​​​​​​​Continuing Education Requirements for Directors of Assisted Living with Dementia Care

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Bobbie Guidry

The requirements for assisted living directors of settings licensed as assisted living with dementia care (ALDC) have raised several questions for those seeking to keep their credentials up to date.

The statute (144G.82, Subd. 2) requires that the assisted living director of an assisted living facility with dementia care "complete and document that at least ten hours of the required annual continuing education requirements related to the care of individuals with dementia. The training must include medical management of dementia, creating and maintaining supportive and therapeutic environments for residents with dementia, and transitioning and coordinating services for residents with dementia. Continuing education credits may include college courses, preceptor credits, self-directed activities, course instructor credits, corporate training, in-service training, professional association training, web-based training, correspondence courses, telecourses, seminars, and workshops."

Several questions have been raised regarding the statute, and two issues have been clarified with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH):

• Do all hours need to be continuing education credits approved through the Board of Executives for Long-Term Services and Support (BELTSS)? MDH has determined that the continuing education for this requirement does not need to be BELTSS-approved. The licensee must maintain documentation of the training and how it met the required content.
• The continuing education requirement for Licensed Assisted Living Directors (LALD) is 30 hours every two years. Are the ten hours required in statute per year or based on the LALD requirement of the 30 within two years? After consideration, MDH has clarified that the Department will expect the 10 hours of listed criteria within the two-year licensing cycle.

MDH is working to develop a frequently asked questions document on this topic. This LALD requirement is in addition to the dementia training required for all assisted living staff found in 144G.64 and employees at an ALDC licensed setting found in Rule 4659.0190.