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Legislative leaders and Governor Walz announced this morning that they’ve reached a preliminary budget agreement, with details still being ironed out. As lawmakers shift their attention from policy to omnibus budget bills, LeadingAge Minnesota and our Imperative partner will continue to closely track impacts on aging services. As we learn more, we will share more detailed information on budget bills over the next several days.

The LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation (LAMF) is seeking proposals from qualified and experienced video production firms to develop a compelling video and photography series. The goal of this project is to help New Americans—immigrants and refugees—understand the opportunities and realities of long-term care careers and life in Minnesota.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Deadline for Bids: Noon, 12:00pm, Monday, June 2^nd, 2025

This project is administrated by the LeadingAge MN Foundation, a subsidiary of LeadingAge Minnesota, the state’s largest association of over 1,100 mission-driven organizations serving older adults in the places they call home. Our Foundation uses grant dollars and tax-deductible contributions to support initiatives that transform and enhance the experience of aging.  This project is made possible through support from the New Americans Long-Term Care Workforce grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.  

For questions, please contact Kirstan Ketter, Foundation Project Manager at LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation.  

In 2024, over 1,000 OnTrack nursing assistants attempted the state exam to be placed on the Minnesota Nurse Aide Registry. OnTrack learners’ pass rates continue to surpass the state average.

This week, lawmakers took significant steps on funding and policy for human services. On Monday, the House of Representatives heard HF2434, the Human Services Finance Omnibus Bill as well as HF2115, the Human Services Policy Omnibus Bill.

On Thursday, May 1, 2025, aging care and services leader Saint Therese announced it is acquiring The Belvedere of Heritage Retirement Communities of Westlake, Ohio.

Are you a Licensed Assisted Living Director (LALD) or Licensed Health Services Executive (LHSE) with a heart for guiding others? If so, we invite you to become a volunteer mentor and support the next generation of leaders in long-term services and supports.

A recurrent question and citation for Assisted Living Facilities is offering meal plans that meet statutory requirements.

Thank you to everyone who attended the Independent Living Executives Networking Group on Wednesday, April 23. We are especially grateful to Rob Lahammer, vice president of engagement and advocacy at Presbyterian Homes & Services, for leading a thoughtful and engaging session on purposeful living in senior living communities.

With new changes in immigration enforcement policies, we have released a new free, member-only resource— Immigration Enforcement Guide: Preparing for ICE Activity — to help aging services organizations prepare to create safe, informed, and responsive environments in the event of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

Quality care starts with understanding. EduCare is excited to announce several courses are now available in Spanish.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) uses the MN–ITS PRVLTR Mailbox as a primary method for communicating important updates.

Recent survey trends have revealed a notable uptick in deficiencies tied to the identification of resident changes in condition and the timely completion of follow-up comprehensive assessments.

Earlier this week, Vista Prairie Communities (VPC) is pleased announced the return of Kacey Kasel, RN, BSN, PHN, LALD as a Regional Director of Operations (RDO). In this expanded leadership role, Kacey will provide additional operational support to VPC’s communities, ensuring a continued focus on excellence in care, team development, and resident well-being.

Assisted living facilities that provide customized living (CL) services to people on the Brain Injury (BI) and Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) waivers must follow specific limitations based on the setting’s CL enrollment date.

During a roundtable on Tuesday, April 15, Governor Tim Walz said: “If you think we’re in a crisis now, especially for seniors living in rural Minnesota, cut Medicaid and find out what happens. There’s no way the state of Minnesota can come close to back filing what’s lost.”

Is your organization receiving job seeker matches? CaringCareersStartHere.com is helping connect job seekers with long-term care employers and elevating careers in aging services across the state.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services has released changes to the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification. Employers should review their current I-9 form’s expiration date and begin integrating the new I-9 form into their employee verification systems and processes.

The Office of Higher Education's (OHE) Dual-Training Pipeline Grant is open for applications until April 15.

On April 7, 2025, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk (TX) ruled in favor of the American Health Care Association, LeadingAge, and four nursing homes, finding that CMS exceeded its authority by imposing a federal minimum staffing mandate on nursing homes.

This week, LeadingAge Minnesota members headed to our nation’s Capital to advocate on behalf of aging services providers and the seniors we serve.

This week, lawmakers worked long hours to construct budget bills that direct spending and cuts over the next two years.

Select Rehabilitation is LeadingAge Minnesota Solutions preferred therapy partner. Your partnership with them helps advance our outreach, advocacy, and education at LeadingAge Minnesota, in addition to the many benefits they bring to your community.

HUD has released its income limits for affordable rental communities, effective 4/1/2025.    These income limits are used by providers of affordable rental property to help a property determine eligibility criteria.

Each month, Minnesota Housing posts an update for providers called HOT Topics. This publication recaps top items they’ve been finding in Management Occupancy Reviews (MOR) and other relevant updates for providers of HUD housing.

Data submission for Quarter 1, 2025 is now open through April 30 in the LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal. Take advantage of this opportunity to track your operational performance over time and benchmark your data against others at the state, regional and other comparison groups, such as groups with similar capacity and services.

Late last week, the House and Senate released budget targets with significant differences. The House proposes $1.1B in cuts this biennium, compared to $754M from the Senate. Those gaps widen in FY2028–29: $2.6B vs. $1.7B, respectively.

Starting April 9, LeadingAge Minnesota’s new Operations Certificate Program is specifically designed for professionals in long-term care settings—including assisted living and care centers—who are looking to expand their operational knowledge and leadership abilities.

Post your open positions with a new member-only discount on AgingServicesJobs.org – the premier job board for aging services employers to post their critical to fill positions and get connected with qualified applicants.

The Office of Higher Education's (OHE) Dual-Training Pipeline Grant is open for applications until April 15.

OnTrack’s impact is broadening its reach beyond Minnesota. As healthcare employers embrace international recruitment to address workforce shortages, OnTrack International is preparing international candidates before they arrive in Minnesota.