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Please join LeadingAge on Thursday, June 10 at 1 p.m. CT for a conversation about preserving pre-1974 Section 202 Direct Loan affordable senior housing communities. Nationally, there are more than 10,000 pre-1974 Section 202 Direct Loan apartments.

The Minnesota State Fire Marshal (SFM) Healthcare Inspections team has posted several forms that nursing facilities can use to document required inspection of certain life safety features in your buildings. During our Institute last week, SFM inspector Roy Kingsley presented a session on commonly-cited life safety code deficiencies. As part of that, he emphasized the importance of thorough documentation.

With Assisted Living Licensure taking effect on Aug. 1, those settings that provide customized living services under the DHS waiver programs need to take action to ensure continued waiver payment. This document from the Long-term Care Imperative covers various scenarios and how to proceed with updating provider enrollment. Note that we have updated this document based on some DHS comments since the version in Advantage last week.

Care centers are asked to make an annual Case Mix Election to determine the rate for Medical Assistance and private pay residents who stay 14 days or less. Providers choose either to do a Minimum Data Set (MDS) for all such residents and bill based on that case mix or decide not to do MDS and bill at the default (DDF case mix) rate.

The annual recalculation of the Housing Support, formerly Group Residential Housing (GRH), which covers rent and raw food for eligible participants, has increased by $20 per month. The new rate of $954 will be effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

Earlier this week, the Board of Executives for Long-term Services and Supports (BELTSS) requested patience from Licensed Assisted Living Director (LALD) applicants, provided an update on the licensing of Assisted Living Directors, and communicated a delay in the opening of applications for AL Directors in Residence.

This week, lawmakers are approaching a May 28, self-imposed deadline to decide how to allocate the money announced in the recent budget deal by legislative leaders last Monday. Throughout the week, only one legislative committee met publicly. There have yet to be any specific spending details released by budget area. With a looming special session presumed to happen on or before June 14, here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week.

LeadingAge Minnesota has pulled together recent data on vaccination rates, both for long-term care staff in Minnesota as well as the general population in Minnesota.

DHS recently prepared the data needed for all care centers in the Medical Assistance program to select a new goal to work on for another round of the Quality Improvement Incentive Payment Program (QIIP). Each year, based on their progress toward the goal they select, care centers receive a rate increase of $0 to $3.50 per resident day. 

Effective May 28, 2021, DHS is lifting all COVID-19 restrictions issued by DHS for operating adult day centers. 

Time is almost up for current assisted living service providers to submit a conversion application to assisted living licensure. After June 1, a provider needs to apply for a new or “provisional” license with additional standards applied and no assurance that the license will be approved. Unlicensed settings are prohibited from providing assisted living services after Aug. 1.

With CMS announcing that it will make public vaccination rate data submitted by nursing homes to the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network, it reminds us of the need for providers to ensure accurate data reporting.

Audacious Inquiry (Ai), a health information technology company, will present a free webinar on May 25 from 9-10 a.m. to share information with LeadingAge Minnesota nursing home members about a health information exchange opportunity available until June 30.

Lifesprk and Tealwood Senior Living have partnered to bring 35 senior living properties across multiple states under Lifesprk Senior Living.

"The current senior housing market, accelerated by the pandemic, created significant opportunity to provide a markedly different approach to senior living," said Joel Theisen, RN, BSN, Lifesprk CEO.

St. Francis Health Services received the Award of Honor for Performance Excellence in Aging Services from LeadingAge Minnesota. The award recognizes an advanced level of continuous quality improvement and outstanding achievements in 24 management practices focused on leadership, strategy, customers, measurement, workforce and operations.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has posted flow charts to assist settings in determining what, if any, notices must be issued to current residents and clients related to the transition to assisted living licensure. Notices, if needed, must be sent by May 31.

The Minnesota Legislature has adjourned the 2021 regular session, hours before the constitutionally required midnight adjournment, without passing a biennial budget. Lawmakers will need a special session to finish the job. For senior care providers, there are several key priorities left unresolved at this time. We are hopeful that legislators will address these in the special session.

With assisted living licensure taking effect on Aug. 1, settings that provide customized living services under the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) waiver programs wonder what steps they need to take to maintain continued waiver payment. This document from the Long-Term Care Imperative covers various scenarios and how to proceed with updating provider enrollment. Based on information from DHS, here is what needs to be done for provider enrollment after licensure:

Featuring Dr. Alyson VanAhn from Associated Clinic of Psychology

By now, you’ve probably been bombarded with one stress after another. And then you hear one way to handle it after another. Resilience isn’t about doing anything perfectly or all at once.

LeadingAge Minnesota will offer the final sessions of our COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador training on Monday, June 7 and Thursday, June 10. The training is free. If you're interested in signing up, please email Jenna Kellerman to register by June 2.

Governor Tim Walz has acted to roll back temporary workforce flexibility relating to out-of-state licensed healthcare professionals.

In April 2020, Gov. Walz issued Executive Order 20-46, which authorized out-of-state healthcare professionals who hold an active license in good standing issued by another state to provide healthcare service in Minnesota during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. This policy applied to individuals who would otherwise be required to obtain a license to practice here from the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice or the Minnesota Board of Nursing, including LPNs, RNs, and APRNs.

The LeadingAge Minnesota Awards Committee is proud to announce the 2021 Stars Among Us award winner: YOU!

Each year at Institute, during one of the two general sessions, we introduce you to the amazing people recognized with our annual Stars Among Us awards – leaders, volunteers, board members and our top honor, the caregiver of the year. We consider it a highlight of the Institute.

On Tuesday, LeadingAge Minnesota kicked off the first day of the 2021 Institute. The Institute, held May 18-21, is the largest multi-day conference for older adult services professionals in the Upper Midwest. This year's event takes place on a virtual platform over four mornings and has more education sessions and available CEUs than ever before.

A four-part intensive workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the various new requirements with which Assisted Living providers will be expected to comply under the new licensure law. We will offer the workshop in a virtual format in the mornings of May 26, 27 and July 13, 14. It includes several topics all in one program series rather than individual sessions. This is an excellent series for assisted living teams to attend together.

FORWARD – that is the theme of the 2021 Virtual Institute, May 18-21, and it most definitely reflects the spirit of optimism we're feeling from our members. Over 3,000 people are registered to attend this historic virtual conference customarily held in St. Paul during February.

LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation (LAMF) recently awarded more than $425,000 in COVID-19 grants to members to fund staff support and virtual adult day services in rural areas.

Workforce challenges have become even more acute in the wake of COVID-19. One way to retain the caregivers and staff you have is to help them achieve their higher education goals and advance their careers within the aging services field where they are so needed. To that end, the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation is offering educational scholarships to eligible caregivers and other employees of our member organizations for 2021.

New resident contract requirements for licensed assisted living settings will be effective Aug. 1. To help members develop new contract language, LeadingAge Minnesota has a new resource available this week in our website store: an assisted living resident contract. The contract template includes rent and service plan components, a meal plan agreement, and the additional required information on the right to designate a representative. 

Gayle Kvenvold, President and CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota, was announced as one of the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journals 2021 Most Admired CEOs honorees.

Last week’s HUD and HHS announced a joint effort to increase vaccine access at HUD-assisted communities. Yesterday, the Department announced it is hosting COVID-19 webinars focusing on housing and health partnerships, the COVID-19 vaccine, and community health workers.