External Program Review Committee (EPRC) minutes

Date: March 6, 2025

DSD liaisons: Stacie Enders, Jessica Little and Ari Dionisopoulos

Type: Whole committee

Attendees: Jodi Greenstein, Kim Frost, Daniel Baker, Antonina Puente, Lindsay Nash, Susie Haben, Melanie Eidsmoe, Laura Daire

Vote

The committee voted on the minutes from January 2025:

· Jodi Greenstein: Yes

· Kim Frost: Yes

· Daniel Baker: Yes

· Antonina Puente: Yes

· Lindsay Nash: Abstain

· Susie Haben: Yes

· Melanie Eidsmoe: Yes

· Laura Daire: Abstain

Updates to share

Regional positive support capacity building meetings

Melanie attended no new information to share.

West Central – Person centered training and coaching

No new information.

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

· No updates on the training inventory.

· 9544 245A Training video is complete. Thank you to everyone who participated in its creation.

Intervention services redesign

Group is working through a draft outline of the potential service.

Direct care workforce shortage

Federal updates

· The National Association of Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) shared on Friday that Medicaid is facing potential cuts from Congress ranging from $1 billion to over $800 billion.

· Here is a one-pager by PHI urging Congress to continue funding for Medicaid services: PHI-Medicaid-Statement-2.20.2025.pdf.

· Here is information on U.S. spending on healthcare: NHE Fact Sheet | CMS.

· Here is a plain language guide on how to advocate for Medicaid: Sharing Your Story: A Guide to Medicaid Advocacy.

· Discussion: Cuts are proposed over 10 years; $880 billion is now floor, many discussions but no concrete information to share.

2025 legislative session

Some bills that might affect the workforce shortage include:

· SF 683 as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) This bill creates a new advisory commission that will provide recommendations on many things, including strategies to address the availability of workers.

· SF 815 as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) This bill modifies CFSS requirements for the enhanced rate.

· SF 1418 Status in the Senate for the 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) This bill creates a council that will focus specifically on the direct care workforce shortage and represent all types of direct care employers.

· SF 1062 Status in the Senate for the 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) This bill creates a pilot program for college training of certified care professionals.

In the news

· This podcast for DSPs from NASDDDS shares information on how they can positively affect the person they support.

· Work continues on creating a federal standard occupational classification (SOC) code for care professionals supporting people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Here is a recent update: Definitions and Occupational Characteristics of Direct Support Professionals | ASPE.

Recent advertising efforts

DHS worked with a variety of media sources in Minnesota to purchase paid advertisements to encourage people to look at caring career information managed by DEED. Below is one example from the home page of Access Press (right hand column). The number of views on DEED’s caring career webpages roughly doubled during the time the ads were run.

Subcommittee updates

Requests for approval subcommittee

Business as usual.

Emergency use of manual restraint subcommittee

· Further exploration of EUMR use, particularly around medications and what is considered a medical emergency.

· EPRC is a huge impact and support to providers. Keep acknowledging the good work.

Discussion

Annual goals

The committee reviewed their 2025 goal:

Create and maintain training materials as needs are discovered and as project opportunities emerge. Some projects may include: PSTP examples, reinforcement (token) programs, implementing 9544 for 245D providers, trainings for specific behaviors or disorders (PICA, fecal smearing, self-harm ingestion) and relating that to state regulations

PSTP: Continuing to work. Focusing on details, medication considerations, easy for people to follow based on specific diagnosis. Potentially housing on the MIRS as a resource for providers.

Closing

· We ask committee members to send Jessica any accomplishments or other things they would like to highlight for the committee’s 2024 annual report.

· Interviews happening in March for candidates.

· We will review each subcommittee manual at April Meeting.

· Reviewed in-person schedules. Will schedule out the rest of 2025 at April meeting.