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External Program Review Committee (EPRC) minutes

Date: March 2, 2023
DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Linda Wolford, Jennifer Butler and Ari Dionisopoulos
Type: Whole committee
Attendees: Jodi Greenstein, Dan Baker, Kim Frost, Laura Daire, Lindsay Nash, Melanie Eidsmoe, Mary Piggott, Stacy Danov
Not present: Susie Haben, Danielle Bishop and Liz Harri

Agenda items

Public comments

There were no public comments at this meeting.

Vote

Any corrections to the January meeting minutes? No

Vote to approve the January meeting minutes:

· Jodi Greenstein: yes

· Kim Frost: yes

· Lindsay Nash: yes

· Stacy Danov: yes

· Dan Baker: yes

· Mary Piggott: yes

· Melanie Eidsmoe: abstain

· Laura Daire: yes

Any corrections to the February meeting minutes? No

Vote to approve the February meeting minutes:

· Jodi Greenstein: yes

· Kim Frost: yes

· Lindsay Nash: yes

· Stacy Danov: yes

· Dan Baker: yes

· Mary Piggott: abstain

· Melanie Eidsmoe: yes

· Laura Daire: yes

Updates to share

Computer updates

Committee members were shown how to complete their computer updates.

Direct care workforce shortage

· Summer recruitment campaign: A new webpage is being developed that will list different types of direct caregiving jobs with short descriptions and links to apply with pre-sorted job listings.

· Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Workforce Development Grants: The retention bonuses initiative now has a signed contract with The Odyssey Group. It is also handling the training and stipends for personal care assistants (PCAs). It has been doing the trainings and stipends for many years and does high-quality work. The retention bonuses are for HCBS direct care professionals who have worked for the same employer for at least two years, who make 200% or less of the federal poverty level. There is a legislative proposal to increase the requirement from 200% to 300%. The bonuses will be $575 this tax year and $575 next tax year. The Odyssey Group is going to build a webpage for people to apply.

· Trainings and stipends for traditional PCA workers: The Odyssey Group continues to work on this project and is updating the webpage. DHS estimates 3,500 PCAs work in traditional services, though they may not all be qualified for the grant.

· DHS and the vendor are translating materials and sharing application information with diverse audiences.

Subcommittee updates

Requests for approval subcommittee

This committee continues to see better attention to lifestyle questions.

Discussion

Review of annual recommendations

The committee reviewed their Olmstead report draft.

How can we better support kids who engage in challenging behaviors? The committee will think on this for the next month and bring suggestions / comments / questions to the next meeting.

· Sometimes families need interpreters.

· Needed supports can vary by culture.

· The BIPOC population seems to be overrepresented with this group.

· What more can be done to help kids stay with their parents? What do budgets look like in family homes vs. what group homes receive? What training is available to parents? Are respite services adequate? What home modifications could be made? What is covered by benefits?

· When 2:1 staffing isn’t enough, what more can be done?

· Could the Culture of Safety group be helpful with some of these cases?

Related DHS initiatives

Stacie will invite the following groups to present to the EPRC:

· Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) advisory council

· Culture of Safety team

· Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) Benefit team, which are state plan benefits for people with autism.

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