Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Updates for health care workers, license holders, county and tribal workers, grantees and other program administrators

Expect instructions for partners related to actions and process changes through regular communication channels including email messages and websites.

• Bulletins
• CountyLink
• DHS website for Partners and Providers
• DHS SIR

Latest news

New waivers and modifications posted under peacetime emergency authority
Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead, under her existing powers, has waived or modified certain requirements in order to maintain suspended interest on certain child support debt. In addition, amendments were made under the Governor’s peacetime emergency order 20-12 to modifications and waivers to: Modify certain licensing enforcement requirements and extending licenses for family child care, child and adult foster care, and community residential and treatment settings; Authorize federal waiver request and modifying certain requirements for legal nonlicensed provider registration for the Child Care Assistance Program and; Allow additional reimbursement to Customized Living providers.

Balancing rights and safety during COVID-19
Support service providers can join DHS staff from the Disability Services and Licensing divisions to review and discuss issues providers face with Stay Safe MN during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Face-to-face visit requirements changed for targeted case management
Federally approved policy modifications to targeted case management services temporarily allow telephone and video-conferencing in place of in-person face-to-face contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Federal actions affecting human service programs

HHS announces enhanced provider portal, relief fund payments for safety net hospitals, Medicaid and CHIP providers
June 9, 2020 — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced additional distributions from the $50 billion Provider Relief Fund and distribution of $10 billion in Provider Relief Funds to safety net hospitals that serve our most vulnerable citizens.

Supplemental Security Income recipients will receive automatic COVID-19 economic impact payments 
April 15, 2020 — SSI recipients with dependent children should still provide their information at IRS.gov. The U.S. Social Security Administration announced that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will receive automatic economic impact payments directly from the U.S. Treasury Department. The Treasury Department anticipates these automatic payments no later than early May.

Read about more federal actions

Executive orders

Ensuring emergency economic relief does not prevent eligibility for essential human services programs
April 24, 2020 — Executive Order 20-42 instructs that certain payments received by Minnesotans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic shall not be counted as income, assets, personal property, or resources when determining eligibility for programs administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS). For certain programs that are federally funded, DHS has sought federal approval as needed. 
Bulletin: Disregard of COVID-relief payments from calculations of income for Medicaid eligibility

Securing Federal Authority to Continue Programs
March 20, 2020 — Executive Order 20-11 authorizes the DHS commissioner to seek federal authority to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements for federal economic support, health care and other programs to ensure they continue to provide support to Minnesota families.

Preserving Access to Human Services Programs
March 20, 2020 — Executive Order 20-12 allows DHS to temporarily issue waivers or modifications to state requirements to ensure that their services can be delivered to Minnesotans safely and without undue delay.

Read all executive orders