The state's Aging and Adult Services Division (AASD) and Disability Services Division (DSD) keep up their hustle with the latest round of Weekly Digest. Keeping things clear and concise, the divisions laid out their newest initiatives and policy changes for those in the need-to-know. For those keeping score, these updates blast out every Tuesday, helping lead agency staff, carers, and the folks who lean on these services to stay ahead of the game.
In the mix this week, we got more intel on the MnCHOICES assessment policy change. Starting July 1, 2025, updates to its initial assessment validity aim to streamline processes, as detailed in the bulletin from the Department of Human Services (DHS). This one's big for both lead agency staff and interested parties who've been waiting to hear what's next. Another headliner includes the CFSS program, which, since October 2024, is shaking up how folks transition away from PCA and CSG.
For the number crunchers and policy wizards out there, the AC and ECS eligibility worksheets saw some tweaks. Effective July 1, 2025, these changes align with federal income and eligibility revisions and are laid out for program assessors and case managers. In parallel, the DHS beacons the implementation of Residential Support Service Criteria (RSSC), dispatching resources to support the agencies and families come July 1, 2025, according to the communicated recap.
Training and events haven't taken a backseat either. DHS flags a reminder about the upcoming webinars—June 11, July 9, and August 6—for those knee-deep in cost reporting for PCA and CFSS. For those working with kids in foster care, the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) is rolling out a webinar series from June to October, targeting residential placements for children with high needs. It's clear, the state gears to better equip its staff and partners with the know-hows to make sure no kid or adult is left scrabbling for support.
As if that's not enough, the DHS is also canvassing for public input on the HCBS evidentiary package, per their May 23 announcement. And for the tech-heads making life easier for the rest, DCYF put out a call for design assistance on a mobile contact and time entry system. Last but not least, the Minnesota Assisted Living Report Card spiced up their offerings with new rankings fresh off the press on May 23.
