Housing & Transportation Update - September 2018

Key Highlights This Month:  

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation:

No update

 Heading Home Together Leadership Circle:

A forum was held on 8/22, David Hewitt, Hennepin County, Cathy ten Broeke, MN Office to End Homelessness and Jennifer Ho presented an update on the Heading Home Leadership Circle.  A review of the presentation led to a discussion by the workgroup on how to change how counties frame the need for “housing” to how counties need to create opportunities for people to have a “stable home”. 

 Based on the presentation, the workgroup discussed the potential role that counties can play to end homelessness:

• Create pathways to integrate Social Services and Homeless Resources
• Develop cross training so “experts” on both sides can have enough information to get the individuals/families to the right resources to meet their needs.

 Legislation Discussion lead by Kristine Davis, DHS-Housing Supports

DHS has not set any proposals are at this point, but areas of interest are:

• Supplemental Service providers required to provide the service or refer the individual to a provider that can provide the service, as determined on the Statement of Need.
• Make case noting mandatory
• Allow providers flexibility to charge someone less rent than the Housing Support amount.
• Discontinue the Housing with Services Registration
• Clarify that counties are to “track” absent days and not “approve” absent days.
• Create program uniformity for Housing Supports by moving to a six-month budget reporting time line.  Would align with other Economic Assistance programs. 
• Allow for Supplemental Services to be provided in collaboration with PCA and Waiver Services. 
• Permanent funding for HMIS (could be considered for a MACSSA Legislative Proposal)

 DHS Community Living Infrastructure Grant Update: 

• George handed out an award summary of the metro county programs.
• Erin Sullivan Sutton reports that all grant contracts have been signed.
• 2.97 million in funding out a requested 5 million.
• 17 grantees (a combination of 46 counties and 3 tribes)
• DHS will be sharing information on all the proposals. 

 Housing Support Agreement Renewals:  Kristine Davis, DHS

• The renewal process went very well. 
• Counties continue to struggle with Assisted Livings Settings that don’t understand the program fully.  These settings are complicated by those individuals that are private pay, that then qualifies them for a spenddown.  

 Medicaid Funding for Housing Supports:  Erin Sullivan Sutton, DHS

• The public comment period is closed
• Application is planned to be sent to CMS in 2-3 weeks.
• Tentatively planning for a Forum presentation at the December MACSSA meeting.

 Requested Actions Needed From MACSSA:  

New Trends in This Area:  

Issues/Concerns Regarding This Topic:  

Legislative Impacts:  

Supporting Materials:  

MN DHS Community Living Infrastructure Grants-Metro Counties Award Summaries

Contact(s):  

George Borrell and Janet Goligowski