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External Program Review Committee (EPRC) agenda

Date: 2-4 p.m. on January 6, 2022

DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Linda Wolford, Ari Dionisopoulos and Anna MacIntyre

Type: Whole committee

Location: Remote only because of the COVID-19 health pandemic

Accommodations: If you need an accommodation for this meeting, you must notify a DSD liaison three days before the meeting. Emailing PositiveSupports@state.mn.us or call (651) 431-4300.

Common acronyms used by the committee

We ask committee members to avoid the use of acronyms. Here are common acronyms:

· BIRF: DHS form 5148: Behavioral Intervention Report Form

· CABC: Context, antecedent, behavior, consequence

· DHS: Minnesota Department of Human Services

· DSD: Disability Services Division

· EUMR: Emergency use of manual restraint

· FBA: Functional behavior assessment

· HCBS: Home and community-based services

· IRP: Interim Review Panel (Predecessor to the EPRC)

· MDH: Minnesota Department of Health

· PS Manual: DHS form 6810C: Guidelines for Positive Supports in DHS-Licensed Settings

· PSR: Positive Supports Rule: Minnesota Rule 9544

· PSTP: DHS form 6810: Positive Support Transition Plan

· RA or Request: DHS form 6810D: Request for Authorization of the Emergency use of Procedures

General reminders for committee members

Before speaking, please state your name. Committee members are expected to:

· Be on time

· Read the minutes, agenda and supporting documents before each meeting

· Participate in ideas and conversations, as well as pause to allow others to share input

· Commit to spending the whole meeting time present and not engage in other activities during the meeting.

Technology

The first few minutes of every meeting will be dedicated to addressing any connectivity issues, to ensure everyone can hear other meeting participants.

Agenda items

Public comments

The committee encourages public participants to share their thoughts and ask questions about committee activities at the beginning of each meeting. The committee will continue on to the next agenda item when either 1) 30 minutes have passed or 2) when there are no additional comments or questions, whichever comes first.

Updates to share

Direct care workforce shortage

· Many Disability Services staff are working to help people gain access to assistive technology. People in Minnesota have less access to technology than people who live in other states. You can read about the barriers to technology in the Technology First Advisory Task Force June 2021 Legislative Report. Anna MacIntyre will join our meeting to share more about this issue.

· DEED has started their January recruitment event: Health Care Month.

· Linda, Stacie and others are looking into equity and diversity topics related to the workforce shortage.

· Several Disability Services staff are working on helping people gain access to Positive Support Services, which also has a shortage of workers. One of their activities this month is working with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to have the profession formally recognized for the apprenticeship programs, so they can gain access to available funding.

· The workforce development grant survey results are in. 3087 people completed the survey. DHS is still sorting through the information and a full report will be available around March, but here are the summary results for all 3087 people:

· What do you think the three most important goals are for these grants?

· Decrease staff turnover: 2235 votes

· Recruit new people to become DSPs/PCAs/HHAs: 1913 votes

· Professionalize the DSP/PCA/HHA career path: 1336 votes

· Help DSPs/PCAs/HHAs that support people with the greatest needs: 1206 votes

· Help DSPs/PCAs/HHAs who are low-income: 1160 votes

· Measure and learn from the grant’s impact: 169 votes

· Other: 157 votes

· What do you think are the top three activities the grants should focus on?

· Increase wages: 2409 votes

· Increase benefits (for example: health care, paid time off or retirement): 1185 votes

· Retention bonuses: 1019 votes

· Bonuses to recognize excellence in work: 574 votes

· Pay experienced DSPs/PCAs/HHAs to mentor new employees: 493 votes

· Develop pathways to credential the DSP/PCA/HHA profession: 447 votes

· Tuition reimbursement or loan forgiveness: 417 votes

· Increase opportunities for DSPs/PCAs/HHAs to receive promotions or work in other human service positions: 401 votes

· DHS should try multiple ideas to see what works: 366 votes

· Recruitment programs: 335 votes

· Child care assistance: 330 votes

· Public awareness campaign on importance of DSPs/PCAs/HHAs: 314 votes

· Help with transportation (e.g., car repairs, transit passes, etc.): 208 votes

· Sign-on bonuses: 200 votes

· Apprenticeship programs so people can try out being a DSP/PCA/HHA: 152 votes

· Other: 86 votes

Subcommittee updates

Requests for approval subcommittee:

· One of their provider’s reported last month that they are now trialing vehicle rides without the buckle guard. They are only doing trials with experienced management staff. They have made a lot of progress in identifying and implementing positive supports over the past several years for that individual.

Emergency use of manual restraint subcommittee:

· This subcommittee continues to support care teams with improving quality of life and phasing out use of restraint.

Vote

The committee will discuss the minutes from December and vote.

Discussion

· The committee will review their two Core Responsibilities sheets, Fredda Brown’s letter about the committee, the committee’s role, and how things have changed with Covid-19 and workforce shortage. The committee will have a brainstorming discussion about what has and has not worked.

· The committee will develop recommendations for their 2021 Olmstead report, which is due by June.

Closing

· Committee members are welcome to share additional information and discuss.

· Members are invited to recommend topics for upcoming committee meetings.

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