The Aging and Adult Services Division (AASD) and Disability Services Division (DSD) continue to keep their staff, stakeholders, and the general public in the loop with their latest updates and initiatives through a weekly digest sent out every Tuesday. In the latest communication, they highlighted some recent updates to the Community-Based Services Manual (CBSM) and offered details on upcoming training and webinar events.
One key announcement involves a training session on Integrated Community Supports (ICS) Authorization and Implementation. Scheduled for May 21, 2025, this training aims to effectively prepare lead agencies, providers, and other interested parties for ICS processes. The session hopes to provide a comprehensive, two-hour program that will thoroughly cover all pertinent aspects of ICS. This recent initiative underscores the ongoing commitment of the DHS to support those at the frontline of adult care.
According to the latest bulletin from the DHS, updates to the CBSM were made in April 2025. These revisions are presumably part of a consistent effort to ensure that lead agencies and all stakeholders have the most current information and guidelines at their disposal.
Moreover, there is a special focus on financial transparency and accountability with the announcement of a webinar on Personal Care Assistance (PCA) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) Cost Reporting Demonstration and Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions. These webinars are scheduled to take place on June 11, July 9, and August 6, 2025, and are targeted at cost report preparers for PCA and CFSS agency model providers. Participants need only to attend one of the three sessions to become fully conversant with the cost reporting processes. Further details and registration info can be found on the DHS website at this link.
These updates and resources provided by AASD and DSD reflect a clear directive to not only articulate policy changes and initiatives but to also actively prepare and support the community serving Minnesota’s aging and disabled populations. Caregivers, agency coordinators, and all those involved in the important work of caring for these communities now have access to new tools to refine their practices and ensure compliance with the latest standards and regulations.
