[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6630069,"mediaKeyId","2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e","parentId",2699127,"title","DHS outlines Waiver Reimagine goals; families, advocates warn proposed changes could force institutional placements","audioSeconds",2882,"startMs",2139000,"endMs",5021000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e&start=2139&end=5021","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e/thumbnail_2139000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630069/Minnesota/DHS-outlines-Waiver-Reimagine-goals-families-advocates-warn-proposed-changes-could-force-institutional-placements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630069-20639036e0d064e5b66769e83a9b681c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770734675&Signature=GVE2tuPZfDKubDR6EZk~t59tMh4YBAmBhzXDLRmly3f2sZQFcH7gn9eNHgfW~eEtIXRIonPX~OedDD~u1urMWqKj9qXuGPSjjlal~YJkRGmYnrSusAkPyD4zUncQ4gW2bLmyINv5rl-r0W2JleimJtgMJXBh3RZbZVJnpnyf3vwCPxmjnLgxDKo~LbIUtuZ01OxlfeOxGeEYU57peaFHSXmIOSqamCjGQP1RiWYtHCBs~V4NOYmHqNo2AQF9FMg~yToz2y8XJxyZqNpZlW-5qYuyt42Dv20Eq9mVgOADztL~SoIjf33cPFIwngv33gUF01cSPwNlwBV-9DxMVv9vtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Legislature","date","2025-03-19T22:59:05.067Z","article","The Department of Human Services presented an overview of its Waiver Reimagine project to the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee. DHS officials said the multi-year initiative aims to simplify four disability waivers, create a common service menu, implement individual budgets grounded in assessment data and increase opportunities for self-direction.

Elise Bailey, budget director at DHS, summarized the project's goals: simplify information so people and families can understand available services, ensure equitable access to funding regardless of diagnosis or location, and expand informed choice and self-direction. \"If we were to build it today, how would we build it and what would it look like?\" Bailey said, describing why DHS has studied consolidation and budgeting since 2017.

Colin Stemper, chief administrative officer for aging and disability services at DHS, said phase 1 — a common service menu across waivers — was completed in 2021 and phase 2 will consolidate four diagnosis-based waivers into two waivers organized around residential settings and individual budgets based on assessed needs and typical costs. He said budgets will align with current statutory rates and that people will know their budget prior to service planning. \"We're trying to put more power and control in the people and families' hands,\" Stemper said.

DHS officials told the committee implementation has been delayed to Jan. 1, 2027 to collect updated MNChoices assessment data and to complete technical work, community engagement and legacy-system updates. DHS said it has convened a Waiver Reimagine Advisory Committee and conducted outreach including virtual meetings with stakeholders, tribes and racially diverse communities.

Public testimony that followed was strongly critical. Family members and disability advocates said the proposed budgeting and service changes risk reducing in-home supports and compel placements in congregate settings. Kathy Ware, a parent and MNChoices assessor, said she has communicated with DHS for years and warned that the proposed budgets would make it impossible for her profoundly disabled son to continue living at home: \"Waiver reimagine doesn't do that. So if you implement waiver reimagine, Colin, as it is right now, Kylan will not be able to live at home with me,\" Ware said.

Other witnesses echoed concerns that MNChoices assessment changes are unstable and that budgets based on current use rather than authorized need will result in cuts. Tricia Brisbane, a Waiver Reimagine Advisory Committee member, said: \"If we proceed with waiver reimagine as proposed, Minnesota will lead a new path as a state to reinstitutionalize its citizens with disabilities.\" Several presenters asked for a task force or pause and for DHS to provide communications with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services if federal rules are being interpreted to restrict services.

