What Is 24-Hour Emergency Assistance?

Emergencies do not keep office hours. For many people with disabilities who live on their own, knowing that someone will answer the phone at 2 a.m. is what makes independent living possible. In Minnesota, that support has a name: 24-Hour Emergency Assistance. This guide explains what it is, who can get it and how it works.

What is 24-Hour Emergency Assistance?

24-Hour Emergency Assistance is a Minnesota home and community-based waiver service. It provides on-call help and an immediate response during a health or personal emergency that does not involve injury or immediate danger.

What does the service include?

There are two parts to the service:

• On-call support: on-call counseling and problem solving, plus an immediate response at the person’s home. The response can be in person or by another method that works for the person, including remote support.
• Equipment: a personal emergency response system (PERS), including installation, testing, the device and monitoring.

What it does not include

• Staff sleeping or staying awake overnight in the person’s home
• Scheduled on-call support that is already part of another service
• Services that would duplicate it, such as 24-hour customized living or community residential services

Who is eligible?

The service is available through four Minnesota disability waivers: Brain Injury (BI), Community Alternative Care (CAC), Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) and Developmental Disabilities (DD). The person must also meet one of these conditions:

• They live in their own home, do not receive 24-hour supervision, and would otherwise need extensive, routine supervision; or
• They live with a primary caregiver who would otherwise need extensive support to get help in an emergency.

What counts as an emergency?

The service is for urgent situations that need a quick response but are not life-threatening. Examples include:

• A sudden personal crisis or feeling overwhelmed and unsafe
• A conflict with a roommate, neighbor or family member
• A housing problem, such as being locked out
• A stressful situation at work or in the community
• Any problem the person cannot solve alone and needs help with right away

How to get 24-Hour Emergency Assistance

1. Talk to your case manager. The service is authorized by the lead agency (your county, Tribal nation or health plan) and added to your support plan.
2. Choose a provider. Providers must be enrolled with DHS and licensed, usually under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245D.
3. Make a plan. Your provider learns your routines, key contacts and what helps you in a crisis, so they can respond quickly.
4. Save the number. When something happens, call. Help is available day or night.

How MySkye Care can help

MySkye Care provides 24 Hour Emergency Assistance from Fridley, Minnesota, with experienced staff who offer on-call counseling and problem solving, remotely or in person. Many of the people we support also use Individualized Home Supports or Housing Support. To get started, call 612-472-1001 or have your case manager send a referral.

This guide is general information, not legal or benefits advice. Program rules can change; your case manager and lead agency have the final say. Source: Minnesota DHS Community-Based Services Manual, 24-hour emergency assistance.