USE CAUTION - EXTERNAL EMAIL
Advocacy
The Legislative Special Session continues and the HHS Omnibus Bill has still not been acted on so we continue to wait.
Olga (Sheveleva) Baumberger did an excellent job testifying at the Minneapolis Public Hearing on the PCA agency challenge with minimum wages. Note Olga now has a new, more easily pronounced name by us Midwesterners!! I have an excellent conversation with the Metro Center for Independent Living Executive Director today and learned that they have been actively engaged in this issue, advocating with the state and the city. Jesse is thrilled we are advocating for the same issues and very willing to work collaboratively on this.
I am reaching out to several other organizations who will also have an interest in their clients/customers receiving PCA and Medicaid home care services, hoping they will assist with our advocacy efforts.
One of our new office mates will be the MN Hospice and Palliative Care Network (MNHPC); I met with their Exec Director last week to discuss what our organizations are working on, with the intent of considering future collaborations as can be identified. Jess and I will meeting more regularly when we are settled into the new office.
Office Move
Our official moving day is Thursday! Acacia has done a phenomenal job coordinating the logistics. While we hope for a fairly smooth transition during our move, the email system will be down beginning Weds at 5 pm and there may be intermittent email and phone outages Thursday & Friday. We will be fully operational by Monday, June 28. This was shared in last week’s Informer as well as on social media. We look forward to welcoming you to our office July 22nd. If you need immediate assistance during this time, please call my cell at 612.590.4180.
I had a good meeting with the Trellis President & CEO (our new landlord) last week. They are requiring their staff to be fully vaccinated in order to work in the office but it won’t be required of visitors. If someone is unvaccinated, it is recommended that everyone present in a meeting mask up. Will you please let me know privately if you aren’t fully vaccinated? Their office is officially re-opening September 7th.
As we switch our phone system, we are wondering if there is a need to continue to pay for MHCA’s 1-800 number. Can you please advise me on whether your agency phone plans include long distance or if you pay separate for that? If agencies need to pay for long-distance calls, we should keep the line. The cost is approximately $200/year.
Membership/Operational
I had good member meetings with AcentCare and Accra has week. We hope to increase the engagement with AccentCare Fairview as they get beyond the initial transition work. Accra continues to be very supportive of the association and accepting of the dues increase.
As for the dues increase, we had some members ask for clarification on the new dues model and so far one of our members has ‘pushed back” on the decision. Greg Von Arx is assisting me with communication for that agency.
I did the board orientation for Olga; she is looking forward to joining the board and will see you in July. Greg will also join us for his farewell!
I will be out of the office June 28 – July 8. Mandy will be the point person in my absence – please reach out to her at mrubenstein@mnhomecare.org should you need anything before I return.
Be Well,
Kathy Messerli
Executive Director
Minnesota Home Care Association
As of 6/24/2021 our address will be:
1265 Grey Fox Road, Suite 2
Arden Hills, MN 55112-6929
2550 University Ave. W., Ste. 350 S | St. Paul, MN 55114-1900
Direct: 651.635.0038 | Main: 651.635.0607
Toll-free: 866.607.0607 | Fax: 651.635.0043
www.mnhomecare.org | kmesserli@mnhomecare.org
