External Program Review Committee (EPRC) minutes

Date: Dec. 5, 2024

DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Jessica Little, and Ari Dionisopoulos

Type: Whole committee

Attendees: Dan Baker, Kim Frost, Jodi Greenstein, Melanie Eidsmoe, Laura Daire and Antonina (Toni) Puente

Not present: Danielle Bishop, Susie Haben, and Lindsay Nash

Agenda items

Review the agenda for additional information.

Public comments

There were no public comments made during this meeting.

Vote

The committee voted on the minutes from November 2024:

· Dan Baker: yes

· Toni Puente: yes

· Jodi Greenstein: yes

· Melanie Eidsmoe: yes

· Kim Frost: yes

· Laura Daire: yes

2025 meeting calendar

Committee members volunteered to come in-person to monthly meetings:

· January: Kim Frost

· February: Jodi Greenstein

· March: Toni Puente

· April: Jodi Greenstein

· May: Kim Frost

· June: Dan Baker

Which meeting time/day do EUMR subcommittee members prefer?

· Second Wednesday of every month from 9-11 a.m.

Updates to share

Direct care workforce shortage

DHS is working to create a new webpage to share information about wages that helps explain to factors that influence wages and supporting projects and legislation. Committee members recommended that the webpage include the labor market report and cost reports so people can see how wages compare across employers.

Minnesota Incident Reporting Form (MIRS)

DHS is hoping to announce the new system in January. However, rollout is pending two fixes that must be completed by an external vendor, so the timeline is not guaranteed.

Subcommittee updates

Requests for approval subcommittee

Committee members noted they have long-term relationships with people and value those relationships.

Emergency use of manual restraint subcommittee

They are meeting today to go over where they are at with the PSTP examples.

Discussion

Annual goals

The committee reviewed their 2024 goals, which are listed in no particular order:

Provide resources and guidance for improving communication skills.

· Stacie Enders found a training series in DirectCourse on how to teach people new skills – all types of skills, not just communication skills. Stacie added information about the trainings to the manual draft page.

· In the manuals, committee members noted glossary and search features are helpful. The Disability Services Division now adds those two features to all new manuals.

Simplify and organize online DHS materials and training resources related to positive supports or intervention services.

· Stacie will train in Jessica on what we have so far and what’s left. Jessica will be taking over leading this initiative.

Explore ways to improve access to positive support services.

DHS is working on:

· Reviewing the input from the public and looking for trends, common themes, etc.

· Cross comparing state plan and waiver options that could be used to build better services, and analyzing how the options align with desired components or features of improved services.

· Developing a shared definition among workgroup members of the population the improved services would support. This includes reviewing what populations the current services covers, feedback from the public and state staff and what other states have tried with similar services.

Support efforts to improve the direct care workforce shortage.

· Stacie Enders and colleagues working on a news announcement for January that will explain how people can use existing waiver services to cover housing and food cost for live-in direct care professionals who provide certain services, which may be helpful in recruiting and maintaining workers and might also help reduce housing costs for people using supports by splitting with a roommate.

· Stacie Enders and colleagues are working on a proposal draft for the Rebalancing Demonstration Grants for a pilot project that would offer housing assistance to people who are experiencing homelessness when they start careers in direct care and work at least 35 hours a week for six months.

Closing

Committee members are welcome to provide feedback for the Statewide Child Maltreatment Reporting System Study:

During the 2024 legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a bill requiring the commissioner of the Department of Children,Youth and Families, in consultation with interested parties, to develop recommendations about the possibility of implementing a statewide child maltreatment reporting system in Minnesota.

The department is working with The Improve Group, a research and evaluation company, to help it gather input about the potential impacts of shifting to a centralized system in Minnesota. The department plans to engage interested parties who might be interested in providing input in this study.

The department invites you to participate in one or both of the following ways:

· Complete a brief (<5 minutes), anonymous survey about experiences with reporting child abuse and neglect and thoughts about the effects of using a different type of system: https://theimprovegroup.questionpro.com/DCYFreportingsystem

· Attend a 90-minute virtual listening session that includes individual reflection and small group discussion about potential impacts of implementing a statewide child maltreatment reporting and screening system in Minnesota. Registration is required and space is limited: https://theimprovegroup.questionpro.com/DCYFLSreg

Please share with your networks.

If you have any questions, reach out to Stacey Timm at Stacey.Timm@state.mn.us.