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Project for Pride in Living (PPL), a nonprofit organization in Minneapolis is looking for employer partners who are interested in working together to customize a NEW training opportunity to help fill CNA positions within long-term care settings in the Twin Cities metro area. 

The $1.2 billion in financial support provided by the Emergency Housing Assistance for Older Adults Act (S. 4177, H.R. 6873) must be included in Congress’ next COVID-19 relief package. Ask your members of Congress to help the more than 700,000 older adults in HUD-assisted housing. S. 4177 and H.R. 6873 would provide key relief for affordable senior housing communities navigating the impacts of the coronavirus crisis, including: 

Organizations that participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs are prohibited from employing or contracting with a person or vendor on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG), List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE). 

The Minnesota Health Care Engineers Association (MHCEA) annual Fall Conference is cancelled this year due to on-going COVID-19 considerations.   

The Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators (BENHA) officially changed its name July. The statutory change in the board’s name to the Board of Executives for Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS) reflects the changing paradigm of long-term care services and the planned July 1, 2021 new licensure category for Licensed Assisted Living Directors. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently provided LeadingAge Minnesota with statements of deficiencies from 120 focused infection control surveys of Minnesota nursing homes conducted during April and May 2020. To assist members in preparing for future surveys, we have prepared a new resource: Focused Infection Control Surveys in Nursing Homes - Deficient Practices Commonly Cited by the Minnesota Department of Health. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) continues to work on recommendations for nursing homes and housing with services/assisted living settings to modify general visitation, but there still is not a firm timeline for release of those recommendations. 

The Minnesota Department of Human Services  (DHS) has published reopening guidance for Adult Day Centers. The guidance indicates that providers may resume in person services on July 1 upon meeting new requirements.  Providers may also continue offering services remotely via Alternative Adult Day Services.  

In a policy memo on June 25, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced temporary changes to the 5-star rating system on Nursing Home Compare. These changes include freezing pieces of the staffing and quality measures domains, as well as the immediate end to the payroll-based journal (PBJ) staffing submission waiver. 

As usual, we have emailed an occupancy survey to all care centers to complete. However, these are not usual times so we are going to approach reporting the results quite differently. We are asking for responses ASAP so we can do a couple of reports of the results starting with one before the end of July. 

It’s a sign of the times. Due to the continued social distancing guidance and diligence in protecting the people who serve our older adults, we have made the decision to convert all remaining education and conferences to online virtual events this year.

Stratis Health is conducting occasional brief surveys to capture snapshots of the expanding telehealth use in Minnesota. This telehealth snapshot focuses on telehealth policies, specifically the Medicare 1135 waiver. 

In its outdoor visitation guidance, MDH states that “pets must be under the control of the visitor bringing them in.” We have received a few questions as to whether residents may pet and hold the animal. MDH said residents can do so, if desired. 

In this week’s COVID-19 Resource Round-Up, we feature new tools that will help nursing homes enhance infection control, guide providers in testing, and ideas and guidance on how to engage residents during a time of social distancing and visitor restrictions.   

Telehealth has been embraced by senior living providers during COVID-19 and changes in federal policy and flexibilities from insurance have made it easier to implement and pay for it. Accompanying this positive progression is the operational demands it has placed on providers and the continued lack of reimbursement.

The Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131, and instructions have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The use of the renewed form with the expiration date of June 30, 2023 will be mandatory on Aug. 31, 2020.   

Maintaining an accurate OSHA log of recordable work-related injuries and illnesses is an important skill that benefits employers, workers, safety professionals and government agencies. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has announced free introductory-level training seminars about OSHA recordkeeping requirements, including recording COVID-19: 

Members have raised questions this week about background studies, so we wanted to share an update about what we know:   

The Minnesota Department of Human Services will host a July 13 webinar to Waiver Reimagine, a process designed to make system-level improvements to Minnesota’s disability waiver programs.  

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, invites interested stakeholders to apply to join the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Disparities Advisory Group. 

Earlier this month the Minnesota Department of Health shared with LeadingAge Minnesota the results from Focused Infection Control surveys of Minnesota nursing homes during April and May.  As we reported earlier, 120 facilities were cited for deficient practice(s), all of those at F880 and with only 4 being cited at scope and severity level G or above. 

COVID-19 is not over. The lives of seniors in our settings are at risk. Our healthcare workers are risking their lives without appropriate PPE, testing and funding. Watch this powerful message from our partners at LeadingAge. Then ask the Minnesotans who represent us in Washington for crucial resources and immediate relief to help fight COVID. Here are two thing you can do now:  

The Stars Among Us Awards nominations are open, and we want to hear all about your stars. More than ever, this is a year to recognize your dedicated staff team for their tireless commitment to serving older adults. In addition to our most popular awards, we are excited to introduce a new award this year – the Rising Star Award. 

The Minnesota Legislature’s first 2020 special session adjourned sine die in the early morning of June 20, just one week after Governor Walz called lawmakers back to St. Paul. Lawmakers failed to reach agreement on any of the major issues – including police reform, bonding, and distribution of CARES Act funds for COVID-19.  

Our annual summer conference for senior housing, assisted living and home care is the first major event to be offered in virtual format. Connect Conference is two days of education and networking. Local television personality Joe Schmit is the opening keynote speaker on Aug.19.  

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has waived the 8-hour training requirement for Paid Feeding Assistants during the public health emergency. Our partners at EduCare have released the only MDH approved expedited curriculum in Minnesota, which is a 2.5 hour online course with competencies. There is no cost to this program.  

In this week’s COVID-19 Resource Round-Up, we share tools to help you plan and communicate outdoor visits, navigating the grief and trauma that accompany a global pandemic and new testing resources, including a vendor list and a webinar featured the experiences and perspectives of our LeadingAge MN members. 

During COVID-19, we have witnessed some needed and long-awaited changes that have been accelerated as a byproduct of our response to this global pandemic. Some of these changes, especially with respect to the use of technology, will most likely reshape our future.  

A new White House commission focused on protecting nursing home residents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond was announced last week. Providers who were appointed to that commission are seeking deeper collaboration with regulators that is focused more on solutions, not penalties.  

Affordable housing providers should plan to participate in a RAD for PRAC call with HUD on Tuesday, June 30 at 1 p.m. The call will feature information about RAD flexibilities during COVID-19 and other updates, as well as a discussion on the new RAD for PRAC forms.