1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; expanding budget methodology exceptions for 
1.3 	consumer-directed community supports; establishing a onetime grant program to 
1.4 	promote consumer-directed community supports; requiring a report; appropriating 
1.5 	money.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. REGIONAL AND LOCAL CONSUMER-DIRECTED COMMUNITY 
1.8 	SUPPORTS EDUCATION AND MARKETING GRANTS.
 1.9 	(a) The commissioner of human services shall award onetime, competitive regional and 
1.10 	local consumer-directed community supports education and marketing grants. The grants 
1.11 	must be awarded to eligible applicants for regional and local projects targeted to a designated 
1.12 	community of the applicant's choosing, which may consist of a specific geographic area or 
1.13 	population, to:
1.14 	(1) increase awareness of consumer-directed community supports;
1.15 	(2) increase the rate of utilization of consumer-directed community supports, specifically 
1.16 	in counties with low enrollment in the program;
1.17 	(3) promote the benefits of support planning services; or
1.18 	(4) connect eligible persons with disabilities, their parents and family members, and 
1.19 	lead agency staff, to education and resources related to consumer-directed community 
1.20 	supports.
1.21 	(b) The project areas for the grant include local or community-based initiatives to:
1.22 	(1) promote the benefits of consumer-directed community supports; and
2.1 	(2) provide informational materials and other resources to persons with disabilities 
2.2 	eligible for consumer-directed community supports, their parents and family members, and 
2.3 	lead agency staff.
2.4 	(c) Eligible applicants may include, but are not limited to, statewide nonprofit 
2.5 	organizations with regional and local presence that provide advocacy services and supports 
2.6 	for persons with disabilities and their parents and family members.
2.7 	(d) Applicants must:
2.8 	(1) describe the proposed project, including the targeted community and how the project 
2.9 	meets the requirements of this section; and
2.10 	(2) identify the proposed outcomes of the project and the evaluation process to measure 
2.11 	these outcomes.
2.12 	(e) In awarding the regional and local consumer-directed community supports education 
2.13 	and marketing grants, the commissioner of human services must give priority to applicants 
2.14 	who demonstrate that the proposed project:
2.15 	(1) is supported by and appropriately targeted to the community the applicant serves;
2.16 	(2) is designed to coordinate with other community activities related to initiatives aimed 
2.17 	at promoting independence, inclusion, and self-direction in the lives of persons with 
2.18 	disabilities;
2.19 	(3) is conducted by an applicant able to demonstrate expertise in the project areas;
2.20 	(4) utilizes and enhances existing activities and resources or involves innovative 
2.21 	approaches to achieve success in the project areas; and
2.22 	(5) strengthens community relationships and partnerships to achieve the project areas.
2.23 	(f) The commissioner of human services shall divide the state into specific geographic 
2.24 	regions and allocate a percentage of the money available for the regional and local 
2.25 	consumer-directed community supports education and marketing grants to projects aimed 
2.26 	at each geographic region with an emphasis on counties with low rates of utilization of 
2.27 	consumer-directed community supports.
2.28 	(g) The commissioner of human services shall award the grants by January 31, 2022.
2.29 	(h) A grantee shall report to the commissioner of human services on the progress of the 
2.30 	project at least once during the grant period and, within two months of the end of the grant 
2.31 	period, shall submit a final report to the commissioner that includes the measurable outcomes.
3.1 	(i) The commissioner of human services shall:
3.2 	(1) develop the criteria and procedures to allocate the grants under this section, evaluate 
3.3 	all applicants on a competitive basis, award the grants, and select qualified providers to 
3.4 	offer technical assistance to grant applicants and grantees. The selected providers shall assist 
3.5 	applicants and grantees with project design, evaluation methods, materials, and training; 
3.6 	and
3.7 	(2) submit by January 15, 2023, a progress report on the consumer-directed community 
3.8 	supports education and marketing grants under this section to the chairs and ranking minority 
3.9 	members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health finance and policy. The 
3.10 	report shall include:
3.11 	(i) information on the grantees;
3.12 	(ii) a summary of all projects undertaken with the grants;
3.13 	(iii) the measurable outcomes established by the grantees, an explanation of the evaluation 
3.14 	process used to determine whether the outcomes were met, and the results of the evaluation; 
3.15 	and
3.16 	(iv) an accounting of how the grant funds were spent.

3.17 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 3.18 	$....... in fiscal year 2022 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
3.19 	human services for the regional and local consumer-directed community supports education 
3.20 	and marketing grants described in section 1. This is a onetime appropriation.