CFSS, or Community First Services and Supports, is a Minnesota Health Care Program that offers flexible options to meet an individual’s unique needs. CFSS will replace two programs: Personal Care Assistance (PCA) and Consumer Support Grant (CSG). The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is preparing to transition to CFSS in 2024. Stay tuned for more updates.
WHAT ARE CONSULTATION SERVICES?
Consultation Services will assist participants in understanding how CFSS works. Consultations services will assist participants in making informed decisions about their care, the delivery of the services and how their dollars are spent. In addition, Consultation Services will write a service delivery plan which meets the needs of the participant.
HOW DO CFSS AND CONSULATION SEVICES WORK TOGETHER?
Consultation Services will assist the participant in making an informed decision about which service model will meet their needs, Budget or Agency model. Once decided, Consultation Services will provide the participant or participant representative with an approved list of CFSS providers. When the CFSS provider is chosen, Consultation Services and the CFSS provider work together to ensure the needs of the participant are met. The CFSS provider agency cannot be the same as the Consultation Services Provider.
HOW DOES CFSS AFFECT ME?
CFSS will affect those currently enrolled in a PCA or CSG program. MRCI-CDS aims to make the shift to CFSS as simple as possible for clients making the switch. Your MRCI-CDS representative will keep you updated throughout the roll out process and aid in the transition.
WHAT ARE THE ELIGABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CFSS?
Eligibility will remain the same as it is for the current PCA Choice program:
Be able to direct own care or have a responsible party able to
Assessment indicates eligibility for PCA services
Assessed to need PCA services to live in the community
Be enrolled in Medical Assistance (MA), a MA Waiver, the Alternative Care Program and some on MinnesotaCare
WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR CFSS AND CONSULTATION SERVICES?
The Center for Medicaid or Medicare Services (CMS) approved CFSS February 2024. At this time, CFSS is expected to launch in 2024. Participants will be onboarded to the new program at their time of renewal once the launch of the program has begun.
WHAT ARE THE TWO MODELS FOR CFSS?
Agency Model: The participant selects an agency that will be the employer. The agency will recruit, train, hire, supervise and pay the CFSS workers.
Budget Model: The participant will select a Fiscal Management Services (FMS) provider, who will act as a Fiscal Employer Agent (F/EA) and will assist with payroll as the participant will be the employer of the CFSS workers. The participant will recruit, train, hire and supervise the CFSS workers. This model will have an allotted dollar amount for the budget instead of units.
ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PCA AND CFSS?
Yes, there are some new options for both service models in CFSS:
A participant’s spouse or parent of a minor child may be the support worker
A participant may choose to purchase goods and services to replace the need for human assistance
The state provides a worker and training development budget for the participant’s workers that can assist in training on the individual needs of the participant
WHAT SERVICES DOES CFSS COVER?
CFSS covers the same services PCA currently does, the program will allow more flexibility in the choices to support the participant’s needs.
Activities of daily living (bathing, toileting, grooming, transferring etc.)
Health-related tasks
Instrumental activities of daily living such as shopping, cooking, laundry
Observation and redirection of behavior.
WILL DRIVING BE COVERED WITH CFSS?
Yes, participants will be able to use their budget for time their CFSS worker spends driving them. This is different, as PCA currently doesn’t consider driving a covered service.
WILL THERE BE A LIMIT ON HOW MANY HOURS A SPOUSE OF A PARTICIPANT OR PARENT OF MINOR CHILD CAN WORK?
Yes, a spouse of a participant or parent of a minor child are allowed to work 40 hours in a work week. If a spouse of a participant is also a parent of a minor child, working with both, the hours worked between the 2 participants can’t be more than 40 hours total.
WILL SEIU UNION CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN CFSS?
Yes, if the worker is employed under the budget model, they will be able to utilize the union benefits as they do within the current PCA Choice program.
We know this change can be overwhelming, but we are here to help! Reach out to your program specialist with questions or contact us. View more information on the CFSS program page.
