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In July, 37 new members joined the ranks of LeadingAge Minnesota. Of the new members, 16 are provider members, two are associate members, 17 are individual members, and two are business partners.

The 2021 LeadingAge Minnesota Nominating Committee, chaired by Mark Anderson, CEO of Knute Nelson in Alexandria, has announced that nominations are open for three Director at Large positions on the LeadingAge Minnesota Board of Directors.

Alana Wright will begin her service as the Minnesota Gerontological Society (MGS) Executive Director on Sept. 13. Alana comes to MGS with 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership focused on equity, aging services, public/community health, and philanthropy.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent an email to National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) users requesting information on vaccine access. This information is reported through the required weekly reporting for nursing homes on both the resident and staff vaccine reporting sections.

CMS recently issued QSO 21-20 NH, a one-paragraph memo that rescinds a July 2017 Memo (S&C 17-37-NH) from the CMS guidance library.

In the 2017 memo, CMS instructed CMS Regional Offices to impose civil monetary penalties for past noncompliance solely on a per-instance basis.

Grant funding is available for skilled nursing facilities to implement an employee engagement strategy and improvement program through Align’s Employee Engagement Solution.

CMS approves civil money penalty (CMP) grant dollars to address employee turnover and its impact on the resident experience and quality of life in Minnesota skilled nursing facilities.

Yesterday, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that they will deny claims for customized living services for dates of service on or after Aug. 1 until they have updated provider records with the new assisted living facility license requirement. They are currently updating records and anticipate completing updates by the end of the day on Aug. 12. 

Funding for the Basic Care Aide and Paid Feeding Assistant Training programs, expedited trainings for caregivers available under the 1135 Waiver, will soon be ending. Access to the trainings will remain available to members through EduCare until the waiver expires. Non-EduCare users may access programs for a fee by contacting Jennifer Anderson or calling 952-288-3800.

Argentum has joined the ranks of national organizations supporting employer mandates of COVID-19 vaccinations for the senior living workforce. The Argentum Board of Directors voted unanimously to support this action, and the organization has publicly issued a statement.

On Aug. 4, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) posted a document communicating recommended protective actions in residential and non-residential settings licensed by DHS in light of the Delta variant. The new guidance provides recommendations on testing, masking, and other protective actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In January 2021, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) temporarily waived the requirement during the peacetime emergency for lead agencies to complete OBRA Level II evaluations before a person’s nursing facility admission.

An essential requirement of assisted living is the provision of a Uniform Disclosure of Assisted Living Services and Amenities (UDALSA). The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has acknowledged that there can be more than one UDALSA per facility if there are varying services in different sections of the building.

With COVID-19 rates lower than at the pandemic's peak, the Minnesota Department of Health is resuming usual survey activities. This webinar provides skilled nursing communities with information and practices to prepare for licensing and certification surveys.

This is the last week to register for LeadingAge Minnesota’s popular annual conference, Billing University for Care Centers, on Aug. 10-11.

The all-virtual Billing U will equip business office personnel with the knowledge, skills and resources necessary to capture appropriate reimbursement and revenue for services provided.

LeadingAge Minnesota’s Annual Meeting & Leadership Forum will be held in person from Sept. 21–24 at Madden’s in Brainerd. A perennial benefit of this conference is the opportunity to learn from your colleagues about their experiences, learnings, and vision.

The next Nursing Leadership Certificate Program will begin at the end of September.

Interested members should save the dates below for the 2021-2022 Nursing Leadership Certificate program; program details are currently being finalized. This year's program is planned to be both a live and in-person and a live virtual event.

Start thinking about your incredible staff, residents and volunteers in preparation for the 2022 Stars Among Us Awards. Nominations are open for individual and organizational awards through Sept. 13 in multiple categories, including the Caregiver of the Year, Outstanding Leadership, and the new Rising Star Award.

LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation is releasing the latest Safe Care Living the Pledge activity, Self Care for Safe Care, to create an environment where teams can thrive and find joy.

Grant funding is available for skilled nursing facilities to implement an employee engagement survey and improvement program through Align’s Employee Engagement Solution.

With workforce pressures reaching unprecedented levels, the 2021 LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation Golf Fundraiser helped raise funds for our next round of caregiver scholarships. The golf event was held on Aug. 3 at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury.

Under the new assisted living (AL) law, providers must submit certain notices to the Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care (OOLTC). A Cover Sheet for AL Notice to OOLTC has been developed to accompany every notice to OOLTC. Notices must be submitted to the fax number 651-431-7452 or emailed to ALnotices.OOLTC@state.mn.us. Do not send the notices to the Regional Ombudsman. For any questions about this cover sheet, please email ALnotices.OOLTC@state.mn.us.

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently released a list of moratorium exception project proposals submitted in the current round of that process. Thirteen providers submitted proposals, and the total one-year state Medicaid cost of those proposals is roughly $2.7 million. The current round is funded using less than one million in state funding due to previously canceled projects, so, unfortunately, less than half of the proposals can be approved.

Featuring Dr. Alyson VanAhn from Associated Clinic of Psychology

We live in a culture that rewards many things, some positive and some that tax our resilience. As health care workers during an ongoing pandemic, we might be especially prone to burning the candle at both ends to hold it all together at work and home.

Funding for the Basic Care Aide and Paid Feeding Assistant Training programs, expedited training for caregivers available under the 1135 Waiver, will soon end. Access will remain available to members through EduCare until the waiver expires. Non-EduCare users may access programs for a fee by contacting Jennifer Anderson or calling 952-288-3800.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) release new testing recommendations for long-term care providers on Monday, Aug. 3.

The Delta variant is more easily transmissible and spreads faster than the original COVID-19 virus or other variants, primarily among unvaccinated and vulnerable individuals. Data shows most COVID-19 cases in long-term care organizations are brought in by staff members. With the Delta variant, the dominant strain in Minnesota, there is risk for increased infection in our settings.

On Tuesday, July 27, a select working group began hosting a series of hearings to determine how to allocate the money set aside during a special session for Hero Pay bonuses for frontline workers. Several different groups are vying for the $250 million set aside for the bonuses, and this week, the working group is hosting a hearing to discuss the effects of the pandemic on long-term care staff. Here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week:

During the June special session, legislation changed resident assessment practices that care centers now need to follow: the requirement for a significant change assessment after therapy services end or after completing a period of required isolation for an infection.

The Minnesota Department of Health has issued over 1,700 assisted living facility or assisted living facility with dementia care licenses as of Friday afternoon. For the remaining 286 conversion applicants who are waiting for background checks or who have final documents to submit, MDH has issued a conditional license.

With COVID-19 rates lower than the peak of the pandemic, the Minnesota Department of Health is starting to resume usual survey activities. This webinar is designed to provide skilled nursing communities with information and practices to prepare for licensing and certification surveys.

Attention billing office professionals: register now for LeadingAge Minnesota’s popular annual conference, Billing University for Care Centers, on Aug. 10-11.