Committee members asked DHS to continue engagement and to return with follow-up; DHS said it will continue outreach and planned recalibration of budgets using the updated assessment data. The committee did not vote on legislation; several witnesses asked legislators to consider House File 2038 (a task-force bill) to slow or rework aspects of the proposal.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/19/25","oneSentenceSummary","Department of Human Services officials briefed the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee on Waiver Reimagine, a multi-year plan to consolidate waiver programs, introduce transparent individual budgets and broaden self-direction; DHS said implementation has been delayed to Jan. 1, 2027.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MN, Minnesota","taxId",77817,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6630074,"Committee hears bill to boost residential support rate for Welcome Manor, a women-and-children addiction treatment facility",755,1335000,2090000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e&start=1335&end=2090","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e/thumbnail_1335000.jpg","/articles/6630074/Minnesota/Committee-hears-bill-to-boost-residential-support-rate-for-Welcome-Manor-a-women-and-children-addiction-treatment-facility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630074-2a55c548870a4fee6369ab5ff8702a6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770734676&Signature=kfguvquAegX00kTo8lbmptQd078FrPDPcoWCkETe5M8-SR8GVUuAywU4l9JGaHts1Aq9QWdBQz-v6Awj~w9USQ8k5tWaeaxIZnWQBQYSPN4R30aA~0yHrMR~AKvm4tvr8qS7lfcU5G~jH1w2QQMNUHDEnKEV2ed9pa996HP4-RMDPl8uSBB4k01RUsJ9jCw-YAzSfsenUDugGclEsFeIKBq3UrXrAJlFZjGY66U3bVndqoCFFTFm8Jq9W9s40QrcS0pYQSYP2G~45t7EtusfT-MLzLKc3mPUGPYWbtrT8Pe-S3nGMfwnvJ3JVf9IUj1tsioCfJ9DmSIgoM0IlGbNqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Olson presented House File 736, which the sponsor said would allow Blue Earth County to negotiate a higher residential housing support rate for Welcome Manor Family Services, a treatment facility that serves women and their children.

Karen Calabundi, center director at Welcome Manor, described the program’s model and its capacity: the facility operates an on-site daycare that can accommodate up to 41 children while serving approximately 50 women and 220 children annually. Calabundi said she was requesting a higher residential housing support rate for 20 beds to enable longer-term services and to meet rising costs for treatment, housing and food.

Calabundi described co-occurring disorders among clients, an average length of stay of about 3.5 months for women with children, and frequent challenges finding stable housing at discharge. She related a recent example in which a client, identified as “Lisa” in testimony, ran out of funding about 30 days into treatment, was discharged, relapsed and later called the facility reporting dangerous drinking: \"About a week after she was discharged, Lisa started drinking. About 2 weeks after discharge, Lisa called us and she said I need help. I'm drinking a liter of alcohol a day. I can't stop.\"

Committee members including Representatives Hicks, Frederick and Keeler praised the family-preservation model and asked about connections to child welfare, transportation and community services. Calabundi said Welcome Manor provides on-site medical services, parenting coaches, treatment coordinators and staff transport when needed.

The committee voted to adopt the A1 amendment offered prior to testimony. After discussion, House File 736, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill.","House File 736 would permit Blue Earth County to negotiate a higher residential housing support rate for 20 beds at Welcome Manor Family Services, a Garden City residential addiction-treatment program that serves women and their young children.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6630079,"Central Minnesota nonprofit seeks pilot funds to reshape senior meal delivery",566,543000,1109000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e&start=543&end=1109","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e/thumbnail_543000.jpg","/articles/6630079/Minnesota/Central-Minnesota-nonprofit-seeks-pilot-funds-to-reshape-senior-meal-delivery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630079-61120bae4d4924a75d82bcdd81ab990f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770734676&Signature=OxUGQ8THykXsnGK34-eAS42k9o4RXZyQQUSnh52ZZpUnagg5xveK~oaKATHJX2oOQuHHK05I0Q~bUZWkp0hsl9MlP7YcW6zzvQuHD19OFRSyvIvsAMCquRA7~qTyAXjr99rFozqKnkauN5fXz4DHDDYO2nZYLVVRGF93H~mjPCSKX7e~DskDuzNfG4YDC1mqWxF9uNSi~32-E-mr~~7FEojMfxK8ElrrIYbf6TyP-9UMzOjQWitcNWFkvi4DbG27Hs3RykzKpLDCi0EcmYVf4Rdgpu2KqlRuKtqs7SfOVjF1oUxGXNDxfdAvlYkkw~96W5p29DPxGCDOAmVwHkaYmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Perryman presented House File 1973 and said the bill would appropriate $420,000 each year in the next biennium to pilot new methods for senior nutrition across 14 Central Minnesota counties, with the intent to test models to extend limited public dollars and return findings to the legislature.

Aaron Fisk, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, described the agency as the largest social-services nonprofit in Central Minnesota and outlined three main delivery methods for senior meals the organization uses: congregate dining, meals-on-wheels home delivery, and frozen meal distribution developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. \"In 2024 we served over 350,000 meals to over 5,200 individuals throughout our service area,\" Fisk said.

Stacy Lund, director of community services at Catholic Charities, testified about funding constraints and regulatory limits tied to Title III federal funds administered through the Minnesota Board on Aging and local area agency on aging. She said providers need flexibility to develop partnerships such as with schools and local businesses to serve increasingly rural communities: \"We really are looking for some flexibility with these particular dollars, to come up with some partnerships with local schools, local business partnerships, and some different avenues of ways to feed folks and to get meals to seniors who really are interested in remaining in their homes, remaining independent, but need senior nutrition.\"

Fisk also told the committee that Catholic Charities experienced a $526,000 reduction in senior dining funding in 2025 and that closures and service reductions followed, cutting roughly 117,000 meals. He said a pilot in a large, demographically mixed service area could identify models to apply statewide.

