Iris Freeman to join core faculty of Center for Elder Justice and Policy

September 5, 2008

The Center for Elder Justice and Policy at William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, is pleased to announce the appointment of

                                  Iris C. Freeman, MSW
                                                  as

                                     Adjunct Professor

Iris C. Freeman is a Public Policy Consultant with Advocacy Strategy in Minneapolis, MN, representing seniors, professional, and labor organizations.  As Community Faculty at the University of Minnesota Graduate School of Social work, she teaches classes in Community Practice, Advanced Community Organizing and Advocacy.  In 2002, she was honored by the University of Minnesota School of Social Work as its Alumna of the Year.  She directed the Advocacy Center for Long-Term Care for over 20 years and was Director of Public Policy at the Alzheimer’s Association, Minnesota-Dakotas Chapter from 2000-2003.  She has brought long-term care consumer perspectives to state and local working groups and lawmakers since the 1970’s and worked for the 1980 passage of Minnesota’s first Vulnerable Adult Act.   She publishes widely in professional journals and serves on local and national boards and advisory committees, including two terms on the Board of Directors of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.

During the fall 2008 semester, Professor Freeman will coordinate work between the Center and the Vulnerable Adults Act community stakeholder group led by the ElderCare Rights Alliance.  The VAA Stakeholders Group was organized in the fall of 2007 with a goal of revising and strengthening Minnesota’s Vulnerable Adult Act. Professor Freeman will help design a three year advocacy strategy to amend the VAA and implement educational initiatives.  She will coordinate efforts to prepare the stakeholders for action during the 2009 legislative session, by focusing priorities and building support for legislative proposals, as well as identifying and working to minimize opposition.

During the 2009 semester, Professor Freeman will co-teach the Elder Justice and Policy Keystone, an elder-justice focused policy clinic and seminar that develops students’ competencies in policy practice as well as deepening their understanding of the legislative process and policy implementation.  She will also serve to coordinate advocacy efforts on the ElderCare Rights Alliance Stakeholders’ 2009 legislative proposal.

Throughout the year, she will mentor students in their Center placements and projects, with advice and by facilitating networking opportunities with administrative agencies, legislators, legislative staff, and human services professionals.

For further information, contact
Kim Dayton, Professor of Law and
Director, Center for Elder Justice and Policy
kim.dayton@wmitchell.edu
651.290.6410