1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to human services; modifying eligibility for essential community supports;
1.3 expanding available services under essential community supports; increasing
1.4 funding for caregiver respite services grants; appropriating money; amending
1.5 Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0922, subdivision 1, by adding a
1.6 subdivision.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0922, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.9 Subdivision 1.Essential community supports.(a) The purpose of the essential
1.10community supports program is to provide targeted services to persons age 65 and older
1.11who need essential community support, but whose needs do not meet the level of care
1.12required for nursing facility placement under section 144.0724, subdivision 11, and who
1.13are either 60 years of age or older or are persons with dementia.
1.14 (b) Essential community supports are available not to exceed $400 per person per month.
1.15Essential community supports may be used as authorized within an authorization period
1.16not to exceed 12 months. Services must be available to a person who:
1.17 (1) is age 65 60 or older or has dementia;
1.18 (2) is not eligible for medical assistance;
1.19 (3) has received a community assessment under section 256B.0911, subdivisions 17 to
1.2021, 23, 24, or 27, and does not require the level of care provided in a nursing facility;
1.21 (4) meets the financial eligibility criteria for the alternative care program under section
1.22256B.0913, subdivision 4 under subdivision 3;
1Section 1.
25-02553 as introduced01/21/25 REVISOR AGW/MI
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 1925NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: MAYE QUADE, Abeler, Hoffman and Kupec)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading02/27/2025
Referred to Human Services 2.1 (5) has an assessment summary; and
2.2 (6) has been determined by a community assessment under section 256B.0911,
2.3subdivisions 17 to 21, 23, 24, or 27, to be a person who would require provision of at least
2.4one of the following services, as defined in the approved elderly waiver plan, in order to
2.5maintain their community residence:
2.6 (i) adult day services;
2.7 (ii) caregiver support;
2.8 (iii) homemaker support;
2.9 (iv) chores;
2.10 (v) a personal emergency response device or system;
2.11 (vi) home-delivered meals; or
2.12 (vii) community living assistance as defined by the commissioner; or
2.13 (viii) respite care.
2.14 (c) The person receiving any of the essential community supports in this subdivision
2.15must also receive service coordination, not to exceed $600 in a 12-month authorization
2.16period, as part of their assessment summary.
2.17 (d) A person who has been determined to be eligible for essential community supports
2.18must be reassessed at least annually and continue to meet the criteria in paragraph (b) to
2.19remain eligible for essential community supports.
2.20 (e) The commissioner is authorized to use federal matching funds for essential community
2.21supports as necessary and to meet demand for essential community supports as outlined in
2.22subdivision 2, and that amount of federal funds is appropriated to the commissioner for this
2.23purpose.
2.24 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0922, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.25to read:
2.26 Subd. 3.Financial eligibility criteria.(a) To be eligible for essential community
2.27supports, a person may have an income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines
2.28for the household size. When determining financial eligibility under this subdivision, the
2.29commissioner must use the income methodology described in section 256B.056, subdivision
2.301a, paragraph (b).
2.31 (b) No asset limit applies to a person eligible for essential community supports.
2Sec. 2.
25-02553 as introduced01/21/25 REVISOR AGW/MI 3.1 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; CAREGIVER RESPITE SERVICES GRANTS.
3.2 $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from
3.3the general fund to the commissioner of human services for caregiver respite services grants
3.4under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9756.
3Sec. 3.
25-02553 as introduced01/21/25 REVISOR AGW/MI