Using a new state law and executive order meant to fight fraud in state aid programs, the Minnesota Department of Human Services has ordered a two-year ban on new licenses for programs designed to help people with disabilities live in their communities.

The department will stop issuing new Home and Community-Based Services licenses, stop accepting new license applications, cancel existing license applications and prevent any licensed providers from adding new services. The order is set to take effect next month.

Shireen Gandhi, temporary DHS commissioner, told lawmakers in a letter this week that the number of licenses approved for such services is far outstripping demand.

Over the past five years, the average number of Minnesotans using those services each year rose by nearly 25 percen

See Full Page