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Date: June 22, 2020
To: Lead agency staff, service providers and interested stakeholders
From: DHS Aging and Adult Services and Disability Services divisions
Purpose: To inform lead agencies and provide operational information to continue program and service eligibility for people who use LTSS programs during the national COVID-19 health emergency
Effective: March 18, 2020
Contact: For aging programs, email dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us; for disability services, email dsd.responsecenter@state.mn.us
As of June 19, 2020 (and retroactive to March 18, 2020), people who receive long-term services and supports (LTSS) in Minnesota will continue to have coverage and remain eligible for state public programs throughout the national public health COVID-19 emergency period. DHS will ensure continued coverage under CMS guidelines.
The prohibition on termination applies to these LTSS programs:
- Alternative Care (AC)
- Brain Injury (BI-NB and BI-NF) Waiver
- Community Alternative Care (CAC) Waiver
- Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) Waiver
- Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver
- Elderly Waiver (EW).
For more information and operational guidance, refer to Bulletin #20-56-06, COVID-19: Participation in LTSS Programs Cannot be Terminated (PDF)
Priority
The health and safety of the people we support, staff members and our community remain our highest priorities. Thank you for all you are doing to protect the lives of people who receive services and the health and safety of your fellow staff members as we work together to ensure essential services while we fight the spread of COVID-19.
How can I stay updated on COVID-19 related issues?
Visit the following resources:
- For updates, information and resources for people with disabilities, their families and caregivers, visit the Disability Hub MN website.
- For updates, information and resources for older adult, their families and caregivers, call the Senior LinkAge Line at 800-333-2433.
- For updates related to aging programs, visit the Latest information about COVID-19 from AASD page.
- For updates related to disability services, visit the Latest information about COVID-19 from DSD page.
- The Community-Based Services Manual (CBSM) is our primary way to communicate DHS and DSD policy to providers and lead agencies. We are updating the CBSM homepage and appending notes to policy pages affected by temporary waiver and policy changes.
- The Temporary waivers and program modifications page is a complete list of emergency temporary changes to administrative and regulatory requirements for food assistance, home care, public health care and other state programs in response to the pandemic.
- We are using official DHS bulletins to share operational guidance for many of these modifications.
- For agencywide COVID-related updates to DHS programs, visit the DHS homepage.
- The Coronavirus Disease in Minnesota website contains the latest statewide information related to the pandemic.
- For updates, information and resources for providers, visit the Minnesota Department of Health Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website. The MDH website includes guidance for MDH- and DHS-licensed residential and non-residential settings.
Stay up-to-date by email
Visit CBSM – What's new often for a list of policies/pages we've recently updated
in the Community-Based Services Manual.
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