External Program Review Committee (EPRC) minutes
Date: Jan. 5, 2023
DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Linda Wolford, Antonina Puente and Ari Dionisopoulos
Type: Whole committee
Attendees: Dan Baker, Kim Frost, Lindsay Nash, Laura Daire, Jodi Greenstein, Mary Piggott, Stacy Danov and Susie Haben
Not present: Danielle Bishop, Liz Harri and Melanie Eidsmoe
Agenda items
Public comments
There were no public comments at this meeting.
Vote
Vote to approve the December 2022 whole committee meeting minutes:
· Jodi Greenstein: yes· Kim Frost: yes· Laura Daire: yes· Lindsay Nash: abstain· Mary Piggott: yes· Susie Haben: yes· Dan Baker: yes· Stacy Danov: not present for voteUpdates to share
See the meeting agenda for additional information.
Direct care workforce shortage
· PCA enhanced rate training stipends (funded through the HCBS Workforce Development Grants): The contractor is the Odyssey Group, which already does the enhanced rate for the collective bargaining members.The stipends were raised from $300 to $500.The Odyssey Group is working to update the DHS webpage to make it more plain language.This grant is for traditional agency PCA workers, who are not part of the collective bargaining group. · Direct care workforce resources webpage: Most of the grant opportunities are now posted, though a couple are still in the works and will be up soon. · The following bill is scheduled for a legislative hearing on Monday and addresses several workforce issues: Caregivers Stabilization Act of 2023.Subcommittee updates
The requests for approval subcommittee noticed that limited communication between a person and their team is a common factor for cases of restraint use. How can we better support people and their teams with improving communication skills?
· Can we make it easier to access speech language pathologists or health insurance coverage?· Perhaps DHS could offer fact sheets or direct people to resources.· The committee could look at each audience type to see what resources are available to them – providers, lead agencies, direct care workers, families, etc.· Several people who have received assistance with improving communication did not receive that support until their teams started working with this committee. What information and resources are support planners looking at? Are teams sometimes thinking that is just how the person is? It is helpful to have a conversation with support planners to see what else is at play. Is there biased thinking that communication is not a skill that can be developed for some people?· Teams often may not think to work on communication, but all people can benefit from improving communication skills. · Promoting development of communication skills may make it easier for a person to access other resources. · Next steps:Let committee members think on this some more and discuss again at the committee’s February meeting.Look at one group to start with, such as lead agencies. Is there information for them related to this topic? Stacie Enders will gather that information for the committee’s February meeting. · An innovative idea: A dental office in Duluth is going to start offering speech services. Discussion
In-person volunteers for 2023 meetings:· February: Dan Baker· March: Kim Frost· April: Susie Haben· May: Jodi Greenstein· June: Jodi Greenstein
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