In a move to support services and staffing in response to COVID-19, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) issued guidance to lead agencies regarding EW customized living rate protocols. 

Through the guidance, DHS directs lead agencies to respond to requests from providers and/or people on EW to perform assessments and reassessments and/or adjust customized living service delivery plans and resulting rates, as needed.

This is especially important if a person on EW is symptomatic and/or has tested positive for COVID-19. In this instance, lead agencies should give this work the highest possible priority and follow the guidelines further outlined in the memo.

Case managers/care coordinators can amend a person’s current residential services tool and customized living service plan, without recording changes in MMIS, when both of the following are true:

• The person needs additional services
• There is sufficient resource within the person’s case mix budget and/or customized living/24-hour customized living case mix rate limit to support changes in amount or type of component service.This is a current option for case managers/care coordinators and the process is not affected by COVID-19.

When the changes will affect the case mix classification or establish eligibility for 24-customized living,  follow the guidance instructions to make the changes that will not extend the EW eligibility span beyond the current service year.

Case managers/care coordinators may choose to complete a reassessment instead if the person’s current waiver span is ending relatively soon. This, too, is a current option for case managers/care coordinators, and the process is not affected by COVID-19.

The guidance also states that case managers/care coordinators can complete this work remotely.

In addition to communicating remotely with people on EW, DHS encourages lead agencies to request updated assessments from providers to inform updates to the person’s EW service plans. Lead agencies should coordinate prioritization with local county emergency preparedness leads or contact DHS for more information about site prioritization.