MINNESOTA
Minnesota continued its "Aging Initiative" efforts to expand or develop community long-term care services and its efforts to develop a statewide long-term care information and assistance network for people with disabilities. The Legislature enacted a hospice bill of rights in 2002.
Home and Community-Based Services
The state continued work on the long-term care reforms for the elderly ("Aging Initiative") proposed by the Long-Term Care Task Force in 2001 and partially implemented by the 2001 Legislature. Those legislative actions included $10 million for community services grants to allow counties to expand or develop new services. As of September 2002, some 100 grants- ranging from $20,000 to $250,000-had been awarded for a variety of projects, from caregiver respite and chore programs to transportation initiatives and home modifications.
In February 2002, the Department of Human Services issued a report, Keeping the Vision, that details progress on the Aging Initiative. The report described the results of a survey of Minnesota counties in which the counties were asked to assess the adequacy of 27 long-term care support services in their regions. Three areas deemed inadequate by most counties were transportation, in-home respite and caregiver support, and chore services.
Nursing Homes
Another aspect of the 2001 legislative agenda for long-term care was a Planned Closure program for nursing homes. The legislation provided for an application process for the planned closure of nursing home beds. The process allowed monetary incentives to be paid to nursing homes that closed beds under an approved application, as well as limited funding for county costs related to monitoring the closures and assisting in relocation of residents. Between August 1, 2001, when the program went into effect, and January 6, 2003, a total of 1,089 nursing home beds closed statewide. Another 445 beds had been approved but not yet closed.
The 2002 Legislature required counties to pay 20 percent of the costs associated with caring for disabled people in nursing homes who are younger than age 65 and who stay more than 90 days in the facility. The change took effect on January 1, 2003.
End of Life
The Legislature enacted a hospice bill of rights in 2002 that spells out 22 rights, ranging from the right be free of physical or verbal abuse to the right to refuse treatment. Individuals are to be given written information about their rights in advance of receiving hospice care; to receive care and services according to a plan of care, and subject to accepted hospice standards; and to be told in advance about the services to be provided and the charges for services.
The state is authorized to suspend a hospice caregiver's license if the patient's rights are violated. The law also splits state statute so that home care providers and hospice providers are no longer grouped together.
Information and Referral
The Minnesota Department of Human Services awarded a grant in 2002 for coordination of a statewide information and assistance network for people of all ages with disabilities or long-term illnesses. The network will be a link of the state's eight Independent Living Centers, Senior LinkAge Line, and 211, a health and human services telephone information and referral network. The grant awards of $225,000 per year for two years went to the Options Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living in East Grand Forks to set up the system.
In another action to expand long-term care information sources, the Minnesota Board on Aging launched MinnesotaHelp.info. The Web site provides information on community resources for Minnesotans of all ages, in addition to a special on-line tool to help senior citizens find long-term care assistance. The board partnered with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Greater Twin Cities United Way 211, and First Call Minnesota, which is answering a new 211 community resources phone line.
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