Committee members asked whether providers could use previously appropriated state funds channeled through the Minnesota Board on Aging or Central Minnesota Council on Aging; witnesses said the existing contracts and funding streams are prescriptive about service models and coverage areas and argued that the pilot would create needed flexibility. After questions, the committee laid House File 1973 over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill.

Ending: House File 1973 was laid over; the committee asked staff and witnesses to follow up with details about existing funding streams and how a pilot would interact with Title III and state appropriations.","Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud told the House Human Services committee that a $420,000-per-year pilot (House File 1973) would fund new delivery models for senior nutrition across 14 counties to stretch scarce Title III and other senior nutrition dollars and preserve meal access in rural communities.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6630083,"Minn. bill would fund supplemental rates for Hiawatha Valley mental health housing program",453,85000,538000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e&start=85&end=538","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699127-ccaebacd78f6fc277c58fb3a37f98a0e/thumbnail_85000.jpg","/articles/6630083/Minnesota/Minn-bill-would-fund-supplemental-rates-for-Hiawatha-Valley-mental-health-housing-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630083-59d0aef846d3dcb8d697c52b9cde5d2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770734676&Signature=jl5uvxhJXpiQ92spDCnav936wlgtEmsnLGU85Je00wC~36FYIsw20vWdkVbHLkk5Xi6TxewpVm~q30RxR9oXLP7RHEhbmvpgXQYdXOlJs2qacjQtG-mcz7nY5At4EIV1YlOLD7SUk219OSwupaD9yh5JBcUAKuyXs5lCDH-ZKl440CG6alO7SCpWxsAl2Pi6AxMlbuLt0QHhwG-xVvaSsgS9F21HL3Dp-84zzuFNcJrUbNOOwSyJO4UwcDLCak1IZpJ4TYRpTDuJ8etIJ5OESaXAiHg4S8kqYdY1NQSl98Nl7oKT09TqDbqwC~M0pRmEfubIgm8Ss90pR4~Ce4stiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Repinski introduced House File 1358 to the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee on March 19, 2025. The bill would allow county agencies to negotiate a supplementary services rate for up to 53 beds across multiple settings operated by Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center, a nonprofit regional provider based in Winona County.

The measure’s sponsor, Representative Repinski, said the bill is intended to provide “sustainable funding for critical services provided in Winona, Minnesota.” He described Hiawatha Valley as “the only provider in the area with this level of housing with support services.”

Eric Sievers, executive director of Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center, testified that stable housing is critical to recovery and described the center’s regional role. “Having a stable home environment has been widely recognized as critical to recovery for both mental health and substance use disorders,” Sievers said. He told the committee Hiawatha Valley serves people from Winona and surrounding counties and that the program includes four houses and a 20-unit single-bedroom apartment facility.

Sievers said the supplemental rate funds would support staff recruitment and retention, including wage increases. He told members that in 2024 the supplemental service supported more than 21,000 services and that last year the program served “over 87 individuals” through the supplemental service; he also said some residents have stayed in program housing for decades.

Nicole Latham, a resident at Hiawatha Bluff Living Residential Program, testified by video about her experience living in the program for about two years. Latham said medication support and around-the-clock staff availability helped her regain stability: “The funding for this program has made a huge difference in my ability to heal and regain control of my life,” she said. She described having addressed substance use and mental health needs, regained employment and reconnected with family during her time in the program.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about existing county support letters and the scope of the provider’s regional service area. After testimony and questions, the committee laid House File 1358 over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill.

Ending: The committee did not take a final vote on policy or funding for HF 1358; the bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill. Further fiscal and technical detail would be required before the committee votes on adoption or funding.","Lawmakers heard testimony on House File 1358, which would let counties negotiate a supplementary services rate for up to 53 beds operated by Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center to support staffing, retention and supportive services for people with serious mental health and substance use needs in southeastern Minnesota.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DHS outlines Waiver Reimagine goals; families, advocates warn proposed changes could force institutional placements

Committee hears bill to boost residential support rate for Welcome Manor, a women-and-children addiction treatment facility

Central Minnesota nonprofit seeks pilot funds to reshape senior meal delivery

Minn. bill would fund supplemental rates for Hiawatha Valley mental health housing program