Executive Summary

Minnesota’s2013Olmstead Planisthe resultofmanypeopleworkingtogether,acrossandwithinstate agencies. Thisexecutivesummaryprovidesanoverview oftheplan;moreinformationiscontainedin the specific sections of this document.

Stakeholder input

TodevelopMinnesota’sfirstOlmstead Plan,thestateused aniterativeapproach, with stakeholder inputand feedbackatthecoreofthe process.

TheOlmstead Subcabinetandagencystaff listened tofeedbackfromstakeholders, particularlypeople with disabilitiesandtheir families. Someofthemostimportant ideasincluded:

  • People with disabilities should be leading; the government should be listening.
  • People with disabilities know what they want and what will promote inclusion; current systems have to change.
  • People with disabilities want control over their own lives; they don’t want to wait for the system to decide what service they will receive.
  • People with disabilities are individuals and want to be treated as such; there can’t be a one-size- fits-all approach to government services.

Minnesota’sOlmsteadPlanincorporatestheseideas.Theplanalsoincludesconcretecommitments to listentoandengagepeople with disabilitiesinrefiningandimplementingthe plan.Anadditional elementofMinnesota’sOlmstead Planisanannual assessmentofQualityofLifefor peoplereceiving services. Thepurposeof theQualityof Lifesurveyisto ensurethestateiscontinuallymadeawareof whetherchangesinthe systemactuallyimprovepeople’squalityoflife.

DevelopingMinnesota’sOlmsteadPlan

GovernorMarkDaytonestablished an OlmsteadSubcabinetin January2013; thisgroupofstateagencies ischargedwith developingandimplementingMinnesota’sOlmstead Plan.

AnOlmsteadPlanisawayfor a governmententityto document its plans toprovideservices to individuals with disabilitiesinthemostintegratedsettingappropriatetotheindividual.Inthelandmark civil rightscase,Olmsteadv. L. C.,527U.S.581(1999),the UnitedStates SupremeCourtheld thatitis unlawful for governments tokeeppeoplewith disabilitiesinsegregated settingswhen theycanbe supported inthe community. TheCourtandsubsequentUnited StatesDepartment of Justiceguidance encouragesstatestodevelopplans toincreaseintegration.

Minnesota hasmadeprogressinincreasingcommunity-basedsupportsandintegratedoptions,butnow is thetimefor MinnesotatodevelopacomprehensiveOlmstead Planto worktowards full inclusionof peoplewith disabilities. Importantly,Minnesota is alsorequiredtodevelopandimplementan Olmstead Planaspartof asettlementagreementinafederalcourtcase.

TheOlmstead Subcabinetrealizesthattherearereal opportunitiesfor improvement inareas such as employment, transportation, housing, lifelonglearningandeducation,healthcareandhealthyliving,communityengagement, andsupportsandservices. ThesearetheareaswhereMinnesotamustmake changesinordertoachieveintegrationfor peoplewith disabilities.

Excerpt from Governor Mark Dayton’s Executive Order 13-01

I, MarkDayton,GovernoroftheStateofMinnesota,by virtueofthepowerinvestedinmebytheConstitution andapplicablestatutes,doherebyissuethisExecutiveOrder:

Whereas,theStateofMinnesotaiscommittedtoensuringthatinclusive,community-basedservicesare availabletoindividualswithdisabilitiesofallages;

…

Whereas,barrierstoaffordingopportunitieswithinthemostintegratedsettingtopersonswithdisabilitiesstill existinMinnesota;and

Whereas,theStateofMinnesotamustcontinuetomovemorepurposefullyandswiftlytoimplementthe standardsset forthintheOlmsteaddecisionandthemandatesof TitleIIoftheADAthroughcoordinatedefforts ofdesignatedStateagenciessoastohelpensurethatallMinnesotanshavetheopportunity,bothnowandin thefuture,toliveclosetotheirfamiliesandfriends,tolivemoreindependently,toengageinproductive employment,andtoparticipateincommunitylife.

