STAR Services

STAR Services | Disability Staffing, Training, Consulting – Saint Paul, MN

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About Us

At STAR Services, we are taking a different approach to work and bringing about change in the disability field.

Our Team

The STAR team is eclectic. We come from many different backgrounds, with different likes and dislikes, and the glue that holds us all together is our commitment to improving the lives of people and supporting our customers in their efforts to do the same. STAR practices person-centered thinking as part of its business model. We look at what is working and what isn’t working in our daily operations, and we create support for each other and our customers. We take pride in being a stable company and good employer, but we are mindful of our pricing and the realities of our customer base. STAR looks for additional ways to give back to the community through volunteerism, advocacy and education.

How We Do It

Throughout STAR’s history, we’ve be in constant change. It’s not that we don’t like downtime, it’s just that our field doesn’t have time for any. Each progressive step in supporting continued choice and independence for people with disabilities is full of change, policies and procedures, regulation, and complexities. We help break through the noise and confusion by presenting information and support in plain language, and we help teach our customers how to understand, implement and thrive in the changing landscape of disability services.

Through live and online training, person-centered planning and thinking, one-on-one consultation and mentoring, front and back office business supports, and staffing services, we support and teach everyone from DSPs to Executive Directors how to meet the needs of supporting people.

We Value Our Staff, and We Value Your Staff

We believe in creating positive, productive and inclusive workplace settings because engaged and happy employees are simply good for business. At STAR, we have a “work hard, play hard” motto, recognizing that our staff work very hard to meet the demanding needs of our customers and our internal operations, and we foster our culture through fun events, staff development and…food. Seriously, everyone loves food.

Our staff over achieve and over produce because they have trust in our company and because they believe in the work they do. It’s workplace magic. And even better, we can teach you about it, too. When your staff come to STAR for training or assistance, we demonstrate those same notions, and we can even do training and strategic planning to help you implement these workplace solutions at your agency too.

Join the Movement

Whether you want to work for us or work with us, we value collaboration and partnerships. Join us in bringing about positive change and opportunities for the disability field.

The Leadership Team

Photo of Angie Hart

Angie Hart

Vice President

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Photo of Jennifer May

Jennifer May

Vice President of Operations

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Photo of Eric Pederson

Eric Pederson

Chief Executive Officer

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Quality Assurance and Program Improvement for All 245D Licensed Providers (1 hr)

Quality Assurance and Program Improvement is required for providers in both 245D and 9544; but what does Quality Assurance mean? In this virtual classroom we’ll take a closer look at how providers can evaluate quality including levels of satisfaction of people supported and effectiveness of services provided. HOW do you evaluate? WHAT do you identify? WHEN do you implement additions or revisions to the way you provide services? This course will provide you tips to using those critical thinking skills to identify, implement and monitor the quality of services that your program provides.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

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Part 2: Continuous Quality Improvement Process for ICS (0.5 hrs)

In addition to understanding overall program quality assurance and improvement for 245D licensed services, some prospective ICS providers are expected to submit a Site-Specific Review including a policy for a Continuous Quality Improvement Process for the Community Integration Plan. Join us for this virtual classroom where we’ll look at the requirements of this process, which is to include strategies and measures for monitoring, remediation and quality improvement as well as review and updating of the Community Integration Plan.

CEU Contact Hours: 0.6 for Nurses, 0.5 for Social Workers

Quality Assurance and Program Improvement for All 245D Licensed Providers (1 hrs)

Quality Assurance and Program Improvement is required for providers in both 245D and 9544; but what does Quality Assurance mean? In this virtual classroom we’ll take a closer look at how providers can evaluate quality including levels of satisfaction of people supported and effectiveness of services provided. HOW do you evaluate? WHAT do you identify? WHEN do you implement additions or revisions to the way you provide services? This course will provide you tips to using those critical thinking skills to identify, implement and monitor the quality of services that your program provides.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Room and Board Payments (1 hrs)

Are you getting the appropriate Room and Board payment from the people you support? The current rate is $1,041. Funding is frequently a combination of a few different sources – some of which are (but not limited to) personal earnings, SSDI, SSI, and Housing Support (formerly GRH). Don’t miss out on receiving this vital payment; learn how to ensure you are getting the payments your license allows by attending this course.

245D Licensing Visits: Before, During, and After (3 hrs)

Licensing reviews can bring about a lot of stress, especially if you have never been through one! Do you know what to do when there is an upcoming licensing visit? This two-part, virtual class will review what you should have in place prior to a licensing visit, how to complete the Notice of Reinspection (NOR) form, what to do during the visit, and the things to do after the visit. We’ll help you understand how to read correspondence from DHS-Licensing and how to respond to any corrections identified in the correction order.

