[{"_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",6612169,"mediaKeyId","2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a","parentId",2891987,"title","Senate committee advances human services omnibus framework; A‑1 adopted, major nursing‑home and waiver changes remain under review","audioSeconds",403,"startMs",3109000,"endMs",3512000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a&start=3109&end=3512","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a/thumbnail_3109000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6612169/Minnesota/Senate-committee-advances-human-services-omnibus-framework-A1-adopted-major-nursinghome-and-waiver-changes-remain-under-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612169-a7ed8c83642be4c9bafcb2e2416907ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107901&Signature=AVm~gvYl-5jybuLRIR~npDqtyCwVc2LYnm51wAuob1VM20grRYQEl7CIeNGfmY3AvMQcZSSHDOHYlRnhHFWRy4pIEBhFKPeXKgoS9u~a1OEJLOmMold4O8tM1jzv-JVyYqLyFdSIvqRqqxD1zR09APOLurbfcmRi~pCRFWJZ3lmecVY5fqcO8qJXsT6r7pk8lFrxAJV-akvT31PsbISlkXGgiQcOa~soZjtAJJCAmRmUK89pdEUXsfZYK2OTMMu5fCBuumxBNZMu~useW8y4B68Ff9ptgX7pKErVU7RA~CVx9RiHgv-jT6kHRtZgQm-xl58ywZRy~QJ0NfmSqzu~oA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Legislature","date","2025-04-07T23:01:14.557Z","article","On April 7 the Senate Human Services Committee reviewed a comprehensive human services omnibus draft (delete‑all/A‑1 amendment to Senate File 3054) that reorganizes and modifies numerous policy and budget items affecting long‑term care, disability waivers, behavioral health, and grants. Committee counsel and fiscal staff walked members through the spreadsheet of proposals and the A‑1 author’s amendment; the committee adopted the A‑1 amendment by voice vote and laid the amended Senate File 3054 over for markup and potential inclusion in later packages.

Major topics discussed and the committee’s action overview:

Nursing facility payment system and VBR modifications: Committee fiscal staff described differences between the governor’s proposal and the A‑1. The A‑1 limits operating growth to 4% per year (the governor proposed a 2% operating cap) and also changes the formula used in value‑based reimbursement (VBR) that links care‑related payment limits to a facility’s quality score. Committee counsel described the change as an alteration to the slope of the quality‑limit formula: lower‑quality facilities would see a reduced limit, with the policy intended to incentivize quality improvements but also creating concerns about cash flow and the timing of reimbursement for facilities that have already incurred costs.

\"Think of a graph with a sloped line on it. The lower your quality, the lower your limit,\" counsel said. \"The proposal changes the slope of the limit, so that lower quality facilities... their limit is reduced. The point is to drive them to higher quality because if they're driven to higher quality, their limit will go up.\"

Committee members raised concerns that tightening care‑related spending limits and capping operating growth could unintentionally worsen finances for small or struggling facilities that already operate with thin margins. Several members requested lists of affected nursing facilities and additional analysis on the cash‑flow and timing implications of VBR changes.

Disability waiver rate system and indexing: The draft modifies several disability waiver rate mechanics. One proposal in the A‑1 would move future inflation adjustments to a Consumer Price Index (CPI)‑based mechanism for the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS) rather than other indices used previously; committee staff said a CPI mechanism could produce substantial forecast differences over time. Other DWRS‑related changes in the draft include limits on rate exceptions and revised residential share proposals; some of the governor’s original residential proposals were reduced in the A‑1.

Waiver Reimagine and home care nursing: The draft pauses waiver reimagine for one year and would add home care nursing to individualized budgets. Members said adding home care nursing to individualized budgets could materially affect the viability of the reimagine constructs and might obviate some concerns raised by families during prior reimagine discussions.

EIDBI provider licensing: The A‑1 includes a provisional licensing structure for Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Interventions (EIDBI) providers; provisional licenses would begin 01/01/2026 and a comprehensive licensing structure was targeted for development by 01/01/2028. The bill funds administrative oversight and associated systems work but does not assume direct savings from utilization change; committee members asked DHS to revisit whether licensing could capture savings by reducing fraud or improper billing.

