Tory Merhar, who joined Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota in 2016 as the Senior Director of Partners in Community Supports (PICS), has recently stepped into the new role of Senior Operations Director.
New terms of agreement between SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has been reached, and these changes go into effect October 1, 2021.
Earlier this week, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that the new self-directed services program, Community First Services and Supports (CFSS), will not go into effect in 2021 as previously planned.
At PICS, we are honoring the remarkable effort of our Workers in providing personal care during COVID-19 through a one-time Recognition Reward. Workers employed between April to December 2020 recently received a one-time payout to show our gratitude.
PICS will be incorporating electronic visit verification (EVV), an online timekeeping feature for Workers, before the end of 2021. The new EVV system is a way to virtually record the date, time and place for services provided at home and in the community.
You might have heard about changes the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is making to self-directed services and supports. At PICS, we’re here to help you understand what this means for your family and navigate your choices.
Tory Merhar with PICS was featured on KBEM to talk about Consumer Directed Community Supports, a support model in which people with disabilities choose and design the services they receive based off their assessed needs.
PICS is excited to roll out a new portal timecard approval process 2/1/2021. This past summer PICS informed you of some Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) requirement changes coming your way on how to submit timecards. PICS must make these changes to be in compliance with DHS. After receiving your feedback and testing this new process with a successful pilot group, we’re ready to provide a simple process to you with easy as possible instructions. PICS will now capture a shared process between both Representative and Worker showing approval of hours worked.
Recent legislation allows for a temporary rate increase for direct support professionals to respond to COVID-19. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has temporarily increased budgets for CDCS and CSG participants by 8.4% for services provided between Dec. 1, 2020 and Feb. 7, 2021.
While the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact our everyday lives, often in ways we couldn’t have imagined last year at this time, it has only strengthened PICS’ commitment to the highest level of customer service for our Representatives, Participants and Workers. We are here for you!
