Minnesota Session Laws - 1983, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1983 

                        CHAPTER 310--S.F.No. 620
           An act relating to public welfare; authorizing grants 
          to county boards to provide semi-independent living 
          services for mentally retarded persons; proposing new 
          law coded in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 252.  
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [252.275] [SEMI-INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES FOR 
MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS.] 
     Subdivision 1.  [PROGRAM.] The commissioner of public 
welfare shall establish a statewide program to assist counties 
in reducing the utilization of intermediate care services in 
state hospitals and in community residential facilities for 
persons who are mentally retarded.  The commissioner shall make 
grants to county boards to establish, operate, or contract for 
the provision of semi-independent living services licensed by 
the commissioner pursuant to sections 245.781 to 245.812 and 
252.28. 
     Subd. 2.  [APPLICATION; CRITERIA.] To apply for a grant, a 
county board shall submit an application and budget for use of 
grant money in the form specified by the commissioner.  The 
commissioner shall make grants only to counties whose 
applications and budgets are approved by the commissioner.  
     Subd. 3.  [REIMBURSEMENT.] On or before September 1 of each 
year, the commissioner shall allocate available funds to the 
counties which have approved plans and budgets.  The 
commissioner shall disburse the funds on a quarterly basis 
during the fiscal year to reimburse counties for costs incurred 
in providing services to individual clients in accordance with 
the approved plans and budgets.  
     Subd. 4.  [FORMULA.] The commissioner shall allocate grants 
under this section to finance up to 95 percent, but not less 
than 80 percent, of each county's cost for semi-independent 
living services for mentally retarded persons.  
    Subd. 5.  [DISPLACED HOSPITAL WORKERS.] Providers of 
semi-independent living services shall make reasonable efforts 
to hire qualified employees of state hospital mental retardation 
units who have been displaced by reorganization, closure, or 
consolidation of state hospital mental retardation units.  
    Subd. 6.  [RULES.] The commissioner shall adopt temporary 
and permanent rules in accordance with chapter 14 to govern 
grant applications, criteria for approval of applications, 
allocation of grants, and maintenance of program and financial 
statements by grant recipients.  
    Subd. 7.  [REPORTS.] The commissioner shall require 
collection of data and periodic reports necessary to demonstrate 
the effectiveness of semi-independent living services in helping 
mentally retarded persons achieve self-sufficiency and 
independence.  The commissioner shall report to the legislature 
no later than January 15, 1984, on the effectiveness of the 
program, its effect on reducing the number of mentally retarded 
persons in state hospitals and in intermediate care facilities, 
and his recommendations regarding making this program an 
integral part of the social services programs administered by 
the counties.  
    Subd. 8.  [USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.] The commissioner shall 
maximize the use of federal funds for semi-independent living 
services. 
    Approved June 9, 1983