Minnesota Implements National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers - The Minnesota Board on Aging in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Service Aging and Disability Services Administration, will develop a network of professionals and resources that will strengthen the capacity of the state to serve Minnesotans caring for their family members, friends and neighbors. The goal of the project is to increase the utilization of caregiver supports among caregivers of people receiving long-term services and supports through state and federally funded home and community-based programs. The objectives are to 1) increase the capacity of HCBS professionals to identify and support caregivers 2) increase the capacity of caregiver service providers to accept referrals and receive reimbursement for caregiving supports through state and federally funded community-based programs 3) increase the knowledge of caregiver service providers about various caregiving issues 4) develop a website and close-looped referral system to simplify connecting caregivers to resources 5) to evaluate programs to find improvement opportunities. The outcomes of this project are that caregivers of people receiving HCBS services, and more broadly, all Minnesotans caregiving, will have access to support and those supports will help them maintain their wellbeing and delay institutionalization of the person receiving care. The expected products are 1) a virtual caregiver resource center, 2) multiple trainings about caregiver needs, 3) technical trainings about using the system tools, 4) a closed-loop referral system and 5) a data dashboard that shows the impact of programs and information about caregivers in general.
