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Disability advocate tells LCCMR subcommittee guardian sent him to hospital, urges more funding and accountability
Summary
Nathaniel M. Olen, a disability advocate, testified that his guardian placed him on hold and sent him to a mental health facility after he requested a short vacation; he urged the subcommittee to fund safety supports and hold guardians and the Department of Human Services accountable.
Nathaniel M. Olen, identifying himself as a disability advocate, told the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources subcommittee that his guardian placed him on a hold and sent him to a mental health facility after he sought a brief vacation.
Olen said the experience on May 22 was “the most scariest time of my life,” and that he felt abandoned by his guardian and by Scott County Human Services, which he said did not act to protect his well-being. “My guardian put me on a hold … she would put me in a mental hospital just because I advocated for myself,” Olen said during a public testimony moved earlier in the agenda so he could speak before leaving.
Why it matters: Olen urged the commission to consider whether current funding and services leave people with intellectual and developmental disabilities without adequate supports and safeguards. He called for budgeted resources to improve safety, accountability and crisis response so people with disabilities are not removed from their family and support networks without appropriate cause.
Olen described searching with his lawyer to find a new guardian “that’s going to love me and support me,” and asked the subcommittee, “what funding do we have provided for people with disabilities? What funding do we need to get this help?” He also requested that law enforcement have the training and resources to make better decisions during crises involving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The chair thanked Olen for his testimony and moved the meeting on to the strategic planning agenda item. Staff did not announce any immediate follow-up actions tied to his remarks during the meeting.
The subcommittee continued with its scheduled discussion of vision, mission and NRTF goals; staff will include public input and survey results in later drafts of the strategic plan and the 2026 RFP for the Environ‑mental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
