Powerful Public Policy 

The right public policy. For the right reasons. At the right time. 

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Policy Archive

The AGEnda

Championing Strong Policy Solutions 

The MN Leadership Council on Aging is a force in public policy discussions impacting older adults, their families and caregivers.

In the 2024 Legislative Session, our organization has already endorsed a series of legislative solutions:


$25 by '25

  • A proposal to increase wages for most employees at skilled care centers by $5/hour (for nursing assistants, this elevates the wage to $25/hour).


Elderly Waiver Benchmarks

  • A proposal that addresses EW being the only waiver without a rate updating function, by allowing rates to be indexed to a future value.


Value-Based Reimbursement Cost Factors

  • A proposal that adds a rate inflation factor to cover the 15-27 month time period between cost reports and rate increases for skilled care centers.


Trained Medication Aide Training Expansion

  • A proposal that expands TMA training options beyond the current higher education programs to include other MDH-approved programs.


Nursing Assistant Language Accommodation

  • A proposal that would allow MDH to offer a language accommodation beyond English in the current written Nursing Assistant Exam.


SNSA Private Right of Action

  • A proposal that would allow providers to seek legal recourse from Supplemental Nursing Staffing Agencies in situations where fines are assessed.


Housing Support in Board and Lodge

  • A proposal to bring Board and Lodge into the protections language limiting 30% of "unearned income" to be used toward Housing Support costs.


Elimination of the Assisted Living Verification Code

  • A proposal to redeploy Senior LinkAge Line resources by no longer requiring people signing an assisted living lease obtain a verification code.


Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative: Alzheimer's Focus

  • A proposal for the first investment in the Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative Grant in 20 years and addition of a focus on Alzheimer's Disease.


Permanent Respite Supports

  • A proposal to make permanent the short-term respite care supports for primary caregivers seeking to recharge their batteries or complete chores.


Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Health Curriculum

  • A proposal to create a voluntary health curriculum module about Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Disease for grades 8-12.


Dementia Services Coordination

  • A proposal to establish a permanent, full-time Programs Manager at MDH to work across state agencies and divisions on programs and policies.


Home Care Medical Assistance Rates

  • A proposal that increases Medical Assistant rates for underfunded home care evaluations to be closer to the actual costs of the services provided.


Minnesota Homeless Study

  • A proposal that replaces fragmented and insecure funding with a streamlined and going funding for the crucial Minnesota Homeless Study.


More Homes Initiative

  • A proposal that expands affordable housing options and eases zoning barriers by allowing for construction of "missing middle housing" options.


Palliative Care Benefit

  • A proposal that creates a palliative care benefit for Medical Assistance to reimburse interdisciplinary palliative team members in all care settings.


Additional details on proposals, lead advocates and bill numbers will be coming soon. For immediate questions, contact adam@mnlcoa.org.


Additional 2024 Endorsements

Policy proposals can also come at any time during the Session.

Click on the red button to submit a proposal.


Our Endorsement Process

I. Submitting Your Proposal

Anyone may submit a policy solution for endorsement by the Leadership Council via our online form or by contacting the Executive Director. Submissions explore the type of endorsement requested, including:

  1. Use of the Leadership Council's name as having endorsed the proposal
  2. Letter of Support
  3. Op-Ed article for distribution (created collaboratively with the Policy Committee Chair and approved by Board of Directors)
  4. Testimony (members or Executive Director)
  5. Other requests, such as participation in a rally, letter writing campaign, hosting a meeting with legislators, etc.


Submissions also require a brief description of the policy solution (background, high level bill summary), the House and/or Senate File Numbers (if known) and any other comments.

II. Policy Committee Review

Submissions are shared with all Leadership Council Delegates at least 48 hours before the Policy Committee conducts a preliminary review of each proposal, which includes a discussion of three primary criteria questions:

  1. Does the proposal align with the mission and values of the Leadership Council?
  2. Would the proposal positively benefit from Leadership Council endorsement?
  3. Would endorsement introduce significant organizational risk, divide Leadership Council members or negatively impact our trusted brand?


The Policy Committee votes on each proposal and advances those recommendations to the Leadership Council for consideration. Each Policy Committee member organization holds one vote, and the majority must vote in the affirmative for it to advance. If it does not advance, the submitter is notified.

III. Leadership Council Decision

Within 24 hours, the Policy Committee recommendations and all documentation is sent to all Leadership Council Delegates, who then have 72 hours (over business days) to vote. All members must vote in the affirmative for passage of the endorsement. Even one Council Delegate veto stops the proposal from being endorsed. Submitters are then notified of the Leadership Council's position.


This final decision is binding and not appealable. If significant modifications to the proposal occur, the proposal can be resubmitted for endorsement.


The contacts who submit proposals will then be notified and our policy endorsements will be posted on this page. The Executive Director will work with submitters on required next steps, materials and action steps to fulfil the approved endorsements of the Leadership Council. 

Now Underway in Minnesota

MN Legislative Task Force on Aging

Established by the 2023 Legislature to review and develop state resources, as well as identify and prioritize necessary supports for our aging population, and to ensure aging-related state policies are inclusive, the Legislative Task Force on Aging has named Megan Voelke as a staff contact and announced the appointment of members, including: Rep. Ginny Klevorn, Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar, Sen. Kelly Morrison, Sen. Karin Housley, Maureen Schneider, Jen Foley, Joe Gaugler and a representative from the MN Indian Affairs Council yet to be announced. A meeting calendar has not yet been set. Subscribe to learn more >

Multi-Sector Blueprint on Aging

Led by the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council, this is an inclusive statewide effort to develop a 10-year plan for aging in Minnesota. Co-developed by communities across the state, it will provide an opportunity to promote aging in all policies and programs, build relationships across different partners, raise awareness among key decision makers and lawmakers around how policies, investments, and systems impact people throughout life stages, and as a living document, can be adapted at the local level. 

Learn more about Age-Friendly Minnesota's work >


Our Policy Coalitions

MN Leadership Council on Aging

First and foremost, our shared policy work as leading organizations across Minnesota gives us a unique vantage point to create proactive, collaborative policy solutions. Representing well over a million older adults as well as their family and career caregivers, our partnership provides a thoughtful and rigorous table to develop and advance the right public policy. For the right reasons. At the right time. Visit this page > to learn more about our members. 

AGEnda

AGEnda is an experiment that began in 2021 to create a collective impact approach to aging policy in Minnesota. All are invited to participate in various meetings that have been co-convened by the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging, the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council and the Minnesota Board on Aging. This is a multi-year, full-sector approach to elevating and enhancing aging in our state.

Visit this page > today to learn more about the grounding information setting the stage for shared efforts ahead.

Volunteer Driver Coalition

The Volunteer Driver Coalition came together in 2019 with leadership from various Minnesota non-profit organizations, cities, counties, Area Agencies on Aging, Regional Transportation Coordinating Councils, associations, and others like the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging. Together, we support the Coalition’s initiative to strengthen volunteer driver programs in Minnesota.


Visit their website > today to learn more information, see the coalition members involved, and learn how you can help by getting involved in legislative solutions.

Learn More

Contact Executive Director Adam Suomala today at 651-271-3116 or adam@mnlcoa.org to learn more about the Leadership Council's policy work. 
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