CEU Contact Hours: 3.6 for Nurses, 3 for Social Workers

Developing the Community Integration Plan for ICS Providers (1 hr)

Are you interested in providing the 245D licensed service called Integrated Community Supports? Depending on your situation, you may be required to develop a Community Integration Plan as part of the site-specific review. This class will explore what community integration is, why it is important, and how to gather the information you need to create a quality Community Integration Plan. As every location is unique and the plan will look different, we will give you the tools and perspective you need to create a plan unique to your program location and the people you support.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Writing the Program Abuse Prevention Plan (1 hr)

​What do you know about your Program Abuse Prevention Plan (PAPP)? If your agency owns, rents, or leases the physical site where you provide services, then a PAPP is needed. Each Community Residential Setting, Family Foster Care/Family Residential Services setting, Integrated Community Support setting, Day Services Facility, Supported Living Facility (SLF), and ICF/DD (Intermediate Care Facility for people with DD) must have a PAPP developed for the location. The PAPP assesses the people receiving services, the physical location and design of building, and the surrounding environment where services are provided for factors which may encourage or permit abuse. Once the assessment has been completed, it must be reviewed and updated to address proactive steps to reduce each risk area. What are those proactive steps? Do you know when you need to review the PAPP? Do you know who needs to sign the PAPP? Does your PAPP do a good job in identifying potential areas of risk and appropriate measures to reduce the risk for abuse? Join us in our virtual classroom to answer all these questions and more!

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Exploring the Four Community Living Service Categories for IHS and ICS Providers (1 hr)

​Waiver Reimagine created a lot of exciting changes in the options that are available to people receiving Home and Community Based Services. Two new services that have been implemented include Individualized Home Support and Integrated Community Supports. These services are built around providing support and/or training in four different community living service categories. What are these categories and how do you support people in these different areas? This course will break down each community living service category, provide examples of the options for each, and review differences between supporting vs. training in these areas. We will also review examples on how to document the scope of service, including incorporating in positive support strategies.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Psychotropic Medications: 245D Requirements (1 hr)

Psychotropic medications are a small but important part of 245D. In this virtual class, we will explore what information and documentation a licensed provider needs to know and implement for psychotropic medications. Do you know when you need to oversee someone’s psychotropic medications? Can you write in observable and measurable terms the required target symptoms? Please join us to learn more about 245D requirements for psychotropic medications.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Photo of Brittney ZellerBrittney has 11 years of experience in disability services, primarily focused on serving individuals with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). She started out working in a Customized Living setting and spent a few years working as an Independent Living Skills Coach before transitioning to a supervisor role and later, a director role overseeing process development and program quality. Brittney graduated from Dordt College with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. She is passionate about helping providers understand compliance and paperwork requirements so they can focus on providing excellent care to the individuals they support.

Creating a Lasting Leadership Plan

Over the past year, participants in this leadership series have been exposed to ideas and opportunities to help them grow in their professional development. We have looked at best practices in the areas of: building trust, promoting good boundaries, effective communication, encouraging coaching, having difficult conversations, combatting drama in the workplace, maintaining positive habits, understanding workplace preferences, fostering employee engagement, and strength-based leadership. In this session, we will reflect on the topics from the previous year and plan ways that we can incorporate what we’ve learned into our workplaces. We will look at how each skill plays a critical role in creating a long lasting leadership framework that supports great teams and leaders.

Onboarding and Retention Strategies for Successful Companies

So much effort goes into recruiting and hiring employees, but we often neglect the more important aspects of onboarding new staff and creating strategies for retaining good employees. Employees who are intentionally nurtured through their first several months of work are more likely to be happy at work, speak highly of their company, and refer other top talent to the organization. Similarly, your existing staff hold a wealth of knowledge about your practices and the people they support. Retaining your talent is crucial in this difficult market. This training will focus on specific strategies to ensure both your HR and management teams are aligned in focusing on creating onboarding and retention practices that will benefit your company.

Creating a Positive and Engaging Workplace Culture

Creating a positive and engaged workplace isn’t just about offering recognition events and trying to satisfy our employees; it’s about employee engagement. Engagement happens when we foster and nurture the mutual commitment between employees and the organization – so both succeed. It requires us to be open-minded to the preferences and ideas suggested by our teams and be willing to adapt and change to achieve our goals. This training will discuss the ways supervisors and leaders can encourage employee engagement through building trust, encouraging professional development, mindful goal setting, and thoughtful communication.

