AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: March 23, 2020
To: Counties, tribal nations and managed care organizations
From: DHS Disability Services and Aging and Adult Services divisions
Purpose: To update providers and lead agencies about temporary changes in aging and disability services in response to the COVID-19 peacetime state of emergency.
Effective: Immediately
Contact: dhs.mnhelp@state.mn.us

COVID-19 emergency protocol updates for the DHS Disability Services and Aging and Adult Services divisions

Under the Governor’s Emergency Executive Order 20-12 (PDF), the Minnesota Department of Human Services has temporary authority to waive or modify requirements so that the agency and its partners can continue to provide essential programs and services to Minnesotans safely and without undue delay during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A list of all waivers and modifications currently in effect is posted at the DHS Waivers and Modifications website. It will be updated as necessary. We encourage you to monitor that page, the DHS homepage and DHS bulletins.

Operational instructions for counties, tribes, managed care organizations and providers related to these changes will be communicated separately to people affected by specific temporary changes.

In response to the Executive Order, DHS is making the following changes:

LTSS assessments and OBRA Level II

To ensure access to and continuity of care, DHS developed a temporary protocol that starts immediately and continues through the COVID-19 peacetime state of emergency. This includes the following instructions for assessors:

· The in-person requirement for assessments, reassessments, nursing facility admission of people under age 21 and OBRA Level II evaluations is suspended

· Assessments/evaluations may be conducted through an interactive telecommunication that allows real-time conversation between the assessor and the person, as necessary.

Entering screening documents in MMIS

Because lead agencies must enter MMIS screening documents to record activity and authorize MMIS service agreements, we have also developed guidelines for entering information into MMIS. If a lead agency completes a remote assessment/evaluation, lead agencies must:

· Use the existing activity type codes that indicates in-person assessments, reassessments, screening for nursing facility admission of people under age 21 and OBRA Level II evaluations, even if the activities are performed remotely

· Add the comment “COVID-19 – remote assessment complete” in one or more of these places:

o LTC screening document – ACMG panel, Case manager comment section

o DD screening document – ACMG panel, Case manager comment section

o PCA Type B – ADHS panel, DHS comment section.

Future updates

We will provide further direction for essential paperwork completion, support planning and case manager visits at a later date. Thank you for your continued patience and partnership.

Questions

If you have questions or concerns, contact the SSIS/MnCHOICES help desk by one of the following methods:

· Use the MnCHOICES Help Desk Contact Form, DHS-6979 (PDF)

· Send a message to dhs.mnhelp@state.mn.us

· Call 651-431-4801.

Previous eList announcements

AASD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD STAKEHOLDER ARCHIVE