Miscellaneous grants, cancellations and reallocations: The A‑1 contains many line‑by‑line grant appropriations and some cancellations/transfers of previously authorized balances. Examples included community care hub grants, age‑friendly councils, targeted recovery and peer support grants, and cancellation/transfers of existing special‑fund balances into the general fund. Committee staff emphasized some reversals were cleaning up prior authorized but unspent balances and repurposing limited funds within the committee’s budgetary target.

Process and next steps: Committee counsel and fiscal staff noted the spreadsheet presented to members had a timestamped version and that additional fiscal notes remained outstanding for several items. Committee leadership said mark‑up and amendment work would continue on Wednesday, with the committee aiming to produce a package for inter‑chamber negotiations.

Disposition: The A‑1 amendment to Senate File 3054 was adopted by voice vote; the amended bill was laid over for further markup and omnibus negotiations. Members requested additional lists of affected facilities and outstanding fiscal notes before final decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Human Services - 04/07/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Human Services Committee adopted the A‑1 amendment to its human services omnibus (Senate File 3054) April 7 and laid the amended bill over for further markup; the package includes significant changes to nursing facility payment formulas, disability waiver rate mechanics, EIDBI licensing and numerous grants and cancellations.","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},6612174,"Committee hears Damon Lifestet Act with enhanced rate tiers, asset‑limit changes and hospital CFSS reimbursement; bill laid over",784,1211000,1995000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a&start=1211&end=1995","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a/thumbnail_1211000.jpg","/articles/6612174/Minnesota/Committee-hears-Damon-Lifestet-Act-with-enhanced-rate-tiers-assetlimit-changes-and-hospital-CFSS-reimbursement-bill-laid-over","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612174-ec654c9d6ef94a5bdf9d9d33848592da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107901&Signature=D4n4rq9O3CLJjbJXa7-nI9h5zqbww02wgpbwwdGbydMje8IxIq-LXV~5BqHqt9XRSyPC9yJEgU5Pxk127zGezjWnlvbi-9SPJthNt6iOOGU4khVqqlYBRP3tauXLtnByl5BvyMPhbdgXiThEsHiE1aXxERBtH9NPGaLBHHoku~iTAj4IPkRWJ0kgpLUgaC56d3EvK43~UHHYckWr6NH5Ujqb~nvCMwykeYGAoyhu7Dx~UK02jkkY7JpFHZxuEQvtyDN3ET8GwjJuaBvWsimrEvUaw1sMacU-fXrBblTw8-ZWmsiFKazB1JA1tcSnW5IGrI~Te29Wa2jdi~Hjn30RwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate File 1127, presented to the Human Services Committee April 7 and named the Damon Lifestet Act, compiles a set of policy changes aimed at strengthening services for people with disabilities and the direct care workforce. The sponsor, Senator Hoffman, described the bill as a package of proposals developed with input from the late disability advocate Damon Lifestet and the Department of Human Services.

Key provisions described by Hoffman and staff include:

- Removing the asset limit on MA ABD for people who transition from MA EPD after age 65 so savings do not force people to spend down to remain eligible; the testimony explained MA ABD currently has a $20,000 asset limit.

- Removing premiums for MA EPD beneficiaries (an expansion of prior action to remove parental fees under TEFRA) to reduce financial barriers for people with disabilities.

- Creating an enhanced rate structure for in‑home and personal care assistance that recognizes higher daily‑hour needs. Hoffman described tiers that would result in higher hourly payments for consumers who receive many hours of direct support daily — for example, increasing rates to 107.5% for people receiving approximately 10–14.75 hours of support per day and up to 117.5% for individuals receiving 20 or more hours per day. The bill also proposes a 125% professional development enhanced rate for PCAs with specified additional training or credentials to incentivize higher skill levels.

- A weekend rate differential (a 110% rate) and an overnight differential (a 10% increase for hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.) to address staffing challenges for non‑daytime shifts.

- Directing the Department of Human Services to seek changes to allow Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) to be reimbursed when provided during an acute‑care hospital stay, provided those services are specified on the person‑centered plan, are not a supplanting of hospital obligations, and are targeted to preserve function and ease transitions to home and community settings.

