1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to employment; establishing standards for 
  1.3             employment support programs and services for persons 
  1.4             with mental illness; requiring the commissioner of 
  1.5             economic security to request funding for employment 
  1.6             support services; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.7             sections 268A.13; and 268A.14; proposing coding for 
  1.8             new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  [245.4705] [EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND 
  1.11  PROGRAMS.] 
  1.12     The commissioner of human services shall cooperate with the 
  1.13  commissioner of economic security in the operation of a 
  1.14  statewide system, as provided in section 268A.14, to reimburse 
  1.15  providers for employment support services for persons with 
  1.16  mental illness. 
  1.17     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 268A.13, is 
  1.18  amended to read: 
  1.19     268A.13 [EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH 
  1.20  MENTAL ILLNESS.] 
  1.21     The commissioner of economic security, in cooperation with 
  1.22  the commissioner of human services, shall develop a statewide 
  1.23  program of grants as outlined in section 268A.14 to provide 
  1.24  services for persons with mental illness in supported 
  1.25  employment.  Projects funded under this section must:  (1) 
  1.26  assist persons with mental illness in obtaining and retaining 
  1.27  employment; (2) emphasize individual community placements for 
  2.1   clients; (3) ensure interagency collaboration at the local level 
  2.2   between vocational rehabilitation field offices, county service 
  2.3   agencies, community support programs operating under the 
  2.4   authority of section 245.4712, and community rehabilitation 
  2.5   providers, in assisting clients; and (4) involve clients in the 
  2.6   planning, development, oversight, and delivery of support 
  2.7   services.  Project funds may not be used to provide services in 
  2.8   segregated settings such as the center-based employment 
  2.9   subprograms as defined in section 268A.01. 
  2.10     The commissioner of economic security, in consultation with 
  2.11  the commissioner of human services, shall develop a request for 
  2.12  proposals which is consistent with the requirements of this 
  2.13  section and section 268A.14 and which specifies the types of 
  2.14  services that must be provided by grantees.  Projects shall be 
  2.15  funded for state fiscal year 1995 and Priority for funding shall 
  2.16  be given to organizations with experience in developing 
  2.17  innovative employment support services for persons with mental 
  2.18  illness.  Each applicant for funds under this section shall 
  2.19  submit an evaluation protocol as part of the grant application. 
  2.20     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 268A.14, is 
  2.21  amended to read: 
  2.22     268A.14 [PLAN FOR A STATEWIDE REIMBURSEMENT SYSTEM FOR 
  2.23  EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT SERVICES.] 
  2.24     Subdivision 1.  [EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS.] 
  2.25  The commissioner of economic security, in cooperation with the 
  2.26  commissioner of human services, shall develop a detailed plan 
  2.27  for establishing operate a statewide system to reimburse 
  2.28  providers for employment support services for persons with 
  2.29  mental illness.  The plan must include the following:  (1) 
  2.30  protocols for certifying eligible providers; (2) standards for 
  2.31  determining client eligibility for the service; (3) a list of 
  2.32  reimbursable services with the proposed reimbursement level for 
  2.33  each service; and (4) a description of the systems, including 
  2.34  necessary computer systems, that will be used by the state 
  2.35  agency for payment of reimbursement to eligible providers.  The 
  2.36  plan must also include projected total biennial costs for the 
  3.1   new reimbursement system, recommendations on the nature of 
  3.2   appeal rights which shall be provided to clients and providers, 
  3.3   and recommendations on the necessity for agency rulemaking prior 
  3.4   to implementation of the new reimbursement system.  The system 
  3.5   shall be operated to support employment programs and services 
  3.6   where: 
  3.7      (1) services provided are readily accessible to all persons 
  3.8   with mental illness so they can make progress toward economic 
  3.9   self-sufficiency; 
  3.10     (2) services provided are made an integral part of all 
  3.11  treatment and rehabilitation programs for persons with mental 
  3.12  illness to ensure that they have the ability and opportunity to 
  3.13  consider a variety of work options; 
  3.14     (3) programs help persons with mental illness form long 
  3.15  range plans for employment that fit their skills and abilities 
  3.16  by ensuring that ongoing support, crisis management, placement, 
  3.17  and career planning services are available; 
  3.18     (4) services provided give persons with mental illness the 
  3.19  information needed to make informed choices about employment 
  3.20  expectations and options, including information on the types of 
  3.21  employment available in the local community, the types of 
  3.22  employment services available, the impact of employment on 
  3.23  eligibility for governmental benefits, and career options; 
  3.24     (5) programs assess whether persons with mental illness 
  3.25  being serviced are satisfied with the services and outcomes.  
  3.26  Satisfaction assessments shall address at least whether persons 
  3.27  like their jobs, whether quality of life is improved, whether 
  3.28  potential for advancement exists, and whether there are adequate 
  3.29  support services in place; 
  3.30     (6) programs encourage persons with mental illness being 
  3.31  served to be involved in employment support services issues by 
  3.32  allowing them to participate in the development of individual 
  3.33  rehabilitation plans and to serve on boards, committees, task 
  3.34  forces, and review bodies that shape employment services 
  3.35  policies and that award grants, and by encouraging and helping 
  3.36  them to establish and participate in self-help and consumer 
  4.1   advocacy groups; 
  4.2      (7) programs encourage employers to expand employment 
  4.3   opportunities for persons with mental illness and, to maximize 
  4.4   the hiring of persons with mental illness, educate employers 
  4.5   about the needs and abilities of persons with mental illness and 
  4.6   the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act; 
  4.7      (8) programs encourage persons with mental illness, 
  4.8   vocational rehabilitation professionals, and mental health 
  4.9   professionals to learn more about current work incentive 
  4.10  provisions in governmental benefits programs; 
  4.11     (9) programs establish and maintain linkages with a wide 
  4.12  range of other programs and services, including educational 
  4.13  programs, housing programs, economic assistance services, 
  4.14  community support services, and clinical services to ensure that 
  4.15  persons with mental illness can obtain and maintain employment; 
  4.16     (10) programs participate in ongoing training across 
  4.17  agencies and service delivery systems so that providers in human 
  4.18  services systems understand their respective roles, rules, and 
  4.19  responsibilities and understand the options that exist for 
  4.20  providing employment and community support services to persons 
  4.21  with mental illness; and 
  4.22     (11) programs work with local communities to expand system 
  4.23  capacity to provide access to employment services to all persons 
  4.24  with mental illness who want them. 
  4.25     Subd. 2.  [REPORT.] Before preparing a biennial budget 
  4.26  request, the commissioner of economic security, in cooperation 
  4.27  with the commissioner of human services, must report on the 
  4.28  status and evaluation of the grants currently funded under 
  4.29  section 268A.14 to the chairs of the policy and finance 
  4.30  committees of the legislature having jurisdiction.  The report 
  4.31  must also include a determination of the unmet needs of persons 
  4.32  with mental illness who require employment services and provide 
  4.33  recommendations to expand the program to meet the identified 
  4.34  needs.