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| State, county and tribal workers are implementing legislative changes made in 2011 to two health care programs for noncitizens. These are Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA) and state-funded Medical Assistance (MA) for noncitizens. EMA coverage changes took effective Jan. 8 and state-funded MA eligibility changes take effect March 1. A Web page summarizing the changes is online. |
| The Minnesota Permanency Demonstration sought to determine whether a single benefit program would increase permanency rates and shorten foster care stays among children who had been in foster care for extended periods. A recent report, Minnesota Permanency Demonstration: Final Evaluation (PDF), draws qualified conclusions in support of a single benefit as enhancing the well-being of children by establishing permanent homes and relationships with foster parents. The project operated in Minnesota from October 2005 through September 2010. |
| DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson honored professionals and organizations from across the state Jan. 20, citing their outstanding contributions to human services program clients. Eleven individuals and organizations were recipients of the DHS Commissioner’s Circle of Excellence Awards. The award recipients were recognized at a ceremony at the Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building. More information about the awards is online. |
| DHS is discontinuing the automatic withdrawal program (AWP) for all health care programs. This includes payments for MinnesotaCare, Alternative Care (AC), Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD), and medical spenddowns for Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) and Special Needs BasicCare (SNBC). Details about the end of AWP (PDF) were provided to workers on the Systems Information Resource (SIR) site. A notice was sent to clients with the billing invoices mailed in early December. Clients can learn about other payment methods at www.dhs.state.mn.us/MHCPMemberServices. |
| Applicants for Minnesota Food Support should be aware that there is never a fee for applying for benefits, and to be on the lookout for ads on the Internet falsely offering to help fill out applications. The goal of such scams is to collect personal information, including credit card information, from potential Food Support recipients. The federal agency that manages the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reports that there have recently been scams in which applicants are asked to provide cell phone numbers and are then automatically enrolled into an expensive service without warning. A “scam alert” provides regular updates about these illegal schemes. |
| The importance of Food Support, Minnesota’s food stamp program, and its relationship to good nutrition was the topic of a recent meeting between a top state leader and tribal elders at a northern Minnesota American Indian reservation. Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon spoke with elders from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, who had gathered in Cloquet Oct. 26 to participate in a physical activity class and a nutrition education lesson. More information about Prettner Solon's visit is online. |
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