Nurturing Your Professional Passion

Nurturing your professional passion is different that just being happy at work. There is a depth and process that comes when we are engaged and excited about our work. We are able to connect the activities of our day to something bigger. We can find both happiness and meaning in our positions, creating a sense of purpose that fuels our employment. In this session, we will examine our needs and wants in the workplace. Fulfillment at work is often a matter of perspective. Before we can foster these outcomes in our teams, we have to ensure that we feel them in ourselves. Creating a positive workplace culture starts with each of us!

Reducing Workplace Drama and Conflict

Conflict and drama are a top culprit of workplace frustration. Everyone hopes to work at a job where people get along and happily go about doing their jobs, but you have likely experienced a different reality at some point in your career. This topic will look at the causes of workplace conflict and drama, the high cost such behaviors have on our teams, and what supervisors can do to help change the tone. Using the tools we’ve learned about coaching, mentoring and having difficult conversations, we will create strategies to hold individuals accountable for their role in disrupting the workplace and find ways to support and elevate employees who are doing a great job.

Getting Comfortable with Discipline and Having Difficult Conversations

Many of us are uncomfortable when it comes to talking to employees about performance issues. We sometimes let the little things go only to find ourselves dealing with much bigger issues just a few weeks or months later. We also struggle with challenging staffing issues and worry that if we hold staff accountable, they’ll just quit. But there is a middle ground. There are ways to voice concerns about performance and walk out of the meeting without tears or anger. Getting better at difficult conversations starts with building trust with our teams, continues with our supervisory approach, and culminates when we discuss and hold staff accountable in a positive and growth-driven way. This training will help participants gain confidence and skills to improve their ability to succeed at the difficult parts of supervision.

Effective Communication and Coaching

Being an effective communicator is one of the most important skills a supervisor can possess. At work, we use a variety of methods of communication, both in person and using technology, and sometimes our tone or the content can be misunderstood. Communication is also a very important skill when you are coaching an employee. Whether you are working with a new staff or trying to help a seasoned staff improve their performance, effectively coaching employees can be the difference between your workplace feeling like a revolving door or feeling stable. This topic will center on improving your skills to deliver information, instructions, and feedback in a way that offers clarity and builds trust with your team members.

Understanding Workplace Styles and Preferences

Each of us have preferences that dictate the ways that we prefer to collaborate, execute, and communicate at work. Successful supervisors need to understand the variety of different preferences and styles that are possessed by their team members in order to bring people together, assign tasks and ensure success. This session will use “Colorful Personalities” to help us determine our dominant style preferences, while helping us better understand how to work, collaborate, and supervise people who approach work differently than we do. Through engaging exercises and activities, we’ll learn how we can be better peers, co-workers and supervisors through improved understanding of the strengths and attributes each person brings to our team.

Cultivating Trust in Your Workplace

Successful supervisors, managers and leaders recognize the need to develop organization, delegation, and communication skills to support successful teams. But those traits fall flat if they aren’t demonstrated within a culture of trust. A team that focuses on building and maintaining trust will also enjoy lower turnover, better connection and productivity, and happier employees. In this training, we will build a framework within the 4 Cs (Care, Communication, Competence and Consistency) to support building trust at all levels of your agency. We will examine actions that build and erode trusting relationships, including the difference between support and surveillance. Participants will gain knowledge and skills to bring back to their teams to cultivate trust in their workplace.

Boundaries and Relationships for  Supervisors

Figuring out how to create and maintain professional boundaries at work is common struggle for supervisors. Employees report wanting to feel connected, respected and valued by their supervisor, but supervisors sometimes struggle in those gray areas between friendship and authority. In this session, we will look at how appropriate boundaries can actually be freeing and help prevent conflicts while fostering positive, interpersonal, workplace relationships. Learn how to set clear and customized boundaries for yourself, those you supervise and your team as whole. Recognizing boundaries not only as limitations, but as ways to empower your team, will also help you in achieving your goals for coaching, counseling and motivating staff.

Embrace the Power of Habits

We all have things we’d like to accomplish, goals that we set, and stories of giving up in failure. We hear a lot of about the importance of self-care in our field, but occasionally doing something nice for ourselves creates only a moment of happiness, not a path to longer term contentment and growth. Learning how to evaluate, understand and tweak our habits is the key to achieving our goals, and living a more successful personal and professional life. In this training, we will examine the role of habits in our lives. We will look at the choices that we make at home and at work, and how they influence what we accomplish. We will look at how habits are formed, how they are changed, and how they are maintained. This training will help you be better able to identify, evaluate, and find a path to achieving your personal and professional goals.

