When we think of advocacy for autism in Minnesota, we think of Anne Henry. Over the course of her 42 years with the MN Disability Law Center, Anne’s work to establish and obtain coverage fro treatment, services and community inclusion for children with autism enjoy today improved the lives of so many.
Anne was a central attorney for fifteen years in the class action case, Welsch*, which resulted in the deinstitutionalizaiton of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have been confined in Minnesota’s state hospitals. Her work led to the development and funding of services in the community rather than institutionalization in state hospitals, and allowed children to live in their own homes, while still receiving necessary services. Over the years, her work focused on assuring that children and adults have access to the treatment and services they need for a full and quality life in their own homes and communities. These services included ABA services and all other necessary medical treatments that we no take for granted.
As Anne said, “if we get these kids out, either back to their families or into some small home-like setting with needed services, we would have taken away the argument that we’ve got to have the institutions for one population because of their serious physical disabilities, or the other population because of their behavioral problems. Having successfully gotten the kids with a variety of disabilities out really demonstrated that all people could live in the community with the services they need. This is possible to do.”
As a result, we now take for granted that we have HCBS waivered services in our own homes and residential services, PCAs, respite care, the Ombudsmans’ office, self-determination polices, controls on aversive procedures, and limits to prevent abusive overuse of medication. We also take for granted that the state’s budget can support these programs. These are all important components of our disability services system on which Anne focused her leadership.
Anne served on the first Minnesota Autism Task Force of 1997, and was instrumental in translating its finding into actual practice. First by working with Disability Law Center colleagues on the appeals of 11 families of children with ASD who had been denied Home-Based Mental Health Services under Medicaid, and then by advocating for the first Intensive Early Intervention Behavior Therapy law that was passed in 2001. Numerous legislative and policy actions followed, and Anne was always there, providing key input and moral direction to the policy makers. She worked tirelessly on Governor Dayton’s 2013 EIDBI autism benefit and insurance coverage mandate legislation.
On the event of her retirement from her position as attorney with the Minnesota Disability Law Center in 2017, past chairperson of the Autism Recovery Foundation, Randy Bachman said, “For those of us who have been fortunate enough to work with her, ask yourself how many times you’ve relied on her counsel, insights, and details to better inform others, your constituents about public policy and disability law? Ask yourself, who else is the fountain of this knowledge, and I doubt you could name another. Anne is the Wikipedia of disability issues in Minnesota.”
Anne Henry was awarded the 2018 Autism Hero of the Year Award. Anne’s scholarship will continue her efforts to ensure that families can access high quality ABA services.
*Welsch V. Gardebring, 4-72 Civ. 451 (D. Minn. 1987). Welsch v. Likens, 373 F. Supp. 487 (D. Minn.1974).
The Anne Henry Leadership & Advocacy Scholarship
When we think of advocacy for autism in Minnesota, we think of Anne Henry. Over the course of her 42 years with the MN Disability Law Center, Anne’s work to establish and obtain coverage fro treatment, services and community inclusion for children with autism enjoy today improved the lives of so many.
Anne was a central attorney for fifteen years in the class action case, Welsch*, which resulted in the deinstitutionalizaiton of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have been confined in Minnesota’s state hospitals. Her work led to the development and funding of services in the community rather than institutionalization in state hospitals, and allowed children to live in their own homes, while still receiving necessary services. Over the years, her work focused on assuring that children and adults have access to the treatment and services they need for a full and quality life in their own homes and communities. These services included ABA services and all other necessary medical treatments that we no take for granted.
As Anne said, “if we get these kids out, either back to their families or into some small home-like setting with needed services, we would have taken away the argument that we’ve got to have the institutions for one population because of their serious physical disabilities, or the other population because of their behavioral problems. Having successfully gotten the kids with a variety of disabilities out really demonstrated that all people could live in the community with the services they need. This is possible to do.”
As a result, we now take for granted that we have HCBS waivered services in our own homes and residential services, PCAs, respite care, the Ombudsmans’ office, self-determination polices, controls on aversive procedures, and limits to prevent abusive overuse of medication. We also take for granted that the state’s budget can support these programs. These are all important components of our disability services system on which Anne focused her leadership.
Anne served on the first Minnesota Autism Task Force of 1997, and was instrumental in translating its finding into actual practice. First by working with Disability Law Center colleagues on the appeals of 11 families of children with ASD who had been denied Home-Based Mental Health Services under Medicaid, and then by advocating for the first Intensive Early Intervention Behavior Therapy law that was passed in 2001. Numerous legislative and policy actions followed, and Anne was always there, providing key input and moral direction to the policy makers. She worked tirelessly on Governor Dayton’s 2013 EIDBI autism benefit and insurance coverage mandate legislation.
On the event of her retirement from her position as attorney with the Minnesota Disability Law Center in 2017, past chairperson of the Autism Recovery Foundation, Randy Bachman said, “For those of us who have been fortunate enough to work with her, ask yourself how many times you’ve relied on her counsel, insights, and details to better inform others, your constituents about public policy and disability law? Ask yourself, who else is the fountain of this knowledge, and I doubt you could name another. Anne is the Wikipedia of disability issues in Minnesota.”
Anne Henry was awarded the 2018 Autism Hero of the Year Award. Anne’s scholarship will continue her efforts to ensure that families can access high quality ABA services.
*Welsch V. Gardebring, 4-72 Civ. 451 (D. Minn. 1987). Welsch v. Likens, 373 F. Supp. 487 (D. Minn.1974).