SF 349

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 02:12am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; providing base funding for additional
living-at-home/block nurse programs; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 256B.0917, subdivision 8.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 256B.0917, subdivision 8, is amended to
read:

Subd. 8.

Living-at-home/block nurse program grant.

(a) The organization
awarded the contract under subdivision 7, shall develop and administer a grant program
to establish or expand up to deleted text begin 33 deleted text end new text begin 43 new text end community-based organizations that will implement
living-at-home/block nurse programs that are designed to enable senior citizens to live as
independently as possible in their homes and in their communities. At least one-half of
the programs must be in counties outside the seven-county metropolitan area. Nonprofit
organizations and units of local government are eligible to apply for grants to establish
the community organizations that will implement living-at-home/block nurse programs.
In awarding grants, the organization awarded the contract under subdivision 7 shall give
preference to nonprofit organizations and units of local government from communities
that:

(1) have high nursing home occupancy rates;

(2) have a shortage of health care professionals;

(3) are located in counties adjacent to, or are located in, counties with existing
living-at-home/block nurse programs; and

(4) meet other criteria established by LAH/BN, Inc., in consultation with the
commissioner.

(b) Grant applicants must also meet the following criteria:

(1) the local community demonstrates a readiness to establish a community model
of care, including the formation of a board of directors, advisory committee, or similar
group, of which at least two-thirds is comprised of community citizens interested in
community-based care for older persons;

(2) the program has sponsorship by a credible, representative organization within
the community;

(3) the program has defined specific geographic boundaries and defined its
organization, staffing and coordination/delivery of services;

(4) the program demonstrates a team approach to coordination and care, ensuring
that the older adult participants, their families, the formal and informal providers are all
part of the effort to plan and provide services; and

(5) the program provides assurances that all community resources and funding will
be coordinated and that other funding sources will be maximized, including a person's
own resources.

(c) Grant applicants must provide a minimum of five percent of total estimated
development costs from local community funding. Grants shall be awarded for four-year
periods, and the base amount shall not exceed $80,000 per applicant for the grant period.
The organization under contract may increase the grant amount for applicants from
communities that have socioeconomic characteristics that indicate a higher level of need
for assistance. Subject to the availability of funding, grants and grant renewals awarded or
entered into on or after July 1, 1997, shall be renewed by LAH/BN, Inc. every four years,
unless LAH/BN, Inc. determines that the grant recipient has not satisfactorily operated the
living-at-home/block nurse program in compliance with the requirements of paragraphs
(b) and (d). Grants provided to living-at-home/block nurse programs under this paragraph
may be used for both program development and the delivery of services.

(d) Each living-at-home/block nurse program shall be designed by representatives of
the communities being served to ensure that the program addresses the specific needs of
the community residents. The programs must be designed to:

(1) incorporate the basic community, organizational, and service delivery principles
of the living-at-home/block nurse program model;

(2) provide senior citizens with registered nurse directed assessment, provision and
coordination of health and personal care services on a sliding fee basis as an alternative
to expensive nursing home care;

(3) provide information, support services, homemaking services, counseling, and
training for the client and family caregivers;

(4) encourage the development and use of respite care, caregiver support, and
in-home support programs, such as adult foster care and in-home adult day care;

(5) encourage neighborhood residents and local organizations to collaborate in
meeting the needs of senior citizens in their communities;

(6) recruit, train, and direct the use of volunteers to provide informal services and
other appropriate support to senior citizens and their caregivers; and

(7) provide coordination and management of formal and informal services to senior
citizens and their families using less expensive alternatives.

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $480,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of human
services for the biennium beginning July 1, 2009, to provide base funding for 12 additional
living-at-home/block nurse programs.
new text end