Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Media Forum

6. Public Policy and Media: A Fight for Seconds

[John Clark] I'm John Clark. I'm a recently retired… prematurely retired. from 35 years as a licensed independent clinical social [worker]. I worry about public policy and the media…

[Robb Leer] You ask a good question.

Let's talk about time and space. What about the challenges? John's question is about the complexities, and to get you guys to kind of pass the microphone here.

Mac… Paul McEnroe, you've worked now with both industries. Tell me, is newspaper space unlimited?

[Paul McEnroe] Well, I fight for seconds now instead of inches.

[Robb Leer] Does the lack of space or time…?

[Paul McEnroe] No.

[Robb Leer] …is it impacting policy that John needs to get around?

[Paul McEnroe] No, I don't buy that at all. I think it's the fact that many times reporters don't understand the question in depth enough.

They need to be educated on the fly when it comes to something as complex as a Metro Mobility model of delivery.

They don't have a lot of time to spend on that and it's really important at the get-go of this seminar to… to stress how important it is when you call or write to be organized, to be able to document this stuff, to have examples and anecdotes, the same way as an attorney would want.

We want to be organized when we deliver accurate information.

And we only can be as good many, many times as the phone… the phone calls we get from you or the e-mails.

©2025 The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Administration Building   50 Sherburne Avenue   Room G10
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Phone: 651-296-4018   Toll-free number: 877-348-0505   MN Relay Service: 800-627-3529 OR 711
Email: admin.dd.info@state.mn.us    View Privacy Policy    An Equal Opportunity Employer 

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center, the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2401MNSCDD, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

This website is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,152,808.00 funded by ACL/HHS and $222,000.00 funded by non-federal-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.