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External Program Review Committee (EPRC) agenda

Date: 2-4 p.m. Feb. 3, 2022

DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Linda Wolford and Ari Dionisopoulos

Type: Whole committee

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

Meeting link: https://minnesota.webex.com/minnesota/j.php?MTID=m4979e1ff1145edb3178fc70a84446e64

Access code: 2480 111 4554

Accommodations: If you need an accommodation for this meeting, you must notify a DSD liaison three days before the meeting. Email 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

· DEED: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

· DHS: Minnesota Department of Human Services

· DLI: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

· DSD: Disability Services Division

· DSP: Direct support professional

· 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

· PCA: Personal care assistant

· PSR: Positive Supports Rule: Minnesota Rule 9544

· PSTP: DHS form 6810: Positive Support Transition Plan

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

· DHS staff are working on a monthly calendar for lead agencies to share information and strategies for improving access to technology in Minnesota for people who use services.

· Health Care Month with DEED has ended but many of the resources will still be availbe on the DHS Direct care workforce resources page.

· DHS staff are looking into strategies for improving communication with underrepresented audiences.

· DLI staff met with positive support service providers recently and continues working towards getting that profession formally recognized for the apprenticeship and scholarship programs.

· The workforce development grant legislative report will be ready in March and will be shared with the EPRC at that time.

· DHS staff are working on a guide, to be ready by this summer, to outline the many different types, rules and regulations for direct support professionals. Once the report is complete, the information can be used to help improve consistency in the profession, to look into what it would take to credential the profession with tiered wages and other projects related to the shortage.

· DEED will be helping DHS share information about employee-ownership business models in an effort to recruit more people into this field.

· College tuition is now available for many workers who provide direct care and meet income requirements.

Subcommittee updates

Requests for approval subcommittee:

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

Emergency use of manual restraint subcommittee:

· This subcommittee had a conversation about use of people’s time, ways to reduce time spent on paperwork, and making technology more accessible for people who are not proficient or who do not have the necessary tools. We could potentially make these ideas part of our 2021-2022 Olmstead recommendations.

Vote

The committee will discuss the minutes from January 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 review and 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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