HF 3604

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 05/20/2022 05:40pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing ALS caregiver support and respite services grants;
establishing ALS services grants; establishing ALS research grants; requiring
reports; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapters 145; 256.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [145.9275] AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS RESEARCH
GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Grant program established. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of health shall
establish a grant program to award grants by June 30 of each year to institutions in Minnesota
for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Grants shall be awarded to support
clinical and translational research related to ALS. Research topics may include but are not
limited to environmental factors, disease mechanisms, disease models, biomarkers, drug
development, clinical studies, precision medicine, medical devices, assistive technology,
and cognitive studies.
new text end

new text begin (b) Eligible applicants for the grants are research facilities, universities, and health
systems located in Minnesota. Applicants must submit proposals to the commissioner by
March 31 of each year.
new text end

new text begin (c) An ALS account is established in the special revenue fund. Appropriations to the
commissioner for the program are for transfer to the account. Money in the account is
appropriated to the commissioner to make grants and to administer the grant program under
this section. Appropriations from the account do not cancel and are available until expended.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin Each January 15, the commissioner shall submit a report to the chairs
and ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over health,
specifying the institutions receiving grants under this section and the purposes for which
the grant funds were used.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1 is effective July 1, 2022. Subdivision 2 is effective
July 1, 2023.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [256.4795] AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS SERVICES GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Grant program established. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services shall
establish the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) services grant program to support, improve,
or expand the treatment of ALS.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Administration. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services, as authorized by section
256.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6), shall contract with the Minnesota, North
Dakota, South Dakota chapter of the ALS Association to (1) serve as a fiscal host for the
money appropriated for the purposes described in this section, and (2) develop guidelines,
criteria, and procedures for awarding grants.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligible applicants. new text end

new text begin To be eligible for a grant under this section, the applicant
must be an ALS treatment facility located in Minnesota and recognized by the ALS
Association as a certified treatment center of excellence, as a recognized treatment center,
or as an affiliated clinic.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Applications. new text end

new text begin Entities seeking grants under this section shall apply to the fiscal
host under contract with the commissioner. The grant applicant must include a description
of the project that the applicant is proposing, the amount of money that the applicant is
seeking, and a proposed budget describing how the applicant will spend the grant money.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Reports. new text end

new text begin (a) Grant recipients shall provide the fiscal host with a report about
the activities funded by the grant program in a format and at a time specified by the fiscal
host. The fiscal host shall require grant recipients to include in the grant recipient's report
at least the information necessary for the fiscal host to meet the fiscal host's obligation under
paragraph (b).
new text end

new text begin (b) The fiscal host shall provide the commissioner with a report that describes all of the
activities and outcomes of projects funded by the grant program in a format and at a time
determined by the commissioner.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [256.9755] CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Program goals. new text end

new text begin It is a goal of all area agencies on aging and caregiver
support programs to support family caregivers of persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS) who are living in the community by:
new text end

new text begin (1) promoting caregiver support programs that serve Minnesotans in their homes and
communities;
new text end

new text begin (2) providing, within the limits of available funds, the caregiver support services that
enable the family caregiver to access caregiver support programs in the most cost-effective
and efficient manner; and
new text end

new text begin (3) providing information, education, and training to respite caregivers and volunteers
about caring for, managing, and coping with care for a person with ALS.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Authority. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota Board on Aging shall allocate to area agencies on
aging the state funds which are received under this section for the caregiver support program
in a manner consistent with federal requirements. The board shall give priority to those
areas where there is a high need of respite services as evidenced by the data provided by
the board.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Caregiver support services. new text end

new text begin Funds allocated under this section to an area
agency on aging for caregiver support services must be used in a manner consistent with
the National Family Caregiver Support Program to reach family caregivers of persons with
ALS, except that such funds may be used to provide services benefiting people under the
age of 60 and their caregivers. The funds must be used to provide social, nonmedical,
community-based services and activities that provide respite for caregivers and social
interaction for participants.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin By January 15, 2025, and every other January 15 thereafter, the
Minnesota Board on Aging shall submit a progress report about the caregiver support grants
in this section to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
and divisions with jurisdiction over human services. The progress report must include
metrics of the use of the grant program.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin (a) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of human services for the Minnesota Board on Aging for the purposes of
caregiver support programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9755. Programs receiving
funding under this section must include an ALS-specific respite service in their caregiver
support program.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ALS RESEARCH GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of health for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research grants under Minnesota Statutes,
section 145.9275.
new text end

Sec. 6. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ALS SERVICES GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) services grants under Minnesota
Statutes, section 256.4795.
new text end