SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House Human Services Committee held a remote hearing on legislation authored by Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL – Shoreview) to remove barriers people with disabilities face when they choose to live in their own homes. The bill builds upon the “Informed Choice” law Rep. Moller successfully championed last year while addressing the state’s workforce shortage, including a lack of personal care assistants (PCAs) and other direct support professionals (DSPs).
“We’ve made good progress in recent years to help more people with disabilities live in their own homes if they choose to, but they continue to face barriers, including a crisis-level shortage within our PCA and DSP workforce,” Rep. Moller said. “The choice for people with disabilities to live and receive services at home promotes independence and inclusivity in their communities. I’m proud to carry this bipartisan legislation that supports them making the best decision for their future.”
The bill supports people with disabilities through three main components. First, it expands options for people who live in their own homes to share services and service providers, and directs the Department of Human Services to seek a federal waiver allowing this expansion.
Next, the legislation provides training for case managers regarding support coordination to ensure all case managers have the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities for people who receive services in home settings. This training will ensure services can continue when support providers change on short notice, an increasingly frequent occurrence during the current workforce shortage.
Finally, the bill allows people who receive services in their own homes to appeal service terminations. Currently, people who live in residential settings can make such an appeal, but people who live in their own homes don’t have this right.
Organizations such as the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, the Arc Minnesota, the Autism Society of Minnesota, Minnesota First Provider Alliance, and TEAM Services Group all support the bill.
The committee laid the bill over for future consideration in a broader package of human services legislation.
More information, including documents from the hearing, is available on the committee webpage. Video of the hearing is available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube Channel.