Emergency Preparedness Standards for Assisted Living

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Jonathan Lips

Our team has created a new resource to support assisted living facilities with understanding and implementing the emergency preparedness requirements contained in the so-called "Appendix Z."

The Assisted Living licensure rules adopted by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) create extensive disaster planning and emergency preparedness requirements. Effective Aug. 1, the MDH rule requires assisted living facilities to comply with federal emergency preparedness regulations for long-term care facilities under the Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 483.73. Together with interpretive guidance and recommended survey protocols, these regulations are included in a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) document called State Operations Manual Appendix Z, which the MDH rule adopts and incorporates by reference.

Appendix Z is challenging to use because CMS has included the regulatory requirements and guidance for long-term care facilities and 16 other provider and supplier types. As a result, the current version of Appendix Z tops 100 pages.

For the convenience of our members, LeadingAge Minnesota has posted a modified version of Appendix Z to our Assisted Living Licensure Tools and Resources page that includes only the requirements for long term care facilities (42 CFR §483.73) and related interpretive guidelines – which are the standards assisted living facilities must meet. In other words, we have removed regulatory citations and other content that applies only to one of the other 16 provider or supplier types affected by the federal emergency preparedness rule.

As CMS updates Appendix Z over time, we will revise the document to include any new information for our members.  If you have any questions or suggestions for how to improve this resource, please contact Jonathan Lips.