1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; directing the commissioner to develop a medical 
1.3 	assistance waiver service for life sharing; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. DIRECTION TO THE COMMISSIONER OF HUMAN SERVICES; 
1.6 	LIFE-SHARING SERVICES.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Recommendations required. The commissioner of human services shall 
1.8 	develop recommendations for establishing life sharing as a covered medical assistance 
1.9 	waiver service.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Definition. For the purposes of this section, "life sharing" means a 
1.11 	relationship-based living arrangement between an adult with a disability and an individual 
1.12 	or family in which they share their lives and experiences while the adult with a disability 
1.13 	receives support from the individual or family using person-centered practices.
1.14 		Subd. 3.Stakeholder engagement and consultation. (a) The commissioner must 
1.15 	proactively solicit participation in the development of the life-sharing medical assistance 
1.16 	service through a robust stakeholder engagement process that results in the inclusion of a 
1.17 	racially, culturally, and geographically diverse group of interested stakeholders from each 
1.18 	of the following groups:
1.19 	(1) providers currently providing or interested in providing life-sharing services;
1.20 	(2) people with disabilities accessing or interested in accessing life-sharing services;
1.21 	(3) disability advocacy organizations; and
2.1 	(4) lead agencies.
2.2 	(b) The commissioner must proactively seek input into and assistance with the 
2.3 	development of recommendations for establishing the life-sharing service from interested 
2.4 	stakeholders.
2.5 	(c) The commissioner must provide a method for the commissioner and interested 
2.6 	stakeholders to cofacilitate public meetings. The first meeting must occur before July 31, 
2.7 	2022. The commissioner must host the cofacilitated meetings at least monthly through 
2.8 	December 31, 2022. All meetings must be accessible to all interested stakeholders, recorded, 
2.9 	and posted online within one week of the meeting date.
2.10 		Subd. 4.Required topics to be discussed during development of the 
2.11 	recommendations. The commissioner and the interested stakeholders must discuss the 
2.12 	following topics:
2.13 	(1) the distinction between life sharing and adult family foster care;
2.14 	(2) successful life-sharing models used in other states;
2.15 	(3) services and supports that could be included in a life-sharing service;
2.16 	(4) potential barriers to providing or accessing life-sharing services;
2.17 	(5) solutions to remove identified barriers to providing or accessing life-sharing services;
2.18 	(6) potential medical assistance payment methodologies for life-sharing services;
2.19 	(7) expanding awareness of the life-sharing model; and
2.20 	(8) draft language for legislation necessary to define and implement life-sharing services.
2.21 		Subd. 5.Report to the legislature. By December 31, 2022, the commissioner must 
2.22 	provide to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and 
2.23 	senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over direct care services a report 
2.24 	summarizing the discussions between the commissioner and the interested stakeholders and 
2.25 	the commissioner's recommendations. The report must also include any draft legislation 
2.26 	necessary to define and implement life-sharing services.

2.27 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; LIFE-SHARING SERVICES.
 2.28 	$....... in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated to the commissioner of human services for 
2.29 	engaging stakeholders and developing recommendations regarding establishing a life-sharing 
2.30 	service under the state's medical assistance disability waivers and elderly waiver. This is a 
2.31 	onetime appropriation.