Minnesota Session Laws - 1985, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1985 

                        CHAPTER 226-S.F.No. 966 
           An act relating to health; requiring a study and a 
          report on the needs of persons with brain impairments. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [STUDY OF SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH BRAIN 
IMPAIRMENT.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITION.] "Brain impairment" means 
serious traumatic injury to the brain or degenerative brain 
disease resulting in significant destruction of brain tissue 
with resultant loss of brain function which requires extensive 
services over an extended period of time. 
    Subd. 2.  [TASK FORCE.] The commissioner of human services 
shall establish a task force to study the needs of persons with 
brain impairments.  The task force shall consist of no more than 
15 persons, two of whom are parents.  In addition, the task 
force shall include representation from physicians specializing 
in brain impairments, rehabilitation facilities, day programs, 
acute care rehabilitation programs, nursing home programs, 
community-based residential programs, vocational counselors, the 
Minnesota chapter of the national head injury foundation, 
chemical abuse counselors, and other persons who may provide a 
useful perspective to the task force. 
    Subd. 3.  [DUTIES.] The commissioner of human services, or 
his or her designee, shall prepare a report for the legislature 
with the advice of the task force.  The task force shall: 
    (a) assess the needs of persons who have brain impairments 
and their families; 
    (b) develop a model for a continuum of care to adequately 
meet the needs described in clause (a), including acute care, 
intermediate rehabilitation, long-term care, community-based 
housing, and vocational, social, and community integration; 
    (c) identify the resources that currently exist to meet the 
needs of persons who are brain impaired; 
    (d) identify the gaps in current delivery of services to 
meet these specialized needs; 
    (e) determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of 
developing new programs for this population or expanding 
utilization of existing services and programs; 
    (f) identify potential sources of funding for services for 
brain impaired persons and describe how present lack of funding 
has affected the provision of services to the brain impaired 
population; and 
    (g) examine the potential for expanding existing criteria 
and disability definitions to allow persons with brain 
impairment access to housing, case-management, independent 
living skills programs, and other similar programs now available 
to other groups. 
    The commissioner shall deliver the report and the task 
force's recommendations to the legislature by January 15, 1986. 
    Approved May 23, 1985