Jaime,
Thank you so much for the refresher!! I couldn’t recall if background studies was included in that change – and, being with family down in Texas, I didn’t take more time to
find that detail.
As for the PCA’s, I was thinking that PCA only agencies have been required to pay for background checks all along but MDH licensed agencies that also do PCA services were able
to have MDH cover the PCA background check cost. Do you have separate PCA agency, MDH covers them?
Kind Regards,
Kathy Messerli
Executive Director
Minnesota Home Care Association
1265 Grey Fox Road, Suite 2 | Arden Hills, MN 55112-6929
Direct: 651.635.0038
| Main: 651.635.0607
www.mnhomecare.org
| kmesserli@mnhomecare.org
From: mhcabod@list.mnhomecare.org <mhcabod@list.mnhomecare.org>
On Behalf Of Jaime Kummer
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2024 8:09 AM
To: mhcabod@list.mnhomecare.org
Subject: RE: Background Studies hearing
Good morning!
From your first email: I don’t have any good examples for you, as we have not hired anybody since this went into effect in February. We are always hiring HHA and homemaker, but we’ve maybe hired 6 since COVID.
Maybe a larger organization can provide some good examples.
For your second email: No, as the Board of Nursing, Boards of PT/OT are now responsible for background checks per change that occurred 2022. Here is an excerpt from MHCA “Background Study Deduplication Webinar email dated
11/21/2022, As a reminder, this change occurred after new legislation was passed last session that states that any individual holding a valid license from a health-related licensing board (HLB) who has also undergone a background
check under Minn.
Statutes 214.075 shall not have a background study completed by the commissioner of human services (a NETStudy 2.0 background study).”
For this years change, my understanding is it would be just Home Health Aides and Homemakers for our company. Minimal impact if our hiring trends remain consistent to last year. PCA we’ve always paid for the background check.
I hope that helps, good luck!
Jaime Kummer | Administrator |
River
Valley Home Care Inc.
916 8th Street Farmington, MN 55024
Phone: 651-460-4201 Fax: 651-460-4208
Email:
jkummer@rvhci.com
From:
mhcabod@list.mnhomecare.org <mhcabod@list.mnhomecare.org>
On Behalf Of Kathy Messerli
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2024 9:34 PM
To: BOD listserve <MHCABOD@list.mnhomecare.org>
Subject: Re: Background Studies hearing
I am preparing my testimony for tomorrow (Monday) and, with Brianna on vacation, I would appreciate your assistance with clarifying one point.
Will someone please clarify which employees you must do background studies for?
The statute says "individuals who would provide direct care
contact." Does this include all licensed professionals also?
I appreciate your help; an answer in the am would be helpful as I will testify around 3 pm.
From: Kathy Messerli
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2024 9:46:21 PM
To: BOD listserve <MHCABOD@list.mnhomecare.org>
Subject: Background Studies hearing
Senator Hoffman has scheduled an informational hearing on the issue of providers now being responsible for the cost of background studies. We have collaborated with other organizations who had a concern and I had been making a special effort
to reach out to Senator Hoffman since I am in his district. I heard from his office this afternoon that he wants me to testify on Monday.
Since he came through and is hosting a hearing as we had requested, I am rescheduling family plans here in TX and I will testify via zoom.
If you have any specific data or examples on the impact this has on your agency and are able to get them to me before noon on Monday, that would be terrific. I do have "home care" data from MDH that I will reference.