Cost Reporting – A DHS Requirement to Continue Receiving Payments! (1 hr)

So you recently learned that you are one of the roughly 20% of providers required to complete a Cost Reporting in order to continue receiving waiver payments.  You may have many questions: What is Cost Reporting? Why do you have to do it? And most importantly, HOW do I do it? STAR has created a virtual classroom session which will give you answers to these questions. In this virtual classroom, we walk through the entire report and how to use it. You will be given the tools you need to gather the required information and successfully input it into the report. Let us help you by sharing the critical information you need to complete this new requirement.

Advanced Level 6790C Completion (1 hr)

This virtual course is intended for someone who knows the basics of the 6790C form. We will look at examples of more complicated staffing patterns to calculate the numbers for the 6790C form, and examples of homes where not everyone leaves during the day so the staffing ratio is not based on the licensed capacity. We will also look at how interpretations to the system have changed over the years.

Basic Support Services: Incident Response and Reporting (1 hr)

Did you know that incidents can still occur that affect the individuals you support through Basic Support Services? These situations are not limited to Intensive Services. In this virtual classroom, we will explore what situations occur that qualify as an incident and their mandatory response, reporting, review, and follow up requirements. Real-life examples will be discussed throughout the presentation that are applicable to Basic Support Service Providers. We will also identify staff training required and methods to tracking incidents.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Basic Support Services: Positive Support Strategies (1 hr)

Recent 245D correction orders are showing an increase in violations related to the requirements for Positive Support Strategies (PSS). Does your documentation reflect the PSS requirements in 245D and the Positive Supports Rule? You may be asking, what are they? What does my basic support services documentation need to include to address PSS? Since everyone you support, regardless of service, is required to have PSS in place, come and learn how to develop these strategies in a person-centered and practical way. In this presentation, you will be introduced to tools and processes you can implement with the individuals you support to not only meet licensing requirements, but also positively impact the lives of the people you support.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Basic Support Services: DC and DM Job Duties (1 hr)

According to Chapter 245D, all service providers must have a Designated Coordinator (DC) and a Designated Manager (DM). But what exactly are these positions responsible for? Join us for a review of the DC and DM job duties according to 245D and what this practically looks like in the day-to-day of service provision and administration. We will keep the scale of our focus to the unique types of services that Basic Support Service providers offer and address some of the challenges that may be experienced in implementing these job duties.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Basic Support Services: Admission to Annual and Everything in Between (1 hr)

Basic providers are not exempt from having documents to support each person’s services. There are numerous documents to complete as a provider of basic 245D services. Do you know which documents need to be completed and when? Everyone must have an accurate and thoroughly written IAPP (Individual Abuse Prevention Plan), a Support Plan (formerly CSSP) Addendum, written positive support strategies, with person-centered information for each person supported. Come participate in this virtual class to learn what it is that you need to know! This virtual classroom is designed for Basic Support Service providers only.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

An Introduction to 245D and the Disability Field (1.5 hrs)

This virtual classroom is ideal for brand new 245D service providers or managers who have little to no previous experience in the field or for those wanting a basic 101 course. During this course, we will explore many topics including terminology, statutes and regulations, waiver information, and the purpose of licensure. Specifically geared toward new providers, we will discuss your roles and responsibilities including adhering to policy, implementing 245D services, the positions of support team members, and a brief introduction to person-centered thinking and service delivery.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

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Fraud Prevention for Designated Managers and Public Funds Compliance Officers (1.5 hrs)

Preventing fraud is a responsibility many organizations overlook until it is too late. As a Medicaid provider, you are required to have fraud prevention measures in place. What does a Designated Manager and a Public Funds Compliance Officer need to do about fraud prevention? Every 245D licensed agency needs a Designated Manager and Public Funds Officer and both are responsible for ensuring public funds are being used correctly. In this course we will examine:

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

Writing the Self-Management Assessment (1 hr)

The Self-Management Assessment (SMA) tends to be one of the most incorrectly written documents in a person’s file. Knowing how to write a compliant and thorough SMA is important not only to avoid licensing violations, but to also adequately reflect the person’s skills, abilities, and areas where support is needed. This course will give you the skills you need to write an SMA as required for Intensive Services under 245D, including their required timelines. We will help you avoid common SMA errors and to feel confident in your documentation.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Writing the Individual Abuse Prevention Plan (1 hr)

