The 2022 MPHA Annual Conference focuses on how we can learn from the lived experience of people in our community to take meaningful action to address public health needs. In that spirit, please join us for our two part series highlighting homelessness as a public health area requiring immediate attention in Minnesota.
Part I of the series will commence on May 5 from 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm with a presentation and discussion with Mikkel Beckman and Markus Klimenko from Hennepin County to more deeply disentangle the history of homelessness in our country and our state. These informed perspectives work to disrupt stereotypes that perpetuate harm and inaction and underscore the impact of homelessness on American Indian communities and communities of color in Minnesota. This part of the event will be recorded and shared with registrants.
We will, then, move into an interactive session that centers our discussion around a case study on homelessness in Minnesota. Participants will be split into small groups where the task will be to plan a proposal on how to end homelessness in Hennepin County based on the given case study. This interactive exercise creates space and time for participants to collaborate, connect, and engage on a topic that requires concrete, urgent, creative solutions. At the end of the session, we will collect questions to be answered and discussed by experts in the field as part of Part II of the series.
About the Panelists
Mikkel Beckmen leads Hennepin County’s planning efforts to make homelessness rare through prevention and eviction reduction strategies. For over 31 years, Mikkel has worked in the public and non-profit worlds managing programs and organizations working to end homelessness, create supportive housing and enhance housing stability. He is currently a Senior Department Administrator in the Housing Stability Area for Hennepin County MN.
Markus Klimenko is a Human Services Area Manager for Housing Stability and leads the making homelessness non-recurring efforts at Hennepin County, MN. The non-recurring efforts involve supporting a large portfolio of affordable and supportive housing, and ensuring that the quantity, quality, and variety of affordable and supportive housing programs continues to grow to meet the various needs of Hennepin County’s most vulnerable residents. Markus is a M.A. level Licensed Psychologist, and his background is in Health and Human Services Housing, Homelessness and Mental Health.
Who Should Attend?
Both sessions are intended for a wide range of people interested in addressing the health needs of unhoused people in our community, from students to established public health professionals. We encourage attendance at both events but it is not required.
Accessibility
These events will be held virtually over Zoom. If ASL interpretation or other accommodations are needed, please contact admin@mpha.net