ARRM's Daily Dispatch

Behavioral Dimensions, Inc. announces Positive Behavior Support for Adults

A group of Board Certified Behavior Analysts at Behavioral Dimensions, Inc (BDI) is now offering technical assistance in positive behavior support for professional clinical teams and associated circles of support working with adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and life-limiting challenging behavior.

In 6-8 weeks, teams will learn to use a problem solving framework in which they effectively link what they know and learn about a person’s strengths, preferences, and life goals, and the function of their challenging behavior, to a positive support plan that builds engagement in activities consistent with the person’s vision for their lives.

The program is designed for professional providers and associated supports that are stuck in a rut with their attempts to move a person’s life forward, and are committed to improving the person’s quality of life and reaching their vision. The team learns to use the problem-solving framework via collaborative workshop sessions and on-site coaching. If the person is served by multiple agencies, all are encouraged to participate together. Family participation is also important to the program.

For more information about the program, contact Katie Welter at kwelter@behavioraldimensions.com or 612-275-8593.

University of Minnesota announces a Positive Behavior Support Initiative

The Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the University of Minnesota has been awarded a contract by the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to deliver training and technical assistance in Positive Behavior Support (PBS).

Community-based professionals across Minnesota who work with children, adolescents, and adults whose challenging behavior (associated with intellectual/developmental disability and/or mental illness) is a barrier to full participation in home, work, and community life are being invited to apply for training cohorts to begin in 2012. Over the course of 15 months, professionals will learn a person-centered PBS approach to helping people with significant challenging behavior live a better life, working towards their dreams and visions. 

The training includes a combination of independent online work, class meetings, and 1:1 on-site coaching and feedback from a mentor (in the places the trainees work every day). Professionals from around the state are encouraged to take part in this training – most of the work is done on-site where the professional works – only once per month is there a requirement to travel for class meetings. There is no charge to participate in this training, to the professionals or the agencies they represent.

This PBS training initiative is a part of a developing Center at the ICI being called the Center on Person-Centered Systems Design. Through trainings and relationship with providers in the community and within DHS, the Center intends to expand access to effective person-centered approaches and create best-practice standards that can serve as national models for creating quality lives and desirable futures for people with disabilities and mental illness.

Visit the website for more information, to contact someone in the PBS training program, and to download an application (www.rtc.umn.edu/mnpbsi).

DHS Licensing provides option for reporting absence of 45 days or more

Under Minnesota Statutes, section 245C.04, subdivision 1, paragraph (i), a license holder must provide notice to DHS through NETStudy or through a mailed letter when:

• an individual returns to a position requiring a background study following an abscence of 45 or more consecutive days (regardless of the reason for the absence or whether or not the individual was paid during the absence0; or
• a program that discontinued providing licensed direct contact services for 45 or more consecutive days begins to provide direct contact licensed services again.

DHS has developed an option to report when an individual will be returning to a position requiring a background study following an absence of 45 days or more, or to report when a program that discontinued providing licensed direct contact services for 45 days or more will begin to provide licensed direct contact services again. This option allows you to notify the commissioner without submitting a new study and incurring a background study fee. The following steps should be followed:

• E-mail the NETStudy Administrator at DHS.NETStudyAdmin@state.mn.us
• In the subject line of your e-mail, type "Individual returning"
• In the body of the e-mail, include:

a) your program's license number,

b) your sensitive background study information person's name and phone number.

After receiving the e-mail, the NETStudy Administrator will then contact you and explain the process.

--Barb Turner, COO

MnCHOICES steering committee receives update

The MnCHOICES Steering Committee met yesterday to receive an update on the MnCHOICES project. Prior to the most recent name change, MnCHOICES had been know as COMPASS.

Committee members were provided a refresher: MnCHOICES is intended to be a single, comprehensive assessment and support application for long term care planning. It combines four assessments:

1. Developmental Disability Screening (DD)
2. Long-Term Care Consultation (LTCC)
3. Personal Care Assistance (PCA)
4. Private Duty Nursing (PDN)

The assessment will be completed in person by a certified assessor using a web-based application. It includes all programs and services provided by the Continuing Care Administration.

The assessment is currently in the testing phase. As of December 6, 2011 the alpha testing has been completed. This phase of testing involved internal DHS testing, lead agencies and 100 test participants who are future certified assessors. The test participants were asked to examine the question categorization, response options, flow of the questions and ease of navigation.

DHS received approximately 4,000 comments from the 100 test participants. These comments will be reviewed and analyzed and amendments will be made to the MnCHOICES assessment. Once this is completed, the assessment will move to the beta testing phase. The beta testing will involve the use of the assessment on actual people. Although DHS did not give firm timelines, beta testing will likely begin sometime in the spring of 2012.

Once the testing and follow-up is completed, dates for MnCHOICES Release One will be communicated. Again, DHS did not give specific timelines at this point, but anticipate this will happen near the end of 2012. DHS has plans for at least three releases of MnCHOICES, with the expectation that there will be additional releases as additional functionality and enhancements are needed. Please note that DHS does not expect to have integration with the new rate setting application for disability waiver services included in MnCHOICES until Release Two. If you have any questions you can contact me at bturner@arrm.org or 651-291-1086.

--Barb Turner, COO

245B license renewal invoices delayed

The Licensing Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services typically sends out invoices for renewal of 245B licenses in November. This year, these invoices were not sent out in November due to several factors: the July government shutdown, a change in the software system and a move to a new location. It is expected that they will be sent out in December.

Providers will see an increase in licensing fees this year due to amendments passed by the 2011 Minnesota Legislature. This link will take you to the letter from DHS containing information on the license renewal and fees.

Feel free to contact me with any questions at bturner@arrm.org or call 651-291-1086 ext. 3.

--Barb Turner, COO