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As the Minnesota legislative session heads toward adjournment, important policy and funding decisions are still unfolding that could impact aging services providers, workforce initiatives, reimbursement, and the older adults across the state.

Guardian Pharmacy of Minnesota, a member of Guardian Pharmacy Services, one of the nation’s leading long-term care (LTC) pharmacy services companies, recently announced the promotion of Jeff Kerr to pharmacy president of the Sauk Rapids pharmacy.

Several new grant opportunities are now available that support innovation, quality improvement, workforce capacity, and technology investments across aging services.

The City of Saint Paul has enacted multiple ordinances in the past year that provide protections to renters. Many of the new ordinances take effect on May 14, 2026. 

On Wednesday, May 13, Vice President J.D. Vance and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced the imposition of a six-month nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for home health agencies and hospice providers.

June District Meetings are just a few weeks away, and we look forward to connecting with members across Minnesota for meaningful conversations, timely updates, and valuable networking opportunities.

This marks the final week of the 2026 regular legislative session, with lawmakers racing to complete major budget bills, a bonding bill and tax bill.

Accurate MDS practice is critical to aligning resident care, quality outcomes, and financial performance. To support providers in strengthening this work, LeadingAge Minnesota is offering two in-person MDS training opportunities tailored to different experience levels.

After forty years of unwavering, visionary leadership at Mount Olivet Careview Home, Mount Olivet Home, and Mount Olivet Day Services, Tim Hokanson will retire on June 1, 2026.

On May 1, Sholom, a nonprofit senior care organization, announced a historic $8 million infrastructure investment alongside refreshed brand messaging that reflects its commitment to belonging, dignity, and inclusive community.

Catholic Eldercare is honored to announce the addition of Crest View Senior Community at Blaine to their family.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person on May 6 for a meaningful afternoon of networking, idea sharing and peer learning around the topic of AI in fundraising. We appreciated the opportunity to connect with professionals from across the aging services field and continue strengthening this valuable community.

Leadership in aging services has never mattered more. At a time of growing complexity and change, LeadingAge Minnesota is proud to welcome the 2026 Leadership Academy class — an extraordinary group of 46 emerging and established leaders committed to shaping the future of aging services with courage, compassion, and purpose.

On May 1^st, the U.S. Department of Education published a final rule implementing changes to federal student loan limits for graduate and professional degree programs. The rule finalizes, without modification, the Department’s definition of “professional degree,” despite significant concerns raised during the public comment period.

Following a change in leadership overseeing Resident Service Coordinator (RSC) grants at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the agency is now projecting full-year renewal funds for Calendar Year 2026 grants by early June.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) continues to distribute funding through its Workplace Safety Grant Program, with healthcare employers — particularly nursing homes — remaining the primary recipients of ergonomic safety grant awards.

Join us for an afternoon of golf, networking, and impact at the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation Golf Tournament at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury. Proceeds support caregiver and employee scholarships—last year, you helped raise nearly $60,000!

Yesterday (May 6) marked the launch of LeadingAge Minnesota’s new Emergency Preparedness Training Series for assisted living providers and nursing homes with the first webinar, Demystifying Preparedness: The Basics.

On Wednesday, May 6, the Minnesota Senate passed its Human Services Finance Bill, SF4476, on a vote of 35-32. Critically, after tireless advocacy on the part of LeadingAge Minnesota members, a key provision to require nurse staffing ratios in nursing homes and assisted living facilities was removed from the bill prior to its passage.

A review of mechanical lift–related falls in Quarter 4 of 2025 reveals clear, recurring patterns. These events highlight system-level gaps that can be addressed with reliable processes and consistent practices.

Last week, we shared a new resource to help aging services providers strengthen their workforce by improving how they recruit, support, and advance New Americans. Since then, many of you have begun exploring the guide and considering how it applies to your organization.

The federal push to standardize quality in home and community-based services (HCBS) just got a lot more concrete, and a bit more complicated.

As reported by LeadingAge National, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken a more stringent approach to reviewing Form I-9 documentation, raising compliance risks for employers.

In March 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General released two reports examining how nursing homes administer antipsychotic medications to residents.

If it feels like oversight activity is ramping up, you’re not imagining it. Between enhanced claim reviews, focused federal audits, and Minnesota’s revalidation push, providers are operating in a more scrutiny-heavy environment. The good news? None of this is unmanageable if you know what’s coming and stay organized.

As reported on our social media channels and in Capitol Conversations last week, the “free the happy hour” bill was signed into law on April 21. Earlier this week, the Star Tribune and MinnPost both covered the policy change.

This week, vastly different versions of a Human Services Policy Bill advanced in both the House and Senate.

LeadingAge Minnesota is launching a new, in-depth webinar series designed specifically for nursing home quality leaders who want to strengthen their understanding and use of federal quality programs.

On-Demand access to the 2026 Virtual Institute & Expo expires Thursday, April 30. If you were registered for the 2026 Institute & Expo, you have access to all 27 virtual education sessions, plus five additional sessions and two keynote presentations from the in-person conference.

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care has opened the application period for the 2026 Workplace Safety Grants for Health Care Entities. Application submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. on June 12.