Now,Therefore,I herebyorderthat:

1.A Sub-Cabinet,appointedbytheGovernor…shalldevelopand implementa comprehensiveMinnesotaOlmsteadPlan…

OlmsteadSubcabinetVisionStatement

TheOlmstead Subcabinetadoptedavisionstatementat one ofitsfirstmeetings:

TheOlmstead SubcabinetembracestheOlmstead decisionasakeycomponentof achievingaBetterMinnesotaforallMinnesotans, andstrives to ensurethat Minnesotanswith disabilitieswillhavetheopportunity, both nowandin thefuture,to livecloseto their familiesandfriends, tolivemoreindependently,to engagein productiveemploymentandtoparticipatein communitylife.This includes:

  • The opportunity andfreedomformeaningful choice,self-determination, and increasedqualityof life,through:opportunities foreconomicself-sufficiency and employmentoptions; choices oflivinglocationandsituation, andhavingsupports needed to allowforthese choices;
  • Systemicchange supports self-determination, throughrevised policies andpractices acrossstate government andthe ongoingidentificationanddevelopmentof opportunities beyondthe choicesavailable today;
  • Readily available informationaboutrights,options, andrisks andbenefitsof these options, andtheabilitytorevisitchoices overtime.

OlmsteadPlangoals

To movethestateforward, towards greater integrationandinclusionfor peoplewith disabilities,the statehas setanoverall goal.If Minnesota’sOlmsteadPlanissuccessful,Minnesotawillbea place where:

Peoplewithdisabilitiesareliving,learning,working,andenjoyinglifeinthemost integrated setting.

Toachievethisoverall goal, Minnesota’sOlmstead Plan addresses goals related tobroadtopic areas:[1]

  • Employment:People withdisabilities will havechoices forcompetitive,meaningful, and sustained employment inthe mostintegrated setting.
  • Housing:Peoplewith disabilities willchoosewhere they live,withwhom, andinwhat typeof housing.
  • Transportation:People withdisabilities willhaveaccess to reliable, cost-effective, and accessibletransportationchoices that support the essential elementsof life suchas employment, housing,education,andsocial connections.
  • Supports and Services:Peoplewith disabilitiesofallages willexperience meaningful, inclusive,andintegratedlivesin their communities,supportedby an arrayof services andsupports appropriatetotheir needsandthat they choose.
  • LifelongLearningandEducation: Peoplewith disabilities willexperienceaninclusiveeducation systemat all levels andlifelonglearningopportunitiesthat enablethe full developmentof individual talents,interests, creativity, andmental andphysical abilities.
  • HealthcareandHealthy Living:People with disabilities, regardlessoftheir age, type of disability, or placeofresidence,will have access to acoordinatedsystemofhealth servicesthatmeets individual needs, supports goodhealth, prevents secondary conditions, andensures the opportunity for asatisfyingandmeaningful life.
  • Community Engagement: Peoplewith disabilities willhavetheopportunitytofully engage in their community andconnectwithothersin ways that aremeaningful andaligned with theirpersonal choices anddesires.

KeyOlmsteadPlanactions

Theplan’saspirational goals areconnectedtoconcreteactions. Thechartsbelowsummarizeanumber of detailed actions described intheplan.

Table 1: Key Olmstead Plan actions

Topic / Action / Responsible Agency(ies)
Overarching/QualityAssurance/Accountability / Beginwiththe individual inall phasesof service(assessment, planning, service delivery,and evaluation) / Subcabinet
Reviewallpolicies,procedures,laws, andfundingthroughtheperspectiveof theOlmstead decision;addressbarriers throughadministrativealignment and collaboration,legislativeaction, policyandrulechanges,andfundingchanges andprioritization. / Subcabinet
Designandimplementopportunitiesforpeople with disabilitiestobeinvolved inleadershipcapacitiesinall government programs thataffectthem. / Subcabinet
Identifyqualityoflifeoutcomeindicators;contractwith anindependententity toconductannual assessment / Subcabinet
Establish an Olmstead disputeresolutionprocess / Subcabinet
Design an implementationandoversightstructure,establishan Olmstead implementationoffice / Subcabinet
Adoptan OlmsteadQualityImprovementPlan / Subcabinet
Employment / Expandintegrated employmentforstudentsandadults withdisabilities / DEED,DHS,MDE
Alignpoliciesandfundingtoincreaseintegrationandexpand employment opportunities / DEED,DHS, MDE
Providetraining, technicalassistance,publicinformationandoutreach / DEED,DHS, MDE, MDHR
Housing / Identifypeoplewith disabilitieswhodesireto moveto moreintegrated housing,the barriersinvolved, andtheresourcesneeded toincreasethe useof effective bestpractices / DHS
Increasethe amountof affordable housingopportunitiescreated / MHFA, DHS
Increasehousingoptions thatpromotechoiceandaccess tointegrated settings / DHS
Increaseaccess toinformationabout housingoptions / MHFA
Activelypromoteandencourageproviderstoimplement best-practices and person-centeredstrategiesrelatedtohousing / DHS
Transportation / Establish a baselineof servicesandtransitspendingacross publicprograms / DHS, MnDOT
Engagecommunity members toexpandflexibilityin transportationsystems / DHS, MnDOT
IntegrateOlmsteadprinciples into transportationplans / MnDOT
Engage MinnesotaCouncilonTransportationAccessin Olmsteadwork / DHS, MnDOT

