The State of Minnesota is in a budget crisis with a projected defict of $6.3 billion. Home and Community Options could suffer rate cuts as high as 4% or $320,000 annually. Our Management Team and Board of Directors are acutely aware of this budget impact and have taken pro-active measures to circumvent the loss of revenue. Their first step in this process was to educate every consumer, staff member and parent/guardian about the budget implications and solicit ideas to resolve the crisis or soften the blow. This process was achieved through a series of meetings in which all parties were invited and all of the data was collected. Strategic planning meetings  were held on March 11th to review the data, foster more ideas and form integrated stakeholder work groups to tackle the issues. The following is a list of the WORK GROUPS and description. Many stakeholders have volunteered to join these WORK GROUPS. If you are interested in joining one of these groups, please click on one of the facilitators names to email or call 452-1021.

Task: Public Policy

Facilitators: Denny Theede, Roger Buege

Scheduled Meeting Days, Time, and Location :

Who: Consumers, Family, Staff, Board

Charge: Facilitate action to achieve Public Policy Plan

Tasks:

Promote Five person licensing option
Funding stability for PCA services
Funding for Quality Assurance Project
Maintain funding for dental services
Simplify rules for Resources Homes
Mechanism for group habilitative services
Identify unnecessary mandates and change

Task: Volunteer Program
Facilitators: Roger Buege, Suzie Horstman, Pat Wood
Scheduled Meeting Days, Time, and Location :
Who: Consumers, Family, Staff, Board
Charge: Evaluate feasibility and scope of a volunteer program

Tasks:

Direct care assistance
Maintenance Support
-Adopt-a-yard
-Snow removal
-Window cleaning
-Housekeeping
-Adopt-a-home
-Painting (interior and exterior)
Maintenance monitoring of vehicles
Clerical help
Fundraising activities (annual musical)
Utilize university students for volunteer activities

Tasks: Residential Program Service Efficiencies
Facilitators: Paula Krage, Mary Jansen, Cindi Wiczek
Scheduled Meeting Days, Time and Location:
Who: Consumers, Management, Family, Staff,Board
Charge: Recommend efficiencies to residential program services

Tasks:

Develop practices for activities and outings
Develop practices for sharing staff
Develop practices day program needs
Recommend efficiencies for medical appointments
Advise use of hybrid residential
-Example: 4 day per week service
Look at duplex options of service

Task: Support Services and Family Resource Home Efficiencies & Redesign
Facilitators: Joette Gillett, Mary Jansen, Cindi Wiczek
Scheduled Meeting Days, Time and Location:
Who: Consumers, Family, Staff, Management,Board
Charge: Assess all in-home, semi-independent living and resource home services for efficiencies.
Review FRH model to determine efficiencies and practices that meet needs and offer services to adults at home

Tasks:

Review in-home, SILS, PCA, for efficiency
Assess rural services for efficiencies
Assess resource homes for efficiencies
Feasibility of an adult resource home
Study duel adult child licensed program
Look at hybrid residential supports
(partial week 24/7 services)

Task: Employee Benefits
Facilitators: Denny Theede, Pat Wood, Paula Krage
Scheduled Meeting Days, Time, and Location :
Who: Personnel Committee, Management, Staff Representatives, Family
Charge: Review all current benefits to determine creative redesign

Tasks:

Concern about cutting benefits
Employee retirement contribution
Revise benefit program to FT employees (health & dental insurance)
Explore involvement in larger health insurance pool
Increase employee co-pays
Assess priority benefits
Evaluate creative models of benefits
Determine no-cost benefits to offer
Look at voluntary leave options
Promote family friendly benefits