Legislators propose pause, working group to redesign Minnesota’s Integrated Community Supports

Representative Goran introduced an amendment (DE4) to House File 1767 that would halt structural shifts to Minnesota’s Integrated Community Supports program and establish a legislative work group to redesign the service. The amendment passed by voice vote and the bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus package.

Sponsor materials and testifiers framed the proposal as a deliberate pause rather than a weakening of oversight. Josh Berg, a testifier supporting the amendment, said DHS has labeled ICS a high‑risk program and that much of the cited growth represented internal reclassification rather than new entrants. He urged a deliberate redesign focused on “better rate structures, clearer documentation standards, stronger guardrails around high‑cost plans, defined licensing expectations, and consistent enforcement tools.”

Zania Harout, board chair of the Residential Providers Association of Minnesota and an ICS provider, told the committee two operational models—site‑based and scattered‑site—are currently treated under the same rate framework, creating a significant compliance risk. She said the change would allow the legislature to codify setting approvals, staffing recognition and coverage for certain services (for example, nursing and transportation) in statute.

Sponsor discussion and member questions focused on the bill’s interaction with existing DHS authority. Multiple speakers, including the testifier, emphasized the amendment preserves DHS’s ability to investigate fraud and take enforcement actions. The transcript includes references to DHS statutory authorities for audit and oversight (transcript language referencing “245D” and related statutory locations) and the moratorium on new ICS enrollments was described as remaining in place while investigations continue.

The committee laid House File 1767, as amended, over for possible inclusion. The next procedural step is further bill drafting, technical review and potential placement in the omnibus package; no final policy or statutory change has taken effect yet.