Committee fiscal staff reported a fiscal note limited to the hospital CFSS reimbursement portion (section 11): the fiscal analyst stated that section 11 would cost an estimated $4.4 million in the first biennium and just over $7.0 million in the tails. The committee chose to lay the bill over for possible inclusion in the omnibus package and to await additional fiscal analysis for other sections.

Disposition: Senate File 1127 was laid over for possible inclusion; staff fiscal note provided for the hospital CFSS reimbursement portion.","Senate File 1127, the Damon Lifestet Act, was presented April 7 and would make several policy changes affecting waivers, asset limits, enhanced care rates, weekend and overnight rate differentials, and reimbursement of CFSS in acute hospital stays.",{"_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},6612179,"Committee adopts author amendment to extend engagement services pilot; Otter Tail providers seek supplemental rate for supportive housing beds",242,376000,618000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a&start=376&end=618","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a/thumbnail_376000.jpg","/articles/6612179/Minnesota/Committee-adopts-author-amendment-to-extend-engagement-services-pilot-Otter-Tail-providers-seek-supplemental-rate-for-supportive-housing-beds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612179-ff7dfa9aa374e4f9369738ee591bd264/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107902&Signature=aVV6-idxCUhECgq3A8GQWulwaVn05XZMduFBlnqK5r8wGKh83~TWwCbP8jlXmJl4Cr0qLMANdVZXhV5h9IP0sZmuw6SyCxLhpPw5FjI1OSCXIDqrLA-JG9ez4L6WuRH4Hp9sneIxGqvnIl00rVpF0R82LILkuARiLUBF-CHU2XcDFklDoIJ5-s6XfbpoRmX5v7COcJeXNh1orYa9OP0-Luu64HYFSurx3-nlFS1HC2cQwmPaCe0k0vBmKonNCf~uv2sWalp1bbaxmmDzEbn7NcneLlzCm5YcwZmEWUFsiQf1vEqctRlBCtFP6zkBjxcajy4Q0VeQOk9Zsx~Yq8rBlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Human Services Committee adopted an author’s amendment to Senate File 3106 on a voice vote April 7 and heard testimony from Otter Tail County providers about two linked proposals: an extension of a one‑time engagement services pilot appropriation and a supplemental rate mechanism to support up to 24 supportive housing beds.

Senator Zachary Rasmussen (sponsor) described the engagement services pilot as a targeted grant established with a 2023 one‑time appropriation after outreach from a constituent whose family experienced a suicide. The pilot is intended to test proactive outreach to individuals who do not meet civil commitment criteria but are not engaging with voluntary services. Rasmussen said the Department of Human Services only recently issued a request for proposals and needs more time to allow grantees to spend the funds and demonstrate proof of concept.

Under the plan presented to the committee, Otter Tail County would use year‑one funding to automatically refer individuals who have been evaluated for civil commitment but do not meet the criteria to the engagement services pilot. County staff would proactively reach out to engage those individuals in voluntary treatment and supports, with the goal of avoiding civil commitment. In year two, referrals would expand to include law enforcement, crisis teams, health providers and families.

\"This whole construct came about because I had a very brave constituent who lost her husband to suicide,\" Rasmussen said. \"…This was part of the one‑time appropriations from 2023, and the Department of Human Services has been working on this, but they just got the request for proposals out just a couple weeks ago. Because of that lag, it would force the grantees to spend this money within a year, and they would like more time so that they can show the proof of concept.\"

The committee also heard testimony on a supplemental rate provision in the amendment that would allow Otter Tail County to negotiate a supplemental rate for up to 24 beds providing supportive housing services to people recovering from substance use disorder, mental illness, or housing instability. Tammy Anderson testified for two Fergus Falls recovery residences — the Matthew House (men) and Barbara’s House (women) — describing residents’ high levels of need and recovery supports the homes provide. Anderson said 80 percent of residents had criminal justice involvement, 99 percent had substance use disorder or mental illness, and 75 percent had lost a loved one to overdose or suicide. She urged support for the amendment as a way to stabilize providers and expand capacity.

