Find in Table of Contents:

External Program Review Committee (EPRC) minutes

Date: Aug. 3, 2023
DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Linda Wolford and Ari Dionisopoulos
Type: Whole committee
Attendees: Dan Baker, Kim Frost, Melanie Eidsmoe, Jodi Greenstein, Laura Daire, Susie Haben, Lindsay Nash and Stacy Danov
Not present: Danielle Bishop, Toni Puente and Victoria Anderson

Agenda items

Public comments

There were no public comments at this meeting.

Vote

Vote to approve the meeting minutes from June and July:

June 2023

· Susie Haben: yes

· Stacy Danov: abstain

· Melanie Eidsmoe: yes

· Lindsay Nash: yes

· Laura Daire: abstain

· Kim Frost: yes

· Jodi Greenstein: yes

· Dan Baker: yes

July 2023

· Dan Baker: yes

· Kim Frost: yes

· Susie Haben: yes

· Jodi Greenstein: yes

· Stacy Danov: abstain

· Melanie Eidsmoe: abstain

· Lindsay Nash: abstain

· Laura Daire: abstain

HELPS Tool

The HELPS Tool will be shared at a later date, after the training video is complete.

Committee instruction manuals

Members were asked to let Stacie know by August 31st if we need to discuss any changes to the current instruction manuals.

Updates to share

Direct care workforce shortage

· DEED Follow Your Heart to a Caring Career campaign. The public survey will be sent sometime in September.

· A big Thank You to Laura Daire for helping with referrals!

· DHS and DEED met with interested parties in July to discuss workforce goals. Most of the workforce topics discussed have already been shared with the committee, but one thing new that was learned is homemaker services now pay significantly more than PCA services. This is concerning because some people might lose their PCA workers to homemaker services. Leadership from the Disability Services Division was present at the public meeting, and Stacie will provide the committee with updates if she hears more on this topic.

· 4,200 retention bonuses have gone out. The vendor is receiving roughly 150 applications a day. The funds are likely to run out within the next month.

Discussion

Review of annual recommendations

The committee recommends DHS and committee representatives work towards the following goals (in no particular order) in 2023 to reduce the use of restraint:

2023 Goal 1: Provide resources and guidance for improving communication skills

While the communication tools have not been created yet, there is good news that the wait time for publishing new materials will be shorter soon because the Psychotropic Medication Guide will be published in the coming weeks. While the related forms are not quite done yet, the primary materials are ready so the communications team is getting them prepared to post. The forms will be published at a later date.

2023 Goal 2: Simplify and organize online DHS materials and training resources related to positive supports or intervention services

DHS is working on developing two surveys to get public input on what resources would be most helpful to people. Feedback from these surveys will be used to prioritize which resources to work on first.

2023 Goal 3: Explore ways to improve access to positive support services

· This project is moving along as planned. Edits to the Request for Proposals draft are due next week.

· Staff from DHS, MDH, MDE, DOC and DPS are helping with the project.

· DHS staff are working with subject matter experts to explore how to best coordinate with tribal nations on this project. How intervention services look on tribal lands may be different from how those services look in other parts of Minnesota.

Report this page

Community-Based Services Manual (CBSM)