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LeadingAge Minnesota is making it easier to fit professional development—and continuing education—into your schedule with the new 5-Pack Webinar Bundle.

Learning and professional development can take many forms, and LeadingAge Minnesota’s education partners offer additional opportunities for professionals to grow and explore new areas of expertise. One of those partners, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, offers graduate programs that help professionals build specialized knowledge and skills for the next step in their careers.

Section GG has become one of the most influential sections of the Minimum Data Set (MDS), yet it remains one of the most misunderstood. While many clinicians recognize its importance for Medicare reimbursement, Section GG extends far beyond payment. Accurate coding directly impacts Quality Measures, Value-Based Purchasing, Five-Star performance, state Medicaid case-mix systems, discharge planning, and the resident's overall clinical story.

On August 13, 2026, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the surveyor resources for the newly implemented Risk Based Survey (RBS) process.

Every Stars Among Us Award begins the same way: with someone taking the time to nominate a deserving person or program.

On August 17, U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Brasel issued an Order dismissing the lawsuit that LeadingAge Minnesota, along with our Long-Term Care Imperative (LTCI) partner, filed in March 2026 challenging the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board (NHWSB).

After months of delay due to late submission by DHS of the State Plan Amendment (SPA) to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), nursing home rate notices for January 1, 2026, were posted on Friday, Aug. 21 to the nursing facility provider portal.

Occupancy doesn't belong to one department. Marketing creates awareness. Sales builds relationships. Operations delivers the experience. And every interaction with a prospective resident or family shapes how they see your organization. That's why the Sales and Marketing Certificate Program goes beyond traditional sales and marketing tactics.

LeadingAge Minnesota is sharing that William Levine, Data & Membership Coordinator, is taking the next step in his professional career and has accepted a data analyst position with another organization and will therefore be moving on from the association.

The agenda will be published and registration will open in the coming week for LeadingAge Minnesota’s October District Meetings. This fall, we’re adding something new to the district meeting format based directly on member feedback.

As you consider who to nominate for a 2027 Stars Among Us Award, don't overlook everyday excellence. Not every star seeks the spotlight, and some of the people most deserving of recognition are the least likely to ask for it.

Aging services providers know that helping older adults thrive takes more than excellent care—it requires strong partnerships throughout the community.

The CDC is shutting down SimpleReport. The Minnesota Department of Health requires assisted living organizations to transition to alternative electronic tools to report positive point-of-care test results within one working day.

In a rapidly evolving turn of events, a Ramsey County judge ruled on 8/10/2026 that the “Right to Repair” ballot initiative should be included on the November ballot in Saint Paul’s general election.

LeadingAge Minnesota was at FarmFest last week, connecting with attendees and raising awareness about the importance of supporting aging services across Minnesota.

After months of delay, on Tuesday, Aug. 11, CMS approved Minnesota’s State Plan Amendment (SPA). This approval triggers significant nursing facility rate, wage, and surcharge changes.

Quality improvement isn't a one-time initiative — it's an ongoing commitment to delivering the best possible care and outcomes. Whether you're looking for timely updates on today's federal quality programs or want to build deeper expertise in quality leadership, LeadingAge Minnesota offers education designed to help you strengthen performance, improve outcomes, and lead with confidence.

Stars Among Us Awards nominations are open through Sept. 28. You don't have to be a professional writer to submit a great award nomination. The strongest nominations have one thing in common: they tell a story. The Stars Among Us Nomination Guide can help.

A review of mechanical lift–related events and survey findings from the first two quarters of 2026 identified recurring safety concerns involving sling assessment, equipment selection, staff communication, teamwork, and completion of required safety checks.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized changes to COVID-19 vaccination reporting requirements under the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has officially released the FY 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) Final Rule, and the biggest takeaway is one of stability. The final rule closely mirrors the proposed rule issued earlier this year, with very few substantive changes. While there were no major surprises, there are several important updates that skilled nursing providers should understand as they prepare for the years ahead.

In response to discussions with LeadingAge Minnesota, The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has created an additional topic on their Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement (AGE) website intended to give clarity to apartment buildings.

As Minnesota is in peak summer season, a familiar seasonal illness is drawing extra attention this year. Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness that is the subject of a large multistate outbreak that has sickened more than 18,000 people nationally, with a subcluster tied to iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms supplier sourcing from central Mexico.

New videos, on-demand webinars and practical tools help aging services providers recruit, support, and retain New American employees while creating stronger, more welcoming workplaces for everyone.

The 2026 LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation Golf Tournament helped raise record-breaking funds for the next round of caregiver scholarships. In total, thanks to golfers, sponsors, volunteers, on-course games, and ticket sales, the event raised nearly $108,000 before expenses.

Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack answers, but because they rarely have time to ask the questions that matter.

St. Francis Health Services of Morris, Inc. (CEO, Carol Raw) and Benedictine (CEO, Jerry Carley) have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to explore an affiliation between the two Catholic, nonprofit organizations in which Benedictine would become the sole corporate member of SFHS. If the membership substitution occurs, Duluth Benedictine Ministries would, subject to its own agreement, become the Catholic sponsor of SFHS.

Do you want the chance to win $10,000 for your community? Maybe you need to replace aging equipment or want to celebrate your staff.  The choice will be yours if you win one of the six grand prizes that will be drawn in Value First’s 5-Star Dining Program Sweepstakes.

Second quarter data submission for all LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal applications is due by July 31. By submitting your data each quarter, you'll build a stronger picture of your organization's performance over time while gaining access to meaningful benchmarks that can support quality improvement, strategic planning, budgeting, and operational decision-making.

The application materials for another round of the nursing facility moratorium exceptions process were recently posted on the MDH website. Nursing homes interested in applying for approval to fund a construction project will need to complete all the required application materials and return them to MDH by December 17, 2026.