HF4640

Purpose

• Establish a new state-wide support entity within the Department of Human Services to improve delivery of home and communitybased services (HCBS).
• Create proactive, coordinated assistance for HCBS providers to help them meet requirements and operate more effectively.

Main Provisions

• Creation of the home and communitybased services provider support and technical assistance team within the Department of Human Services.
• The team must be staffed and resourced adequately to perform its duties.
• Roles of the team include:
  • Serving as a provider liaison and a help desk for providers’ technical, regulatory, and operational questions.
  • Developing training and onboarding materials for HCBS providers.
  • Collecting data on challenges faced by HCBS providers.
  • Coordinating the department’s functions (including information technology, licensing, provider enrollment, service delivery oversight, and program integrity oversight).
  • Clarifying program requirements, provider requirements, and service requirements to support compliance and prevent fraud.
  • Making recommendations to the commissioner about changes to department operations or to the design and implementation of HCBS to improve service delivery and program integrity.

Scope and Operation

• The commissioner must establish and maintain the team and ensure it has sufficient staff and resources to perform required functions.
• The team acts to streamline and clarify how HCBS programs work and to support providers in meeting rules and avoiding fraud.
• The team’s recommendations may guide adjustments to how the department operates or how HCBS programs are designed and implemented.

Significant Changes to Law

• Adds Subdivision 45 to Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 256.01 to create the Department of Human Services home and communitybased services provider support and technical assistance team and to outline its duties.

Practical Implications

• HCBS providers will have a centralized support resource for questions, training, and guidance.
• The department aims to improve coordination across licensing, enrollment, service delivery, IT, and program integrity.
• The initiative emphasizes data collection on provider challenges and proactive guidance to prevent fraud and enhance compliance.

Note on Terminology

• The summary uses the exact phrases from the bill such as “home and communitybased services provider support and technical assistance team,” “provider liaison and help desk,” “training and onboarding materials,” “collect data on home and communitybased provider challenges,” and “program integrity oversight” to reflect the bill’s language and intent.

Relevant Terms home and communitybased services, HCBS, provider support and technical assistance team, provider liaison, help desk, training and onboarding materials, data on provider challenges, information technology, licensing, provider enrollment, service delivery oversight, program integrity oversight, compliance, fraud prevention, Minnesota Statutes 256.01 Subd. 45, department operations, design and implementation of home and communitybased services.