2. SFY 2024 Housing Support Agreement - Group Settings

   Housing Support is an income supplement to help people with low-income and disabilities pay for their housing expenses. Requirements for Housing Support are in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256I. 

4. AGENCY (COUNTY, TRIBE, OR MULTICOUNTY COLLABORATIVE) INFORMATION

6. Itasca County Health & Human Service
   CONTACT PERSON  Cindy Bergman	PHONE NUMBER 218-327-6170
   EMAIL Housing.Support@co.itasca.mn.us

8. VENDOR BUSINESS INFORMATION
10. BUSINESS NAME
12. BUSINESS ADDRESS
14. CONTACT PERSON
15. PHONE NUMBER
17. EMAIL
19. General Agreement Conditions
    1. This agreement applies to all Housing Support settings for which a completed Housing Support Vendor Profile, incorporated here by reference, has been completed and attached to this agreement, and is non-transferable. This agreement is effective on July 1, 2023, or upon the date that the required signatures are obtained, whichever occurs later, and will remain in effect through June 30, 2024.
    2. The agreement is subject to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256I.
    3. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (“the Department”) has the authority to supervise and monitor the administration of Housing Support activities. This includes, but is not limited to, assuring timely and accurate distribution of benefits, completeness of service, and quality program management.
    4. The county, tribe, or multicounty collaborative (the “Agency”) named in this agreement may develop a quality control program or other monitoring program to review vendor performance. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring the detection, prevention, investigation, and resolution of fraudulent activities or behavior by applicants, recipients, vendors, or other participants in the Housing Support program. The Agency may require and examine supporting documentation, and conduct site visits to the Housing Support setting named in the Vendor Profile to ensure quality and compliance.
    5. The agreement may be terminated with or without cause by the Department, the Agency, or the vendor with two calendar months prior written notice to the other party(ies).
       1. The Department has the right to suspend or terminate this agreement immediately when the health or welfare of the housing or service recipients is endangered, or the vendor breaches a non-curable material term of the agreement.
          1. If the Department learns of a curable material breach of the agreement by the vendor, the Department will provide written notice of the breach and allow ten days to cure the breach. If the breach is not cured within the time allowed, the Department may immediately terminate the agreement. If a cure to the breach is not possible, the Department may immediately terminate the agreement.
21. Provider Standards
    1. Minimum Staff Qualifications
       1. When Housing Support staff operate under a license issued by the Minnesota Department of Health or the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the minimum staff qualification requirements shall be the qualifications listed under the related licensing standards.  
       2. All staff who have direct contact* with individuals in Board and Lodging, Assisted Living, or Tribe-Certified Housing, and do not also operate under an additional license, must meet or exceed the following minimum staff qualification requirements, and provide documentation to the Agency when requested:
          1. Have skills and knowledge acquired through at least one of the following:
             1. a course of study in a health or human services related field leading to a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, or associate’s degree;
             2. one year of experience with the target population served;
             3. experience as a certified peer specialist according to Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0615; or
             4. meet the requirements for unlicensed personnel under Minnesota Statutes, sections 144A.43 to 144A.483.
          2. Hold a current driver’s license appropriate to the vehicle used if transporting recipients of Housing Support.
          3. Completion of vulnerable adult mandated reporter training (or child maltreatment mandated reporter training where applicable).
          4. Completion of orientation training when offered by the Department.
       3. Background Study Requirements
          1. The following individuals are subject to background studies according to Minnesota Statutes, section 245C:
             1. Controlling individuals as defined in section 245A.02; and
             2. Managerial officials as defined in section 245A.02; and
             3. All employees and volunteers of the establishment who have direct contact* with Housing Support recipients, or have unsupervised access to Housing Support recipients, their personal property, or their private data.
          2. A Housing Support recipient cannot provide direct contact* services to other Housing Support recipients.

    *Direct contact means providing face-to-face care, training, supervision, counseling, consultation, or medication assistance to recipients of Housing Support.

