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External Program Review Committee (EPRC) agenda

Date: 2-4 p.m. on Sept. 1, 2022

DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Linda Wolford and Ari Dionisopoulos

Type: Whole committee

Location: Room 2222, Elmer L. Andersen Building, 540 Cedar St., St. 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 August and vote.

Updates to share

Direct care workforce shortage

· DHS is preparing for Direct Support Professional Recognition Week, which is Sept. 11-17.

· The Legislative Task Force on Human Services Background Studies published an Interim Report. Its recommedations for statute changes are due December 2022.

· DHS continues to prepare for the upcoming legislative session, but we have not yet made final decisions on proposals.

· DHS continues to work on the technical aspects to rollng out the HCBS Workforce Grant opportunities. More information will likely be posted on the DHS webpages by the committee’s next meeting.

· Linda and Stacie’s new team member, Toni Puente, will be assisting DHS with posting workforce shortage information for people who use services and their families, as well as grant opportunities for all audiences.

Committee member updates

Tatiana Kerestesh has resigned from the committee in good standing.

Subcommittee updates

Requests for approval subcommittee

This subcommittee continues to provide technical assistance to service providers.

Emergency use of manual restraint subcommittee

· This subcommittee is volunteering to give providers quick trainings on BIRFs.

· This subcommittee recently discussed what supervisors can do when staff won’t follow support plans, and the supervisor is afraid the staff member will quit. The person writing the PSTP or the supervisor can:

o Pick up shifts and work alongside staff.

o Gather input from staff and collaborate with them to create the support plan.

o Use tools like the learning log to understand what’s working/not working, and work with staff to resolve issues.

o Explore opportunities to make good matches based on common interests between staff and people needing supports using a one-page profile or other tools.

o Frame their interactions with staff as a provider discussion, rather than a training or telling – having a conversation has been more successful.

We will add this information to the recruitment and retention toolkit.

Discussion

The committee will review recommendations from their most recent annual evaluation report:

· The committee would like to see Technology for Home or similar services available to more people, particularly all people who need additional support with communicating. While technology devices alone can be very helpful to some people. For others, use of technology requires ongoing training, followup and a hands-on approach to determine the right type. Creativity, flexibility and trying different things has been helpful to teams.

· The committee would like to see increased access to telehealth and remote supports, as well as training and assistance when needed to address barriers to or knowledge gaps for using these types of supports. It may be helpful to providers to explore creative ways of using telehealth, particularly in relation to staffing shortages. Use of remote supports might lessen the need for in-person staff, and might help retain staff that would like the option to occasionally work from home. People should be given opportunities to try these supports before making a decision, and teams should collect data during that time to see what does and doesn’t work. Some people prefer more independence and engage in fewer interfering behaviors when given opportunities to be independent.

· EPRC members will increase their in-person or remote technical assistance with service providers who are using restraint. When determining which approach to take, members will use the least intrusive and most valuable approach to the entire team.

· The committee recommends DHS do what is feasible to build capacity and ensure that qualified professionals are competent to develop and implement positive support transition plans and other relevant support documents.

· The committee recommends that DHS look at existing studies, or conduct a study if needed, on barriers that prevent the development and successful implementation of effective positive behavior supports as they relate to positive support plans.

Closing

Members are invited to share additional updates and to recommend topics for upcoming committee meetings.

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