Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine meeting summary

Date: May 14, 2026

Attendees

Support staff

Calla Oftedahl, Adrienne Hannert, Anna Yesberger, Frances Van Houten, Katie Pratt and Elian Sorensen

Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine members

Rev. Katrin Bachmeier, Jennifer Ballinger, Tricia Brisbane, David Dively, Kris Erickson, Linda Fairchild, Heidi Hamilton, Lisa Harrison-Hadler, Dr. Katrina Jirik, Jenna Johnson, Julie Johnson, Meredith McKinnon, Gretchen Spier, Mike Tessneer, Mor Vue and Chad Wilson

Meeting objectives

Clarify expectations related to working together as a task force based on concerns and lessons learned.

· Finalize the task force’s shared leadership framework and co-chair selection.

· Check in and share updates.

Agenda

Welcome

· The regular May meeting of the Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine was held virtually via Cisco Webex. Frances Van Houten, the meeting facilitator, provided a general overview of the meeting agenda and attendee expectations.

Working together as a task force

· Task force members discussed what they have appreciated about how the group has worked together so far. Feedback centered around certain themes. Members like:

The diversity of views, experiences, backgrounds and perspectives represented during task force meetings and the fact that people with disabilities and their family members participate in the task force.

Their shared commitment to improving the waiver system.

That they have been able to listen to and learn from each other and engage respectfully, even when their views conflict.

The ongoing participation and engagement from Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) staff.

· Task force members were asked how they could improve collaboration moving forward and raised the following suggestions:

Establish a clear direction with realistic goals that the task force can achieve.

Members described wanting to leave meetings feeling something was accomplished.

Provide more opportunities to hear from DHS’s budget methodology contractor, the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI), and receive more information from DHS.

Give Task Force members the chance to contribute to conversations in writing.

Replace seats held by task force members who do not consistently attend the monthly meetings.

Pay more attention to resolving fact-based disagreements by sharing information supported by sources.

The task force discussed the need to better understand the scope and parameters of their work.

Selection of chairs

· The task force elected three co-chairs to replace the interim co-chairs:

Rev. Katrin Bachmeier

Dr. Kate Jirik

Julie Johnson

· The task force agreed to discuss the new co-chairs’ roles at a future meeting.

DHS updates

· DHS continues to reassess the timeline and scope of Waiver Reimagine (WR). A new go-live date has not yet been determined. DHS will share information about the public comment period, waiver submission date and anticipated go-live date as soon as it is available.

· DHS is close to launching the new WR website, which will house information related to the WR design and implementation plans as they becomes available.

· DHS is piloting two new assessment questions focused on extraordinary medical and behavioral needs. The goal is to increase equity and ensure people with these needs are identified so they can receive the proper services.