Brass 359 Issue

12-07-21

Below is information shared from the State. I am posting as an FYI/Heads up. 

BRASS 359 had a title change for the 2022-2023 BRASS Manual.  When that title change occurred, the Service Start Date for this BRASS code was inadvertently changed to 07/01/2022, it should have been 2021. We are working swiftly to get this error corrected. May I ask you to hold tight on creating that Service Arrangement and payment until the fix is complete?  Because this impacts the SEAGR report, this work is a high priority and we are hoping this BRASS is working by the end of this week.  My apologies for the inconvenience. 

 

Billing policy on Transport

12-17.21

We have run into a situation and we are not sure of the proper process and wonder what other counties do in this situation.  We have a child placed in a foster home in another county.  Our social worker has been using a volunteer driver from the county where the child is placed to transport the kiddo for visits.  The other county has been sending us the invoice to pay their driver direct.

 

This is great collaboration however, the amount billed is based on the other county’s policy, not Wadena.  Meals are automatically paid a flat amount and no receipts required per the other county, our fiscal policy requires receipts so with our agency cutting the check to the driver, we are not following our own policy.  This is also on the county’s dime since it is not reimbursed by MA.

 

Does your county have a transportation reimbursement policy that addresses what you will pay in a situation like this?  If so, are you willing to share?  Is there a standard process for this amongst counties and I am just not aware of the practice?

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Amie Gendron

Administrative Services Supervisor

Wadena County Human Services

124 1^st ST SE

Wadena, MN  56482

Telephone:  218-632-2535

Fax:  218-631-7616

Qualified Individual (QI) billable charge

 12-01-21

I have a question I need posted to the blog.

 

My question is:  Is the QI costs now associated with Family First a “billable” charge to the parent under parental fee?

 

 

Jodi Smith

Financial Analyst

Jodi.Smith@CO.DAKOTA.MN.US

Social Services

P    651-554-6647

W   www.dakotacounty.us

A    1 Mendota Rd W, Suite 300, West St Paul, MN 55118

Batch processing in MN-Econnect and/or Availity

 12-01-21

Does anyone use batch processing in MN-Econnect and/or Availity for billing EW or Public Health client visits? We received a notice that we will be billed $1200 per year for batch processing beginning 1/1/2022.  I am wondering if there is a way to batch process into Availity instead and is there a fee?  We have sent emails to Availity and are awaiting a response but am wondering if anyone else received this notice from E-Connect and/or if you are using a different process.

 

Please email me any thoughts. Thank you!

 

Carolyn.white@crowwing.us

 

Carolyn White

Business Manager

Office:  (218) 824-1140

Direct: (218) 824-1100

www.crowwing.us                                                                                                             

 

Crow Wing County Community Services

204 Laurel Street

PO Box 686
Brainerd, MN 56401

MAXIS & PRISM Access question

 10-25-21

I'm wondering what kind of MAXIS & PRISM access  Fiscal Supervisors have that supervise both Accounting & Child Support Departments.

 Thanks.

Marlene Remmel

Fiscal Supervisor

114 N Holcombe Ave Ste 180

Litchfield MN 55355-2273

320-693-5300 ext 310

320-693-5344 Fax

marlene.remmel@co.meeker.mn.us

MNE-Connect Question

 10-14-21

Does anyone else use MNE-Connect to upload their MA Transportation files?  We are having issues with our uploads to MNE-Connect.  On the PMI Column, there are no “0’s” in front of the PMI when we save it as a CSV Comma Delimited file.  MNE-Connect’s system used to add the “0’s” to the front of it to make the 8 digits when it was submitted to DHS.  Now it is not, and we are getting denials.  We have been doing it this way as long as I have been here.  The Accounting Tech tried adding an apostrophe in front and adding the 0’s but it takes them out when it is saved.  Any ideas?

Brenda Brown

Accounting Specialist/SSIS Fiscal Mentor

Human Services

530 W Fir Ave

Fergus Falls, MN  56537

Direct 218-998-8181 | Office 218-998-8150

ottertailcounty.mn.us

Incentives for Foster Parents/CARS training

 08-10-21

 Our county is thinking of offering some type of incentive for the foster parents to get their CARS training completed/up to date with the waiver ending. We were wondering if it would be possible to pay for food at the training or a gift card to give away or any other type of incentive. Just wondering if other counties have done anything similar or we shouldn’t do this at all.

 

Thanks,

 

Jenny Thilges

Strategic Finance Accounting Analyst

Douglas County

305 8^th Avenue West

Alexandria, MN 56308

320-762-2946

jennyt@co.douglas.mn.us

07-19-21 Splitting costs with I/M, SS and PH

07-19-21 

Working on the 2022 budget, and wondering how counties split the cost between Income Maintenance, Social Services and Public Health.  Not so much the process, but the actual percentages of each department.  And secondly, do you also use these same percentages for allocating tax levy to each department?  Thank you

 

--

Scott Nagel

Fiscal Manager

Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services

Jackson, Minnesota 56143

507-849-7281

 06-21-21

Are there any counties that use the Cash Drawer system for receipts with IFS and also have a Cash Drawer at the social service agency where they receipt in money as it comes to them?  I’m interested in hearing or getting copies of any policy/procedure how the receipts are managed using the Cash Drawer system at the social service office.

 

Thank you,

 

Penny Grove, Fiscal Supervisor

Red Lake and Norman County Social Services

P.O. Box 356; 125 Edward Ave NW

Red Lake Falls, MN 56750

Ofc: 218-253-4131 ext. 240

Fax: 218-253-2926

Fees Related to Civil Commitments

 04-12-21

I couldn’t find out on the blog where this question has been asked before. (I also couldn’t find any Q&As for all of 2020.) So, not sure who to contact to get my question out to the state-wide group. My question is:

 

How does your county handle the attorney fees, service fees, and any other court-related expenditures for Civil Commitments?

 

Thanks,

 

Melinda Robertson

Accountant

Lac qui Parle County Family Services

PO Box 7

930 1st Ave.

Madison, MN  56256

Phone: 320-598-7594

Fax: 320-598-7597

mrobertson@co.lac-qui-parle.mn.us

Electronic Payments

 04-12-21

My Collections Supervisor is asking, what systems/programs are other counties using to allow electronic payments to be made to the county on collection accounts?  Example:  Point & Pay

Susan.roll@co.clay.mn.us