23. Room and Board Standards
    1. The vendor must demonstrate due diligence to ensure that Housing Support recipients have at a minimum:
       1. food preparation and service for three nutritional meals a day on site; 
          1.  For people residing in an assisted living setting, additional guidance related to food is available on CountyLink.
       2. a bed, clothing storage, linen, bedding, laundering, and laundry supplies or service;
       3. housekeeping, including cleaning and lavatory** supplies or service; and
       4. maintenance and operation of the building and grounds, including heat, water, garbage removal, electricity, telephone for the site, cooling, supplies, and parts and tools to repair and maintain equipment and facilities.
       5. The vendor is required to uphold the quality standards of the license for their setting, including storage and handling of medications, according to related licensure or registration from the Minnesota Department of Health, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, or tribal government.
       6. Vendors must report recipient move in, move out, absence days, and discharge dates to the Agency.

    **Lavatory supplies means essentials for hygiene found in public restrooms, including hand soap, hand or paper towels, and toilet paper.

25. Payment Standards
    1. Room and Board
       1. The maximum Housing Support room and board rate is $1135 per month for State Fiscal Year 2024.
       2. Room and board payments cannot be used to pay for foster care for children who are not blind, child welfare services, medical care, dental care, hospitalization, nursing care, drugs or medical supplies, program costs, or other social services.
       3. The vendor must be able to verify upon request that at least $281 per month is spent for the purchase of food for each Housing Support recipient
       4. In the event of an overpayment, the vendor is required to return funds according to terms of notification by the Agency or the Department.
       5. Supplemental Services
          1. The maximum Housing Support supplemental service payment is $482.84 per month, unless authorized by Minnesota Statute, chapter 256I, to be higher.
          2. The vendor must not use supplemental service payments to pay for housing, utilities, household supplies, or other things related to room or board.
          3. If authorized to provide supplemental services by the Agency, the vendor must enroll as a Minnesota Health Care Provider (MHCP) in order to bill and receive payment.
          4. Vendors are not eligible for supplemental service payments if concurrently receiving funding for a recipient under, or if funding is available through, a home-and-community-based waiver or personal care assistance under Minnesota Statute, section 256B.0659.
          5. In the event of an overpayment, the vendor shall return funds to the Agency.
       6. The Agency may at any time negotiate a lower Housing Support rate if in accordance with Minnesota Statute, chapter 256I
27. Other Requirements
    1. Vendors must inform the Agency of adverse events involving Housing Support recipients, including recipient death or serious injury. 
    2.  Vendors that operate emergency shelters must participate in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), including the requirement to enroll and maintain person-level data. 
    3. Any vendor with a Board and Lodging license must also have a Special Services Registration with the Department of Health if providing any supportive services or health supervision services according to Minnesota Statute, section 157.17, even if not receiving Housing Support supplemental service payments. 
    4.  All vendors of Board and Lodging with Special Services are required to encourage sobriety on their premises and make referrals to volunteer and employment opportunities for residents. 
    5. Vendors are prohibited from limiting or restricting the number of hours an applicant or recipient is employed. 
    6.  Some individuals have a basis of eligibility for up to three months of Housing Support after leaving residential mental health or substance use disorder treatment. Vendors must help these individuals apply for ongoing Housing Support if needed after this transition period.
29. Required Disclosures
    1. The vendor must submit the following information to the Agency prior to approval of this agreement and upon request:
       1. Proof of current license and/or registration from state, or authorization from tribe. 
       2. A list of residency requirements that could result in eviction.
31. Signatures / Dates

    By signing this agreement, the vendor representative confirms that the vendor has read and meets all standards and requirements for Housing Support.

33. Electronic Signature Agreement

    By checking the "I agree" box below, you agree and acknowledge that 1) your application will not be signed in the sense of a traditional paper document, 2) by signing in this alternate manner, you authorize your electronic signature to be valid and binding upon you to the same force and effect as a handwritten signature, and 3) you may still be required to provide a traditional signature at a later date.

    1. I agree.
35. Electronic Signature of Vendor Representative
36. Name of Vendor Representative
37. Date
    Date
39. ___________________________ Signature of Agency Representative
40. NAME OF AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE

    Christine Krebs

41. Date _______________
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