News

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) frequently cites the following in assisted living surveys: “The licensee failed to ensure a side rail was assessed for appropriateness and safety.”

This week, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that MDH-licensed providers, including home care, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes, will not transition back to fingerprint-based background studies until Jan. 5, 2022. Until the transition occurs, these providers will continue to submit emergency studies, as we have been doing throughout the pandemic.

For care centers participating in the Medicaid program, the annual cost report for the year ended Sept. 30, 2021 is due Feb. 1, 2022 under the current statute.

Due to “exceptional circumstances” attributed to the pandemic and staffing shortages, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is offering a grace period for submitting the cost report and associated schedules of 150 days. The grace period makes the effective due date of the cost report July 1, 2022. The cost report instructions are currently posted on the DHS nursing facility portal; the actual cost report form and other schedules will be posted later.

For the next six months, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is trying a new process when care centers change their number of beds.

After a four-week delay, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is proceeding with the transition from emergency background studies back to studies with fingerprints and photographs. 

In a meeting with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) this week, staff from the Environmental Health Division provided information on early findings regarding the food code during assisted living surveys. Most findings are in basic food handling safety measures.

The Minnesota Health Care Loan Forgiveness program cycle opens Nov. 1 and is accepting applications through Jan. 17, 2022. The Loan Forgiveness program is available for various health care professionals serving in high-need areas, including nurses in nursing homes, assisted living, and home care settings.

Since early August, several LeadingAge Minnesota members across the state have invited federal and state lawmakers from both political parties into their communities to raise awareness around the growing workforce crisis in long-term care.

The Minnesota Department of Health's Health Regulation Division (HRD) will provide information, news, updates and links to assisted living providers, residents, resident families, and the public through a new weekly newsletter, ALL Together. To subscribe, enter your email address and click submit. 

Are you interested in advancing the next generation of leaders in assisted living? LeadingAge Minnesota is looking for Licensed Assisted Living Directors (LALDs) to volunteer as mentors for students enrolled in our Assisted Living Director Licensure Program.

Are you interested in advancing the next generation of leaders in Assisted Living? LeadingAge Minnesota is looking for Licensed Assisted Living Directors (LALDs) to volunteer as mentors for students enrolled in our Assisted Living Director Licensure Program.

The Minnesota Department of Health has added an Assisted Living Licensure Closure Form to their Forms and Self-Audit Tools page under the “notifications” heading. The form provides guidance for the closure process.

Minnesota’s assisted living settings and nursing homes are facing an unprecedented workforce crisis, and LeadingAge Minnesota members across the state are contacting their lawmakers to ask for support now.

Assisted living facilities should base their emergency plan on documented facility-based and community-based risk assessments using an all-hazards approach, including addressing a scenario involving missing residents.

Earlier this year, the legislature approved a new program to assist Customized Living providers who serve a "disproportionate share" of Elderly Waiver (EW) clients. Any Customized Living provider who serves 80% EW clients as of Oct.1 of this year is eligible for a minimum rate for EW Customized Living clients of $119 per day for the period from July 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2022. The program will be ongoing, and the floor will typically apply on an annual basis based on EW percentage on Oct. 1 of each year.

This week’s report from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on the status of current assisted living licensees provides a glimpse at the composition of assisted living around the state. Of the currently licensed 1973 assisted living facilities, 1337 of those are in the seven-county metro area, leaving 636 throughout the rest of the state.

Starting Oct. 15, non-renewed home care licenses that expired or were closed due to conversion to an assisted living facility license will also have their background study records closed.

The Senate Human Services Reform and Finance Committee recently met to address a wide array of topics that included Elderly Waiver implementation and vaccine requirements in various long-term care settings.

Dawn Davis, head of the Background Studies unit at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), will join the LeadingAge Minnesota Coaching Room on Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 3 p.m. to provide an update and answer questions about the transition back to fingerprint-based studies. 

Through Oct. 31, 2021, DHS is accepting applications from people to join the new Waiver Reimagine Advisory Committee (WRAC). The committee will provide input about the implementation of Waiver Reimagine and help develop the program during virtual meetings held every other month.