State: Minnesota

Minnesota Olmstead Work Plans (2017)

“Strategy: Implement the Employment First Policy. Continue the implementation of the informed choice process with persons served by the Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Medicaid funded programs and students who are a part of the Employment Capacity Building Cohort as outlined in the Olmstead Employment goals. Minnesota’s Employment First Policy promotes the opportunity for people with disabilities to make informed choices about employment. This policy views competitive, integrated employment as the first and preferred option for individuals with disabilities.”

Links:

Minnesota Olmstead Work Plans (2017,PDF)

Minnesota Medicaid Home and Community Based Waivers

“Minnesota currently administers the following five home- and community-based waiver programs:

  • Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver. This waiver is for people with developmental disabilities or a related condition who need the level of care provided at an ICF/DD.
  • Community Alternative Care (CAC) Waiver. This waiver is for people who have a chronic illness and need the level of care provided at a hospital.
  • Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) Waiver. This waiver is for people who have a disability and require the level of care provided in a nursing home.
  • Brain Injury (BI) Waiver. This waiver is for people with a traumatic or acquired brain injury who need the level of care provided in a nursing home or neurobehavioral hospital.
  • Elderly Waiver. This waiver is for people who are over 65 years old and need the level of care provided at a nursing facility.”

Links:

Minnesota Medicaid Home and Community Based Waivers
Minnesota Medicaid Home and Community Based Waiver Programs (PDF)

Minnesota Supported Worker Program

“Supported Worker Program
The Supported Worker Program provides employment opportunities in state government to individuals with certain disabilities. This program combines several employment techniques including job sharing, reasonable accommodations, and a job coach. There are about 50 full time positions within various state agencies that can be shared by up to three people.

What is supported employment?

  • Work is performed on a full- or part-time basis, and averages about 20 hours per week.
  • The work setting is integrated with individuals of various abilities.
  • A job coach provides ongoing training and support services.”

Links:

Minnesota Supported Worker Program

Minnesota “Connect 700” State Hiring Initiative (2014)

“Joined by community advocates and state hiring leaders, Governor Mark Dayton today announced the re-launch of the Connect 700 and the Supported Worker programs, two state hiring initiatives aimed at removing barriers and creating opportunities for Minnesotans with disabilities. This effort supports Governor Dayton’s 2014 executive order directing state agencies to increase employment for people with disabilities to at least seven percent by August 2018.” “State government should reflect all of the people it serves. They should include Minnesotans with disabilities,” said Governor Dayton. “These programs will provide employment opportunities for more of our citizens, and help to create a more inclusive Minnesota.” Connect 700 (formerly known as 700-Hour Program On-The-Job Demonstration and Appointment) will give Minnesotans with disabilities an opportunity to demonstrate their ability through an on-the job trial work experience, lasting up to 700 hours. This gives hiring managers the ability to better match people with the best opportunities for success, based on their skills and abilities.”

Links:

Minnesota “Connect 700” State Hiring Initiative

Minnesota DEED Annual Report of Department Programs and Services (2017)

“Overview Per Minnesota Statute §116J.0125, the Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is required to report on department programs and services annually. To fulfill that requirement, DEED staff prepared updated SFY2016 reports for each of the agency’s 74 programs featuring brief descriptions of DEED programs and their outcomes. Each summary contains current information on the program’s purpose, customers and services, performance measures, targeted population groups, funding sources and allocations, relevant statutory authority, and staff contact information…
To address disparities and advance equity, data on populations groups served by programs are now included, where applicable, and include communities of color, individuals with disabilities, Veterans, and women. ”

Links:

Minnesota DEED Annual Report of Department Programs and Services (2017,PDF)

Free Training for Supported Eemployment Sservices Providers

~~“The Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Moving Home Minnesota initiative will offer free web-based training to employment service providers who serve people with disabilities. This 12-week training will begin May 9 and train 25 people to deliver high-quality employment services to people with disabilities. DHS invites applications from employment specialists, job developers, job coaches and anyone who would like to add to their knowledge and skills to provide supported employment services.”

Links:

Free Training for Supported Eemployment Sservices Providers

Minnesota DHS Report: 2017 Biennial Report on Long-Term Services and Supports for People with Disabilities

“Employment First policy
Minnesota’s Employment First policy asserts that people with disabilities can work, want to work and do work. Minnesota’s Employment First policy maintains that people with disabilities must have an informed choice about the range of employment options and opportunities open to them. It includes the idea that competitive, community-integrated employment is the preferred outcome.
During 2016, DHS and the Minnesota departments of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and Education (MDE) developed, piloted and implemented a statewide interagency informed-choice framework and resource toolkit. Service planners and teams who support people with disabilities use the informed-choice framework and resource toolkit.”

Links:

Minnesota DHS Report: 2017 Biennial Report... (PDF)

Minnesota Disability Waiver Rate System Report (2017)

“This is the third report to the legislature about analysis of the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS). Legislation enacted in 2013 required the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to implement DWRS. The system was implemented in January 2014. This report:

  • Details evaluation and research on rate-setting components
  • Projects long-term fiscal impacts of DWRS
  • Provides recommendations for data-driven system changes.

DHS conducted complex analysis in 2015 and 2016 on the new rate methodology and the costs of providing home and community-based services in Minnesota. Based on this analysis, DHS recommends that the legislature make adjustments to DWRS.
We have based the recommended adjustments on three years’ worth of data, research and analysis. The statute that authorized system implementation requires DHS to complete in-depth analysis to ensure costs accurately reflect rates.”

Links:

Minnesota Disability Waiver Rate System cost reporting
Minnesota Disability Waiver Rate System Report (2017, PDF)

Minnesota Momentum: Aligning Opportunities And resources

~~“Minnesota Momentum builds off previous Governor’s Workforce Development Board reports directed to Minnesota lawmakers outlining the imminent crisis facing the workers, employers, and educational institutions in our state due to a labor shortage in critical industries. Employers are finding that job applicants often have inadequate training, education, and career experience to fill vacancies. And, this reality makes it difficult to fulfill the State Vision of a family-sustaining wage. This report offers recommendations on strategies and actions to confront socio-economic challenges, business concerns, and the tightening of funding at the state and federal level.”

Links:

Minnesota Momentum: Aligning Opportunities And resources

Minnesota Regional Low Incidence Projects

“The Minnesota Low Incidence Projects are designed to assist school districts across the state in fulfilling federal requirements in the areas of implementation of the IDEA, professional development and insuring the availability of high quality staff in the low incidence areas of Special Education. Technical assistance is offered as a regular function of the project.

Low Incidence refers to disability areas that occur rarely or in low numbers. In Minnesota there are seven disability categories that are considered low incidence: Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH), DeafBlindness (DB), Developmental Cognitive Disabilities(DCD), Physically Impaired (PI), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Vision Impairment (VI), and Severe Multiple Impairment (SMI).”

Links:

Minnesota Regional Low Incidence Projects
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