Alright – so, here we go again. First, no community is perfect and it is heartbreaking for anyone to open an autism therapy agency if they do not understand the EIDBI statute, policy, and care about our children and families. Human services is not a business; it is about humans. Humans who have a disability and often cannot advocate for themselves. At bare minimum, we ask for kindness and compassion from providers. With all that said, DHS always uses the Somali community and other black and brown folks as a scape goat for their incompetence and lack of better oversight that is fair, not to mention their subtle bias ways. None of the agency leaders Harpstead, Nathasha, etc. are here now that either caused or contributed to this shitshow at least for autism as that is the only thing I understand. Then magically the Senate dflers and the governor pretend to care and introduce a bill that would provide objective oversight to all state agencies including DHS, MDE, etc. Wait for it… it is original, not really. Then the DFLers in the house oppose it. Excuse me but aren’t they all the same party who meet behind closed doors. YEP, you see how all this is just a game for them. Ugh, and our community always falls for the bait. If it is too easy to enroll to a service then it is too good and a set up. Below is my testimony for that after the House dflers rejected the senate and governor’s proposal.
Fraud Prevention & State Agency Oversight Policy
Chair: Rep. Robbins
July 8th, 2025
Re: Overview of DHS OIG office & DHS Medicaid Eligibility
Dear Madam Chair and Members, my name is Idil Abdull. I am a Somali Autism Mom and retired advocate. I and other Somali autism families and community members advocated for the Early Intensive Developmental Behavior Intervention (EIDBI) in 2013 at the state legislature and 2014 at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) after I was appointed to the Federal autism Committee – IACC by US HHS Sec Sebelius.
We did this so that Medicaid would cover medically necessary therapy for children with autism in Minnesota and nationwide. As you may know, CMS approved Minnesota’s state plan to provide autism therapy in March of 2015.
Now move forward ten years, as one of the original advocates and more importantly as an autism parent, I am not impressed with DHS’ OIG oversight for autism services and with DHS in general.
- They approve people without to care to ensure people are in this for the right reasons and care about our children.
- DHS refuses to train autism families and EIDBI agencies about policy and statutes. Then DHS gets mad and vilifies our community when people make mistakes.
- Even the new policy and rules passed in this legislative session, DHS has refused to explain to families and agencies that it will affect.
- How do you expect anyone to follow statutes and policies if they do not understand it and no one holds DHS accountable.
- One of DHS’ reasons to not have an oversight of them was the state would lose Medicaid. I am confused and baffled by that; how exactly will the state lose any funding for doing a better oversight? Please ask DHS commissioner that.
- Finally, I am also disappointed with this committee. You have not asked or allowed actual public members in autism or other areas to testify before today unless you selected them. What is the point of helping us when you do not allow us to talk to you. I ask that you allow more public input from the public if the goal is better oversight that is fair and thoughtful without political agenda.
References:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/03/29/idil-abdull–interagency-autism-coordinating-committee
Sincerely,
Idil Abdull – Somali Autism Mom & Retired Advocate
The above words do not reflect any candidate, agency, or committee.
Idil Abdull – Somali Autism Mom & Retired Advocate