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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updates to the State Operations Manual on January 30, 2026. The new changes are effective March 30, 2026. Updates were made to Chapter 5, which outlines complaint investigations and processes, and Chapter 7, which relates to the long-term care survey process.

The 2026 Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Nursing Facility Performance-Based Incentive Payment Program (PIPP) Round 20 Request for Proposals (RFP) information is now available.

This week, legislation to exempt senior care settings from needing a liquor license for resident happy hours advanced in the Senate Commerce Committee.

LeadingAge Minnesota’s new Regional Operations Network officially launched on Feb. 26, bringing together members from across the state who serve in regional operational roles.

LeadingAge Minnesota members now have access to a new collection of workforce resources to help New Americans succeed in aging services careers.

Less than two years after opening Saint Therese of Corcoran, Saint Therese is expanding its footprint in the fast-growing west metro city. Last week, the Corcoran City Council approved the new construction that will add 31 new independent living apartments to Saint Therese’s existing community that currently has independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments.

The LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation is excited to offer almost $60,000 in educational scholarships to eligible caregivers and other employees of our member organizations for 2026. Investing in the professional development of the aging services workforce is more important now than it has ever been.

Finding the right talent is critical — and LeadingAge Minnesota members have an exclusive opportunity to save while recruiting. Members can post open positions on AgingServicesJobs.org, the premier job board for aging services employers, at a significantly reduced rate.

Last week, Kari Thurlow, LeadingAge Minnesota’s President and CEO and Kelly Conrad, Director of Assisted Living Services, joined Argentum in Washington, D.C. to advocate for policies that strengthen senior living communities and support older adults across Minnesota and the nation.

To strengthen program integrity and address concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid programs, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has designated 13 provider categories as “high-risk,” including Adult Day services. As a result, Adult Day providers must complete an off-cycle revalidation by May 31, 2026 in order to remain enrolled in Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP).

The LeadingAge Minnesota QUEST Report for the third quarter, 2025 is now available, providing members with timely insights into trends shaping the senior care sector.

This week, the Senate Human Services Committee heard two bills that would adversely affect senior care services.

The Duluth Tenants Union, an advocacy group representing renters in Duluth, have signaled their potential efforts to introduce a ballot initiative allowing for rent control caps in the city of Duluth. This same group successfully led a ballot initiative in 2025 for the Right to Repair ordinance, which is now in effect.  

Falls continue to be one of the most persistent and costly challenges in long-term care—impacting resident wellbeing, staff response time, quality measures, and regulatory performance. Our new Virtual Technology Demo Day on Fall Prevention brings together leading technology partners to showcase practical, data-backed solutions that can help you reduce fall risk and strengthen outcomes across your organization.

The LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation has developed a new five-part video series designed to help member providers recruit and onboard talent from Minnesota’s immigrant and refugee communities.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), Aging and Adult Services Division (AASD), and Disability Services Division (DSD) have announced a new Request for Proposal for the Customized Living Quality Improvement (CLQI) Grant Program.

To help more learners succeed in CNA training, OnTrack Nursing Assistant now offers translated learner materials in Spanish, Somali, and Hmong — designed to strengthen comprehension and confidence.

The Addressing “Med Not Available” Medication Errors Resource was developed by a work group of the LeadingAge Minnesota Quality Committee to support members in building systematic, effective processes to both prevent and respond to medications not being available to administer to residents.

Yesterday, CMS at the White House announced that they would be withholding $259 million in federal funds for Minnesota due to “unsupported or potentially fraudulent Medicaid claims.” The amount was based on a review of claims from the fourth quarter of 2025.

As we previewed in last week’s Capitol Conversations newsletter, we can expect lawmakers this year to focus on messaging bills, sharper partisan contrasts, and a heavy emphasis on positioning rather than policymaking. In an election year, some bills are intended to send a message to potential voters and constituents, rather than become law.

Recently, we announced that registration was open for our Operations Certificate Program. As we look ahead to our April 1 start date, we want to share more about what participants can expect and why this program comes at the right time for our members.

Join us March 3-5 for the Virtual Institute. Three days of all-new sessions on topics to help you serve your residents. All virtual sessions will be recorded and available for viewing through April 30.

Are you looking for additional funding this year to expand the great work you’re already doing? LeadingAge Minnesota’s Grant Grid is a practical, at-a-glance tool designed to help aging service providers quickly identify funding opportunities that align with their program and strategic goals.

The Food Code Compliance Toolkit was developed to support assisted living facilities in meeting—and exceeding—Minnesota food code requirements.

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new five-part, documentary-style video series designed to both welcome and support New Americans exploring careers in Minnesota’s aging services workforce.

For years, skilled nursing facilities have told their quality story primarily through the MDS. If it wasn’t coded on the assessment, it often didn’t exist in the eyes of CMS quality measures. That framework is now changing—decisively.

Legislators need to hear directly from long-term care providers and Day at the Capitol is your opportunity to make that happen.

On January 28, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued Quality, Safety, and Oversight memo QSO-26-01, revising the criteria used to select nursing homes for the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program. This update carries meaningful implications for all member facilities, and we want to make sure you understand what changed and what steps you should be taking now.

The 2025 Legislature created a new rate exception program under Elderly Waiver (EW) to help hospitals discharge high need residents to assisted living and other EW settings. The new program allows for rates that would otherwise exceed the EW budget caps.

A longtime LeadingAge Minnesota member organization is celebrating a milestone year as its founder receives statewide recognition for leadership in aging services and health care. Dr. Mary Tjosvold, founder and CEO of The Mary T Family of Companies, is being honored by three Minnesota business publications as the organization marks its 50th anniversary in 2026. Congratulations, Mary T and companies!