Minnesota Statutes
Chapter 256B — Medical Assistance For Needy Persons
Section 256B.0917 — Home And Community-based Services For Older Adults.

Subdivision 1. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 1a. Home and community-based services for older adults. (a) The purpose of projects selected by the commissioner of human services under this section is to make strategic changes in the long-term services and supports system for older adults including statewide capacity for local service development and technical assistance, and statewide availability of home and community-based services for older adult services, caregiver support and respite care services, and other supports in the state of Minnesota. These projects are intended to create incentives for new and expanded home and community-based services in Minnesota in order to:
(1) reach older adults early in the progression of their need for long-term services and supports, providing them with low-cost, high-impact services that will prevent or delay the use of more costly services;
(2) support older adults to live in the most integrated, least restrictive community setting;
(3) support the informal caregivers of older adults;
(4) develop and implement strategies to integrate long-term services and supports with health care services, in order to improve the quality of care and enhance the quality of life of older adults and their informal caregivers;
(5) ensure cost-effective use of financial and human resources;
(6) build community-based approaches and community commitment to delivering long-term services and supports for older adults in their own homes;
(7) achieve a broad awareness and use of lower-cost in-home services as an alternative to nursing homes and other residential services;
(8) strengthen and develop additional home and community-based services and alternatives to nursing homes and other residential services; and
(9) strengthen programs that use volunteers.
(b) The services provided by these projects are available to older adults who are eligible for medical assistance and the elderly waiver under chapter 256S, the alternative care program under section 256B.0913, or essential community supports grant under section 256B.0922, and to persons who have their own funds to pay for services.
Subd. 1b. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(b) "Community" means a town; township; city; or targeted neighborhood within a city; or a consortium of towns, townships, cities, or specific neighborhoods within a city.
(c) "Core home and community-based services provider" means a Faith in Action, Living at Home Block Nurse, Congregational Nurse, or similar community-based program governed by a board, the majority of whose members reside within the program's service area, that organizes and uses volunteers and paid staff to deliver nonmedical services intended to assist older adults to identify and manage risks and to maintain their community living and integration in the community.
(d) "Eldercare development partnership" means a team of representatives of county social service and public health agencies, the area agency on aging, local nursing home providers, local home care providers, and other appropriate home and community-based providers in the area agency's planning and service area.
(e) "Long-term services and supports" means any service available under the elderly waiver program or alternative care grant programs, nursing facility services, transportation services, caregiver support and respite care services, and other home and community-based services identified as necessary either to maintain lifestyle choices for older adults or to support them to remain in their own home.
(f) "Older adult" refers to an individual who is 65 years of age or older.
Subd. 1c. Eldercare development partnerships. The commissioner of human services shall select and contract with eldercare development partnerships sufficient to provide statewide availability of service development and technical assistance using a request for proposals process. Eldercare development partnerships shall:
(1) develop a local long-term services and supports strategy consistent with state goals and objectives;
(2) identify and use existing local skills, knowledge, and relationships, and build on these assets;
(3) coordinate planning for funds to provide services to older adults, including funds received under title III of the Older Americans Act, title XX of the Social Security Act, and the Local Public Health Act;
(4) target service development and technical assistance where nursing facility closures have occurred or are occurring or in areas where service needs have been identified through activities under section 144A.351;
(5) provide sufficient staff for development and technical support in its designated area; and
(6) designate a single public or nonprofit member of the eldercare development partnerships to apply grant funding and manage the project.
Subd. 2. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 3. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 4. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 5. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 6. Caregiver support and respite care projects. (a) The commissioner shall establish projects to expand the availability of caregiver support and respite care services for family and other caregivers. The commissioner shall use a request for proposals to select nonprofit entities to administer the projects. Projects shall:
(1) establish a local coordinated network of volunteer and paid respite workers;
(2) coordinate assignment of respite care services to caregivers of older adults;
(3) assure the health and safety of the older adults;
(4) identify at-risk caregivers;
(5) provide information, education, and training for caregivers in the designated community; and
(6) demonstrate the need in the proposed service area particularly where nursing facility closures have occurred or are occurring or areas with service needs identified by section 144A.351. Preference must be given for projects that reach underserved populations.
(b) Projects must clearly describe:
(1) how they will achieve their purpose;
(2) the process for recruiting, training, and retraining volunteers; and
(3) a plan to promote the project in the designated community, including outreach to persons needing the services.
(c) Funds for all projects under this subdivision may be used to:
(1) hire a coordinator to develop a coordinated network of volunteer and paid respite care services and assign workers to clients;
(2) recruit and train volunteer providers;
(3) provide information, training, and education to caregivers;
(4) advertise the availability of the caregiver support and respite care project; and
(5) purchase equipment to maintain a system of assigning workers to clients.
(d) Project funds may not be used to supplant existing funding sources.
Subd. 7. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 7a. Core home and community-based services. The commissioner shall select and contract with core home and community-based services providers for projects to provide services and supports to older adults both with and without family and other informal caregivers using a request for proposals process. Projects must:
(1) have a credible, public, or private nonprofit sponsor providing ongoing financial support;
(2) have a specific, clearly defined geographic service area;
(3) use a practice framework designed to identify high-risk older adults and help them take action to better manage their chronic conditions and maintain their community living;
(4) have a team approach to coordination and care, ensuring that the older adult participants, their families, and the formal and informal providers are all part of planning and providing services;
(5) provide information, support services, homemaking services, counseling, and training for the older adults and family caregivers;
(6) encourage service area or neighborhood residents and local organizations to collaborate in meeting the needs of older adults in their geographic service areas;
(7) recruit, train, and direct the use of volunteers to provide informal services and other appropriate support to older adults and their caregivers; and
(8) provide coordination and management of formal and informal services to older adults and their families using less expensive alternatives.
Subd. 8. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 9. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 10. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 11. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 12. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 2 s 45]
Subd. 13. Community service grants. The commissioner shall award contracts for grants to public and private nonprofit agencies to establish services that strengthen a community's ability to provide a system of home and community-based services for elderly persons. The commissioner shall use a request for proposal process. The commissioner shall give preference when awarding grants under this section to areas where nursing facility closures have occurred or are occurring or to areas with service needs identified under section 144A.351.
Subd. 14. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 7 s 64]
1991 c 292 art 7 s 17; 1992 c 513 art 7 s 65-72; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 5 s 73-79; 1994 c 625 art 8 s 63; 1997 c 203 art 4 s 44,45; 1999 c 245 art 4 s 62; 2000 c 488 art 9 s 36; 2001 c 161 s 46,47; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 4 s 31,32; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2005 c 10 art 1 s 51,52; 2005 c 98 art 3 s 24; 2006 c 212 art 3 s 19; 2009 c 79 art 8 s 51; 1Sp2010 c 1 art 17 s 14; 1Sp2011 c 9 art 7 s 48; 2013 c 108 art 2 s 26-31,44; art 15 s 3,4; 2014 c 275 art 1 s 60; 2019 c 54 art 2 s 29

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