News

This morning, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced that as of Oct. 1, it will be implementing an Optional State Assessment (OSA) as part of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment done by all care centers.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), through the Nursing Facility Rates and Policy (NFRP) Division and the State Civil Monetary Penalties (CMP) Initiative, is seeking proposals from qualified Minnesota Medicaid-Certified Nursing Facilities interested in implementing the ResoLute Program.

This summer, we’ll regularly highlight some of the most significant issues summarized in the 2023 Legislative Report, a benefit of membership in LeadingAge Minnesota. This week’s topic: the impacts of legalized cannabis on aging services providers.

The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy reminds long-term care providers who utilize medication carts their provider pharmacist or pharmacy is not permitted under board rules to provide goods or services for “below the cost of the service or good.”

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry's (DLI) Labor Standards Division assists workers and employers in understanding their workplace rights and protections.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has implemented several process changes for submitting Change of Capacity requests from assisted living settings.

Adult day services providers can offer a remote service option to clients beginning on July 1. Providers should review the requirements and take steps to receive approval from the Department of Human Services (DHS) if they choose to offer remote services.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) recently announced the updated property rate thresholds that will apply for projects after Oct. 1. There are two thresholds and two different types of property rate increase projects.

LeadingAge Minnesota has added a COVID-19 facility assessment policy template to the resource library as a companion document to the facility assessment workbook provided last week.

The Higher Education Omnibus bill (HF 2073) has now passed both the House and Senate and is awaiting a signature from the Governor. The measure will include a one-time investment of $3 Million for the Next Generation Nursing Assistant (NextGen) training program over the 2024-2025 biennium.

Remote adult day services will be a permanent option for licensed adult day services providers beginning July 1.

A licensed assisted living facility in Minnesota is required to comply with the Minnesota Food Code and have a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM).

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) summarizes data used to depict the state of antibiotic stewardship in Minnesota’s nursing homes in its newly released report, Antibiotic Use and Stewardship. The report outlines opportunities for MDH and clinical partners to use antibiotic stewardship programs.

The Minnesota Departments of Health (MDH) and Human Services (DHS) recently responded to inquiries about proper agency staff contacts for questions about nursing home closure.

In assisted living and assisted living with dementia care licensing surveys completed in the first quarter of 2023 by the Minnesota Department of Health, the average number of survey citations is 13.85. Analyzing the survey data can help assisted living settings provide safe, quality care and avoid citations on future surveys.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) have postponed the webinar scheduled for 1 p.m. on April 17 to provide information on nursing home topics including:

• Receivership
• Closure and emergency relocation procedures
• The role of governing board

In a recent bulletin, the Department of Human Services (DHS) reminded providers that effective Jan. 11, 2021, an age limitation was applied to new customized living (CL) services settings for Brain Injury (BI) and Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) waiver programs. Customized living services settings operational on or after Jan. 11, 2021, are limited to serving people on the BI and CADI waivers who are age 55 and older. This change was announced in the Implementation of the HCBS rule tiered standards, effective Jan. 11, 2021.

The Minnesota Department of Health’s Health Regulation Division (HRD) will host the Board of Executives for Long-Term Care Services and Supports (BELTSS) for a webinar on Wednesday, April 19, at noon to present the most frequently asked questions about Licensed Assisted Living Director (LALD) licensure and practice requirements.

WCCO political analyst Blois Olson hosted a new Fluence Forum, a conversation about the caregiving crisis in Minnesota.

LeadingAge Minnesota continues to use earned media to garner support for our legislative agenda and keep pressure on lawmakers. In addition, we’ve recently launched a paid media campaign in strategically targeted areas.