The Individual Abuse Prevention Plan (IAPP) is a document many people write quickly upon admission but fail to properly update to adequately reflect a person’s needs. An improperly written IAPP not only leaves the person more vulnerable to abuse, neglect and finance exploitation due to unprepared staff, but it can also increase liability for a provider if the written plans are considered inadequate during times of maltreatment investigations. In this class you will learn how to write thorough and compliant IAPPs to help adequately prevent and respond to potential maltreatment based on the unique needs for each individual you support.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Writing the Support Plan Addendum: Intensive Support Services (2 hrs)

The numerous requirements of the Support Plan (formerly CSSP) Addendum are critical for providers to understand. In this course, we will walk through the specific requirements for 245D Intensive Support Service providers. You will learn how to complete documentation to adequately reflect all of the aspects needed to meet the Support Plan Addendum requirements as well as specific details to include. We will also cover the timelines for completion and distribution of the Support Plan Addendum.

CEU Contact Hours: 2.4 for Nurses, 2 for Social Workers

Basic Support Services: Writing the Support Plan Addendum (1 hr)

The numerous requirements of the Support Plan (formerly CSSP) Addendum are critical for providers to understand. In this course, we will look at the specific requirements for 245D Basic Support Service Providers. You will learn how to complete documentation to adequately reflect all of the aspects needed to meet the Support Plan Addendum requirements. You will also learn the timelines for when this documentation needs to be completed.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Writing Positive Support Strategies: Everyone Needs Them! (1 hr)

Recent 245D correction orders are showing an increase in violations related to the requirements for Positive Support Strategies (PSS). Does your documentation reflect the PSS requirements in 245D and the Positive Supports Rule? You may be asking, what are they? What does my documentation need to include to adequately address PSS? Since everyone you support is required to have PSS in place, come and learn how to develop these strategies in a person-centered and practical way. In this interactive class, you will be introduced to tools and processes you can implement with the individuals you support to not only meet licensing requirements, but also positively impact the lives of the people you support.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

What’s Due and When for DCs and DMs Offering Intensive Services? (1.5 hrs)

As a Designated Coordinator or Designated Manager, it can be hard to keep everything straight! We will walk through all the requirements from intake to annual for the people you support as well as take a look at staff employment and training needs from date of hire through their first year anniversary. In addition to 245D, we will also discuss requirements in some regulations you may not be as familiar with, but still require your compliance, such as the Positive Supports Rule, Vulnerable Adult Act, and more. We will give tools you can use to help keep the requirements organized and help you to avoid missing the deadlines you are required to uphold.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

What Are Permitted Actions? More Common Than You Think! (1 hr)

When people think of permitted actions, they often assume they don’t use them with the people they support. However, permitted actions are quite common and are a frequently missed documentation requirement. Permitted actions are not a negative thing. They are a way to document how to best support a person through touch or positive redirection. Learn what MN Statutes, Chapter 245D and MN Rules, Chapter 9544 have listed as permitted actions and what you need to document to be in compliance.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Viewing Inclusion as the #1 Job Function of DSPs (1 hr)

Often we think of our role in disability services is to provide supervision or caregiving. When we hold this belief, our main focus often becomes to ensure people with disabilities are safe, secure and well cared for. What happens when we change our beliefs about our role in supporting people with disabilities? What happens when we see our role, and we lead our staff, in believing their number one job function in supporting people with disabilities is to help them be fully involved in their community? What results will we get? What will life look like for the people we support? Come explore how direct care staff, managers, and directors can shift their thinking in the support they provide and what specific activities they can take to help the people they support live fully engaged and involved lives!

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Sharpen the Use of Your Person-Centered Tools (1 hr)

The term “person-centered” seems to mean so many things. You may be wondering, am I doing this right, or how do I start? Person-centered tools are a great, and fairly simple, way to capture important information as a basis for person-centered support. This class will empower you to use person-centered tools to enhance the lives of the people you support. We will discuss some practical steps for using person-centered tools including Important To and Important For; Good Day/ Bad Day; Positive Reputation; What’s Working/Not Working, and more! Incorporating and implementing what you learn from these tools will help improve your quality of support while also helping the people, that you support, live the life they desire. Let’s use these the person-centered tools, not lose them!

