New panel to guide “Own Your Future” public awareness campaign

Contact:
Patrice Vick
DHS Communications
651-431-2380

Blake Chaffee
Office of Lt. Gov. Prettner Solon
651-201-3445

PDF version of news release

Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon will convene a group charged with guiding a statewide public awareness campaign to encourage Minnesotans to plan for the care they will need as they grow old.

The first meeting of the Own Your Future Advisory Panel, sponsored by the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and the Minnesota Department of Human Services, is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 5, in Room 10 of the State Office Building, St. Paul.

Objectives of the “Own Your Future” public information campaign over the next year are to raise awareness among Minnesotans of the importance of planning now to ensure more control and choice in meeting their future long-term care needs and to increase the number of Minnesotans who take action to address and provide for their future long-term care.

Panel participants will assist with development and review of materials for use by Minnesota employers, grassroots organizations and community groups, and provide outreach assistance for the public awareness effort.

“We need to engage all Minnesotans in thinking about how they will plan for and pay for the care they are likely to need as we, as a society, are living longer and growing older,” said Prettner Solon. “We are grateful for the assistance in this effort of Minnesotans representing key sectors of labor, business, health care, the faith community and non-profit organizations.”

Employers are key to the effort as they are widely viewed as trusted sources of long-term care information, according to Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson.

“Employers have a stake in this issue because long-term care planning can help ease demands on family caregivers and give employees a greater sense of security about their futures,” said Jesson.

The public awareness campaign will launch in early fall and will include a website and other written materials, community meetings around Minnesota and other grassroots efforts suggested by panel members. Through a partnership with the federal government, a letter from the Governor’s Office will be sent to Minnesota households this fall urging them to develop a plan.

Long-term goals for the “Own Your Future” effort include identifying long-term care financing products that will work for middle-income consumers and exploring changes to the state’s Medical Assistance program that will better support private financing of long-term care.

Prettner Solon, who is chairing the advisory panel, will be joined on the panel by Jesson and Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman, Human Services Assistant Commissioner Loren Colman and the following participants:
 
Michele Kimball, executive director
AARP Minnesota

Travis Mashak, agricultural industry employer
Manager, Farmers Union Oil

Robert Karrick, interim executive director
Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota-North Dakota

Bobbi Cordano, vice president of programs
Wilder Foundation

Sean Kershaw, executive director
Citizens League

John Tschida, vice president
Courage Center

David Ross, president and CEO
Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce

Laurie Hanson, elder law representative

Walter Gray, financial advisors representative

Brian A. Rusche, executive director
Joint Religious Legislative Coalition

Gayle Kvenvold, president and CEO
Aging Services of Minnesota

Patti Cullen, president and CEO
Care Providers of Minnesota

Craig Roers, long-term care insurance, individual market representative

Tom Devine, long-term care insurance, employer market representative

Craig Pagel, mining industry employer
Executive director, Iron Mining Association of Minnesota

Tracy Keibler, co-chair, public policy committee
Minnesota Board on Aging

Beth McMullen, health policy director
Minnesota Business Partnership

Kate Johansen, policy analyst
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Shar Knutson, president
Minnesota AFL-CIO

Beth Paterson, reverse mortgage industry representative

Dan McGrath, executive director
Take Action Minnesota

Chris Bargeron, representing Training to Serve, and interim director of mental health
Neighborhood Involvement Program

Barbara Greene, director of community engagement
Honoring Choices Minnesota/Twin Cities Medical Society

Lucy Swift, vice president, Minnesota Partnerships
Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

Leslie Taylor, director of health programs
United Way of the Twin Cities