(a) The commissioner of human services is prohibited from closing any regional treatment center or state-operated nursing home or any program at any of the regional treatment centers or state-operated nursing homes, without specific legislative authorization. For persons with developmental disabilities who move from one regional treatment center to another regional treatment center, the provisions of section 256B.092, subdivision 10, must be followed for both the discharge from one regional treatment center and admission to another regional treatment center, except that the move is not subject to the consensus requirement of section 256B.092, subdivision 10, paragraph (b).
(b) Prior to closing or downsizing a regional treatment center, the commissioner of human services shall be responsible for assuring that community-based alternatives developed in response are adequate to meet the program needs identified by each county within the catchment area and do not require additional local county property tax expenditures.
(c) The nonfederal share of the cost of alternative treatment or care developed as the result of the closure of a regional treatment center, including costs associated with fulfillment of responsibilities under chapter 253B shall be paid from state funds appropriated for purposes specified in section 246.013.
(d) Counties in the catchment area of a regional treatment center which has been closed or downsized may not at any time be required to pay a greater cost of care for alternative care and treatment than the county share set by the commissioner for the cost of care provided by regional treatment centers.
(e) The commissioner may not divert state funds used for providing for care or treatment of persons residing in a regional treatment center for purposes unrelated to the care and treatment of such persons.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes