We are pleased to announce Lisa Shock, LSW has accepted the position of Adult Protection Training and Communications Specialist. Lisa began this role on Wednesday, August 7, 2024.
Lisa brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role. Prior to joining DHS, she worked as an Adult Protection Investigator at Anoka County and has extensive training experience in previous work with DHS where she provided policy training and technical assistance. Lisa holds a BA in Social Work from the College of St. Catherine and is a licensed social worker.
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The Adult Protection Policy Manual has been updated to clarify current APS policies and to reflect updates to the SDM® Intake tool! Among other updates, the manual now includes a NEW Appendix E which incorporates the SDM® Intake tool policy and procedures to better operationalize statutory requirements for APS eligibility under the Vulnerable Adult Act (VAA). The new Appendix E was published in anticipation of the release of the updated SDM® Intake Tool in the Social Services Information System (SSIS) on August 21. APS professionals will still find SDM policy for the EPS Standardized Intake Tool, Initial and Final Safety Assessment tools, and Strengths and Needs Assessment tools in the Minnesota Adult Protection Structured Decision Making and Standardized Tools Guidelines and Procedures Manual.
Additional edits to the manual made to clarify the following:
Section 2 GL: Terms
- New definition of Primary Support(s), replaced Primary Support Person(s)
Section 3 GL: Acronyms
- Incorporated Community First Services and Supports (CFSS)
Section 16 TF: Responding to the Report- EPS
- APS is required to monitor Unassigned Intake Log in SSIS for EPS MAARC referrals daily, including holidays and weekends.
Section 21 CD: Intake and Screening
- Supervisor review and approve SDM® intake assessment Tool Screening Decision or, if applicable, Agency Screening Decision
- Finalize the SDM® intake assessment tool, within SSIS, following supervisor review and approval
If you have any questions, please contact the DHS Adult Protection Unit at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609.
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Effective July 31, 2024, the Social Service Information System (SSIS) is part of the newly established Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). The Help Desk will continue to be available to all SSIS users. There is no change in support available to adult protection with the change to DCYF.
The new email address is dcyf.ssishelp@state.mn.us. The old email address will still continue to work for the time being allowing us time to update our web pages with the new contact information. Mentors for Adult protection users should begin using the new address effective immediately.
We are excited to announce DHS is able to offer new enhanced support for Tribal Nation’s adult protection programs through partnership with International Association for Indigenous Aging (https://iasquared.org/IA2). IA2 is offering consultation and technical assistance for Tribal Nations to meet allocation eligibility under 256M.42. DHS and IA2’d collaborative efforts underscore the state’s adult protection vision for all adults who are vulnerable to abuse to live in safety and dignity consistent with their own culture, values and goals. IA2 aims to strengthen adult protection programs and respect cultural values.
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The DHS Adult Protection Unit established an interagency agreement with Minnesota Department of Administration Management Analysis Division (MAD) to consult and work with adult protection program leaders in each county to establish local agency goals aligned with statewide performance measures, as mandated by Minnesota Statutes 256M.42, to improve equity and consistency in decisions for vulnerable adults accepted for APS.
DHS released Bulletin 24-32-02R Adult Protection State Allocations August 1, 2024. Revisions to the original bulletin were made to address technical changes made in the last legislative session that do not impact county allocation amounts.
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) awarded an agreement to the International Association for Indigenous Aging (IA2) to operate the Native American Elder Justice Initiative National Resource Center (NAEJI) in 2023. NAEJI promotes locally tailored, culturally relevant activities to address the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) elders and promote justice for the nation’s Indigenous elders. APS TARC connected with How can these organizations help APS collaborate with Native American tribes? APS TARC connected with Peggy Jo Archer (NAEJI Director of Elder Justice Projects) and Bill Benson (IA2 Board President) to discuss how these organizations can help APS collaborate with Native American tribes.
Why was NAEJI created?
The Native American Elder Justice Initiative was established to bring national attention to the issues of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation in Indian country. Its goals are to enhance understanding of the abuse of Native elders, identify ways to address these issues and create culturally sensitive information and resources to help tribal nations and those serving American Indian and Alaska Native populations respond more effectively to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Has NAEJI done any work with APS programs?
Yes, in 2024 we worked with tribal and non-tribal organizations. We have conducted two statewide APS training courses with Oklahoma APS and North Carolina APS (and related departments), as well as a statewide training for the California Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. Moreover, NAEJI hosts monthly tribal APS advocate meetings where tribal nations and state APS professionals can receive education, resources, training, and technical assistance, discuss successes and challenges, and support each other. IA2 was recently awarded a contract with the Minnesota Department of Human Services to provide technical assistance to tribes concerning the development or strengthening of tribal APS programs.
