News

Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) has updated many of the home and community-based provider (HCBS) enrollment forms.

Care centers have access to an engagement, retention, and leadership building platform for free through a grant for Align’s Employee Engagement Solution. The final grant window closes on Jan. 30. Previous messages indicated that subsequent grant cycles would open over the next two years; however, this will be the last opportunity.

The latest Request for Proposal for the Home and Community Based (HCBS) Scholarship Grant is currently open, with applications due on Jan. 31. This grant is offered through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. You can find the HCBS Scholarship Grant details, including the RFP, on the MDH website.

With winter upon us, it's an excellent time to consider the risks that heating units can potentially create for residents in nursing homes and assisted living settings. 

The latest Request for Proposal for the Home and Community Based (HCBS) Scholarship Grant will be released on Dec. 20. Applications are due on Jan. 31, 2022. This grant is offered through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. You can find the HCBS Scholarship Grant details on the MDH website.

With assisted living licensees several months into the new licensing structure, several directors have transitioned from one position to another. When a director leaves an assisted living setting or the setting gets a new director, they must notify the Board of Executives for Long-term Services and Supports (BELTSS).

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shared a checklist to help guide assisted living providers in self-auditing compliance with physical environment requirements. The checklist covers the details from 144G that surveyors are looking for in the areas of:

Earlier this week, the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget released an updated state budget forecast projecting a $7.7 billion surplus of revenue over expenses in its general fund. The surplus shows that the state is weathering the pandemic well and allows lawmakers to make permanent investments in professional caregivers.

In a recently released memo, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) clarified the Housing Support Program’s requirement to provide three meals a day in relation to the new assisted living contract limitation found in 144G.41, Subd. 1(13)(i)(C), which stipulates that “the facility cannot require a resident to include and pay for meals in their contract.”

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has recently started posting assisted living survey findings on its website.

The site allows searches by facility, county, city. To see all completed assisted living surveys to date, set the date range for Aug. 1, 2021 to today's date and search "all."

As of this week, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that Provider Relief Funds (PRF) and Paycheck Protection Program Loans (PPP) will not be offset in care center rates.

The Minnesota Health Care Loan Forgiveness program cycle 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. Please join the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) team for a webinar to learn more about this program on Wednesday, Dec. 8 from 9-10 a.m. Register here.

Care centers have access to an engagement, retention, and leadership building platform for free through a grant for Align’s Employee Engagement Solution. The current grant window closes on Nov. 23. Previous messages indicated that subsequent grant cycles would open over the next two years; however, applications cycles will be limited and will likely end in early 2022. If you plan to apply in future application cycles, please plan accordingly. 

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.