Children's Services

Definitions

Audiologist: A health care professional who engages in the practice of audiology, meets the qualifications required by MN Stat. secs. 148.511 – 148.5198, and is licensed by the commissioner under a general, clinical fellowship, doctoral externship, or temporary license.

Augmentative Communication Device: An electronic or nonelectronic device and the related components necessary to enable a person with severe expressive communication limitations to produce or transmit messages or symbols in a manner that compensates for that disability. Examples of augmentative communication devices are: communication picture books, communication charts and boards, and mechanical/electronic devices (MN Stat. sec. 256B.0625, subd. 31[a]).

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA): A person who has successfully completed all academic and fieldwork requirements of an occupational therapy assistant program approved or accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and is currently certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and is licensed by the State (MN Stat. sec. 148.6410).

Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC): The name for Minnesota’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) Program. EPSDT is a required service under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. C&TC is a comprehensive child health program provided to children and teens, newborns through age 20, who are enrolled in Medical Assistance (Medicaid) or MinnesotaCare.

Clinical Fellowship Licensure: Clinical Fellowship candidates must be licensed with a clinical fellowship license. The commissioner shall issue clinical fellowship licensure as a  speech-language pathologist or audiologist to an applicant who has applied for licensure under MN Stat. sec. 148.515, who is not the subject of a disciplinary action or past disciplinary action, and who has not violated a provision of MN Stat. sec. 148.5195, subd. 3.

Clinical Supervision for Mental Health Services: A license holder must ensure that a mental health professional or certified rehabilitation specialist provides treatment supervision to each staff person who provides services to a member and who is not a mental health professional or certified rehabilitation specialist. When providing treatment supervision, a treatment supervisor must follow a staff person’s written treatment supervision plan. (MN Stat. sec. 245I.06)

Direct Service Time: Direct service time includes time in which a mental health professional, clinical trainee, mental health practitioner, or mental health behavioral aide spends face-to-face with a member and the member’s family or providing covered services through telehealth as defined under MN Stat. sec. 256B.0625, subd. 3b. Direct service time includes time in which the provider obtains a member's history, develops a member's treatment plan, records individual treatment outcomes, or provides service components of children's therapeutic services and supports. Direct service time does not include time doing work before and after providing direct services, including scheduling or maintaining clinical records (MN Stat. sec. 256B.0943, subd. 1[g]).

Direction of Mental Health Behavioral Aide: The activities of a mental health professional, clinical trainee, or mental health practitioner in guiding the mental health behavioral aide in providing services to a member. The direction of a mental health behavioral aide must be based on the member’s individual treatment plan and requirements in MN Stat. sec 256B.0943, subd. 1[h]. 

Speech-Language Pathologist: A person who has a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, is licensed by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board as a speech-language pathologist, and either has a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA), has completed the equivalent educational requirements and work experience necessary for the certificate, or has completed the academic program and is acquiring supervised work experience to qualify for the certificate (MN Stat. sec. 256B.0625, subd. 26[c]).

Indirect Services: Non-direct (not face-to-face) intervention with the member. Services which include ongoing progress reviews; cooperative planning; consultation; demonstration teaching; modification and adaptation of the environment, curriculum, materials, or equipment; and direct contact with the member to monitor and observe. Indirect services may be provided by a teaching or related services professional to another regular education, special education teacher, related services professional, paraprofessional, support staff, parents, and public and nonpublic agencies to the extent that the services are written in the member’s IEP and IFSP. (MN Stat. sec. 3525.0210, subd. 27)

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A written statement for each student that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting and is based on an evaluation of the student’s performance, presenting problems, and the effect on learning in appropriate settings. (MN Stat. sec. 3525.2810, subp. 1[A]). 

Review and revision of Individualized Education Program (IEP): The district shall ensure that the IEP team reviews the student’s IEP periodically, but not less than annually to determine whether the annual goals for the student are being achieved, and revise the IEP as appropriate to address: any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general curriculum, where appropriate; the results of any reevaluation conducted under 3525.2710; information about the student provided to, or by , the parents; or the student’s anticipated needs and other matters. The regular education teacher of the student, as a member of the IEP team, shall, to the extent appropriate, participate in the review and revision of the IEP of the student. (MN Stat. sec. 3525.2810, subp. 3)

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP): A written plan for providing services to a child (from birth through age 3 years) and the child’s family through. Procedural and program requirements for the IEP also apply to the educational components of the IFSP. (MN Stat. sec. 125A.27, subd. 10)

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): An individual licensed by the Minnesota Board of Nursing to practice practical nursing (MN Stat. sec. 148.171, subd. 8).

