Page posted: 8/16/21

Legal authority

Minn. Stat. §256B.0911

Overview

People age 64 and younger who live in a nursing facility receive an annual MnCHOICES assessment to ensure they can access assistance to relocate back to the community. Often, people are unaware of the supports and services that would make such a move possible.

By offering the assessment annually, DHS ensures people have the opportunity to learn about community options. This reduces the likelihood a person will live in a more restrictive living environment when there are other options available to them.

Although a person’s participation in the annual assessment is voluntary, the county/tribal nation must offer the MnCHOICES assessment once per year.

Timelines

The county/tribal nation must offer a MnCHOICES assessment to a person age 64 or younger who lives in a nursing facility in both of the following situations:

A person living in a nursing facility (or someone on their behalf) also can request an assessment at any time.

If a person turns 65 while in the nursing facility, the county/tribal nation is not required to complete subsequent assessments (e.g., if a person enters the nursing facility at age 64 and turns 65 one month later, the assessment within 80 days of admission is no longer necessary). In this situation, the county/tribal nation should help with assessments related to discharge planning or relocation services, as requested.

Assessment process

When scheduling the assessment, the certified assessor should coordinate with the person and the nursing facility to determine the person’s expected discharge date. This coordination allows the person to participate in the assessment at an appropriate place in their recovery, when possible.

The certified assessor must:

1. Contact the person or their legal representative to offer and arrange for an in-person interview to discuss community-based resources that may be available to the person for their return to the community.

2. Gain agreement to complete the assessment.

Note: If the person declines the assessment, refer to the section on this page about the process when the person declines the assessment interview.

3. Complete the in-person assessment interview with the person and their legal representative (if applicable).

4. Complete the assessment documentation (e.g., MMIS, support plan, referrals, case notes) by following instructions on CBSM – Support planning for long-term services and supports (LTSS).

5. Inform the person and their legal representative (if applicable) of all available options, including relocation supports and appeal rights.

Notes

If the person received a MnCHOICES assessment within 60 days before their admission to the nursing facility, the person does not need a new assessment.

The county/tribal nation should monitor the person’s situation to determine if further assessment is needed (e.g., initial assessment review) to discharge to the community.

The certified assessor does not need to complete an assessment if the person discharges before the 80th day of admission and either does not need community-based LTSS or will return to a disability waiver within the timelines on CBSM – Temporary waiver exits and restarts: MMIS actions. If the person does need to access community-based LTSS, the certified assessor must complete a MnCHOICES assessment, as requested.

Process when the person declines the assessment

The person has the right to decline the assessment. In this situation, the certified assessor must:

1. Ensure they provide the person and/or their legal representative information to make an informed choice about the assessment interview.

2. Create an initial assessment in MnCHOICES.

3. Document the person’s choice to decline the assessment in the assessor’s note/comment field.

4. Close and abandon the MnCHOICES assessment.

5. Enter a screening document into MMIS that reflects the person’s choice to decline the MnCHOICES assessment using the following instructions:

5a. For a long-term care screening document for a person who has no screening history in MMIS, enter:

5b. For a long-term care screening document for a person who has screening history in MMIS, enter:

5c. For a developmental disabilities screening document, enter:

Note: The county/tribal nation must complete all OBRA Level II evaluative report activities, as listed on CBSM – OBRA Level II evaluative report for people with developmental disabilities. The person cannot waive these activities.

6. Enter case notes in any corresponding case record.