Resource: Communicating consumer directed community supports (CDCS) budget information for people using waivers and Alternative Care (AC)

Page updated: 2/18/26

This resource summarizes:

· Legal requirements for budget procedures.

· Instructions for Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternative Care (CAC) and Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) waivers.

· Instructions for Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver.

· Instructions for Alternative Care (AC) and Elderly Waiver (EW).

Legal requirements for budget procedures

Per Minn. Stat. §256B.4911, subd. 7, when the lead agency authorizes or reauthorizes CDCS for a person using a waiver/AC, the lead agency must provide the person and legal representative with information about how their state-set CDCS budget was calculated. The communication must be accessible for the person, in a way that meets the person’s needs. It must include:

· A detailed explanation of the variables used in the budget formula.

· A copy of the formula used to calculate the person’s budget.

· Information about the person’s right to appeal.

Instructions for BI, CAC and CADI waivers

For BI, CAC and CADI waivers, the lead agency provides the person or their representative with the following information:

1. Information from the “How to calculate an individual budget” section of CDCS Manual – Budget methodology for BI, CAC and CADI waivers.

2. Detailed information about budget variables from:

· CDCS Manual – Variables used in budget methodology for BI, CAC and CADI waivers.

· AC, BI, CADI, EW Case Mix Classification Worksheet, DHS-3428B (PDF).

3. The current cost of living adjustment (COLA) value from CDCS Manual – COLAs for budgets – BI, CAC, CADI and DD.

4. The person’s MnCHOICES long-term care (LTC) screening document.

5. Notice of action. For more information, refer to CBSM – Notice of action.

At reassessment, the lead agency should compare the person’s previous and current screening documents and provide the person with a description of changes to their scores/variables that explains the increase or decrease in their budget from the previous year, if applicable, using the appropriate notice of action. For more information, refer to CBSM – Notice of action.

Instructions for DD Waiver

For the DD Waiver, the lead agency provides the person or their representative with the following information:

1. Information from the “How to calculate an individual budget” section of CDCS Manual – Budget methodology for DD Waiver.

2. Detailed information about the budget variables from CDCS Manual – Variables used in budget methodology for DD Waiver.

3. The person’s MnCHOICES DD screening document.

4. The current COLA value from CDCS Manual – COLAs for budget – BI, CAC, CADI and DD.

5. The following values:

· The person’s profile code from the Waiver Management System (WMS).

· The person’s day training and habilitation (DT&H) service authorization level from the WMS or Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS).

6. Notice of action. For more information, refer to CBSM – Notice of action.

At reassessment, the lead agency should compare the person’s previous and current screening documents and provide the person with a description of changes to their scores/variables that explains the increase or decrease in their budget from the previous year, if applicable, and Notice of Action: Explanation of Changes to Your Support Plan (formerly DHS-2828B). For more information, refer to CBSM – Notice of action.

Instructions for AC and EW

For AC and EW the lead agency provides the person or their representative with the following information:

1. The person’s case mix from the most recent MnCHOICES assessment. For case mix determination details, refer to AC, BI, CADI, EW Case Mix Classification Worksheet, DHS-3428B (PDF).

2. AC and EW CDCS budget by case mix from Long-Term Services and Supports Service Rate Limits, DHS-3945 (PDF).

3. Notice of action. For more information, refer to CBSM – Notice of action.

At reassessment or when completing a functional needs update, the lead agency should compare the person’s previous and current LTC screening documents and provide the person with a description of changes in their assessment result and case mix that explains the increase or decrease in their budget from the previous year, if applicable.