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The Minnesota Department of Health periodically receives guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on specific regulatory or survey issues, which the Department will forward to LeadingAge Minnesota and other stakeholders when applicable. This guidance typically comes in the form of an email written by the CMS Central Office in response to a question submitted by a state survey agency or a provider. This week MDH forwarded three questions-and-answers (identified with CMS tracking #s), which it described as clarifications from the Central Office. 

LeadingAge Minnesota is issuing Safety Alert based on an emerging theme we have identified in the Minnesota Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC) substantiated maltreatment reports. To help members prevent similar harm in their settings, we are distributing this Safety Alert to share learnings from these events and solutions for consideration. 

Learn how to develop a system to create more effective waiting lists for your housing community and keep prospects engaged and committed – and move past the dreaded “I’m not ready yet” objection. m 

This is the biggest conference for home- and community-based providers to hit the state ever. Don’t miss the Connect Conference, Aug. 20 and 21, which brings together providers from the full spectrum of senior housing, assisted living, home care and adult day to discuss the important issues and opportunities that impact us all. 

The LeadingAge Minnesota Board of Directors will meet for their annual planning retreat in June to review how the Association is meeting member needs. In advance of that, they hope to hear from members in the 2019 Member Value Survey.  

The LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation will distribute over $33,000 in scholarships this year to caregivers and other employees of member organizations who are interested in advancing their education and careers in aging services. There is still time to apply, but the deadline is approaching fast. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31. 

LeadingAge Minnesota has established a new partnership with Align, bringing you access to an Employee Engagement Solution (manager/supervisor training!), and two Customer Experience Solutions.  

Social Media is a key tool for recruiting new staff. Use the two videos below in your recruitment efforts to engage job seekers in your community. When all LeadingAge Minnesota members come together to share a unified message, the impact can be powerful. Share these videos today! 

Direct care staff have opinions that matter! When frontline staff know that they will be responsible for training new team members, they are often invested in the people who get hired in the first place and become more invested in the training process. Empower your team by training and including frontline staff in the interview process. 

LeadingAge has shared a draft comment letter on the recently issued proposed rule to change the salary threshold for overtime eligibility that would raise the salary level for exemption from the minimum wage and overtime rules.  

With less than one week to go in the 2019 Legislative Session, there are bills advancing that will result in landmark changes to your operations, staffing and ability to ensure safe, quality affordable care to our fast-growing aging population. Register today for a June District Meeting, where our advocacy team will lead a deep dive discussion on these changes and plan the next steps we will take together as a provider community.   

A new report shows that over the course of a five-year period, 94% of the deficiencies cited on nursing home surveys were in the "less serious" categories defined as F or below on the scope and severity grid. However, the report also noted that 31% of nursing homes had at least one repeat deficiency during the review period.

The next meeting of the Assisted Living/Home Care Nurse Leader Network (ALNET) will take place in June at four locations around Minnesota. The agenda, which still being finalized, will feature a legislative update, survey readiness, new MDH survey tools and time for deep dive questions.  

LeadingAge recently released guidance for coding Risk for Pressure Ulcers in section M0100 and M0150 of the MDS, which includes an overview of each section, key definitions, an overview of risk factors and steps for assessment.  

The updated skilled nursing facility Provider Preview Reports from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are available for review. Members have until May 30 to review their performance data prior to it being displayed on the Nursing Home Compare site in July. 

In just a few short weeks, LeadingAge Minnesota will release the list of members who have made the Safe Care for Seniors pledge and are committed to the 5-Step Action Plan. Are you on the list?

Long term care providers in Minnesota have a lot on their plates. As much as you may want to build your workforce pipeline by starting a Nursing Assistant Training Program, it may feel like more work than you can handle. 

With less than 2 weeks to go in the legislative session, much work remains to be done. LeadingAge MN and its members are in the trenches advocating for our priorities and leaving no stone unturned as we push to the finish line. Here is a quick update on where things stand: 

Many companies have gotten creative with their employee benefits as a way of recruiting, rewarding and retaining staff. Tech companies, in particular, have a reputation for working some fun into the work-lives of their teams. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will host a statewide Nursing Home Regulatory telephone call on Monday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to Noon. Here are the connection details for the May 13 event:  

Safe Care for Seniors is a movement that we will bolster through the support of all who live and work in in our communities, and those who help guide our work. One key group to engage is your Board of Directors. 

The U.S. Housing & Urban Development Department is proposing changes to the national physical inspection process. Because HUD’s in-person listening sessions on this topic filled so quickly, D. J. Lavoy, Director of the Office of the Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC), has agreed to provide a special opportunity for LeadingAge members.  

The May 15 PDPM workshop is nearly sold out; just a few seats remain. Successful Leadership Strategies to Prepare for PDPM is designed for your executive leadership team with important information as you prepare your organizations for the transition to PDPM.  

LeadingAge has created a toolkit with social media ideas to make participating in this month’s Older Americans Month easy. The 2019 theme is Connect, Create, Contribute, which encourages older adults and their communities to: 

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking public comment for the next 30 days on the second batch of evidentiary packages written for home and community-based settings across the state. A number of LeadingAge MN members who provide Adult Day Services or Customized Living Services are included in this batch of evidentiary packages.

The next submission deadline for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) is fast approaching. MDS data for Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2018 must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on May 15.  

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has posted to its website Information Bulletin 19-02: Update: MDH Nursing Home Facility Reporting Related to Federal Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, or Mistreatment; and Minnesota Vulnerable Adults Act.  

The Legislature returned from its spring recess and picked up the pace on passing its major finance bills, including the Health and Human Services budget. 

Countdown to the Oct. 1, 2019 implementation of Patient-Driven Payment Model, the new classification system for Medicare Part A payments, is now just five months away. Get ready by attending these crucial training sessions: 

Recruitment needs to be more than a generic “Now Hiring!” sign or tired newspaper advertisement. What can you do to create a more focused recruitment campaign? Know your community and create a targeted recruitment campaign.