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Rights and Rights Restrictions (1 hr)

MN Statutes, Chapter 245D establishes rights for people receiving services. Learn what you are required to do regarding rights, how to protect people’s rights, and help them exercise their rights. This session will also examine the requirements needed if a restriction of someone’s rights might be needed, as well as exploring other alternatives to a rights restriction.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Restricted and Prohibited Procedures, with EUMR process of reporting and documentation (1.5 hrs)

As a manager, are you able to clearly explain what the two restricted procedures are as written in 245D and 9544? Can you name some of the 30 prohibited procedures? When EUMRs (Emergency Use of Manual Restraint) and PSTPs (Positive Support Transitions Plans) are done incorrectly, it may result in a maltreatment investigation. It is critical you have a complete understanding of your obligations. Ensure your agency is well-versed in the definitions of Restricted and Prohibited Procedures and feels confident in the reporting and paperwork requirements by attending our virtual classroom. You will gain the information you need and also be able to interact with the instructor to ensure you leave feeling confident with your knowledge of this important topic.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

Random Bits and Pieces: Commonly Missed Requirements (1 hr)

Have you ever been curious if there are any bits and pieces of information in Statute or Rule that you may be missing? Have you wondered, “Am I doing everything that I need to?” This virtual classroom will cover commonly overlooked components of 245D and related regulations. Some of the topics covered include: admission and discharge register, policy revisions and notifications, discharge inventories, review of suspension and termination requirements, environment and safety standards, training for volunteers, and more! Hear directly from one of our consultants to ensure you aren’t letting key requirements fall through the cracks.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Physical Plant Requirements for Day Services (1 hr)

This class will give you the information you need to comply with the standards specific to 245D Day Service Facility (DT&H) physical plant requirements. With so many areas of 245D compliance vying for our attention, the small details of Day Service Facility requirements often get overlooked and forgotten. Avoid needless licensing violations by learning about the DT&H physical plant requirements, health and safety rules, and other Day Service specific regulations.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Physical Plant Requirements for Community Residential Settings (1 hr)

Organizations who provide residential services in a physical plant owned or leased by the provider hold a Community Residential Settings (CRS) license. These providers have certain physical plant requirements including health and safety, food and water, building requirements, and more. These detailed requirements are easily met once known, but are often overlooked resulting in unnecessary citations. This class will help participants feel confident in the requirements that are unique to CRS licenses.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

​​Physical Plant and Other Family Adult Foster Care Requirements (1 hr)

Family Adult Foster Care providers have a lot on their plate with both 245D requirements and Family Adult Foster Care regulations (Rule 203). When your county licensor comes knocking on your door, do you know what they want to see? In this course, you will learn about the physical plant and additional 203 paperwork requirements that are beyond the 245D regulations. Increase your confidence and decrease your confusion by learning the intricacies of Family Adult Foster Care requirements.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Person-Centered Outcomes (1 hr)

Do you find yourself falling back on the same outcomes time and again? Are the people you support either unwilling to participate or unsuccessful in their outcomes? It may be time to change your outcome approach! 245D requires that people receiving services have outcomes related to acquiring, retaining, or improving skills and physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. In this course, you will discover how to write outcomes that are person-centered and help people improve quality of life. Learn how to explore meaningful outcomes with the people you support and develop action steps to help them reach their goals, all while complying with 245D.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

A Person-Centered Approach to Progress Reports and Team Meetings (1 hr)

Facilitating another dull support team meeting? Writing another dry progress report? It doesn’t have to be this way, in fact it shouldn’t be this way! Learn tips on how to facilitate engaging person-centered support team meetings and write meaningful progress reports that best reflect the wonderful things happening in the life of the person you support.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

One-Page Descriptions (1 hr)

Imagine if you were introduced to others using your medical, psychological and behavioral information as the foundation of the introduction. It wouldn’t be a true reflection of who you are but that is too often the case for the people we support. A one-page description is a positive introduction to a person. It always includes what is important to a person, what people like and admire about them and how they want to be supported. It can include much more and can be used for a variety of purposes to help ensure the people we support aren’t defined by system based thinking. This virtual class will give you the skills you need to develop a great one-page description.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Maltreatment and Internal Reviews (1.5 hrs)

Did you realize internal reviews aren’t only for maltreatment investigations? Are you completing them as required? This course will discuss the situations when internal reviews are needed, including the maltreatment investigation requirements, what is required in an internal review and more!

