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External Program Review Committee (EPRC) agenda

Date: 2-4 p.m. on May 5, 2022

DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Linda Wolford and Ari Dionisopoulos

Type: Whole committee

Location: Room 2222, Elmer L. Andersen Building, 540 Cedar Street, Saint Paul, MN 55101

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.

Vote

The committee will discuss the minutes from April and vote.

Updates to share

Direct care workforce shortage

· Temporary staffing help is available for residential service providers.

· A request for proposals was posted by DHS to find a contractor to help direct support professionals develop employee-owned cooperative businesses.

· Starting in May, DHS will start eList communications targeted to direct support professionals through the Disability Services Division’s general mailing list. This is new for the department, as communications for that audience typically come from employers.

· Lead agencies are receiving monthly updates with information for improving access to assistive technology. See April’s announcement here.

· There are many legislative proposals currently under consideration to address the workforce shortage. Bills can be viewed and tracked from the Minnesota State Legislature Bill Search and Status webpage.

· MDH published their workforce report.

· DHS just made a recent policy change that will likely make it easier for people to use remote supports and assistive technology: AASD and DSD eList: Remote support policy update.

· The extension of the public health emergency is helpful in that it allows some temporary policies to continue: Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists.

Subcommittee updates

Requests for approval subcommittee

· This subcommittee has found that the new Positive Support Transition Plan documents are helpful for reviewing cases.

Emergency use of manual restraint subcommittee

· This subcommittee would like people to know there will be more capacity in the near future for trauma-informed training.

Discussion

· The committee will continue reviewing Fredda Brown’s letter about the committee (they left off on page 6), the committee’s role, and how things have changed with Covid-19 and workforce shortage.

· The committee will develop guidelines for when to do in-person visits vs. virtual visits.

· The committee will review their manuals for annual updates.

Closing

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

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