HF 1678

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 02/27/2025 03:16 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to human services; modifying eligibility for essential community supports;
expanding available services under essential community supports; increasing
funding for caregiver respite services grants; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0922, subdivision 1, by adding a
subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0922, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Essential community supports.

(a) The purpose of the essential
community supports program is to provide targeted services to persons deleted text begin age 65 and older deleted text end
who need essential community support, but whose needs do not meet the level of care
required for nursing facility placement under section 144.0724, subdivision 11 new text begin , and who
are either 60 years of age or older or are persons with dementia new text end .

(b) Essential community supports are available not to exceed $400 per person per month.
Essential community supports may be used as authorized within an authorization period
not to exceed 12 months. Services must be available to a person who:

(1) is age deleted text begin 65 deleted text end new text begin 60 new text end or older new text begin or has dementia new text end ;

(2) is not eligible for medical assistance;

(3) has received a community assessment under section 256B.0911, subdivisions 17 to
21, 23, 24, or 27, and does not require the level of care provided in a nursing facility;

(4) meets the financial eligibility criteria deleted text begin for the alternative care program under section
256B.0913, subdivision 4 deleted text end new text begin under subdivision 3 new text end ;

(5) has an assessment summary; and

(6) has been determined by a community assessment under section 256B.0911,
subdivisions 17 to 21, 23, 24, or 27, to be a person who would require provision of at least
one of the following services, as defined in the approved elderly waiver plan, in order to
maintain their community residence:

(i) adult day services;

(ii) caregiver support;

(iii) homemaker support;

(iv) chores;

(v) a personal emergency response device or system;

(vi) home-delivered meals; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(vii) community living assistance as defined by the commissioner new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (viii) respite care new text end .

(c) The person receiving any of the essential community supports in this subdivision
must also receive service coordination, not to exceed $600 in a 12-month authorization
period, as part of their assessment summary.

(d) A person who has been determined to be eligible for essential community supports
must be reassessed at least annually and continue to meet the criteria in paragraph (b) to
remain eligible for essential community supports.

(e) The commissioner is authorized to use federal matching funds for essential community
supports as necessary and to meet demand for essential community supports as outlined in
subdivision 2, and that amount of federal funds is appropriated to the commissioner for this
purpose.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0922, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Financial eligibility criteria. new text end

new text begin (a) To be eligible for essential community
supports, a person may have an income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines
for the household size. When determining financial eligibility under this subdivision, the
commissioner must use the income methodology described in section 256B.056, subdivision
1a, paragraph (b).
new text end

new text begin (b) No asset limit applies to a person eligible for essential community supports.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; CAREGIVER RESPITE SERVICES GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of human services for caregiver respite services grants
under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9756.
new text end