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

Important To/For (1 hr)

We all have choices throughout the day and we likely make our decisions by balancing what we want and like, while also considering our health and safety. When supporting others, helping people balance Important TO and Important FOR can be challenging. “It was her choice to eat 6 donuts,” or “He can’t hang out with her because she’s a bad influence.” This virtual class will give you the skills you need to support people in making an informed choice that balances TO and FOR. Participation is expected so be prepared to engage with examples and hear from your fellow participants.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Incidents and Emergencies (1.5 hrs)

When Incidents and Emergencies occur, there is usually a lot of stress and confusion. As providers, amid this chaos, we also need to ensure we follow the required procedures for documentation, notification, and more. In this course we will discuss, what needs to be reported and when, and who is responsible for what. We will answer any questions you may have about Incidents and Emergencies.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

Health Needs (1 hr)

An often overlooked but vital aspect of the Support Plan (formerly CSSP) Addendum is the provider’s responsibility in assisting with a person’s health needs. Have you written your documentation to adequately address all of the required 245D components for each person you support? This isn’t only about compliance, but also ensuring your responsibilities are clearly outlined to avoid liability for areas outside of your scope of service. Join our interactive virtual classroom training to ensure you are compliant and consistent in the area of health needs.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Handling Conflict and Stress During Challenging Times (1 hr)

Managers are being asked to do even more than normal. We are being challenged to not only complete our traditional job functions, but we are also are also dealing with new challenges supporting our teams, the individuals we support, and our own families as they cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. These stressors can cause conflict. Conflicts can manifest between staff and the people we support, between team members, and between managers and those they supervise. This session will focus on understanding how to cope with challenging times, developing and fostering self-awareness and self-care patterns, and finding the balance between empathy and accountability so staff can be more effective in their positions while creating a healthier team.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Growing Your Skills as a Supervisor (1 hr)

Supervising is hard. Many staff report that the day-to-day challenges of supervising people leaves them perplexed and overwhelmed. Supervisors sometimes find solace in hiding behind projects or tasks, rather than figuring out how to navigate difficult and complex situations with people. In this class, we will look at 5 common challenges supervisors face, while looking for solutions that can work across teams as well as customized approaches for particularly difficult employee situations.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Designated Manager Qualifications and Job Duties (1.5 hrs)

A Designated Manager (DM) is an important member of your organization. They must be knowledgeable about regulations, your company’s compliance, and oversight for evaluating program quality and improvements. There are specific responsibilities and requirements for a DM and often providers aren’t ensuring the DM is adequately prepared for these duties. This important position has significant responsibilities to the people, staff, the program, and agency as a whole. Learn about these responsibilities, their implementation, and how to meet them head on and with confidence. This virtual classroom will include participation from attendees so be prepared to share examples and experiences.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

Designated Coordinator Qualifications and Job Duties (1.5 hrs)

Does the Designated Coordinator(s) (DC) at your agency have the knowledge and competency to do their job according to 245D? Are they fulfilling their responsibilities as required? While many people think they know what a DC does, 245D has very specific responsibilities for a DC including professional oversight of the services being provided to each person. Learn about these responsibilities, their implementation, and what licensors will be looking for to ensure your DC can be confident and competent in their role. This virtual classroom will include participation from attendees so be prepared to share examples and experiences.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.8 for Nurses, 1.5 for Social Workers

Completing the Financial Form 6790C (1 hr)

Incorrectly filling out the 6790C (Adult Foster Care/ Supervised Living Services financial form) can lead to major ramifications including being underpaid for the services you are providing or potentially committing fraud by over reporting your services. Not sure where the numbers for the 6790C form come from? Or how these numbers determine your rate? This class will explain the how and why of this form and give you guidance on how you need to be determining the correct responses for your services. Whether you’re a Community Residential Services (CRS) or Family Residential Services (FRS) provider or a case manager, this course will be beneficial for you. If you are wanting to gain the knowledge you need to ensure your 6790C is accurate, and not just your best guess, this course is for you.

245D Training Requirements (1 hr)

There is usually a great focus on the documentation for the people we support, but one of the most common violations providers receive in correction orders is in the area of staff training. There has been multiple changes over the years to staff training leaving many providers using out of date practices. In this course, we will cover the umbrella of current 245D staff training requirements, which encompasses many things including training hours, small details on how topics need to be documented, competency measures, frequency of training, what is required when a staff comes from another licensed program, and more. We will help ensure you have the information you need to get up-to-date on training standards and provide helpful tips to ensure your staff files are documented in an efficient and compliant manner.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

2020 Legislative Changes (1 hr)

Even in these unusual times, there have been legislative changes that will affect your services. The 2020 Legislative Session and Special Session included changes to 245D and the Maltreatment of Minors Act. These changes will impact your operations including policies, procedures, forms, and staff training. Join us as we walk through the changes and discuss what you need to do to implement them.

CEU Contact Hours: 1.2 for Nurses, 1 for Social Workers

Photo of Betsy GadboisBetsy has worked in the field of developmental disabilities since 1980 and executing person-centered planning since the early 1990s. She is a certified trainer and mentor for Person-Centered Thinking and Person-Centered Planning and one of five Person-Centered Thinking and Planning mentors in Minnesota. She has trained people all over the country including families, educators, county case managers, providers, and people receiving service. Betsy is passionate about people having positive control over a life they desire.

