Disability Services Division eList

DATE: Nov. 28, 2016
TO: Lead agency staff
FROM: DHS Disability Services Division, MnCHOICES policy staff
EFFECTIVE: Immediately
PURPOSE: To announce three updates in relation to long-term services and supports (LTSS) policy and procedure
CONTACT: DSD.ResponseCenter@state.mn.us

Updates to long-term services and supports policy and procedure

Lead agency staff should review the following three items and incorporate the changes into their processes and procedures.

CBSM and eDoc updates

The DHS MnCHOICES staff added the following to the Community-Based Services Manual (CBSM):

• Assessment applicability and timelines
• Choice to waive annual reassessment.

Additionally, we updated the following eDocs to match new home and community-based services (HCBS) requirements:

• Community Support Plan with the Coordinated Services and Supports Plan, DHS-6791B (PDF)
• Instructions for Completing the Community Support Plan with the Coordinated Services and Supports Plan, DHS-6791C (PDF)
• Coordinated Services and Supports Plan Signature Sheet, DHS-6791D (PDF). 

Revised timeline for corrective actions related to person-centered planning requirements

The lead agency review team will issue corrective actions to lead agencies who do not comply with person-centered planning requirements beginning Jan. 1, 2018. This new timeline is an update to the one mentioned in DHS Bulletin #16-56-03 Lead Agency Requirements for Person-Centered Principles and Practices – Part 3 (PDF). For a list of these person-centered planning requirements:

1. Go to HCBS Lead Agency Review – Auditing and Oversight
2. Select "List of Items Reviewed for HCBS Lead Agency Review"
3. See the following sections on Page 2 and 3: "Required items reviewed in the support plan" and "Required items reviewed in the person’s file."

Until then, the lead agency review team will continue to complete educational reviews for lead agencies. The team wants to assist lead agencies and provide them with resources to help them implement person-centered practices. Our goal is to help each lead agency fully understand DHS expectations for services.

To help with that, DHS will offer continued training on how to develop person-centered Community Support Plans and Coordinated Services and Supports Plans. Once we have that finalized, we will send out information via our eLists.

MnCHOICES assessments and FSG enrollment

Going forward, lead agencies can offer the Family Support Grant to families without requiring that the family first complete the MnCHOICES assessment.

Ultimately, lead agencies must offer families the opportunity to have a MnCHOICES assessment, as it will help them understand all of their service and support options, but it is not required to access FSG.

DSD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD STAKEHOLDER ARCHIVE

Visit CBSM – What's new often for a list of policies/pages we've recently updated in the DSD Community-Based Services Manual.