House approves wide-ranging human services policy bill, adopts opioid-settlement alignment

The Minnesota House on a third reading passed House File 2115, a multi-article human services policy bill, adopting several technical and policy amendments before a final roll call of 121 yeas and 13 nays.

Representative Schumacher, the bill’s author, described HF 2115 as “the policy bill for the human services committee,” saying the measure combines provisions ranging from disability services to behavioral health and long-term care supports.

The bill’s articles include changes to supports for people with disabilities (expanding qualifications for positive support analyists and establishing a review process for long-term care service denials), medication-training requirements for nursing facility staff, provisions addressing direct care and treatment, and several behavioral-health measures aimed at workforce and reimbursement challenges. The bill also clarifies that counties cannot charge residents for accessing the 988 lifeline and updates who may conduct substance-use-disorder comprehensive assessments and the timeline for diagnostic assessments.

During floor consideration, members approved a series of amendments. Representative…