AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: Dec. 16, 2025
To: Counties, tribal nations, managed care organizations (MCOs) and other interested parties
From: DHS Aging and Adult Services and Disability Services divisions
Purpose: To announce new conversational interviewing modules in the MnCHOICES certified assessor training (MnCAT)
Effective: Jan. 1, 2026
Contact: For questions about MnCAT, use the MnCHOICES Help Desk Contact Form, DHS-6979.

New MnCAT modules on conversational interviewing

DHS created new interactive modules on conversational interviewing as part of our ongoing commitment to strengthen MnCHOICES certified assessors’ skills.

Training availability

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the following materials will be available:

· Conversational interviewing modules in the required MnCAT curriculum for initial certification as part of MnCAT step 3 in TrainLink.

· Related updates on PartnerLink – MnCHOICES application: MnCAT instructions for lead agencies and MnCHOICES new mentor training (MNCH9000) course: Mentors who facilitate assessor certification module.

Later in 2026, the following materials will be available:

· An on-demand version of the three-module training on conversational interviewing for continuing learning units (CLUs) toward assessor recertification and for case managers who want to improve their interviewing skills.

· A conversational interviewing practice discussion guide to support group exercise facilitation and conversational interviewing discussions.

We will send another eList announcement when these materials are available.

Target audience

DHS created the conversational interviewing training for:

· Agency staff completing their assessor certification.

· Agency staff, including case managers, who want to improve their conversational interviewing skills.

· Assessors who need CLUs for recertification.

Conversational interviewing during the MnCHOICES assessment process

During the MnCHOICES assessment process, staff use conversational interviewing to:

· Gather information.

· Support meaningful engagement.

· Build trust.

· Promote person-centered interactions.

· Help ensure equitable outcomes for people receiving services.

Training details

DHS expanded and adapted the concepts and strategies in these online modules from an in-person training offered during the MnCHOICES assessment legacy application (MnA 1.0) launch in 2013. The training consists of three modules.

Module 1: Introduction to conversational interviewing

Module one covers:

· The fundamentals of conversational interviewing and why it matters.

· How to effectively prepare for an assessment.

· Assessors’ important role in shaping the experience and setting the foundation for meaningful, person-centered interactions.

Module 2: Managing the interview

Module two covers:

· Practical techniques for managing assessment visits.

· Strategies for guiding conversations and centering the interview on the person’s needs and preferences.

Module 3: Advanced strategies and scenarios

Module three covers:

· Reflective practices (e.g., reflective listening and inquiry).

· Strategies for adapting the interview to complex situations (e.g., communication differences, inconsistent information, remote interviews).

Demonstration videos

The demonstration videos in this training feature actors with disabilities, an older adult and current MnCHOICES certified assessors. DHS partnered with Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, a program that supports actors with disabilities, many of whom have firsthand experience receiving MnCHOICES assessments. We also partnered with Dellwood Gardens Assisted Living in St. Paul for one of the demonstration videos to authentically represent the aging population.

Previous eList announcements

AASD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD STAKEHOLDER ARCHIVE