Acute Care Transitions Advisory Council

DHS formed the advisory council in October 2023 to create supports for children and adults who face barriers when moving from hospitals and other settings into their home and community.

The council will create an action plan to consider the following key recommendations to:

Improve the ways in which regions support people with complex transition challenges.
Reduce multiple roles and services that make it hard to find support.
Design a way to assess and measure the challenges that occur during Transitions.
Change policies and procedures.
Consider ways the state can invest in new programs to help people in transition.
Address geographic, racial and ethnic disparities that children and adults in transition experience.

Timeline for council activities: From Oct. 1, 2023, through Oct. 2, 2024.

Questions? Email the DHS liaison to the Acute Care Transitions Advisory Council at TransitionsAdvisoryCouncil.DHS@state.mn.us.

Background
Membership
Report
Meetings
Links

Background

The commissioner of human services established an Acute Care Transitions Advisory Council in October 2023 to advise and assist the commissioner in establishing and implementing a statewide vision and systemic approach to acute care transitions in Minnesota.

DHS will conduct public engagement to find out more about barriers and potential solutions to moving patients from acute care settings to more appropriate nonacute care settings. The commissioner will provide the information collected through public engagement to the advisory council.

The Acute Care Transitions Advisory Council expires Oct. 2, 2024, or the day after submitting the action plan required under state statute, whichever is earlier. By Oct. 1, 2024, the advisory council will develop an action plan for creating a systemic approach to acute care transitions for Minnesotans and present it to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over health and human services finance and policy and the commissioner of human services. The action plan must include but is not limited to the following:
- Recommendations to improve regional capacity for acute care transitions, including examining the roles and experience of counties and tribal nations in delivering services and identifying any conflicting and duplicative roles and responsibilities among health and human services agencies, counties and tribal nations.
- Recommendations to create a measurement and evaluation system using implementation science to analyze regional and statewide data in transitions and make ongoing recommendations for policy and program improvement.
- Statewide strategies for improving access to supports for transitioning from acute care settings with a focus on addressing geographic, racial and ethnic disparities.
Membership

The commissioner of human services appoints committee members for a one-year term with membership to include:
- Commissioner of education or designee
- Commissioner of health or designee
- Commissioner of human services or designee
- Minnesota County Attorneys Association representative
- Minnesota Hospital Association (two representatives)
- Member representing a public sector labor union (SEIU)
- Member representing a tribal government
- Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators member
- Member representing the State Advisory Council on Mental Health and Subcommittee on Children's Mental Health
- Local Public Health Association member
- Person who has had an acute hospital stay initiated during a crisis
- Person who meets the definition of a caring professional
- Person or their representatives who have lived experiences with acute care transitions
- Members representing home and community-based services providers
- Parent of a child who has had an acute hospital stay initiated during a crisis.
Report

Information gathering

We will post information gathered for the committee's written report here.

Report

This section will include the draft materials for the written report. The committee will complete a report to:
- Assess the strengths and needs of state services and systems.
- Understand what the research says about effective transition planning.
- Recommend ways to improve transitions for Minnesotans of all ages from diverse backgrounds.
- Provide feedback on the written report that will be written based on the work of the committee.
Meetings

The advisory council meets at the following dates at times in Room 2370 of the Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building, 540 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55101.

The meetings will also be available to stream live online. Click on the livestream link at meeting time to watch live or to view recordings of past meetings.

To ask a question during the meeting livestream, email the council at TransitionsAdvisoryCouncil.DHS@state.mn.us.
- Meeting 1: Nov. 6, 2023: Agenda | Summary | Brief #1: Introduction to the Acute Care Transitions Advisory Council (PDF)
- Meeting 2: Jan. 25, 2024: Agenda | Summary | Livestream recording | Presentation (PDF) | Implementation science presentation (PDF) | Brief #2: Using Implementation Science to Improve Positive Supports (PDF) | Robert's Rules (PDF)
- Meeting 3: Feb. 29, 12:30-3:30 p.m.: Agenda | Summary | Presentation (PDF) | Brief #3: How Positive Supports can Address Barriers to Transitioning from Acute Care Settings (PDF)
- Meeting 4: April 30, 9 a.m.-noon: Agenda | Summary | Presentation (PDF)
- Meeting 5: Date and time to be determined
- Meeting 6: Date and time to be determined
- Meeting #7: Aug. 14, noon-3 p.m.: Agenda | Summary | Presentation (PDF)
- Meeting #8: Sept. 11, 9 a.m.-noon: Agenda | Summary | Presentation (PDF)
Links