Licensed School Nurse: A professional registered nurse who is licensed as a Public Health nurse in Minnesota; is licensed as a school nurse in Minnesota; has a minimum of three years of experience in school nursing services or as a Public Health nurse serving schools; and has experience in managing a districtwide health policy. (MN Stat. sec. 121A.20, subd. 2). 

Mental Health Behavioral Aide Services: Medically necessary one-on-one activities performed by a mental health behavioral aide qualified according to MN Stat. sec. 245I.04, subd. 16, to assist a child retain or generalize psychosocial skills as previously trained by a mental health professional, clinical trainee, or mental health practitioner and as described in the child’s individual treatment plan and individual behavior plan. Activities involve working directly with the child or child’s family as provided in MN Stat. sec. 256B.0943, subd. 1(k). 

Mental Health Practitioner: A staff person who is qualified according to MN Stat. sec. 245I.04, subd. 4. 

Mental Health Professional: A staff person who is qualified according to MN Stat. sec. 245I.04, subd. 2. 

Occupational Therapist (OT): A person who is qualified according to MN Stat. sec. 148.6408.

Personal Care Assistant (PCA): An individual employed by a personal care assistance agency who provides personal care assistance services and who is qualified according to MN Stat. sec. 256B.0659, subd. 11. 

Physical Therapist (PT): A person licensed by the board who practices physical therapy as defined in sections MN Stat. secs. 148.65 – 148.78.

Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA): A person licensed by the board who provides physical therapy under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist, and who performs physical therapy interventions and assists with coordination, communication, documentation, and patient-client-related instruction. (MN Stat. sec. 148.65, subd. 3) 

Public Health Nurse (PHN): A Registered Nurse who meets the voluntary registration requirements established by the Minnesota Board of Nursing by Rule. (MN Stat. sec. 148.171, subd. 18) 

Registered Nurse (RN): An individual licensed by the Minnesota Board of Nursing to practice professional nursing. (MN Stat. sec 148.171, subd. 20) 

Serious and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI): For purposes of case management and community support services, a “person with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness [SPMI]” means an adult who has a mental illness and meets at least one of the following criteria:

  1. The adult has undergone two or more episodes of inpatient care for a mental illness within the preceding 24 months;
  2. The adult has experienced a continuous psychiatric hospitalization or residential treatment exceeding six months’ duration within the preceding 12 months;
  3. The adult has been treated by a crisis team two or more times within the preceding 24 months;
  4. The adult:
    1. Has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, schizoaffective disorder, or borderline personality disorder;
    2. Indicates a significant impairment in functioning; and
    3. Has a written opinion from a mental health professional, in the last three years, stating that the adult is reasonably likely to have future episodes requiring inpatient or residential treatment, of a frequency described in clause 1 or 2, unless ongoing case management or community support services are provided;
  5. The adult has, in the last three years, been committed by a court as a person who is mentally ill under MN Stat. Chap. 253B, or the adult’s commitment has been stayed or continued;
  6. The adult:
    1. Was eligible under clauses 1 – 5, but the specified time period has expired or the adult was eligible as a child under MN Stat. sec. 245.4871, subd. 6; and
    2. Has a written opinion from a mental health professional, in the last three years, stating that the adult is reasonably likely to have future episodes requiring inpatient or residential treatment, of a frequency described in clause 1 or 2, unless ongoing case management or community support services are provided; or
    3. The adult was eligible as a child under 245.4871, subd. 6, and is age 21 or younger. (MN Stat. sec. 245.462, subd. 20) 

Case management services may continue to be provided for a child with a Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) who is over the age of 18, but under 21 years of age.

Child with Serious Mental Illness: For purposes of eligibility for case management and family community support services, “child with serious mental illness” means a child who has a mental illness and who meets at least one of the following criteria:

  1. The child has been admitted within the last three years or is at risk of being admitted to inpatient treatment or residential treatment for a mental illness; or
  2. The child is a Minnesota resident and is receiving inpatient treatment or residential treatment for a mental illness through the interstate compact; or
  3. The child has one of the following as determined by a mental health professional:
    1. Psychosis or a clinical depression; or
    2. Risk of harming self or others as a result of mental illness; or
    3. Psychopathological symptoms as a result of being a victim of physical or sexual abuse or of psychic trauma within the past year; or
  4. The child, as a result of a mental illness, has significantly impaired home, school, or community functioning that has lasted at least one year or that, in the written opinion of a mental health professional, presents substantial risk of lasting at least one year. (MN Stat. sec. 245.4871, subd. 6). 

