Friends and neighbors, 

This week at the Capitol, a bill I authored this session was heard in the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee. S.F. 3987 would help Minnesotans with disabilities continue to have access to quality job placement services and on the job support services through the Extended Employment (EE) program.

The EE is a great program that provides people with disabilities the opportunity to feel connected to their community through gainful work. I know firsthand how beneficial this program is as I have a daughter who is employed through a sheltered workshop.

Due to drastic increase in marketplace hourly wages, EE providers are struggling to maintain adequate staff levels. For this reason, my bill would increase EE funding by $2.285 million for fiscal year 2023 and beyond for a total of $33.8 million for fiscal years 2024 through 2025. This additional support would be very beneficial to many organizations across Minnesota, including Functional Industries in our own community. 

Located in Buffalo, Functional Industries has been providing vocational services to people with barriers to employment for more than four decades. And in this week’s Jobs Committee, Lisa Parteh, vice president of community engagement, shared how important EE services are to the people they serve. And especially coming out of the pandemic, Functional Industries has found more people are receiving jobs in their communities, and therefore, in need of additional support to maintain their employment. 

Another organization that would benefit from this bill is the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute (CKRI), which serves people with disabilities and those recovering from serious injuries such as a brain injury, stroke. CKRI has 57 locations throughout Minnesota, including a local branch in Buffalo.

CKRI shared their support of this funding increase and the important role it would play in further meeting the needs of Minnesota’s underserved and unserved populations. CKRI also shared how this funding will help providers respond to current employee workforce shortages, as well as general employer costs. 

It is a privilege to carry this bill this session to support people living with disabilities. 

I want to hear from you, my constituents, on issues that are important to you. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any concerns or ideas you may have. As session moves forward, I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as legislation comes before me. You can contact my office at sen.bruce.anderson@senate.mn or 651-296-5981.

Sincerely,

Bruce Anderson