Hannah Frederick, a licensed graduate social worker and co‑director of behavioral health and housing for Perm180 (a program of Productive Alternatives), described Perm180 as an experimental model offering temporary housing and employment to people with high barriers. Frederick said the program has served more than 120 individuals from Otter Tail and 20 other counties, and requested that the amendment include 20 banked beds for Otter Tail County so Perm180 could participate in the supplemental rate mechanism.

Senator Rasmussen moved the A1 amendment as an author’s amendment and the chair asked for the ayes; the amendment was adopted by voice vote. The committee laid the bill over for further work and discussion and indicated the A1 language would be refined during the next meeting and potential markup on Wednesday.

Disposition: A1 (author’s amendment) adopted by voice vote; bill laid over for possible inclusion and the A1 will be part of upcoming markup.","Senate File 3106’s author amendment to extend an engagement services pilot appropriation was adopted by voice vote; witnesses from Otter Tail County and two rural recovery homes testified about planned use and a related amendment to allow a supplemental rate for up to 24 supportive‑housing beds.",{"_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},6612184,"Senate committee hears testimony on DSP pre‑training program for immigrant and multilingual caregivers",138,86000,224000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a&start=86&end=224","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891987-c7db6e22cd674c3667de989180300d3a/thumbnail_86000.jpg","/articles/6612184/Minnesota/Senate-committee-hears-testimony-on-DSP-pretraining-program-for-immigrant-and-multilingual-caregivers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612184-4ea8673b0b58aeb80284d2bd2f5757e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107902&Signature=V9If6iJbxSdMjEzucynvvz7pV8xc2gFdEpgaGtcor5tHVSdwRwrudjUm0-VsOsK8yfvTo5g4k3qH7-BddPO87Trk0TF9TdkqLMHNi9M29xSavjUKetJAXOjYSzQgRowEC7O8N01h9FrfWP4g5kRodHan2IQ1opqS5xBrsWbVUOA8Ih0UTCnVyo6NDkhCFAkCZvQaBme2r0MXwdRtCqiwfTkha1V9nPcxjab3Ff05Dz27ZNKNnGD~x0JpxAMG1A4xxKRn~g~llNpG4rU-fSg~cSfXFQ50Mtsd2QDmvwquIw5m-tif4x1FKjiZZBDHvfxYd3qnk6cVAcFvEXhynBrfIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Minnesota Senate Human Services Committee heard testimony April 7 on Senate File 3122, a bill that would establish a one‑time direct support professional (DSP) pre‑training grant program aimed at providing in‑person, culturally and linguistically specific classes for DSPs serving people with disabilities and other long‑term needs.

The testimony focused on workforce recruitment and retention among immigrant and non‑English speaking caregivers. Miss Swalley, a small business owner representing the Minnesota Ethnic Providers Network, told the committee the network trains immigrant women who otherwise face barriers to online training and low wages in the DSP field.

\"Their average DSP person makes between 16 and $17,\" Miss Swalley said, explaining the effect of culturally specific, in‑person training on pay. She described a pilot in which 14 women who spoke seven different languages trained together; afterward she said the average pay for DSPs in her small program rose to about $22–$24 per hour.

Swalley said many DSPs she works with are Somali and African American women and that tailored in‑person instruction improved compliance and outcomes while helping workers move away from poverty.

Committee members thanked the witness and discussed how the proposal fits with other workforce initiatives. No final vote was taken; the committee laid the bill over for further consideration and possible inclusion in later work.

Disposition: Senate File 3122 was laid over for possible inclusion; no formal committee adoption or fiscal action was recorded during the hearing.","The Minnesota Senate Human Services Committee heard testimony on Senate File 3122, a one‑time grant program to fund culturally and linguistically specific pre‑training for direct support professionals; the bill was laid over for further consideration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee advances human services omnibus framework; A‑1 adopted, major nursing‑home and waiver changes remain under review

Committee hears Damon Lifestet Act with enhanced rate tiers, asset‑limit changes and hospital CFSS reimbursement; bill laid over

Committee adopts author amendment to extend engagement services pilot; Otter Tail providers seek supplemental rate for supportive housing beds

Senate committee hears testimony on DSP pre‑training program for immigrant and multilingual caregivers