 If you have questions or comments about this newsletter or its contents, please contact your case manager.
SEIU updates effective now
New Paid Holiday: Christmas has been added as a holiday, so there now 9 holidays where staff working will receive 1.5x their regular pay.
Stipends for Workers
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$1,200 Retention & Recruitment Stipend: Available each fiscal year to direct support professionals (DSP) in PCA Choice/CFSS, CDCS, and CSG.
- $100 Voluntary Orientation Stipend for workers who complete onboarding (details to follow from DHS).
- One $750 Training Stipend for completing qualifying training.
Paid medical leave benefit- This will be available 1/1/26 and is mandatory for every employee in MN. This will cause both a .44% tax increase on the plan and a .44% decrease from employee paychecks. This counts for bonuses as well. You can find out more by visiting https://mn.gov/deed/paidleave/.
Effective January 1, 2026, or within 30 days of federal approval, whichever is later
Enhanced budget: For participants assessed at needing 10+ hours/day of PCA or CFSS services, the enhanced rate/budget increases from 7.5% to 12.5% if the worker has completed qualifying training.
Rate and Budget changes on Jan 1, 2026
AC, ECS and EW:
- 6.013% increase to consumer directed community supports (CDCS) budgets under AC and EW.
- 2.7% increase to environmental accessibility adaptations (EAA)
CAC, CADI, BI, DD:
- 0.130% increase to CDCS under BI, CAC, CADI and DD.
- PPOM maximum rates will be increased by .13%
- PPOM maximum rates for enhanced rates will be increased by 4.79%
Note: There will be increases to other rates as well, including licensed waiver services, home care nursing, home health services, PCA/CFSS. For folks with these services in their CDCS plan, these rates will need to be adjusted as well.
 CDCS Budgets and Service Agreements
CDCS budgets are generated by the MnCHOICES assessment. When not entered into the Waiver Management system in time, a budget is not generated for the CDCS renewal. When this happens, your case manager will provide you with last year's budget to use as a temporary amount and $10,000 will be authorized on the SA, so that services can continue until the budget is available.
Allowable/unallowable items/services:
Medical Transportation is not allowed under any waiver or AC program – In the past, approvals under AC may have been granted because they do not have Medical Assistance (MA); however, it has since been clarified that AC funds cannot be used to cover medical transportation. See statute and Allowable and unallowable goods and services in the CDCS Policy Manual for details.
Weighted Blankets and Vests- CDCS can now cover when there is an assessed need, as these are are no longer approved under Medical Assistance.
Recreational Activities vs. Training and Education- Ramsey County discussed with DHS how to approach requests for recreational activities or classes that, while not explicitly meant to teach skills or therapeutic, may help individuals build skills or experience therapeutic benefits through participation. DHS states that just because the person may receive incidental benefits (i.e., skills in iADL areas) many people with or without disabilities may receive incidental skill improvement while participating in a multitude of recreational activities. This does not mean that those activities are no longer 'recreational in nature'. If the class/activity is explicitly to learn/build skills related to the person’s assessed needs, DHS seemed to agree that it can be considered for approval.
 CDCS Policy
Ramsey County has created a guide to navigating DHS policy, called the CDCS Guide to DHS Policy-Unbundled with information from the manual's below:
CDCS Unbundling
All initial plans and everyone renewing should be using unbundled policy/forms. Old policy/forms should be used until the person’s next renewal. Forms/guides can be found on the Ramsey County Website under FORMS.
CDCS plan signatures
The following signatures are REQUIRED:
- The person if they do not have a legal representative
- The legal representative, if one is assigned
Multiple people must use the same FMS provider when all the following are true:
- They live in the same household.
- They receive services from the same worker.
- They use the Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) budget model and/or CDCS.
- When there is a joint employer, all people associated with that joint employer must use the same FMS provider. Joint employment is determined by an FMS provider or other entity based on guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Holiday Pay
CDCS Staff, PPOMs, and Paid Spouses may choose not to work on holidays. However, if they do work, the FMS is required to provide holiday pay in accordance with the union contract. This benefit cannot be waived or opted out of. CDCS plans should not state that someone is “opting out” of holiday pay. Instead, the plan may indicate that the individual has chosen not to work on holidays.
Staffing Agencies and CDCS
If requesting staffing through an agency/provider other than the FMS, they MUST be a licensed 245D provider or properly enrolled with DHS. Enrollment will depend on the services the staff will provide. Participants should consult with their case manager before setting up services with a staffing agency. Case managers need to consult with the coordinator to determine if the staffing agency can be approved.
Addendums/Revisions
When making a change to a CDCS plan, please remember that an addendum form/revised plan is not always necessary. An EMAIL can be accepted instead of a form in the following situations:
- Moving funds between items/services that have already been approved. NOTE: For changes in staff hours, need a new staff schedule.
- Allocation of unallocated funds, to increase amount of a service/item that has already been approved.
- Correction of fiscal fees on initial plan/renewal
- COLA: Use of COLA increase for approved items
An addendum form OR revised plan is needed for all other changes. Ramsey County does not require both.
 CDCS Participant Training
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CDCS: Is it right for you? If you are a CDCS participant or legal guardian, this training is mandatory as it includes training on CDCS Unbundling.
Case Manager/Supervisor
Training
Case Consults (Case managers and supervisors)
- Every Thursday from 11am-12pm. (Links on the ADS Bulletin.)
 There is no new information for this section
 Helpful CDCS Documents
Participant Guide to CDCS
Participant Guide to Completing a CDCS Plan
CDCS Guide to DHS Policy-Unbundled
General Information About CDCS
MN Department of Human Services (DHS)
Ramsey County Human Services
CDCS Policy Manual
MHCP Provider Manual (Does MA cover?)
Community Based Services Manual (CBSM)
EAA (Home and Vehicle Modifications) Q&A
Nursing Q&A
 Trainings Available
Self-Direction Conference
October 23, 2025 (Welcome Reception – Evening of October 22) Location: DoubleTree by Hilton – Airport, Bloomington
This annual event is a unique opportunity to:
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Learn from experts and innovators in the field of self-direction
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Share your experiences, challenges, and successes
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Connect with a vibrant community of individuals who are shaping the future of self-directed supports
Cost is $100.00.
Oaktree Self-Advocacy Group Training
Topics covered include assertiveness, disability rights in the state of Minnesota, awareness of scammers, speaking with lawmakers, setting and accomplishing goals, dealing with legal issues, employment issues, housing issues, and how to utilize and communicate with your support team.
This is a 24-week course, split into two 12-week semesters. Each week includes a mix of in-person, online, and 1:1 time—with up to 4 hours of instruction and support.
We offer courtesy Lyft rides—even for those without smartphone access. Rides are billed as T2003 UC using our NPI and can be scheduled as round-trip transportation to and from class. We’re happy to help set it up. Contact Sam Taylor for more information: Email: Sam.Taylor@oaktreesvcs.com and Phone: (651) 506-8258
Need More Staff?
All staff need to be hired through the FMS once secured.
Person Centered Planning
A person centered planner, helps a person develop/create a life plan to help them reach their goals and achieve their dreams in life. Contact The ARC Minnesota
Cell Phone Programs
Autism Resource
DHS Culture Specific Autism videos and Resources Portal:
Other Helpful Resources
Multilingual Support Planner Group - Abdirahman Ahmed w/6 SP's speaking: English, Somali, Arabic, French, Oromo, and Spanish. maverickhealthcaremn.com, abdirahman@maverickhealthcaremn.com 612-707-3308
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