As ARRM shared earlier this week, the Office of the Legislative Auditor released their report on Home and Community Based Services this week. A hearing was held in the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee on the findings of this report.
Amongst the findings, the report called attention to the state’s growing workforce shortage in HCBS, citing demographic trends and low wages for direct care workers.
The report also focused on the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ oversight of HCBS spending and providers, recommending the state institute a set of financial reporting requirements and increase regulations over HCBS providing care in people’s own homes. These recommendations were focused on providing more transparency and clarity on providing better services to people with disabilities in Minnesota.
In addition to the hearing of the OLA report, a series of bills focused on disability issues were heard in the Senate on Monday. These bills address CDCS Reform, MSA Reform, establishing three new employment services and creating an Innovation Grant for providers that serve people with disabilities. ARRM submitted a letter of support for these proposals as they aim to target transitional age youth.
ARRM’s Policy bill received its second hearing in the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee on Wednesday. The bill was passed out of the committee and referred to Civil Law and Data Practices Committee.
Looking ahead to next week, ARRM’s ICF Therapeutic Leave Day Bill and Waiver Consolidation Bill will be heard in the Senate on Monday and will receive its second hearing in the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee on Wednesday. Many department bills will also be heard in the Senate on Monday, ARRM Vice President of External Affairs, Barb Turner is scheduled to testify to those bills.
--Sara Grafstrom, Director of Government Relations and Member Advocacy