SF 7

as introduced - 91st Legislature, 2020 2nd Special Session (2020 - 2020) Posted on 07/21/2020 09:11am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; extending portions of a COVID-19 peacetime
emergency modification to economic assistance program application requirements;
amending Laws 2020, First Special Session chapter 7, section 1, subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Laws 2020, First Special Session chapter 7, section 1, subdivision 2, is amended
to read:

Subd. 2.

Waivers and modifications; extension to June 30, 2021.

When the peacetime
emergency declared by the governor in response to the COVID-19 outbreak expires, is
terminated, or is rescinded by the proper authority, the following waivers and modifications
to human services programs issued by the commissioner of human services pursuant to
Executive Orders 20-11 and 20-12, including any amendments to the waivers or modifications
issued before the peacetime emergency expires, shall remain in effect until June 30, 2021,
unless necessary federal approval is not received at any time for a waiver or modification:

(1) CV15: allowing phone or video visits for waiver programs;

(2) CV16: expanding access to telemedicine services for Children's Health Insurance
Program, Medical Assistance, and MinnesotaCare enrollees;

(3) CV21: allowing telemedicine alternative for school-linked mental health services
and intermediate school district mental health services;

(4) CV24: allowing phone or video use for targeted case management visits;

(5) CV30: expanding telemedicine in health care, mental health, and substance use
disorder settings;

(6) CV31: allowing partial waiver of county cost when COVID-19 delays discharges
from DHS-operated psychiatric hospitals;

(7) CV38: allowing flexibility in housing licensing requirements;

(8) CV43: expanding remote home and community-based services waiver services;

(9) CV44: allowing remote delivery of adult day services;

(10) CV45: modifying certain licensing requirements for substance use disorder treatment,
except that the extension shall be limited to the portions of this modification requiring
programs to become and remain familiar with Minnesota Department of Health and Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on COVID-19; requiring programs to follow
Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance
specific to the situation and program capabilities if a person receiving services or a staff
person tests positive for COVID-19; permitting programs to temporarily suspend group
counseling or limit attendance at sessions when unable to accommodate requirements for
social distancing and community mitigation; permitting comprehensive assessments to be
completed by telephone or video communication; permitting a counselor, recovery peer, or
treatment coordinator to provide treatment services from their home by telephone or video
communication to a client in their home; permitting programs to follow the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration guidelines as directed by the State Opioid
Treatment Authority within the Department of Human Services Behavioral Health division
to allow for an increased number of take-home doses in accordance with an assessment
conducted under Minnesota Statutes, section 245G.22, subdivision 6; removing the
requirement for opioid treatment programs to conduct outreach activities in the community;
and permitting programs to document a client's verbal approval of a treatment plan instead
of requiring the client's signature;

(11) CV49: modifying certain license requirements for adult day services;

(12) CV50: modifying certain requirements for early intensive developmental and
behavioral intervention (EIDBI) services;

(13) CV53: allowing flexibility for personal care assistance service oversight, except
that the portion of this modification permitting personal care assistance workers to bill 310
hours per month shall expire upon the expiration of the peacetime emergency; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(14) CV64: modifying certain certification requirements for mental health centers, except
that the extension shall be limited to the portions of this modification requiring programs
to become and remain familiar with Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention guidance on COVID-19; requiring programs to follow Minnesota
Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance specific to
the situation and program capabilities if a person receiving services or a staff person tests
positive for COVID-19; permitting alternative mental health professional supervision of
clinical services at satellite locations; permitting an alternative process for case consultation
meetings; and permitting mental health professionals to provide required client-specific
supervisory contact by telephone or video communication instead of face-to-face supervision deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ;
and
new text end

new text begin (15) CV03: suspending application requirements for economic assistance programs,
except that the extension shall be limited to the portions of this modification allowing remote
interviews for the Minnesota family investment program, and allowing the use of electronic
signatures for enrollment verification. Verbal signatures shall not be permitted for enrollment
verification.
new text end