SF 3294

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 02/20/2020 01:54pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing the Direct Care Service Corps; requiring a report;
appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin DIRECT CARE SERVICE CORPS PILOT PROJECT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin HealthForce Minnesota at Winona State University must
develop a pilot project establishing the Minnesota Direct Care Service Corps. The pilot
program must utilize financial incentives to attract postsecondary students to work as personal
care attendants and direct support professionals. HealthForce Minnesota must establish the
financial incentives and minimum work requirements to be eligible for incentive payments.
The financial incentive must increase with each semester that the student participates in the
Minnesota Direct Care Service Corps.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Pilot sites. new text end

new text begin (a) Pilot sites must include one postsecondary institution in the
seven-county metropolitan area and at least one postsecondary institution outside of the
seven-county metropolitan area. If more than one postsecondary institution outside the
metropolitan area is selected, one must be located in northern Minnesota and the other must
be located in southern Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin (b) After satisfactorily completing the work requirements for a semester, the pilot site
or its fiscal agent must pay students the financial incentive developed for the pilot project.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Evaluation and report. new text end

new text begin (a) HealthForce Minnesota must contract with a third
party to evaluate the pilot project's impact on health care costs, retention of personal care
assistants, and patient's and provider's satisfaction of care. The evaluation must include the
number of participants, the hours of care provided by participants, and the retention of
participants from semester to semester.
new text end

new text begin (b) By January 4, 2023, HealthForce Minnesota must report the findings under paragraph
(a) to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
over health and human services policy and finance.
new text end

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

new text begin $500,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2021 from the general fund to the commissioner
of health for a grant to HealthForce Minnesota at Winona State University for purposes of
section 1. This is a onetime appropriation. Any unencumbered balance does not cancel and
is available through June 30, 2022. Up to $50,000 may be used by HealthForce Minnesota
for administrative costs.
new text end