MN APSE

05/18/2026

📣 Don’t Forget — APSE Lunch & Learn is This Thursday! 🍽️💡

Join us for an engaging APSE Lunch & Learn session focused on free and low-cost resources available for employment staff and managers. Learn where to find valuable tools, training opportunities, professional development resources, and networking supports for employment services professionals across Minnesota and beyond.

🗓 Thursday, May 21
⏰ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
💻 Online Event
👉 Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sce2srTMqEtL4Z3aGVNzJ8SR2MQf2u9R7?_x_zm_rtaid=SCF5H8sfQ2OQs1uank7jLg.1694114741254.1afdbf046819b46de156bbade0096de2&_x_zm_rhtaid=54 #/registration
🎤 Featuring: Danielle Mahovsky, University of Minnesota – Institute on Community Integration

This session is open to all employment professionals — bring your lunch and join us

05/14/2026

05/11/2026

📣 Registration is OPEN for !

Join professionals, advocates, and leaders from across the country in Dallas, TX for APSE’s 2026 National Conference—focused on advancing Employment First and inclusive employment.

🗓 June 8–11, 2026
📍 Hyatt Regency DFW
✨ Pre-Conference: June 8
✨ Main Conference: June 9–11

This national event brings together hundreds of individuals—including service providers, employers, educators, policymakers, and people with disabilities—to share strategies, build connections, and move inclusive employment forward. ()

💡 Don’t miss:
✔️ Industry-leading training & breakout sessions
✔️ Networking with leaders and changemakers
✔️ Practical tools to advance Employment First

👉 Register now: https://apse.org/events-learning/2026-conference-copy/

Be part of the movement driving bigger solutions for inclusive employment. 💙💚

05/07/2026

🌈 Barrier Awareness Day – May 7th 🌈

Together, we can break down barriers and build a more inclusive future for all. 💙

On this Barrier Awareness Day, APSE is proud to stand for Employment First—because everyone deserves the opportunity to work, contribute, and thrive in their community.

Let’s take action:
✅ Recognize barriers
✅ Understand challenges
✅ Remove obstacles
✅ Include everyone
✅ Empower success

💡 Awareness today. Inclusion every day.

Join us in creating workplaces—and a world—where all people are valued and supported.

05/05/2026

The Minnesota Transformation Initiative (MTI) is pleased to host up to
25 Employment Support Professionals to take the APSE Credentialed
Employment Support Professional (CESP) exam on June 1, 2026,
concurrent with the MN MOHR Conference in Waite Park, MN.

Exam Cost: $45 application fee + $174 exam fee

4 MTI sponsorships available

To learn more about CESP: https://apse.org/cesp-central/

MTI-Sponsored CESP Exam Application:
https://forms.gle/c91Am6WraBhPQoqv6

Questions: Sherry Healey, [email protected]

05/04/2026

💼 Self-Employment & Disability: Why It Matters More Than Ever

New 2025 data shows progress—but also a clear need for more inclusive pathways to work.

📊 The reality:
▪️ Only about 37–38% of people with disabilities are employed
▪️ Compared to 74–75% of people without disabilities
▪️ The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 8.3%—about double that of others
▪️ Even at record highs, fewer than 4 in 10 people with disabilities have jobs

💡 So where does self-employment come in?

For many people with disabilities, self-employment isn’t just an alternative—it’s a solution.
It creates opportunities to:
✔️ Build flexible work environments
✔️ Work around barriers in traditional employment
✔️ Turn skills, passions, and ideas into income

As we continue advancing Employment First, we must recognize that entrepreneurship is a critical pathway to economic independence and inclusion.

Let’s keep expanding access to the tools, supports, and resources that make self-employment possible.

05/01/2026

🥪💻 Lunch & Learn – May 21st | 12:00–1:00 PM

Looking for new tools, ideas, and connections in the world of employment services? Join us for an engaging Lunch & Learn session focused on free and low-cost resources available to support employment staff and managers.

In this session, you’ll get an overview of valuable resources in Minnesota and across the country that offer:
✔️ Training & professional development
✔️ Information & tools
✔️ Networking opportunities

👩‍🏫 Featuring: Danielle Mahoehney
A community living and employment specialist with the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, Danielle brings extensive experience supporting organizations and advancing competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.

🗓 May 21st
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM
💻 Online – bring your lunch and join us!

👉 Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sce2srTMqEtL4Z3aGVNzJ8SR2MQf2u9R7?_x_zm_rtaid=SCF5H8sfQ2OQs1uank7jLg.1694114741254.1afdbf046819b46de156bbade0096de2&_x_zm_rhtaid=54 #/registration

Open to all employment professionals—don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and grow!

04/29/2026

🌼 Join Us for the MN APSE Spring Mingle! 🌼

You’re invited to a relaxed and welcoming evening at Cowboy Jack’s in Bloomington on May 6th!

Hosted by the MN APSE State Chapter Board, this casual spring gathering is the perfect chance to connect with fellow members, friends, colleagues, and family. Whether you’re looking to network, catch up with familiar faces, or simply enjoy good company, we’d love to see you there.

🕒 Board Meeting: 3:00 PM
🎉 Mingle Begins: 4:00 PM

Let’s come together beyond our day-to-day work and continue building a strong, supportive community around Employment First.

💬 Come for the connections. Stay for the community.

04/23/2026

Community Connections 🤝

We were excited to attend the Inclusive Employment Resource Fair in Bloomington this past week!

A special thank you to Dana Eisfeld and Chris Davies from the MN APSE board for being there and supporting inclusive employment opportunities. It was great connecting with so many organizations and individuals who are passionate about building a more inclusive workforce.

This wonderful event was hosted by Hennepin County—we appreciate all the effort that went into making it such a success!

Looking forward to continuing these important conversations and opportunities 💼✨

04/07/2026

🎙️ Coming Soon! New Podcast Episode from MN APSE

We’re kicking off Season 6 with If You Believe It, You Can Achieve It with a powerful and heartfelt conversation featuring Claire Braun.

Claire and her late husband opened their home to 75 foster children in Ramsey County—adopting 8 along the way. Her story is one of compassion, resilience, and unwavering belief in the potential of every person.

💙 Hear how children of all abilities grew into adults thriving in competitive, integrated employment—and the role one family played in making that possible.

✨ This is an episode you won’t want to miss.

👉 Stay tuned—coming soon!