Actualizing Housing Stabilization Services

What’s working — or not — with the Minnesota Medicaid Waiver?

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This virtual event was hosted on July 20, 2022, via Zoom. Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) in Minnesota was first available through Medicaid in July 2020. HSS allows providers to bill Medicaid for housing related services, including: housing consultation, housing transition services, and housing sustaining services.

As with any new benefit, the roll-out has been difficult. Many see HSS as a breakthrough and opportunity to leverage healthcare housing supports that can pay for critical staffing to support residents with high-level needs and assist in maintaining permanent housing. What has been learned in the early stage of implementation of this new benefit? What is needed to make this new benefit work to ensure greater housing stability? This Forum will provide perspectives from a panel of Minnesota experts (see below).

Host Speakers

Eric Muschler — Greater Minnesota Housing Fund

Director of Housing & Health Equity

As Director of Housing & Health Equity, Eric works to explore the multiple connections and benefits of housing with social determinants of health. Eric has experience working for 15 years, toward driving and expanding economic opportunity for people of color and low-income communities. Eric believes that housing stability is the foundation for opportunity especially when connected with other economic supports like education, workforce, asset and wealth building, and community economic development.

Chelsea Georgesen — Minnesota Council of Health Plans

Director of Government Programs & Health Equity

In previous roles, Chelsea worked on Medicaid long-term care policy and waiver eligibility, with a focus on serving aging Minnesotans and people living with disabilities. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Public Health in Public Health Administration and Policy from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Chelsea was a 2020-2021 Humphrey Policy Fellow.

National and State Perspectives

Heidi Hamilton — Minnesota Department of Human Services

Community Living Supports Program Manager

Heidi oversees several programs related to housing and homelessness, including Housing Stabilization Services funded through Medicaid, the Long-term Homeless Supportive Services Fund state grant, the Section 811 project, and the Bridging Benefits project which help people get access to public benefits upon release from correctional facilities. Prior to her current role, Heidi held a variety of legislative and policy positions related to disability and aging services at the DHS, as well as time at Hennepin County, the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, and as a case manager for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Dr. Marcella Maguire — Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)

Director, Health Systems Integration

Dr. Maguire has worked for 25 years towards solutions for ending homelessness and on cross sector collaboration. Marcella has expertise in health care policy, administration, clinical services, program development, data analytics, financing, and operations management. Dr. Maguire provides expertise and direction for CSH’s vision that Housing is a Platform for Healthy Communities. Prior to joining CSH, she was with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health. There she led work in the design and initial implementation of a variety of supportive housing financing models including braiding funding from a Medicaid Managed Care Organization and the local Housing Authority. Dr. Maguire earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Catholic University and Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical/Community Psychology from Georgia State University.

Panel Speakers

Heidi Hamilton

See Bio Above.

Patrick Harrington — Housing Matters

Patrick Harrington is the Executive Director of Housing Matters in Bemidji, Minnesota. Housing Matters is a Housing First, permanent supportive housing program funded by Housing Support and Housing Stabilization Services. Patrick has been working with housing programs and homeless populations in both the metro and rural areas of Minnesota for the past 18 years including Lutheran Social Services in St. Paul, The Bridge for youth in Minneapolis, Start Today Hennepin, and currently – for the past 5 years – with Housing Matters, whose agency serves single adults and families with disabling conditions who are experiencing homelessness in Beltrami County.

Jim Przybilla — PrimeWest Health

Jim has been Chief Executive Officer of PrimeWest Health since 2001. He has been in the health care industry for 41 years as a clinician and administrator, including the past 35 years in rural health. PrimeWest Health is a Medicaid, MinnesotaCare and Medicare Advantage (dual eligible) health plan serving over 50,000 participants in 13 rural Minnesota counties. Prior to joining PrimeWest, he was executive director of a large network of rural and metro hospitals and clinics in Idaho and Oregon. He also spent 15 years as a rural health systems development program director and consultant, providing health care delivery system technical and training support to over 100 rural health systems in 28 states.

Adam Fairbanks — Ei-Consultants

Adam is Principal of Ei-Consultants and a White Earth Tribal Member, who splits his time between the Twin Cities and White Earth. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Metropolitan State University, with an individualized focus on harm reduction and public health. He has worked in the public health field since 2006. Prior to founding Ei-Consultants, Adam worked for nonprofits, local and tribal government, and the private sector. As a consultant, he works with agencies to develop sustainable programs designed to serve marginalized communities, with a focus on addressing public health emergencies affecting his community. He is also part of the Housing Stabilization Services Technical Assistance Team in collaboration with CSH, MESH, and North Star Policy Consulting. In addition to running Ei-Consultants, Adam also owns and operates Anishinaabe Endaad, a culturally specific permanent supportive housing program that seeks to promote healing and long term life-changes in Native people by focusing on recovery, community, and culture. Anishinaabe Endaad is a Housing Stabilization Services and Housing Support (formerly GRH) provider, and has houses in Minneapolis and on the White Earth Nation Reservation. Adam’s expertise enables Tribes to maximize revenue while delivering quality care that substantially improves the wellbeing of Native communities.

Event Agenda

Audience Experience, Questions, and Closing

10:30 am	Welcome and Introductions — Overview
10:45 am	National and State Perspectives Marcella Maguire, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Director of Health Systems Integration, will speak on a national perspective of Medicaid resources use for housing supports, what is being learned, and how Minnesota compares with other states. Heidi Hamilton, Program Manager for the Minnesota Department of Human Resources will speak on the current status of Housing Stabilization Services in Minnesota. How many authorized providers? How much has been paid out? How many individuals are being served and where do they live?
11:05 am	Panel Discussion Panel discussion on what would make these resources work for housing folks. Health Plans? Service providers? Lessons Learned and recommendations for success? What could/should change to facilitate the highest and best use of funds and outcomes?
11:30am	Audience Experience and Questions Hear about Experiences and Perspectives from the field in use of Housing Stabilization Services. Take questions and answers from the field.
Noon	End of Session