Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF1062 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to human services; establishing a direct support professional certification
3	3	1.3 pilot project; requiring a report; appropriating money.
4	4	1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
5	5	1.5 Section 1. DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PILOT
6	6	1.6PROJECT.
7	7	1.7 Subdivision 1.Establishment.The commissioner of human services shall establish a
8	8	1.8three-year direct support professional certification pilot project in partnership with the
9	9	1.9commissioner of the Office of Higher Education, Anoka County, Dakota County, the
10	10	1.10Metropolitan Center for Independent Living, and willing postsecondary institutions to
11	11	1.11implement a direct support curriculum leading to the credential of certified direct support
12	12	1.12professionals.
13	13	1.13 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
14	14	1.14meanings given.
15	15	1.15 (b) "Covered program" means a program to provide direct support services funded in
16	16	1.16whole or in part by the state of Minnesota, including the community first services and
17	17	1.17supports program under Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.85; consumer-directed community
18	18	1.18supports and extended state plan personal care assistance services available under programs
19	19	1.19established pursuant to home and community-based service waivers authorized under section
20	20	1.201915(c) of the Social Security Act, including but not limited to Minnesota Statutes, sections
21	21	1.21256B.092 and 256B.49, and chapter 256S, and the alternative care program under Minnesota
22	22	1.22Statutes, section 256B.0913; the personal care assistance program under Minnesota Statutes,
23	23	1.23section 256B.0659; and any similar program that may provide similar services in the future.
24	24	1Section 1.
25	25	25-02246 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR AGW/VJ
26	26	SENATE
27	27	STATE OF MINNESOTA
28	28	S.F. No. 1062NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
29	29	(SENATE AUTHORS: HOFFMAN)
30	30	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
31	31	Introduction and first reading02/06/2025
32	32	Referred to Human Services 2.1 (c) "Direct support" means assistance with activities of daily living, assistance with
33	33	2.2instrumental activities of daily living, provision of home and community-based services,
34	34	2.3and other similar, long-term services and supports provided to a person age 65 or older or
35	35	2.4to a person with a disability to meet the person's daily living needs and ensure that the person
36	36	2.5may adequately function in the person's home and have safe access to the community.
37	37	2.6 Subd. 3.Curriculum requirements.The direct support curriculum implemented as a
38	38	2.7component of the pilot project must meet or exceed the training requirements under
39	39	2.8Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.85, subdivision 16, paragraph (e), and be based on the
40	40	2.9validated results of the National Direct Services Workforce Resource Center's Core
41	41	2.10Competencies for Direct Service Workforce Project. The curriculum must consist of at least
42	42	2.1180 total hours of instruction and training provided over the course of no less than eight
43	43	2.12weeks.
44	44	2.13 Subd. 4.Scholarships.From the money appropriated under this section, the commissioner
45	45	2.14of human services shall establish an interagency agreement with the commissioner of the
46	46	2.15Office of Higher Education to provide direct support professional certification scholarships
47	47	2.16that include a work stipend of $20 per hour for 80 hours of instruction.
48	48	2.17 Subd. 5.Certification.(a) Individuals who successfully complete the direct support
49	49	2.18professional certification curriculum must be certified as direct support professionals and
50	50	2.19must receive the credential of certified direct support professional.
51	51	2.20 (b) Individuals who successfully complete the direct support professional certification
52	52	2.21curriculum meet the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.85, subdivision 16,
53	53	2.22paragraph (e).
54	54	2.23 (c) With federal approval, services provided by a certified direct support professional
55	55	2.24in a covered program must receive an enhanced rate of 118.75 percent of the medical
56	56	2.25assistance rate otherwise paid. The commissioner must submit a complete request for federal
57	57	2.26approval of this paragraph by October 1, 2025.
58	58	2.27 (d) Any provider receiving an enhanced rate under this section must comply with
59	59	2.28Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.85, subdivision 7a, paragraph (b).
60	60	2.29 (e) The creation of eligibility criteria for an enhanced rate under this section does not
61	61	2.30constitute a change in a term or condition for individual providers as defined in Minnesota
62	62	2.31Statutes, section 256B.0711, and is not subject to the state's obligation to meet and negotiate
63	63	2.32under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 179A. A change in the rate for services within covered
64	64	2.33programs under this section does not constitute a change in a term or condition for individual
65	65	2Section 1.
66	66	25-02246 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR AGW/VJ 3.1providers in covered programs and is not subject to the state's obligation to meet and negotiate
67	67	3.2under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 179A.
68	68	3.3 Subd. 6.Accreditation criteria development.Participating postsecondary institutions
69	69	3.4must collaborate with the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living to create continuity
70	70	3.5of educational programming and to develop accreditation criteria that provides guidance to
71	71	3.6other postsecondary institutions who wish to develop and implement a direct support
72	72	3.7professional certificate program on their own campuses. The Metropolitan Center for
73	73	3.8Independent Living, in cooperation with the commissioner of human services and local
74	74	3.9pilot counties, shall facilitate coordination among the postsecondary institutions located
75	75	3.10within the pilot counties.
76	76	3.11 Subd. 7.Evaluation.The commissioner of human services shall hire an independent
77	77	3.12program evaluator to prepare an evaluation of the pilot project. The evaluation must include
78	78	3.13how effective the pilot project was in addressing the direct care workforce needs of people
79	79	3.14in Anoka and Dakota Counties who rely upon direct support, an economic analysis of the
80	80	3.15economic contribution of the direct support professional certification pilot project to Anoka
81	81	3.16and Dakota Counties, an analysis of potential strategies for expanding the pilot project to
82	82	3.17the entire state, a fiscal estimate for statewide expansion, and an estimate of the economic
83	83	3.18impact of a statewide program.
84	84	3.19 Subd. 8.Report.The commissioner must submit the evaluation required under
85	85	3.20subdivision 7 and the program accreditation criteria developed according to subdivision 6
86	86	3.21to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
87	87	3.22over higher education and medical assistance long-term services and supports. The
88	88	3.23commissioner must submit the evaluation and accreditation criteria within six months
89	89	3.24following the completion of the pilot project.
90	90	3.25 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025.
91	91	3.26 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL
92	92	3.27CERTIFICATION PILOT PROJECT.
93	93	3.28 $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
94	94	3.29human services for the direct support professional certification pilot project. Of this amount,
95	95	3.30$150,000 is for a grant to the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living for its role in
96	96	3.31developing and coordinating the implementation of the pilot project. This is a onetime
97	97	3.32appropriation and is available until June 30, 2029.
98	98	3Sec. 2.
99	99	25-02246 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR AGW/VJ