The Consumer Support Grant (CSG) is a cash grant for someone who has Medicaid Home Health Aide (HHA), Personal Care Assistant (PCA) or Home Care Nursing (HCN) services. The grant is used to purchase supports and services. The grant-recipient, as the employer, may use grant funds to choose and hire the supports they need. Support people chosen can be:
* Family members
* Spouses
* Friends
* Provider-agency workers

Consumer Support Grant (CSG) recipients develop a person-centered plan with participating county or tribal agencies. The county or tribal agency approves the plan if all costs are within the person's CSG budget. County or tribal agencies may customize CSG within state guidelines to fit the needs of their residents. People should contact their local agency for more information.

Grant recipients must hire a Financial Management Service (FMS) provider to help with employer obligations, billing and payment functions.

CSG participants are responsible for training and supervising the staff that they hire.

The amount of the grant is based on the county or tribal agency or home care nursing agency assessment:
* The assessment will determine if home care services are needed and determine the home care rating;
* The state sets a dollar amount for the CSG budget based on the home care rating.

Individuals can obtain an estimate of their grant from their county or tribal CSG coordinator.

CSG Plan - Once the CSG service budget is set, you make a service plan about how you plan to use the budget. The county or tribal worker can give you a guide for the plan and help you meet the rules of the program.
The plan needs to show:
* The specific supports and services, and who will provide them
* How you will keep track of what you pay for services and supports
* The local human services office (county or tribal government) will check the plan and approve it if it meets the rules
- If it is not approved, they will send it back to you and tell you why it was not approved
* Once the plan is approved, the participant may arrange for purchasing their goods and services.

CSG Supports - Services and products in a CSG plan can include:
* Companion Services
* Chore services
* Home or vehicle adaptations or modifications
* Nutrition services (not regular food or nutritional supplements, but can cover needs like a prescribed special diet)
* Home health aide or personal care-like services
* Home care nursing services
* Respite care
* Specialized equipment
* Transportation

Services and equipment in a CSG plan must:
* Relate to your functional limitations
* Help you live at home
* Be over and above the cost of supporting a person without a disability.
- Costs such as food, clothing or rent, for example, are not allowed.

More information about the CSG at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) website.

• Area Served by County
  • St. Louis County 
• Specialization
  • Disabilities 

To be eligible for the Consumer Support Grant (CSG), you must meet all of these conditions:
* Be enrolled in or eligible for Medical Assistance (MA)
* Be eligible to receive home care services from the Medical Assistance Home Care Program
* Demonstrate limitations in everyday functioning, such as self-care, language, learning, mobility, self direction, capacity for independent living and economic self-sufficiency
* Live in a home that you or your family owns or rents (not in a licensed facility)
* Require ongoing supports to live in the community
* Live in a county that offers the Consumer Support Grant program

Limitations:
Consumers cannot get this grant while receiving services through:
* Minnesota's Alternative Care program
* Home and community-based service waivers
* Managed care programs or MA home health aide services, personal care assistance or private duty nursing
* All other available sources of payment should be exhausted before use of the Consumer Support Grant

To ask questions or apply for the CSG, contact the local county or tribal Human Services office or the Disability Hub Mn, (866) 333-2466. Not all counties offer CSG. However, people may contact them with questions about CSG.

The FMS fee would be an expense paid with the grant. FMS providers set their own fees so consumers should compare FMS providers and the services their fee includes when selecting an FMS. The CSG also pays the county or tribal agency fee for their administrative costs. That fee is limited to 5% of the grant.

8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday

St. Louis County

https://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/departments-a-z/public-health-human-services

10/2/2024