Case management services may continue to be provided for a child with a mental illness who is over age 18, but under age 21.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): A person who practices speech-language pathology, meets qualifications under MN Stat. secs. 148.511 – 148.5198, and is licensed by the commissioner. "Speech-language pathologist" also means a natural person, using as an occupational title, a term identified in section 148.513. 

Specialized Maintenance Therapy: A health service that is specified in the member’s plan of care and certified by a physician, or other licensed practitioner of the healing arts within the practitioner’s scope of practice under state law, that is necessary for maintaining a member’s functional status at a level consistent with the member’s physical or mental limitations, and that may include treatments in addition to rehabilitative nursing services, as defined in MN Rules part  9505.0386, subp. 1[K].

Supervision of Paraprofessional: A districtwide process obligates each paraprofessional to work under the ongoing direction of a licensed teacher and, where appropriate and possible, the supervision of a school nurse (MN Stat. sec 125A.08, subd. 2[4]). 

Supervision of Personal Care Assistants: All personal care assistants must be supervised by a qualified professional. Through direct training, observation, return demonstrations, and consultation with the staff and the recipient, the qualified professional must ensure and document that the personal assistant is: (1) capable of providing the required personal care assistant services; (2) knowledgeable about the plan of personal care assistant services before services are performed; and (3) able to identify conditions that should be immediately brought to the attention of the qualified professional. The qualified professional shall evaluate the personal care assistant within the first 14 days of starting to provide regularly scheduled services for a recipient, or sooner as determined by the qualified professional, except for the personal care assistant choice option under subdivision 19, paragraph (a), clause (4). For the initial evaluation, the qualified professional shall evaluate the personal care assistant through direct observation of a personal care assistant’s work. The qualified professional may conduct additional training and evaluation visits, based upon the needs of the recipient and the personal care assistant’s ability to meet those needs. Subsequent visits to evaluate the personal care assistant services provided to a recipient do not require direct observation of each personal assistant’s work and shall occur: 

(1) at least every 90 days thereafter for the first year of a recipient's services;

(2) every 120 days after the first year of a recipient's service or whenever needed for response to a recipient's request for increased supervision of the personal care assistance staff; and

(3) after the first 180 days of a recipient's service, supervisory visits may alternate between unscheduled phone or Internet technology and in-person visits, unless the in-person visits are needed according to the care plan.

(d) Communication with the recipient is a part of the evaluation process of the personal care assistance staff.

(e) At each supervisory visit, the qualified professional shall evaluate personal care assistance services including the following information:

(1) satisfaction level of the recipient with personal care assistance services;

(2) review of the month-to-month plan for use of personal care assistance services;

(3) review of documentation of personal care assistance services provided;

(4) whether the personal care assistance services are meeting the goals of the service as stated in the personal care assistance care plan and service plan;

(5) a written record of the results of the evaluation and actions taken to correct any deficiencies in the work of a personal care assistant; and

(6) revision of the personal care assistance care plan as necessary in consultation with the recipient or responsible party, to meet the needs of the recipient.

(f) The qualified professional shall complete the required documentation in the agency recipient and employee files and the recipient's home, including the following documentation:

(1) the personal care assistance care plan based on the service plan and individualized needs of the recipient;

(2) a month-to-month plan for use of personal care assistance services;

(3) changes in need of the recipient requiring a change to the level of service and the personal care assistance care plan;

(4) evaluation results of supervision visits and identified issues with personal care assistance staff with actions taken;

(5) all communication with the recipient and personal care assistance staff; and

(6) hands-on training or individualized training for the care of the recipient.

(g) The documentation in paragraph (f) must be done on agency templates.

(h) The services that are not eligible for payment as qualified professional services include:

(1) direct professional nursing tasks that could be assessed and authorized as skilled nursing tasks;

(2) agency administrative activities;

(3) training other than the individualized training required to provide care for a recipient; and

(4) any other activity that is not described in this section.

(MN Stat. sec. 256B.0659, subd. 13)

Supervision of Physical Therapist Assistants/Physical Therapy Aides: Every physical therapist who uses the services of a physical therapist assistant or physical therapy aide for the purpose of assisting in the practice of physical therapy is responsible for functions performed by the assistant or aide while engaged in such assistance. The physical therapist shall delegate duties to the physical therapist assistant and assign tasks to the physical therapy aide in accordance with subdivision 2. Physical therapists who instruct student physical therapists and student physical therapist assistants are responsible for the functions performed by the students and shall supervise the students as provided under section 148.65, subds. 5 and 6. A licensed physical therapist may supervise no more than two physical therapist assistants at any time. (MN Stat. sec. 148.706, subd. 1) 

Refer to MN Stat. sec. 148.6432. for supervision of occupational therapy assistants.

 

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Updated_12/22/2025