Morrison County assesses needs for disability services

On Tuesday, March 26, the Morrison County Board of Commissioners received a presentation from the county’s Health and Human Services (HHS) department on assessments for disability waiver programs. HHS Director Nathan Bertram, Human Services Supervisor Aaron Stein and Adult Services Supervisor Jeff Bowman discussed the MnCHOICES assessment process and trends in disability services.

MnCHOICES is a standardized assessment developed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services to evaluate an individual’s needs beyond what medical assistance can provide. The assessment looks at services above and beyond what state plans cover that could help people remain in their communities. It serves as the entry point for accessing all waiver programs in the state.

Morrison County currently has four full-time assessors who conduct on average 14 MnCHOICES assessments per month. In February, the county started using two part-time intermittent assessors to help regulate the workload for the full-time staff. Stein reported that this has been extremely helpful for staff retention and allowing the county to better address variable monthly assessment needs.

Bowman discussed the four disability waiver programs Morrison County manages - Community Alternative Care (CAC), Community Access for Disabled Individuals (CADI), Brain Injury (BI), and Developmental Disabilities (DD). He noted that the number of participants in these programs has more than doubled from 2017 to 2023 as needs have increased across the population. The state provides Morrison County with an annual budget to cover a variety of services for waiver participants.

Commissioners asked questions about the rising demand for disability services programs. While the county population has declined slightly, the number of people receiving services has grown significantly. Stein and Bowman attributed this to factors like an aging population and increased awareness of available support. They anticipate service needs plateauing around 2030 as the baby boom generation ages out of the population.

“Not everybody has the information that you have,” said Commissioner Jeffrey Jelinski. “I truly believe that it is with this organization, you, all of you, that without that ability to communicate, which I believe we do a very good job of, we would be falling way short. When I participate with Partners in Policymaking, I can tell you that there are a lot of issues and a lot of other counties, not that there aren’t any in Morrison County … but there are issues all over and there is need all over for this.”

The presentation provided county leaders with valuable insights into trends impacting disability services and how the MnCHOICES assessment process helps connect residents with the long-term supports they need to remain active members of the community. It highlighted both the growing demands on these vital programs and Morrison County’s efforts to effectively serve its residents.