Table 2: Key Olmstead Plan actions (continued)

Topic / Action / Responsible Agency(ies)
Supports & Services / All individuals with disabilities will beofferedsupportsandservicesinthe most integrated settings / Subcabinet, DHS
Supportpeople inmovingfrominstitutionsto communityliving, inthe most integrated setting / DHS
Buildeffectivesystemsforuse ofpositivepractices,earlyintervention,crisis reductionandreturntostabilityaftera crisis / Subcabinet, DHS
Provideaccess to themostintegrated settingthroughthe provisionofsupports andservices / DHS
LifelongLearning& Education / Work toreducetheuseofrestrictiveprocedures,developrecommendationsto eliminatetheuseof pronerestraintsin schools / MDE, DHS
Buildstaff capacityattheschoollevel toeffectivelyimproveschool-wide systemsofpositivebehavior interventionsandsupports / MDE
Studentswillhaveinteragencysupports andservicestoaccessintegrated employmentoptions beforeexitinghighschool / MDE, DHS, DEED
Increasethe numberof studentswithdisabilitiesenrollingintopostsecondary educationandtrainingprograms / MDE, DHS, DEED
Ensurethatstudentswithdisabilitiescanreturnto their residentdistrictor moreintegratedsetting / MDE, DOC
Healthcare& Healthy Living / Integrateprimarycare,behavioralhealth andlong-termcare/supports / MDH,DHS
Reducegaps inaccess andoutcomes / MDH,DHS
Community Engagement / Supportindividuals with disabilitiestoengageintheircommunityinwaysthat aremeaningful to them / Subcabinet
Provideaccess andopportunityforindividuals with disabilitiestobefull communityparticipants / Subcabinet

Thecolors for the topic areas used inthechartsaboveare used inthe specificsectionsof theplan.

Minnesota’sOlmsteadPlan –November1, 2013Page 1

Year One at a Glance: Changes that will make a difference in people’s lives

Manyofthe actionsdescribed inthisplanwilltaketimeandresources toimplement,butthereare important changesthatwill happen inthefirstyearofthis plan. Thesechangeswill makea real differenceinthe livesofindividuals with disabilities:

  • Concrete changes to reduce the number of peopleinsegregatedservicesettings:
  • New community based services for people with disabilities as an alternative to
  • Minnesota Specialty Health System—Cambridge.
  • Movement to more integrated settings for individuals in Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (ICFs/DD) and people under 65 who have been in nursing facilities longer than 90 days.
  • Reduction in discharge times for people in Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center.
  • Transition supports for people discharged from Minnesota Security Hospital.
  • Identification of individuals in other integrated settings and establishment of targets and timelines for those individuals to access the most integrated settings.
  • Expansionofeffectivetransitions from highschooltopostsecondary educationor training programs.
  • Expansionof self-advocacyandpeer supportoptions.
  • Increasedindividualcontrol over housing.
  • Increasedindividualcontrol over support services,suchas personal care assistance.
  • Increased integratedemploymentopportunities.
  • Movement towardspositive practices andawayfromuse ofseclusion, restraintsandother restrictivepractices.
  • New practicestoimprove health outcome

Minnesota’sOlmsteadPlan –November1, 2013Page 6

[1]Theorderofthesegoalsisroughlybasedontherelativeproportionofstakeholdercomments.