AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: July 26, 2021
To: Home care agencies and lead agency staff who support people who use home care nursing (HCN), consumer directed community supports (CDCS), the Consumer Support Grant (CSG) and personal care assistance (PCA)
From: DHS Aging and Adult Services and Disability Services divisions
Purpose: To announce:
1. The end of the COVID-19 modification that lifted the 40-hour/week limit for parents of minors and spouses in CDCS, CSG and HCN
2. The continuation of the COVID-19 modification that allows Individual Education Program (IEP) PCA services to be provided in a person’s home during distanced learning.
Effective: Aug. 31, 2021
Contact: dsdconsumer.directed@state.mn.us

Updates on COVID-19 modifications for people using CDCS, CSG, HCN and PCA

This eList announcement provides updated information about two COVID-19 modifications (originally announced in a Dec. 8, 2020, eList announcement):

· Lifting the 40-hour per week limit for payment of parents of minors and spouses in CDCS, CSG and HCN

· Allowing IEP PCA services to be provided in a person’s home during distanced learning.

40-hour per week limit for payment of parents of minors and spouses

Effective Aug. 31, 2021, lead agency staff and home care agencies must return to following the policies that limit payment of parents of minors and spouses to 40 hours per week.

This COVID-19 program modification will remain in place for a transition period through Aug. 30, 2021.

Instructions for lead agency staff

During the transition period, lead agency staff must ask people using CDCS to revise their plans so they follow the policy that limits payment to parents of minors and spouses to 40 hours per week, outlined in CDCS Policy Manual – Paying a spouse or parent of a minor for personal assistance policy. Lead agency staff must follow the standard process for revisions to CDCS community support plans.

Current state statute allows counties and tribal nations the flexibility to establish their own procedures for CSG. Many counties and tribal nations modified their procedures for CSG to align with the modified CDCS policy. They can choose to resume following any county or tribal nation CSG procedures they had in place before the pandemic.

Instructions for home care agencies

After the transition period, home care agencies must return to the previous service limitations outlined in CBSM – HCN Hardship Waiver.

IEP PCA services provided in a person’s home

This COVID-19 program modification will continue. DHS will continue to cover IEP PCA services provided in a person’s home during distanced learning. For more information and instructions, see MHCP Provider Manual – IEP PCA services.

Background

Minnesota’s COVID-19 peacetime emergency expired on July 1, 2021, at 11:59 p.m., ending the temporary emergency authority DHS used under the governor’s Emergency Executive Orders 20-11 and 20-12. DHS used this temporary authority to waive or modify requirements so people in Minnesota could continue to access essential programs and services safely and without undue delay during the pandemic.

The 2021 Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill, which the governor signed into law on June 29, 2021, modified the transition timeline for a number of the waivers and modifications.

Previous eList announcements

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