What is the process if APS programs would like more information about NAEJI?
APS programs can contact us via email at naeji@iasquared.org or by phone at 301-861-0632, ext. 705. You can also visit our website at https://iasquared.org/naeji/ to find resources and contact us. The website provides a wide range of culturally relevant resources on recognizing and responding to elder abuse within Indigenous communities. Additionally, we support the majority of Title VI conferences and cluster training and offer training sessions to provide technical assistance on elder abuse, the development of elder abuse codes, and tribal elder protection teams. Title VI of the Older Americans Act supports programs serving older American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. We also offer training and technical assistance to all tribal nations and tribal-serving organizations around advancing elder justice initiatives.
Information above is from the July 2024 APS TARC Summary of Programmatic APS Resources for Consideration (SPARC) newsletter. Keep up to date with APS TARC offerings by joining the APS TARC mailing list.
Community First Services and Supports (CFSS)
Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) is a Minnesota health care program that offers flexible options to meet the unique needs of people. CFSS is replacing Personal Care Assistance (PCA) and the Consumer Support Grant (CSG). DHS will begin implementing CFSS on October 1, 2024. Adults currently utilizing PCA or CSG will transition to CFSS at their yearly reassessment and will not experience a disruption in services.
CFSS will cover the same main services as PCA:
- Activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing, grooming, and transferring
- Health-related tasks
- Instrumental activities of daily living, such as shopping, cooking, laundry, and assistance with self-administered medications
- Observation and redirection of behavior
Implication for Adult Protective Services (APS)
During the transition period, reporters, family members, service providers, and other professionals may use the terms PCA and CFSS interchangeably. This includes MAARC/SSIS labels and nodes currently noted as “PCA.” An adult may receive paid support services from a spouse, or an adult who accesses supports through CFSS may also provide paid supports to another person utilizing CFSS.
Impact on Maltreatment Allegation
Individuals providing care to adults who are vulnerable to maltreatment may be considered caregivers, as outlined in the Minnesota Adult Protection Policy Manual, if that individual was responsible to provide care as outlined in the adult’s service plan at the time of the alleged maltreatment.
Conversely, individuals providing support to adults who are vulnerable to maltreatment may not be considered caregivers, as outlined in the Minnesota Adult Protection Policy Manual, if the supports were not under contract or agreement as outlined in the adult’s service plan at the time of the alleged maltreatment.
APS workers should use professional judgement, adhere to policy, and utilize the SDM® Intake Assessment Tool to determine if the alleged maltreatment resulted in intentional harm or may be criminal, in order to identify the correct allegation.
Question?
Please connect with the DHS Adult Protection Unit at (651) 431-2609 or dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us.
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Data help policy makers and the public understand the nature and scope of an issue. In the case of adult protection, data provide a basis to understand if vulnerable adults are treated fairly and justly in our state. Data can impact program evaluation, benchmarks for quality and performance outcomes, budget planning and resource allocation, and inform evidenced based prevention and remediation/service response for vulnerable adults who have been maltreated.
“Without data, you're just another person with an opinion."
― W. Edwards Deming
The image below from the MN State Demographic Center shows the percentage of population age 65+ in each Minnesota county. Rural Minnesota tends to be much older, on average, than metropolitan areas.
DHS Adult Protection Resource Specialist (APRS)
DHS Adult Protection Resource Specialist (APRS) staff support adult protection workers and supervisors with policy clarification and case consultation regarding intake, assessment, service intervention, and assessment outcomes for the safety and dignity of adults vulnerable to maltreatment and reported as having experienced maltreatment.
Connect with an APRS today at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609.
MN Adult Protection Foundations: eLearning Courses
MN Adult Protection Foundations: eLearning courses provide self-paced foundational trainings for adult protection professionals across Minnesota. The 12 online Foundations: eLearning courses can be taken in any order and reviewed at any time. The Foundations: eLearning courses align with national adult protection core competencies and Minnesota state adult protection policy.
The 12 Foundations: eLearning courses are prerequisite for the MN Adult Protection Foundations: Live Training
Links to Foundations: eLearning courses are available on the Adult Protection: policies and procedure website, or click the links below to access each Foundations: eLearning course:
- What is Adult Protection in Minnesota?
- Adult Protective Services Populations Served & Eligibility
- MAARC Functions and Duties
- Lead Investigative Agencies (LIA) and Jurisdiction for Maltreatment Response
- EPS Intake
- APS Intake
- Assessment Response
- APS Assessment
- APS Coordination and Data Sharing
- Completing Protective Services and Case Closure
- Engagement Strategies
- Completing Final Disposition and Appeals
MN Adult Protection Foundations: eLearning courses were developed to complement existing National Adult Protective Services Training Center (NATC) training opportunities and support adult protection professional development.