Photo of Jen BillingtonJen has been supporting people for 25 years. She has excelled in the role of Designated Manager, Designated Coordinator, and planner. Jen has recently begun formal planning using MAPs, Paths and Liberty Plan, but Person-Centered Thinking has been the foundation of her career. Each person has always been the focus for Jen and supporting them to reach their goals and dreams has been her mission. She has done this through educating others, families, guardians, case managers, and DSPs on what is Important To and Important For each person as well as Power With versus Power Over. Through careful listening and thoughtful questioning, Jen learns who each person is and facilitates growth.

Photo of Lillian Altendorfe-MoralesLillian has an Associate of Arts in Health Care Management and has worked in the Human Service field for over 25 years. A favorite of STAR’s students, Lillian’s experience includes working in ICF/DDs and In-Home Support Services. Outside of her work at STAR, Lillian is always on the move as a personal trainer and a volunteer firefighter. Lillian is also a MANDT and Crisis Prevention Institute instructor.

Photo of Eric PedersonEric has consulted with many providers over the past 15 years, primarily on financial issues such as budget forecasting, contract negotiation, and rate development. He also has over 10 years of experience developing and leading a Fiscal Support Entity that provided self-directed services. Eric has been a leader in promoting self-directed services in collaboration with advocacy groups, counties, and DHS.

Photo of Jennifer MayJennifer has been with STAR Services since 2002 and oversees several departments including online training, contracted staffing, and customer relations. She has a passion for staff training and development and enjoys presenting on Positive Psychology, management topics, workforce motivation, and strategic planning. In 2015, she was named as an Emerging Leader in the field of disabilities by ANCOR. Jennifer graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with BAs in Political Science and International Relations, and a MA in Liberal Arts with concentrations in Political Science and History.

Photo of Dennis TransueDennis has worked in the area of Human Services since 2005. His experience includes working in residential and day program settings. Prior to that, much of his work involved teaching in traditional and non-traditional settings, including 5 years in the Peace Corps where he worked side-by-side with people to improve their farms and manage resources. Additionally, he spent several years teaching a broad array of topics like Mathematics, Biology, First Aid, and CPR. Currently, in addition to working as a STAR consultant and trainer, he leads training for Person-Centered Thinking and facilitates Person-Centered Planning events.

Photo of Sarah SteinSarah has worked as a Designated Coordinator in residential settings and as a program manager for a vocational provider. She has a BA in Psychology and an AA in Medical Administrative Assistance. With over 20 years of experience working in the field of developmental disabilities, Sarah fully understands the training requirements and needs of direct care and management level staff. Sarah has a natural talent for helping participants improve their skills, confidence, and effectiveness.

Photo of Angie HartAngie Hart has over 25 years of experience working with people with developmental disabilities. Through her work as a corporate trainer and consultant, Angie has assisted companies with compliance issues and program development. She uses her experience as a direct support professional, QDDP, Manager of an ICF/DD, and Director of ICF/DD and Waivered Services to teach human service professionals the “ins and outs” of regulations, as well as leading and managing staff in social services. Angie is a Helen Sanderson Accredited Trainer for One Page Profiles and Person-Centered Reviews, received in 2018.

Photo of Becky EikmeierBecky began her career in Human Services as direct support staff in an ICF/DD and has since had experiences supporting children and adults with various diagnoses. Becky combines her BS in Psychology and her experiences as an ICF/DD program manager, director of a DTH, and 22 years as a licensor with the Department of Human Services, to create practical applications of the rules and regulations that are vital to providing effective and compliant services.

Photo of Shauna DeanShauna has 15 years of experience working with people with developmental disabilities. She started her career working as a Personal Care Assistant for children and then went on to work with adults as a direct support professional in both residential and day service settings and as a Manager of a community-based DTH and employment service. Shauna graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a BA in Sociology and Anthropology, and she uses her education and experience to help human service professionals provide person-centered services that are both meaningful and compliant.

Photo of Leane BrownLeane has experience in managing ICF/DD programs assisting individuals with various diagnoses and needs as well as unique experience in aiding in the inception of Minnesota’s first home specifically for adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. She graduated from Clarke College and applies her combined studies in psychology and drama/speech with her first hand experiences to facilitate interactive, dynamic, and relevant training. Leane has received MAPS and PATH training from Inclusion Press, Jack Pearpoint and Lynda Kahn with permission to teach MAPS and PATH.

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