For people and families starting to explore support
What should we prepare before a MnCHOICES assessment?
Prepare a picture of everyday life: what matters to the person, what they manage now, where help is wanted, and what support is already in place. Use the conversation to ask questions rather than trying to arrive with a service decision already made.
Find the appropriate starting contact
Minnesota’s MnCHOICES information and county or tribal contact directory explain where to begin. Ask the relevant agency how to request a conversation, what to prepare and how to arrange communication accommodations. Follow its current instructions rather than relying on a provider’s general checklist.
Describe ordinary days and difficult days
Choose a few examples that explain the need for assistance. Include what the person does successfully and what changes when routines are disrupted. If help is already being provided by a relative or friend, describe that arrangement and any limits on its availability.
Ask the person what they want to explain themselves and whom they want involved. A family member’s account can add context without replacing the person’s own priorities. Keep notes factual; you do not need to turn them into a diagnosis.
Leave room for questions
Ask what happens after the assessment conversation, who will explain the findings and how to raise an unanswered question. Write down the contact rather than assuming a provider can make the assessment decision.
An assessment discussion and a provider inquiry are different steps. Clemens Health can discuss its services and potential fit, but this worksheet does not establish eligibility or promise that any particular support will be authorized.
Assessment conversation preparation
Download this editable worksheet, add your notes, and bring it to the relevant planning conversation. Leave unknown details blank and identify who can confirm them.
Download worksheet (.txt)- What matters
- Which routines, relationships or activities does the person want to maintain or change?
- Current help
- Who helps now, with what, and what limits or changes need explaining?
- Everyday examples
- What happens on a typical day and on a more difficult day?
- Participation needs
- Who does the person want involved, and what communication support should be requested?
- Follow-up questions
- Who explains the next step and how can the person raise remaining questions?
An optional discussion tool, not an official assessment, authorization, service plan, or emergency plan. Keep completed copies private and share through an agreed channel.
Illustrative planning example
A person manages an activity when their sibling is available, but the sibling’s work schedule is changing. The notes explain both what is currently working and why the arrangement may no longer be reliable. They do not assume the change automatically qualifies the person for a service.
This example is invented to explain the worksheet; it is not a client story or a promised outcome.
Your next step
Use the state contact directory to reach the appropriate county or tribal agency. Ask what information is useful for its process and how the person can participate comfortably.
For a conversation with Clemens Health about your Twin Cities location, call (651) 354-1196 or send a referral. Service fit, authorization, and staffing need to be confirmed.
Minnesota resources
State resources explain program rules. The worksheet and examples are Clemens Health planning aids. Links were checked October 5, 2026; follow the current state guidance for eligibility and service questions.