MN Adult Protection Foundations: eLearning courses support equity and consistency in service response and outcomes that safeguard and promote dignity for adults who are vulnerable, regardless of their location in Minnesota, and the courses address core competency training recommendations in the ACL Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems. The Foundations: eLearning courses support adult protection professionals meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e (8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties).
Questions? Please contact the DHS Adult Protection team at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us.
MN Adult Protection Foundations: Live Training
MN Adult Protection Foundations: Live Training is a 3-hour interactive online training facilitated by MN DHS Adult Protection Unit staff. The Foundations: Live Training reviews case examples and practical scenarios in order to apply foundational statutory definitions and MN state adult protection policy principles covered in the Foundations: eLearning courses.
The 12 Foundations: eLearning courses are prerequisite for the MN Adult Protection Foundations: Live Training
Click a link below to register for a MN Adult Protection Foundations: Live Training
MN Adult Protection Foundations: Live Training supports equity and consistency in service response and outcomes that safeguard and promote dignity for adults who are vulnerable, regardless of their location in Minnesota, and the course addresses core competency training recommendations in the ACL Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems. The Foundations: Live Training supports adult protection professionals meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e (8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties).
Questions? Please contact the DHS Adult Protection team at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us.
SSIS Essentials eLearning
SSIS Essentials is a collection of six eLearning courses designed to provide caseworkers with an introduction to basic navigation and functionality of core SSIS functions. SSIS Essentials eLearning is offered through TrainLink. New workers are encouraged (not required) to take the online SSIS Essentials eLearning courses prior to taking SSIS Adult Protection Worker training.
Please visit the SSIS Essentials eLearning website for registration and TrainLink instructions, technical requirements, and more detailed information about each of the six SSIS Essentials courses.
SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training
The SSIS Adult Protection Worker course is a technical training designed to provide an overview of data entry as related to Adult Protective Services (APS) into SSIS. The training is offered in two half-day virtual classes and is designed for new adult protection workers, SSIS Mentors, and those seeking a refresher. New workers are encouraged to take the online SSIS Essentials eLearning courses prior to SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training. More information can be found on the SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training website.
Upcoming SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training:
- September 16th and 19th, 2024
- November 4th and 7th, 2024
- February 3rd and 6th, 2025
- March 3rd and 6th, 2025
- April 7th and 10th, 2025
- May 5th and 8th, 2025
Please visit the SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training website for registration instructions, additional resources, and more detailed information about the course.
National Adult Protective Services Training Center (NATC)
The National Adult Protective Services Training Center (NATC) provides free self-paced eLearning courses for adult protection professionals nationwide. NATC course topics include APS Overview; Ethics, Values, and Cultural Responsiveness; Voluntary Case Planning; Trauma-Informed Practices; Case Documentation; and more. MN Adult Protection Foundations: eLearning courses were developed to complement existing NATC training opportunities.
To access NATC eLearning courses, create a free account and click "Find Courses" to view available courses. Check out the NATC LMS User Guide (PDF) if you need help creating an account or navigating the website.
The NATC is operated by NAPSA and is supported by the ACL. NATC training offerings are supplemental to MN Adult Protection Foundations: eLearning courses, and support adult protection professionals meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e (8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties).
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APS Technical Assistance and Resource Center (TARC)
APS TARC provides a variety of free educational opportunities for adult protection professionals including podcasts, webinars, briefs, and toolkits that align with APS Core Competencies in national standards. APS TARC offerings address a wide variety of topics including ethics, frauds and scams, interviews with experts, implicit bias, trauma informed practice, and more.
Keep up to date with APS TARC offerings by joining their mailing list, and check out the APS TARC YouTube page for additional content. Many APS TARC educational opportunities can support adult protection professionals meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e (8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties).
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Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment Dashboard
The Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment Dashboard provides annual state and county data on the number of reports, allegations, and investigation determinations to explain what happens after reports of suspected maltreatment are made to the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC).
Additional Practice Resources
Find information on adult protection policy, procedure, resources, and training for mandated reporters on the DHS Adult Protection: Policies and Procedures webpage. Specific training resources for adult protection professionals are included under the "Adult protection worker resources and training" drop down. These resources support adult protection professionals meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e (8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties).
The DHS Adult Protection Newsletter shares knowledge specific to adult protection work in MN, answers common questions regarding adult protection work in MN, and provides awareness of DHS Adult Protection training opportunities. Please contact us with any questions at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609
For more information about DHS Adult Protection, please visit us online DHS AP: Program Overview
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