• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Minnesota Council On Disability

Your Policy, Training and Technical Resource

Search

  • About
    • About MCD
    • Additional Information
    • Annual Agency Reports
    • Governing Council
    • Our Mission
    • Staff
    • Statute and Responsibilities
  • Blog and News
    • Blog
    • News
  • Public Policy
    • About Our Public Policy
    • Bill Tracking
    • Engaging with Government
    • Legislative Updates
    • Public Policy Agenda
  • Technical Assistance
    • Access for Businesses
    • Accessible Housing
    • Digital Accessibility
    • Disability Parking
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Employment
    • Laws and Regulations
    • Service Animals
    • Snow Removal
    • Training
    • Transportation
    • Voting
  • Events and Outreach
    • Community Outreach
    • MCD Events
  • Additional Resources
  • RDAC
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / News / Executive Director’s End of Year Letter

Executive Director’s End of Year Letter

December 29, 2021

Dear MCD Council Members and Ex Officio Members,

This year has been full of “pulling weeds and planting seeds.” We are finding things that are not working and trying to improve them. We are developing new ways of doing things that will strengthen our agency, even as we continue to grow.

As Council members, we ask you to set the big picture and strategic direction for our agency.

  • What do we want to do for the people we serve?
  • How can we hold ourselves accountable to the communities we serve?
  • How can we build relationships with these same communities?
  • How do we show them we are listening and making a difference in their lives?

As we come to the end of 2021, I look back at our year with pride in the work we have done. Here are some of the accomplishments we have made in 2021. I hope Council Members can take these achievements and use them to develop the strategic direction for 2022!

What We Do for the People We Serve

  • Kody Olson worked with state emergency leaders to provide vaccines to people with disabilities and to ensure testing was made accessible and equitable for all.
  • We hosted a Commissioner Roundtable to discuss the rollout of vaccines. Within days, the state listed disability as an initial category.
  • We sent an open letter to the 2021 State Fair detailing our public health concerns about such a large gathering. The community, social media, and press amplified our message.
  • Several of our legislative priorities passed in the 2021 session.

Holding Ourselves Accountable to the Community

  • The Council approved three of four governing policy documents, replacing the current Council bylaws.
  • We improved transparency by making Council meeting minutes more readily available.

Building Relationships with the Community

  • We collaborated with the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities to make the 2021 Legislative Forum a success. We expect even more engagement in 2022.
  • With the Minnesota Disability Action Partnership (MnDAP), we participated in several community events. The most popular event was Coping with COVID, a discussion of how to deal with trauma caused by the pandemic.
  • MCD partnered with nonprofit organizations to improve education outcomes for students of parents with disabilities.

Making a Difference in People’s Lives

  • The 2021 ADA Celebration was a great success. While the Americans with Disabilities Act serves as a milestone in the disability rights movement, there is more to be done to guarantee the rights of people with disabilities.
  • As Minnesota continues to take in refugees from Afghanistan and the surrounding region, we work to ensure people with disabilities have the services and supports they need when they arrive.
  • We have greatly improved our agency communications under a new Communications Officer. We see growing public engagement with our social media.

I am grateful for the Council strengthening our strategic planning and for the challenging and rewarding work staff do every day.

I am excited to enter a new phase of great possibility at the Minnesota Council on Disability!

Serving at your pleasure,

E. David Dively

Footer

Find Us

Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD)
1600 University Avenue W, Suite 8
Saint Paul, MN 55104

For accommodation requests, including requesting any document on this website in an alternative format, visit our ADA Title II page.

Contact Us

Phone: 651-361-7800 (VRS)
Toll-free: 1-800-945-8913 (VRS)
Fax: 651-296-5935

Email: council.disability@state.mn.us

Stay Connected

Sign up for the latest MCD news and updates sent to your inbox.

Follow Us

MCD on Facebook MCD on Twitter MCD on YouTube

Accessibility of Our Site · Privacy Notice · Site Map
© 2023 · Minnesota Council On Disability. All rights reserved. · Built by Westwords