, ator Claire McCaskill, Congressman and their families. By the time Amy and her and, at one point, even run through the Billy Long, Congressman Jason Smith, father, Joe, finished their story of just how Capital to make all of these appointments. Congressman Lacy Clay, Congress- important work was for Amy, there was not I want to personally thank everyone who woman Vicky Hartzler; a dry eye in the room. Lynn and Nick also participated and helped make Missouri Porter Group: Former Congressman shared their story about what work means to Day on the Hill such a tremendous suc- Jon Porter, Chris Porter-CE0, Dan them. When our employees and their fami- ces, including everyone from the Missouri Mauer-Government Relations, Eliza- lies are able to speak to the importance of Delegation and staff members who helped beth Butler-Director Of Operations, work, it puts a totally different and very per- immensely. Mitch Fox-Media Services; sonal perspective on this very important The self-esteem and dignity of working ACCSES Staff: Terry Farmer-CEO, issue. and being productive is a very simple Kate McSweeny-Government. Rela- Later, Senator Blunt and Congressman right, which cannot be denied or over- tions, Gary Goosman-Director Of Op- Long both made it very clear that they looked. Our employees should not be erations; were in full support of Missouri’s ex- forced to sit at home and/or participate in Workshop Board Members: Paula tended employment program. Since July a much more restrictive nonproductive Torkelson-VSI, Joe Easter-MCII, 14th was the last day of the summer ses- day program situation. They should be al- William Hayes-Laclede; sion, we had to walk to several other of- lowed to choose where they live and work, Workshop Managers and Staff: fices in order to meet with the rest of the just like everyone else. Bruce Young-CMSE, Mike Stroud-In- dustrial Aid, Tracy Gritsenko-Industrial Aid, Kit Brewer-RCSI, Courtney Mur- Save the Date: MASWM Fall Meeting phy-Ozark-SWI, Brian Hogan-BVI, Jeff Arnold-MAG, Laura Miller-Pulaski The MASWM fall conference will be Once we have a better feel for our County, J.W Gibbs-SWI, Valerie Oct. 5, 6 and 7 at the Hilton Promenade training schedule, we will send a formal Gustin-SWI, Linda Kimrey-LaClede, on the Branson Landing. meeting announcement to the member- Katie Jones-BCI,Nancy Geno-Valley This is the same location we have held ship, probably around the end of Au- Ind, and Randy Hylton-VSI. our last seven fall meetings. gust. Page 2 Missouri Association of Sheltered Workshop Managers Cooperative Effort Continues to Progress on National Level MASWM’s efforts with the Porter lies.” One hope is that other states will fol- Group and ACCSES in Washington, Many of the parents also bring an addi- low the “Missouri Model” set in 1965 D.C. continue to progress. Led by for- tional perspective: they recall all too well with a wide range of extended employ- mer Nevada Congressman Jon Porter and the days before workshops offered alter- ment options funded with a mix of local his son, Chris, the organization is helping natives to staying at home without em- and state sources, combined with busi- MASWM carry its message of employ- ployment options. ness contracts and other earned income. ment choices for people with disabilities Porter credited MASWM and Missouri “We need another Day on the Hill and to the nation’s leaders. managers for their efforts to combat to model these ideas for others,” he con- The Honorable Jon Porter noted a key WIOA regulations, anti-14(c) trends and cluded. “We have to keep the momen- message comes from workers with dis- other issues that will actually reduce em- tum up. We have to build on what we’ve abilities and their parents.“Congress cares ployment for people with disabilities, de- started.” about your businesses,” Porter said. “But spite assumptions to the contrary. “The Workshops face a tsunami of threats to they are especially invested in the fami- challenge is that we’re in a marathon, but their future as regulations evolve in areas lies; the families that are impacted by the we have to sprint right now,” Porter said. such as WIOA. “As the guidelines come services those businesses provide. That is “Every day there are new interpretations. out, there are things that weren’t even in what is critical. These members of Con- This is a very telling time for these fami- the legislation or the regulations. We’re gress really do want to hear from fami- lies.” seeing a new threat every day.” Meeting of the Minds Missouri Day on the Hill brought to- gether workshop managers, parents, workers with disabilities and some of the nation’s leaders. Among those who were at this session in the capital building were (standing, from left) former Con- gressman Jon Porter, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt and MASWM Legislative Chair Randy Hylton.

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